BEAUTIFUL MESS [Book 2] | MIKHAIAH

19 🌸

The clock ticked over to Christmas Eve, and Amaia and I were high above the darkened country on our way home. I watched her in the dim cabin as she took her assigned seat five rows up from me. I took a deep breath of hope and of the sweat-drenched man beside me. A curious mix of sweet and sour.

Arriving at five local time, I sent Amaia a smile past the bustling passengers between us, and exited the plane and waited for her. I sniffed at my clothing as I did so and wrinkled my nose.

"You okay?" Amaia asked as she joined me in the terminal.

"Do I smell?" I said, shoving my arm near her nose.

She gave me a look of disgust. "Excuse me?"

"The guy beside me sweated the whole time, and I'm pretty sure I stink." I lifted the sleeve to my nose and sniffed. I could smell sweat. Great.

Amaia answered by walking away, leaving me to scurry after her.

"How are we getting to your parents?" she asked as we retrieved our luggage, hiding a yawn behind her hand when she finished.

"Mikaila! Amaia!" my mother screamed across the terminal as she ran towards us.

She wrapped me in a hug and said something embarrassing about her little girl being home before stepping back and crinkling her face up. "Mika, you're a little ripe, honey." She quickly moved to Amaia and drew her into a long hug. "I'm so glad you decided to come. Christmas wouldn't be the same without you."

Which really, was an odd thing to say as Mom had only shared one Christmas with Amaia in the past.

"Thank you," Amaia said when Mom finally let her go.

"Come along. Dad's double-parked." She picked up Amaia's luggage and hauled it through the terminal at pace. We found Dad arguing with a security guard when we got to the car and quickly exited the scene.

Clambering into the back seat of Dad's Ford, we took two left turns, and I was out for the count. Traveling all night next to a smelly passenger while reliving the conversation in the living room had taken its toll on me.

When my eyes opened next, I had drool on my lip and the window beside me was fogged up from my deep breathing.

"Huh?" I said, wiping my lip and blinking at Amaia whose hand had been shaking my shoulder.

"We're here."

"Where?"

"Home."

"Oh." I looked at the window, wiped the fog away and saw my parents' house. "Okay."

"A quick breakfast and up to bed for you two," Mom said as I trudged into the house, thankful that Dad insisted he'd take our luggage in.

Groggy, and without an appetite, I forewent breakfast and went straight to bed via a much-need shower.

***

When I woke again, I stretched blissfully and knocked my arm against Amaia. Retracting it quickly, I studied the sleeping woman as I rose to a sitting position.

Was I allowed to touch her? Was last night just a dream, or a result of overflowing emotions after her emotionally-charged confession about her first friend.

I felt like I had a played a significant part in her reliving that traumatic moment and it sat heavily in my stomach. I never wanted to be the cause of that much pain again. I groaned quietly into my hands.