Can I be your favorite?

Chapter 5: Cookies and Sex

Anika's POV

Outside his apartment door, he drops me to my feet with a thud. He unlocks the door and pushes it open. I follow him inside the pitch-black apartment, shutting the door behind us. He blindly reaches out his left arm and flips the light switch on, illuminating the apartment with a warm glow. He drops his key inside a crystal, glass green bowl, which was placed on top a small shoe rack. He slips out of his mismatched slippers; his left slipper was black with white stripes and the other slipper was a plain maroon color, the strap: grey. He neatly placed them inside the dark mahogany cabinet, with their matching pair.

I watched his movements, barely aware of my surroundings. Too tired to move a muscle. Every ounce of energy in my body was directed to keeping my eyelids from closing, as I stood on the welcome mat, slightly swaying, which was scratching my bare feet. Ricardo gently slid his hand around my waist, supporting my weight as I leaned my head on his chest and closed my eyes. Carefully he guided me forward, my feet moving on their own accord. At the moment, Ricardo had full reign over my sluggish body.

My ears perk up when I hear a soft click of a door being opened. I peel my eyes open, and find myself staring at my own reflection. I gasp in horror. Eyeliner smudged across my cheeks, mascara was clumped around my eyelashes. My greasy, knotted, black hair was adorned with tiny grass blades. I try to run my fingers though it but they get stuck half way down. I huff in frustration, tears springing to my eyes, my lower lip trembling. I just want to fall asleep and deal with this mess tomorrow.

When Ricardo pulled out a small twig that was stuck in my hair, all I could do was stare in horror. Meeting my eyes through the reflection in the mirror, he chuckles. His chuckles quickly turn into full blown laughter, while I drown in my own shame. I whimper, overwhelmed by my embarrassment. I turn towards him and start hitting his chest. "Stop it, it's not funny" I wail, seconds away from crying. Ricardo pulls me into a hug letting me bury my face into his hard chest, ruining his white t-shirt. I feel his deep voice rumble through his chest before he spoke "I'm sorry, but you had such an adorable look, I couldn't help it" he explains. He grabs my chin and tilts my face towards his, looking right into my eyes. He's wearing a soft smile, a spark of amusement in his eyes. His soft hair sticking to his forehead. He turns me around to the mirror and places a soft kiss to my cheek.

My heart flutters as I slowly blink and look at him through the mirror. His plain white t-shirt clinging to his body, at awkward angles, he had a smudge of dirt across his left cheek, beads of sweat running down his face. His grey sweatpants had grass stains on random spots. It had tiny holes form over use. He placed his chin on my right shoulder, wrapping his hands across my waist, squeezing tightly. A huge grin was plastered across his face, I couldn't help but laugh. We both look ridiculous, like we've been lost in the woods for weeks and just came back home. "You look beautiful" Ricardo whispered in my ear, giving me goosebumps down my neck and back. "Liar..." I whispered, looking at him form the corner of my eye. He let out an amused breath. Kissing my shoulder, he unfurled his arms and stepped back. "Take a bath. You stink" he teases, his nose scrunched up dramatically before smirking. I scoff in disbelief, rolling my eyes playfully. "Uhuh, right back at ya" I say as he closes the door behind me.

I strip out of my clothes, leaving them on the floor next to the toilet. Pulling back the shower curtain, I step into the shower. I stand underneath the shower head and twist the knob for hot water. Instead of being greeted with a stream of warm water, I'm doused in ice cold water. I yelp and stumble away from the shower. Shivering from the cold, I quickly turn off the water. I hug myself trying to regain some of the warmth I lost, as cold droplets of water drip down my body. I try the cold-water knob, this time careful to stay away from the spray of water. Tentatively I reach out, to feel the temperature of the water. I retract my hand when I'm met with the same chilly water. I groan, I had been fantasizing of a warm shower (and maybe a hot bath toy to help scrub me down) to relax underneath. However, there's nothing I can do now, its two thirty in the morning, there was no hot water in the heater, and I really need to clean myself. So, I grit my teeth and rush into the cold stream. I gasp as the cold-water cascades down my body. I wait till my body adjusts before grabbing the shampoo. The smell of lime wafts around me as I scrub my scalp. I inhale the scent, the smell calming my body and mind. A ghost of a smile haunts my lips at the familiar fragrance.