You And I

Chapter 34: Unexpected Visitor

It was just a regular day at the start of March, the bakery buzzing with the usual chaos. As always, I was helping out, my hands dusted with flour and my mind lost in the routine. After we closed up shop, I decided to take a break in the living room, sinking into the couch, trying to shake off the fatigue. I barely got comfortable when I heard my sister shout from the front, "Levi! You got visitors!"

I groaned, annoyed by her volume. "Alright, I can hear you! Why do you always have to shout?" I mumbled, dragging myself off the couch and heading toward the door.

"Who is it?" I asked, half-expecting one of the neighbors or someone from school. But when I opened the door, I froze. Standing there was a girl with a face I hadn't seen in years. My mind raced, trying to place her.

She smiled, her voice soft but familiar. "It's been years, hasn't it, Levi?"

That voice... Could it really be...? "Liya?" I said out loud, still in disbelief.

Her smile widened. "You remembered."

Before I could say anything else, my mom appeared beside me, curious about the visitor. When she saw who it was, her expression shifted from surprise to pure excitement. "Is that really you, Liya?" she said, rushing past me to greet her. "Oh my, you've grown so much!"

As my mom and Liya exchanged warm greetings, I stood there in shock, watching the two of them as if I was in some sort of dream. It had been so long since I'd seen Liya, and now she was standing right in front of me.

We all moved to the living room, where my mom started explaining things to me. "This is Liya, remember? You two grew up together. She's like a sister to you."

I sat there, still trying to process everything. Like a sister to me? I thought, confused. Why would she visit now, after all these years?

My mom's voice cut through my thoughts. "So, what brings you here, Liya?"

Liya smiled, a little shyly. "I was wondering if I could stay here for a couple of months. My family is going overseas soon, and I thought it would be nice to spend some time here before we leave."

My mom didn't hesitate. "Of course, sweetheart! But what about school?"

Liya nodded. "I'm planning to finish the semester with Levi."

That hit me like a ton of bricks. "Wait, what?" I stood up, feeling overwhelmed. "We don't even have enough room."

My mom just smiled, completely unfazed. "She can sleep in your room."

I blinked in disbelief. "What!? Why can't she sleep with Amelia?" I motioned toward my sister's room, hoping for a more reasonable solution.

Liya, clearly trying to ease the tension, added, "Oh, it's fine, Levi. I don't mind sleeping in your room."

I sighed, feeling utterly defeated. "This isn't about you!" I muttered, rubbing my temples. It was all too much at once.

My mom, completely oblivious to my inner turmoil, clapped her hands together, excited. "It's settled then! Liya, make yourself at home."

I slumped back into my seat, trying to wrap my head around the fact that Liya would be staying here-and worse, in my room.

The clock struck six, and I still couldn't wrap my head around Liya's unexpected arrival. In my room, an awkward silence hung in the air until she finally broke it.

"Uh, Levi?"

I cut her off, my curiosity bubbling over. "Why are you here? Why my room? Why now?"

Liya looked taken aback, her eyes widening slightly. "I-I just wanted to reconnect. It's been so long since we last saw each other."

"Reconnect?" I echoed, feeling a mix of confusion and irritation. "You show up out of the blue after all these years, and I'm supposed to just accept it?"

She fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, clearly uncomfortable. "I didn't mean to surprise you like this. My family is moving, and I thought it would be nice to catch up before everything changes."

I took a deep breath, trying to temper my frustration. "Okay, but why my room? Why not stay with Amelia?"

"I thought it would be easier for both of us," she replied softly. "We used to be close, right? I figured we could try to pick up where we left off."

I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling the weight of her words. "It's just... a lot to take in. I wasn't expecting this today."

She nodded, her expression shifting to one of understanding. "I get it. I'm sorry for springing this on you. I just hope we can make it work."

As I looked at her, I felt a mix of emotions-curiosity, annoyance, and a hint of nostalgia. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all. But I still had questions swirling in my mind.

Liya suddenly teased me, "Remember when we took a bath together when we were kids?"

My face turned crimson. "That's nonsense!" I stammered, trying to deflect the embarrassing memory.

She just laughed, brushing it off like it was nothing. "Come on, it was innocent! We were just kids."

I tried to ignore the rush of memories that flooded back, but the playful banter seemed to ease the tension between us. As the evening wore on, we exchanged stories from our childhood, reminiscing about silly games and family gatherings. For a moment, it felt as if no time had passed at all.

After that long chat, I was lying on the floor, trying to settle into sleep, Liya broke the silence again. "I think I'm going to take a bath," she said, getting up from my bed.

"Uh, okay," I replied, still a bit stunned by the day's events.

A few minutes later, I heard the bathroom door open and close. I tried to push the thought of her bathing out of my mind, but it was impossible. After a while, the bathroom door opened again, and I could hear her footsteps approaching my room.

"Hey, Levi," she called out, peeking her head around the door. "Do you mind if I change in here?"

I sat up abruptly, my heart racing. "What are you doing?!" I exclaimed, a deep blush creeping up my cheeks.

She shrugged nonchalantly, "I'm just more comfortable here. It's your room, right? Besides, it's not like we're strangers."

I stammered, "Yeah, but... still!" I could feel heat radiating from my face.

Liya laughed, "Relax! I promise I won't bite." She stepped into the room, closing the door behind her, and I quickly stood up.

"Okay, I'm going outside," I said, feeling overwhelmed. I rushed out, shutting the door behind me. I leaned against the wall in the hallway, trying to catch my breath and process what just happened. My mind was racing, a mix of embarrassment and curiosity swirling inside me.

But as we settled down for the night, I turned serious. "Are you really okay with this?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.

"Why not?" she replied, her tone casual.

"Well, aren't you scared? What if I'm going to do something to you?" I tried to keep my voice steady.

She smirked, leaning back against the wall. "You're going to do something to me? How bold of you!" She laughed, and despite my unease, a smile crept onto my face.

"Whatever," I muttered, feeling a mix of embarrassment and amusement. "Just sleep on my bed. I'll take the floor."

"Deal," she said, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

As she settled into my bed, I couldn't help but feel a strange sense of comfort in having her back in my life, even if it was unexpected. I lay down on the floor, staring up at the ceiling, the events of the day replaying in my mind. Eventually, I drifted off to sleep, a mix of curiosity and uncertainty swirling in my thoughts.