Falling For The Rolls Royce

Chapter 16 - Mateo

"What are you doing here?"

It was Monday, particularly early and I didn't show up for work because of yesterday's accident. I was far from imagining that she was being serious yesterday when she said that she would take care of me. I was shirtless wearing pajama pants holding onto my crutches and there she was standing in the doorframe of my house. How did she even find my address?

Alina was wearing a light blue summer dress that barely reached her knees, matching the Converses she always wears. She scanned me up and down stopping at my chest. I would be lying if I said I didn't do the same.

I decided to end this awful silence. "You came to stare at me or?"

After cruelly rolling her eyes, she glanced at my aching and plastered foot and looked back up at me. "Are you going to invite me inside?"

I never let anyone in my house, especially if my father was there. Lucky for her he was on a business trip.

"Do I have a choice?" I replied sighing.

She grinned and brushed past me entering the house. I watched her eyes as she looked all around her with a shocked expression. "Frumos, your house is gorgeous. No wonder you're so full of yourself."

"Remove your dirty shoes when you'll be done admiring."

She made sure to scatter them all over the lobby and stopped in front of me with her sly smile. She knows how much I hate clutter. Alina has a knack for pushing me over the edge, and she loves it. I rub my forehead trying to contain my anger and lead her to the living room.

She sat down on the couch putting her small bag next to her. It's so useless you could only fit one lipstick in there.

"You live here alone?"

"No."

"With your family?"

"You could say that."

She sets her palms on her knees leaning towards me. "Do you have any siblings?"

I bend toward her the most that I can. "Do you ever shut up with your questions?"

She leans on the back of the sofa and we look at each other for a few seconds. I clear my throat uncertain if I should as her. "Are you sure your boyfriend wouldn't mind you being here alone with me?"

Her eyebrows twitch like they often do. "I thought we weren't asking questions, but if you wanna know Zack isn't my boyfriend."

A breath that I didn't know was stuck in my lungs was released. Her love affairs do not interest me at all, I am by nature a curious person.

I try to shift in my seat but she quickly stops me. "You're hurting yourself even more, stop moving."

Alina gets on her knees and examines the plaster on my leg. "Do you have to change it or something?" Her big eyes lift up to meet mine and suddenly I forget how to speak. Not only is the pain excruciating, but my mind has thoughts of its own seeing her on her knees ready to take care of me.

I notice how long I'd been zoning out so I looked away avoiding her gaze. "Yeah, it's almost time actually."

"Since all of that is my fault I'll do it for you."

"No. I don't need any help I did it myself yesterday and it was just fine, look at it yourself." We both stared at my poorly rolled-up bandage which is about to come undone. Alina laughed and started to gently take it away from me. "Where are the spare ones?"

"On the kitchen counter."

I watched her as she left taking her flowery fragrance with her. She put the kit on the floor next to her and winced every time I threw my head back groaning in pain. "You know you're not forced to do all that for me right? I just want to go to work right now."

"Work? With you non-fonctionate foot?" She cut the tape with her teeth and secured the bandage before she got up. "You're stupid."

"Yeah? I've got to be there. The last time I didn't show up was months ago and Noa almost set the restaurant on fire" I seized my crutches and Alina helped me get up. "Gosh, you're heavy. Hard to think that little cooler managed to put you in such a state."

"That cooler you dropped on my foot was heavy too, but it didn't stop you from holding on to it so much."

"Are you jealous of a fucking cooler?"

"I'm not jealous, I'm just wondering why you always have to act so stubbornly."

She sighed, still carrying my back. "Because you aggravate me."

I stop to turn to her. "Oh, so it's my fault now?"

She let go of me when we were at the staircase. "Go put on some clothes if you want me to take you to work." She turns around ready to go to the front door.

"Actually Alina," I smirk at her. "In this state, I can't go upstairs by myself."

She huffed annoyed and came back to me. Once in front of my room, she was about to leave but I called her again, "Alina."

She turned, hands on her hips still wearing her annoyed face. "What again Mateo?" My smirk grew even bigger anticipating her reaction.

"You should know that if I can't climb stairs by myself, I can't change alone either."