TOUCH .

comfortable with you

I unlocked my phone and texted my mom.

Momma 🖤
Hey, sorry I fell asleep. Is there anything you needed?

Her reply came almost instantly.

Momma 🖤
Not really, just wanted to let you know I won’t be coming home for a few days. I’m traveling with my boss for team building. I ordered food for you; it should be there in an hour. I’ll send money once I land.

I sighed. So, home alone for the next few days. Cool.

Me: Okay, take care. Bye, Mom 🖤 (Read.)

I put my phone down and stretched, careful not to wake Raveen. She looked so peaceful, her lips slightly parted, her curls falling across her cheek. She was pretty. Stupidly pretty.

The brownie was still kicking in, so I grabbed my phone and turned off the shutter sound before snapping a quick picture. Perfect.

I was admiring my work when—

"Delete that shit."

Her voice was groggy but firm. I looked up to find her squinting at me, a slow smirk creeping onto her lips.

"Don’t make me delete it for you."

I grinned. "Make me."

She sat up instantly. "Oh, I’ve been waiting for those words my whole life."

Before I could react, she lunged. I yelped and bolted, dodging around the bed. "Raveen, chill!"

"Ha! Gotcha!" She grabbed me effortlessly, tossing me over her shoulder like I weighed nothing.

"This is kidnapping!" I laughed, squirming.

"Shut up, mihá," she said, carrying me back to the bed. She dropped me onto the mattress—gently, but with enough force to prove her point—and pinned my wrists above my head.

My heart flipped.

She smirked down at me, her thumb tracing my jaw. "You said ‘make you,’ right? I’m making you."

She leaned in, our noses brushing, her breath warm against my lips. She licked her lower lip, her eyes flicking between mine like she was starving.

"You’re really pretty, you know that?" she murmured.

I swallowed. My brain was short-circuiting.

She kissed my forehead—soft, lingering—then pulled back, looking at me like she wanted me to believe her.

"But enough of that sappy shit, right?" She grinned, snapping out of it. "Now, let’s finish what we started."

She kissed me, and I let her. Let myself sink into it.

For a moment, it was just us. No past, no worries. Just warmth. Just her.

And then—

I pulled away.

Raveen blinked, breathless. "What?"

I sat up, hugging my knees. "I saw you flirting with those girls at the minimart."

Silence.

She sat back, raking a hand through her curls. "Oh..."

I laughed, but it was forced. "I mean, it’s whatever. We’re not dating or anything."

She just looked at me. Not saying anything. And somehow, that was worse.

"...Wanna watch SpongeBob?" I asked, trying to sound normal.

She exhaled. "Yeah. You wanna cuddle while watching, or are you good?"

"I’m good," I lied.

I pressed play. She didn’t push it.

We sat there, watching cartoons like nothing happened.

But my chest still felt tight.

Because the truth was, I wanted her to push it. I wanted her to tell me I was hers.

But she didn’t.

And that hurt more than I was willing to admit.

---
Maya’s POV (Continued)

The room was quiet except for the faint sound of SpongeBob laughing on the screen. I rested my head on Raveen’s shoulder, pretending everything was fine.

But it wasn’t.

She wasn’t mine.

And I hated that I cared.

I kept staring at the screen, hoping if I focused hard enough, I’d stop feeling like my chest was caving in. But then Raveen shifted beside me, resting her chin on top of my head.

"You okay?" she asked softly.

I nodded. "Yeah."

She hummed, unconvinced.

A few minutes passed, and then she did something so Raveen—she slid her hand under the blanket and squeezed my thigh.

"Raveen," I warned.

She grinned. "What?"

"You know what."

"Just checking if you’re still breathing," she teased, but her fingers lingered.

I rolled my eyes and gently pushed her hand away, but she grabbed my wrist and intertwined our fingers instead.

Damn her.

We sat like that for a while, her thumb tracing small circles on my skin.

And then—

RING RING RING!

I nearly jumped out of my skin.

Raveen groaned. "Who the hell is calling at this hour?"

I reached for my phone. Bubbles.

Oh no.

I hesitated before answering. "Hey, Bubbles..."

"OH. MY. GOD." My best friend’s voice exploded through the speaker. "WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?!"

I winced, holding the phone away from my ear. "Relax—"

"RELAX?! MAYA, I CALLED YOU SEVEN TIMES! YOU LEFT ME ON READ!"

Raveen snorted beside me. "Damn, you got a whole FBI agent in your phone."

I swatted her thigh. "Shut up."

Bubbles gasped. "Who’s that?!"

Shit.

I scrambled for an answer, but Raveen—because she lives for chaos—yelled, "Hey, bestie! It’s me, Maya’s very satisfied cuddle buddy!"

I smacked my forehead.

Dead silence on the line.

Then Bubbles screamed.

"YOU DID NOT—MAYA, I SWEAR TO GOD—"

"Okay, BYE." I hung up immediately, throwing my phone across the bed.

Raveen was dying laughing.

"You’re so dramatic," I muttered, hiding my face in my hands.

"Me? I’m dramatic?" She grinned. "You should’ve seen your face. Priceless."

I groaned. "I hate you."

"You love me."

I huffed, crossing my arms. "Don’t push it."

She leaned in, voice dropping to a murmur. "I could push you instead."

My brain malfunctioned.

And before I could process what she meant, she tackled me onto the bed.

"RAVEEN—"

"Shhh." She pinned my wrists again, smirking. "I think you need a distraction."

"From what?"

She kissed my jaw, then my cheek. "From overthinking."

I sighed. She’s not wrong.

"Fine," I muttered. "Distract me."

She grinned. "Gladly."

---