"That'll be $22.50" ringing up my last customer of the night, I sigh with relief. After grabbing my bag and the two copies of the book I promised to get Nadine and I, I wave bye to the owner/boss as I walk out the door heading home. Mr. Graham is a sweet old man who ran "Whispering Pages" with his wife. After she passed and time took its toll on him, he decided he needed extra help carrying heavy books and running the book store. I adore this job, especially knowing my time will be up soon working here after graduating.
"Nadine I'm home", I yell as I walk into our house and drop my bag by the door. "I got the book you wanted, I hope this one has even more hot and steamy scenes. I can't wait to get into bed and start it" I trail on flipping through pages of one of the books as I walk into the living room.
"Wow Mira I didn't know you had that side to you".
"Ahh!" I yell throwing the books at the voice that's not my roommate. "You know I startle easily Elias, are you trying to give me a heart attack?!" I holler, getting my breathing back to normal.
"Never mind that" he bends to collect the splayed book on the ground. "I want to hear more about this steamy book you plan to read in your bed tonight" he jokes, but his darkening eyes seem to say otherwise.
"Is it hot? It feels hot all of a sudden"
I swipe my curly red hair from my face as I sit on the couch on the opposite side of Elias. Far away. Gotta leave room for breathing.
"Where's Nadine?" I say, trying to divert the conversation.
"She's picking up take out for dinner" Elias stretches himself out next to me on the couch while putting on something to watch. The very tips of his fingers brush the fabric on my shoulders.
"Oh..." I realize then that we are alone. My cheeks flush at the thought.
"I've been meaning to ask you something" Elias says while still looking ahead at the show on tv.
"Oh sure what's up?" I try to make my voice sound calm but am anything but. God he makes anything look good even in his sweats and hoodie. I just want to lick a trail up his neck to his jaw and taste him.
"What are you going to do after graduation?" "Damn, what is with him and asking the oddest questions?"
"Ahh-well I hope to go into editing and publishing books for authors. There is an internship at Breyer Publishing that I am hoping I can be chosen for in Wisconsin".
"I thought you'd stick around here for some reason" he strains a laugh.
"Well...it's the best place to level up into new opportunities" I painstakingly answer as I watch something flash across his eyes before I can recognize it.
"Of course, yeah that makes sense. Gotta go where the opportunities are" his voice seems to fade off to nothing by the end of his sentence. Kind of like how much I understand of this conversation.
"I'm hoooome!" Nadine's voice cuts through the awkward tension. Always the buffer, she is. "You staying for dinner? I got plenty" she says to Elias but I can't discern the expression on his face.
"Nah the guys need help getting the party ready for tomorrow night. Are you still coming to the game?" I realize his gaze is boring into mine as he asks .
"Yep you can expect Nadine and I there, we both work an earlier shift tomorrow" I say trying to perk up my voice but it just sounds squeaky and off.
"Great I'll see you girls tomorrow" he gives a wink my way before leaving out the door.
"Luis is coming by tomorrow to watch the game also" Nadine mentions as she dishes take out on our plates.
"Oh I haven't seen him in a while!" Him and Nadine have been together for over a year and he is often busy doing PreMed classes but the way he looks at Nadine like she hangs the moon and stars tells me they will make it through this bumpy part of their relationship. After eating we head off to bed for another day of classes and work.
