AGAPI

31. Last day with you

Austin

Once I reach the office, I call her again, hoping to hear the words 'I'm not avoiding you, it's just that I'm busy' from her but she doesn't pick up again. I text her instead, not wanting to disturb her anymore.

Please call me once you get free
 I'll be waiting>

I check it every now and then for three hours but it was unread everytime I checked it. Feeling even more distracted by the thoughts of her, I switch off my phone and start focusing on the work for the day without any break, asking no one to interrupt me while I would be working, in fear that I might drown into the negative thoughts about Iris, though I couldn't get her completely off my mind even while working.

5:16 p.m

I complete my work earlier than the usual and as I reach near the house, I see Iris' car parked in it's usual place getting me excited. I park my car and hurry up inside, feeling nervous and happy at the same time.

Once I get inside the house, I see Iris sitting on the couch with both of her palms covering her face making me even more nervous. She wouldn't have been here at this hour if she was trying to avoid me which made me suspect that something unfortunate must've really happened to her company. It gave me relief even though I shouldn't be, given her state.

I call her name before getting near her, still afraid that she might be uncomfortable around me. She removes her hand from her face and looks at me. Her eyes are completely swollen and red which aches my heart. Not wasting a second, I drop my bag on the floor and reach to the couch to sit beside her and embrace her tightly, wanting to comfort her, irrespective of the reason behind her pain. She hugs me back, making me calm and happy but she starts crying again in my embrace as I feel her tears on my shirt, breaking my heart even more.

"Why was your phone switched off? I tried calling you so many times." She speaks in between her sobs without breaking the hug.

"I'm sorry. I did it to not distract myself from work." I do not give her the exact reason.

She doesn't speak another word but just stays in my embrace, crying her heart out. I do not ask her anything knowing that she would tell me if she wanted to. I did not want to add up to her bitterness moment by questioning her anything so I just stay in her embrace, hoping this would comfort her atleast a bit.

After a few short seconds, she breaks the embrace and looks at my eyes with her teary ones making me want to cry too. I cannot bear to look her being so broken.

"Should we go outside like we did that day?" I remind her the day she comforted me when I was a broken mess, thinking it might make her feel better too like it did to me but she shakes her head to refuse.

"I'm hungry." She looks away breaking the eye contact and creates an unwanted distance between us. "I haven't eaten anything all day." I feel even more sad thinking that she starved all day on top of crying to the extent that her eyes were completely swollen, red and still filled with tears.

"Why?" I get too much concerned. "That doesn't matter." I look around and do not find Caroline. "I'll cook for you." I get off the couch but she holds my hands to stop.

"Get freshen up, first. I'll wait."

I hesitate before nodding because I indeed am dirty right now and had to clean myself up before cooking. "But don't ever skip your meals from now on, please?" I ask her not letting her hands being taken away from mine before she nods and once she does, I let her hands off mine and head to our room.

I freshen up soon, get into my pyjamas and go down to find her still on the couch staring at wall, probably spacing out. I have to distract her. I call her name and she looks at me with a smile, making me happy as I return the smile. I head straight to the kitchen and she follows me.

"Sit down here" I point at the dining chair. "I'll cook soon."

"I'll try helping you." She offers but I shake my head.

"No. I don't want you to mess the food." I say chuckling and she chuckles back without getting offended by it. "What are you craving?" I ask her to make the dish she wants to have.

"Italian spaghetti."

"Yeah, Okay." I smile and head to the kitchen.

After few minutes, I take the plate filled with her craving to the dining table and place it in front of her. She gets curious and smells it, bringing a smile on my face.

"Dig in soon." I ask her and she does it without wasting a second as I take a seat beside her. "How is it?" I ask her being curious because it was the first time I had cooked for her.

"It's really good." She doesn't talk more and just eats, focusing on the food. Her expressions and her actions don't lie too, making me happy and satisfied. I eat with her in silence.

Once we're done, I take both of our plates from the dining table to put it in the sink but she stops me. "I'll do it. You cooked, I'll take them in and wash them." She attempts to take it away from my hand but I resist.

"No." I head inside but she doesn't listen and follows me. "I want you go sit on the couch and rest. There's no way I'll let you do this." I hold her right hand wrist gently and take her to the couch. "I'll finish it soon and join you." I kiss her forehead and look at her, getting anxious that she might've not liked it but she smiles making me smile too, making my happiness peak to it's top.

I head to the kitchen and finish the dishes as soon and clean as possible and go back to her and she smiles at me again making my heart flutter. I sit beside her and we both look at each other.

"By the way," I break the silence. "Where is Caroline?" I ask her as I haven't seen her from the time I've come back home.

"Well, I heard that she left her job due to personal reasons." I nod feeling a little sad because she was a really sweet person and I wish I could've said goodbye to her atleast but she had her own personal reasons after all. "Austin," she calls me bringing back my attention to her. "Can we like sleep together? I know it's just around seven but can we?" I nod, thinking that she must be really tired. I get up from the couch and extend my hand to her, asking for hers and she gives in making me smile yet again.

We both go to our room with our hands intertwined. I lock the door behind us even though we were the only ones in this house now. We get on the bed and sleep on our sides, looking at each other in silence.

"Are you feeling better now?" I break the silence and she nods.

"Austin," she speaks up after a few seconds of staring and I hum as a response. "Nothing." She shakes her head as she smiles. "I like that we are like this now." She hugs me but before I could hug her back, she backs away and sleeps on her back, not facing me anymore.

"What was that for?" I ask her getting surprised at the sudden hug which made my soul warm and happy.

"I'm sorry if it made you uncomfortable." She looks at me, still on her back.

"No." I shake my head, not wanting her to misunderstand. "I liked it." I smile and she smiles back but looks away but I still keep staring at her. "Very much." I add and her lips curves higher.

"Did you switch on your phone?" She asks me still not looking at me, making me realise that my phone wasn't switched on yet. She looks at me and I shake my head indicating a 'no'. "Then, do it. You might get an important call." She looks away and I follow her words.

I take my phone and switch it on and find a few missed calls from Iris and a missed call from my grandma. "My grandma had called me. I'll just talk to her soon and come back, okay?" I ask her and she nods as I walk out of the room and go down to the living room.

I sit on the couch, getting myself ready to hear what more she has to say and call her back. She doesn't pick up. I sigh and get off the couch to get back to my room but my phone starts ringing and it's her. I sit back on the couch and pick her call.

"Hello?" I start the conversation.

"Austin, can you come to my house now, please?"