Sinful Desires

Pull my hair

Boom! Boom! Boom! 

What is that noise? I groaned inwardly, clinging to the last threads of sleep. My mind, half-dreaming, half-awake, pleaded for quiet. After all, I'd just survived a wild night of dancing and drinking, and I desperately needed the silence to slip back into sleep's embrace. But no—there it was again, that annoying thudding.

"Alex, I know you're in there! I'm coming in with my key. Please don't kill me!"

"Go away, Josh," I mumbled, burying my face deeper into the pillow. Sleep was sacred to me, and Josh knew that.

"I'm coming in!" he called, just before the door creaked open. Thump! My shoe landed squarely in his stomach, causing him to shield his face with both hands.

"Please, Alex! I know you love your sleep, but I found you a job!" he pleaded.

"I don't want a job; I just want to sleep, for crying out loud! Get out!" I groaned, my head lifting just enough to spot Josh stepping into my bedroom, unfazed.

"Ew, your breath smells like something died, and your hair looks like a bird's nest. Get in the shower; I can't breathe in here!" he declared, wrinkling his nose before giving me a shove out of my beloved bed.

Reluctantly, I staggered up. My apartment was small—just a living room and a bedroom—but my bed? That was the only thing big in the whole place, and I loved it more than anything. My sanctuary.

"Remind me again why you're my best friend?" I muttered, glaring at him.

"Because I'm the only one who puts up with you!" Josh retorted, pushing me toward the bathroom. The next thing I knew, he'd turned on the cold water and splashed me with it.

"Eeeeeek! Josh! I'm going to kill you, I swear!" I screamed, but I could hear him muttering something incoherent. I sighed, peeling off my clothes to hop into the shower. My eyes caught the tattoo on my right thigh—Josh's initials. I sighed again, remembering that ridiculous drunken dare when we decided to tattoo each other's initials. The screaming match the next day was epic, but, in a weird way, we both loved it.

Josh and I had been best friends since we were four. Our parents had been neighbors, and our families grew close as we did. Even after all these years, that bond remained unbreakable.

"So, what's this job you're pestering me about?" I shouted over the running water.

"Assistant to one of Phil's friends. His name's Jimmy; he works at Hills Corporation," Josh called back, rummaging through my drawers for clothes. He spoiled me way too much.

"Don't mess this up, Alex. I know how hard it is for you to keep a job."

"Oh, shut up. I try my best! They're the ones with issues, not me," I grumbled, wrapping a towel around myself as I stepped out of the bathroom. Josh, without turning to look at me, tossed me my clothes and undies.

"Honestly, it's a wonder you haven't been fired from your babysitting job yet," he teased, still facing away from me.

"I went on a spiritual retreat in Africa, remember? I'm a changed woman now!" I mocked, pulling on my clothes. I sat down, gesturing for him to fix my hair—yeah, I know, but the guy has skills.

"Sure, I can see how much you've changed. Like this morning when you threw a shoe at me!" he laughed, starting to work some oils into my hair.

"You ruined my sleep. It was completely justified," I said, wincing as he pulled a bit too hard on a tangle. "Could you be a little gentler?"

"I am gentle. It's your hair that's the problem. It's untamable, just like your charming attitude," he teased.

I rolled my eyes. My hair had always been a nuisance—red, long, and wildly curly. I hated the attention it brought in high school, not to mention the teasing from boys. That was probably why I developed such a tough exterior, always ready to bite back at anyone who crossed me.

"Anyway, what time does this Jimmy guy expect me?" I asked, starting to tidy up my room. The one thing I was obsessive about was my bed—if it was clean and perfectly made, I was happy. Weird, right?

"I swear, Alex, if you even think about lying back in that bed, I will throw you over my shoulder and carry you out myself!" Josh threatened, getting up to chase me out of the room.

Shrieking, I ran out of the room, stomping all the way to the front door. "Bastardo," I muttered under my breath.

"I heard that!" he called after me, laughing as I sulked my way to his car.

I want to thank you for reading this story. It is going to be intriguing and filled with emotional drama. There will be rapid updates from time to time. Stick with me and you won't be disappointed. I don't speak Italian, and most of the words I use are from Google translate. Kindly correct me when you see a mistake. Please don't forget to vote! Thank you