her disappearance

22

ANOUSHKA

I groan as I roll onto my side. The sunlight peeks into the bedroom. My arm drops onto a warm chest and my eyes shoot open as I jerk up. I glance over and Creighton was in my bed.

Oh my God.

Creighton was laying next to me in my bed. His eyes closed and his chest heaves with every breath. My clothes were still on so we didn't do anything but I can't remember a thing from last night.

The last thing I remember was crying in Creighton's chest and then..blank. That's it.

"Good morning." he groggily says, and my stomach flutters at his voice.

"What happened?" I ask quietly.

"Well you cried into my chest for ages and you wore yourself out and when I was about to leave you told me to stay." he simply says, staring at me. I definitely look like a mess.

My cheek burn in embarrassment. "I'm sorr-"

"Don't apologise." he cuts me off. "It's okay to be emotional Anoushka."

I didn't want to be emotional in front of him. It felt strange but at the same time comforting. I've never been consoled before. Even after the way I treated him, I told him I never wanted a relationship with him yet he still held me as I cried.

"What are you thinking about?"

I shake my head. "It's nothing. Don't worry."

He let out a dry laugh. "Try that again."

"It's just I haven't had someone like you," I admit.

"Like me?" he asks, confused.

"No one has ever comforted me the way you did and I appreciate it but it feels weird."

He nods his head in understanding. "So that just means I have to comfort you more often." he says, nodding his head as if he's taking a mental note of what I had just said.

I laugh quietly. "I have to go." I say, getting out of my bed.

"Where?"

"I have a pilates class at 10."

He grabs his phone from the nightstand. "Sorry to disappoint but I think you've missed the class." he says, twisting his phone to me so that I can read the time.

My lips part in shock. It was 11 am.

"Shit." I mumble under my breath. I rarely ever slept in, I was a morning person. I love walking up early, it keeps me organised through the day.

"Might want to get ready for your next lesson instead." he mutters, turning around giving me his back.

I raise my brows. "So you're just going to sleep in my bed for the remainder of the day."

"If that's fine." he mumbles back.

I roll my eyes. "Well I have to get ready." I try to hint at him that I needed him to leave.

"Lucky for you I can sleep through anything."

I huff. "In the nicest way possible, please can you leave?"

He turns around to look back at me. "Is it really that much of a bother? I won't disturb you." he flashes me his charming smile. "Promise."

Fucking hell. That smile seriously does things to me.

"Fine." I say, sighing.

I head straight to the bathroom, leaving Creighton in my room alone. When I realized that someone was already in there, none other than Wren. It was too late for me to turn around and get the fuck out of there because she had already opened the door.

"Anoushka." she says, her blue eyes widening.

"Yes." I reply as bluntly as I possibly could.

She frowns at the tone of my voice and I try not to let it get to me. I clench my jaw. "Are you done using the bathroom?" I ask, glancing back at the bathroom behind her.

She looks back and nods her head quickly. "Yes you can go," she says, stepping to the side and allowing me to walk.

I walk past her, my shoulder brushing against hers. Before I could even close the door, her voice stops me. "Will you ever forgive me?" she asks her voice barely above a whisper.

I swallow the lump that formed at the back of my throat. "I don't know." I admit.

It was the truth. I didn't know what to do about Wren. I could easily forgive her for what she did to me but every time I do remember what she did to me, my heart hurts because I let my guard down with her. The first person I let in.

Tears brim my eyes as I close the door. I couldn't speak to her.

•••

CREIGHTON

I had been watching Anoushka get ready all morning and I have never been more interested in anything. There were a few cute attempts of her trying to wake me by playing her music loud or dropping loads of makeup but it didn't work, so she thinks.

I had kept my back turned to her however there was a full-length mirror that gave me a perfect shot of Anoushka.

It was all going fine until she decided to get changed. Granted, she believed I was still sleeping and she looked hesitant to get changed but she did it quickly and she turned around so that I could only see her back.

I notice the scars trailing up her lower back and my fists instinctively tightened. I wanted to hurt her father for what he did to her.

After about an hour of watching her get ready, I decided to wake up. I let out a tired groan as I turn around slowly, opening my eyes and I'm met with her angel face.

"Are you awake?" she asks, her voice light.

"Yep. Your bed is unbelievably comfortable. Might have to sleep here more often."

For the first time in a long time, I caught Anoushka by surprise. A red hue settled on her cheeks, it was barely recognizable.

"I'm going to class." she cuts off my thoughts.

"Wait. Have you eaten breakfast?"

She freezes. "I was going to grab something on the way."

"I'll quickly make you something." I dismiss, getting out of her bed.

She doesn't protest. In fact, she even follows me out to the kitchen. "I wish I could cook." I hear her complain from behind me. "It would save me a lot of trouble and money," she says, smiling.

I raise a brow and turn around to look at her. "Why would you need to learn when you have me?" I tease.

She rolls her eyes.

"That's your problem angel. You're too independent. If I teach you how to cook, you'll just cook by yourself. I like cooking for you and I don't want that to change."

A smile threatens to appear on her face. "What if we cook together?"

My pulse races so does my heart.

"You want to cook with me?" I repeat, the shock evident in my tone.

"Well. Your food is tasty so yes."

I grin. "You can teach me how to bake." I reason with her.

A huge smile stretches across her lips, showing off her straight white teeth and I think I just fell in love with her again.

"Then we have a deal." I say.

I made her a simple French toast, which she consumed in less than five minutes. She left the dorm to go to her first lesson and I got ready myself.