Just Friends

Chapter 25

It was Saturday morning and Maria turned over in the bed after she stretched. She was having such a nice dream when a buzzing noise woke her. She reached for her phone but the screen was dark. Weird. She heard the buzzing noise again and now that she was awake she realised it was the intercom. She looked at the time on her phone 8:17am who on earth would be buzzing her door at this hour on a Saturday morning.

She walked to the intercom and pressed the speaker button "Eh who is it?" 

"It's Alex...who's this?...Is Greg there?"

Maria looked at the intercom in annoyance, she stifled a yawn before she spoke again 

"No sorry, you have the wrong apartment. There's no Greg living here" 

"Oh ok sorry.....so are you living here alone then?" 

Crap...maybe he was a weirdo trying to get the feel of the place before robbing everything she owns. 

"No...my boyfriend lives here too but he's not Greg, sorry gotta go" 

She walked away just as she said something else but she couldn't make out what it was. She walked to her window and pulling the curtain to the side slightly she peeked out. She could see a tall thin guy standing on the steps of the building. He had his phone out and was looking at the screen. Seconds later she saw a guy in the building across the road pop his head out the window and Alex looked across at him laughing and waving. As he turned to walk down the steps he looked up towards her window and smiled, waving an apology. Crap, she had been caught. He then ran across the road and into the other building.

She looked around her apartment and groaned. It really needed a good clean, she had so much work to do though. She looked at the time on her phone again 8:32am. There was no point in going back to bed, she'd never get back to sleep now. She decided to at least start the cleaning in her apartment. She clicked on a playlist of oldies and danced around as she cleaned up. 

Less than two hours later she was finished. She sat down on the sofa looking around and admiring her work. She done a good job. The smell of lavender mixed with bleach and she inhaled deeply. She loved it, it was a nice clean smell. She heard the buzzer again. Oh god...who is it this time.

She walked to the window and looked down. She could see a tall figure standing on the steps. His coat was pulled up around his neck and he was wearing a cap. It definitely wasn't the same guy as earlier. Why was she getting all the weirdos today? She stomped back to the intercom as it buzzed again. 

"Yes I'm here I'm here, who are you looking for?" 

There was silence for a moment 

"Um Maria?" 

She opened her mouth in shock...it was Keith

"Maria? are you there?" 

She pressed the button again "Keith? What are you doing here?"

He sounded nervous. "Umm can I come up please?" 

She thought for a moment, she wasn't sure she should let him into her apartment. He was a nice guy, she didn't think he'd try anything but she didn't really feel comfortable inviting him in. 

"Umm no sorry, listen just wait a sec I'll be right down" 

She quickly pulled on a pair of jeans and threw a hoody on over her pyjama top. Grabbing her bag with her keys and phone she left the apartment. She felt nervous as she walked down the stairs. She could see Keiths silhouette through the glass in the front door. She opened the door and he stood there smiling, it was a nervous smile though.

"Um lets go down the road, there's a little coffee shop there. I don't have anything in upstairs, I need to go shopping." She pulled the door closed behind her and walked down the steps without waiting for an answer. Keith caught up with her seconds later. 

"It's good to see you Maria, you look amazing" 

She glanced over at him "Eh ok, thanks....um Keith...how did you know where I'm living?"

He had the decency to look guilty. 

"Well...I sort of told your dad I wanted to send you something for your birthday, I told him I had a new phone so didn't have your address"

Maria stopped walking, she was looking at him with her mouth open.

"And he just handed over my address? I'm going to have to have a word with him" 

He looked down at his feet "I'm really sorry Maria, I didn't mean to cause any trouble. I just, I really wanted to see you and I knew you wouldn't tell me yourself."

"Keith..you can't just turn up on my doorstep and expect everything to be ok. I told you we're done and honestly...it's kind of creepy how you got my address."

Keith put his hand on her arm "I know, I'm really sorry but....Maria I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. I haven't been with anybody else since...well since I made the biggest mistake of my life. Please give me another chance, please" 

Maria looked at his handsome face, his top lip was slightly smaller than his bottom lip. They were perfectly shaped though. His eyes looked sad, he had high cheekbones and a strong jaw. It looked more defined than the last time she saw him. As she was about to say something he leaned in to her and kissed her. She didn't respond at first but after a second or two she pulled away.

"What the hell Keith?" 

"I'm sorry, please I'm so sorry...it's just..well you were staring at my lips I thought..." 

"No Keith, you didn't think, that's the problem. We're over Keith, done, finished, there's no going back" 

Maria turned on her heels and stormed back towards her apartment. She heard Keiths voice behind, calling her, apologising but she ignored him and just kept walking. She opened the front door and stepped inside. As soon as she got inside her apartment she rested her back against the door and cried.