Roses and Flame

Chapter 25

I wasn't really sure what he meant by that. Like what door?

"Hello? Rosie?" asked Tyson.

"Yeah, I'm here."

"I know, I can hear you. Can you please open the door? I'm standing outside your apartment."

I quickly went to open the door and there he was. We both hung up and then he kissed me.

"Hi," said Tyson after breaking the kiss.

"Hi," I said back, "wait, what are you doing here?"

"I could tell by your message that you had mixed feelings about all of this so I came here knowing that your work for today has finished."

I had a lot of things I wanted to say to Tyson at this moment but decided not so instead I kissed him. He didn't break the kiss apart but answered it passionately. I don't think I really could get used to the feeling of kissing him. At that moment I realised that no one besides Daniela have ever done something like this - dropping everything they were doing just to come to see me - and suddenly I could describe this feeling. Love. A small four-letter word. Maybe too soon or maybe at the appropriate time. I realised that I love him. I just didn't know if I should tell him or wait for him to say it first. If  he ever says it.

                                                                               ❃ ❃ ❃

"You know," said Tyson, "it's been three months since I saw you for the first time."

"Oh, you mean after the first time we had some fun?" I asked back.

"You know I didn't mean it like that," said Tyson.

He had already met my parents a few times and we both agreed not to visit them more, especially to avoid my mom and her interrogation. I missed my dad but he understood why I came home less and less.

"I know, I'm sorry. I'm just not feeling myself," I said and sit up from his bed. I came to realise that I spent more and more time here but he hasn't asked me to be his girlfriend nor said the little four-letter word I still desperately wanted to say.

"What's going on, Anna?" he asked. I still felt a bit unsure about him calling me Anna since everyone else shortened my name to Rosie.

"When will I meet your brother?" I asked back. "I mean I'm practically living here considering the fact how much time I spend here."

"We already talked about this, it's better for you to not meet him. Especially after he answered my phone when you called and made you think that I don't remember you," he said but then continued, "and I already offered for you to move in with me. We could spend even more time together. Plus you could find a better-paid waitressing job here in London than where you work.."

"Hold up!" I interrupted him, "I like where I work and you know it!" Now I was standing and looking at him in disbelief. I know how he felt about my job but to persuade me to move in with him just because.

"Anna, please, tell me what's going on?" he asked standing up and coming closer to me. By his worried expression, I could tell he genuinely cared.

"I'm okay, just a lot of stress, I guess," I said not wanting to admit the real reason I was bothered.

"You are not, I can clearly tell," he said. "Is there something you want? We can go somewhere you like," he offered.

"No, it's alright. Besides you have to go to work and later you have a meeting with Tyler. I will just go for a walk around the city and then catch a bus home."

"You sure about this?" still unsure he asked.

"Yes. And if not I will call you, okay?" I asked.

"Okay," Tyson said.