From My Love to My Life (MXM) (sequel to From My Enemy to My Love)

Chapter 26

Gareth Scovile

When I got home, I changed into black sweatpants and a white t-shirt that had one of the video characters on it I had designed with my old company. I had no plans to go out again that night so I would probably end up sleeping in these clothes.

I sat on the couch and turned on the television. I found myself more than once pulling out my phone to look at the pictures of Kannika in that green dress. She was stunning. I should probably delete the pictures off my phone as the only reason I took them was so that she could send them to her mother. Except, she hadn't told me to delete them. On the other hand, she also didn't know I had feelings for her that were growing day by day and if she had known, she might have told me to delete the pictures. At one point I had the pictures selected so all I would need to do was hit delete and it would be done. Instead, I hit cancel. I groaned at myself and put my phone away.

I grabbed some potato chips and starbursts to snack on while I watched shows. Currently on was one of those reenactment crime shows.

The doorbell to my apartment rang. I sat there frozen with a starburst in my mouth as I stared at my door. I wasn't expecting anyone and I didn't know very many people. Pete would have texted before he came over. He was more of a party friend than a come over and hang out friend.

I got up and went to open the door. I wasn't sure what I had expected, but it certainly wasn't Kanni looking sad and lost. I had only left her a few hours ago and she had been happy then.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Can I come in?" she asked. Her arms were folded in front of her kinda like she was trying to give herself a comforting hug.

"Of course," I said. I stepped aside. When she came into the apartment, I closed the door. She didn't come in very far before she stopped and looked around my apartment. The walls were decorated with framed paintings of the artwork I had done on various video games.

"Feels like you," she said.

"That's because it is," I said. "That's all my artwork."

She nodded and walked towards the couch. She paused when she saw the chips and bag of starbursts. She gave me a quirky smile when she saw them. Someone else might have quickly put away the chips and starbursts when their crush walked in the door, but that wasn't me. If Kannika ever reciprocated my feelings - which I wasn't counting on - then I wanted it to be based on who I really was. Potato chips and starbursts sitting on my couch while the crime show was on the t.v. was part of who I was.

She sat on the couch, picked up the bag of chips and put a chip in her mouth. I sat next to her. Neither of us said anything while we watched the crime show. I kept glancing at her because it was clear she wasn't okay. She looked like she might break down and cry at any moment as she stuffed another chip in her mouth.

She didn't look at me, but she knew I kept glancing at her because at one point she put her palm on my cheek and forced my face forward towards the t.v. instead of her.

Her phone rang. She pulled it out of her purse and looked at the caller. "Sorry, Bree," she answered without even saying hello. "Something came up." She paused. "No. I'm fine. I'm not at the store anymore. You don't need to worry about giving me a ride. I'll just see you at home later." Another pause. "Yeah. Sorry again. I'll see you later." She hung up and sighed. She stuffed her phone back into her purse.

"What happened?" I asked.

"I went shopping with Bree to pick out jewelry for my new dress. It was going on kinda long so I told her she could go into the music store while I looked at the jewelry." She pulled a chip out of the bag, but didn't eat it. She stared down at it as it sat in between her fingers. She stared at it, but she didn't see it. Her gaze was far away. "I was going to go into the music store to find her, but Kiet came out of the store."