Miss, Do I Know You?

37 - Saturday, March 27

There was something inexplicably beautiful about today. Each breath I took in was delightful, the air alive. Trees lining the streets looked more vibrant. Above, the sky stretched endlessly, cloudless and perfect. And with each step, the earth seemed to nudge my heels, lending a bounce to my stride. Everything felt so in tune with my own emotions.

A smile was already plastered onto my whole face as I entered the apartment. There she was, sitting at the kitchen island and humming to a tune from her headphones, so absorbed in her sewing machine that she didn't even notice my arrival. Hoping to give her a playful startle, I quietly put my belongings onto the dresser, but she must have sensed my presence and turned around before I could.

"Hi," she chirped. Her hair was done, and her makeup was on. Gorgeous. "What are you doing here so early?"

"Sophia's folks came home, so I thought I'd drop by," I said, hands concealed behind me. "And you?"

"Been out and about, running some errands. Now I'm trying to make a costume for Benji's school play, but it keeps breaking the damn needles," she explained before turning to me with a questioning expression. "Are you just gonna stand there?"

"Maybe."

"What are you hiding?"

As soon as I revealed what it was, her smile turned bashful. "For me?"

"Who else?" I chuckled, walking up. "They're potted, so you don't have to watch them die. I hope that's okay."

Alex didn't even take them. Instead, she got down from the chair and continued staring at me. As if not knowing what to do. "No one has ever given me flowers before," she eventually murmured.

"You're kidding?" I asked, met by a simple head shake from her. "Some people really are idiots."

"Thank you, Kay. They're beautiful."

Grinning, she sauntered over to her shelves and placed them next to her other plants, next to the one she had given me as an apology half a year ago. Taking a step back, she paused to appreciate the arrangement but then sighed and moved them to the coffee table. As if selecting the ideal place.

"Perfect," she exhaled, drawing me close with an arm encircling my waist. "I appreciate the thought. The pot, I mean."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Does that look like pot to you, Alex?"

"Smart ass."

"I just don't want to watch you cry. I still haven't forgotten how you wept when your ivy died. I'll hold that over your head for a long time."

"I was on my period, so that doesn't count. You know how I get."

"Horny and sad?" I blurted out, only to be met with a menacing stare and a swat to the back of my head. "Ah, come on, no need to throw hands!" I laughed. "I'll take it back. You're always horny."

"I'll bite you," she threatened, "and then we'll see how quickly the tables turn."

"Please?"

Both of her arms snaked around me, and my face was showered in kisses. My cheeks were already aching. "How did you turn out so adorable?" I groaned, taking the reins and returning a kiss, on the lips this time. "It's a good thing you're such a grump everywhere else. I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off you."

Alex wound her arms around my neck and angled her head to give me better access. "I missed this," she breathed out. "It's excruciating, sitting at work when all I can think about is how much I want to kiss you."

"Kiss me all you want now. Benji's still asleep, right?"

She glanced over my shoulder at her watch. "Yeah, but Gab—"