Behind Her Eyes, Within Her Smile

CH. 6

I could smell her all over me: my lips, my hands, my chest. I could taste her, very freshly, on my tongue.

I looked down and saw her sleeping peacefully. Her head was resting on my chest. I didn't want to breathe too loudly and wake her up, so I adjusted my breathing pattern so that it was more gentle. I took her fingers into my hand inspecting them; they were free of blemishes and felt like satin against my skin.

"Good morning, baby." Her voice was raspy. She turned in my direction with strands of her hair covering half of her face. I took my fingers and brushed the strands back.

"Good morning, beautiful."

She looked at her watch and sighed. " I have to go."

"Aw, you can't stay a little longer? You just opened your eyes." I put my arms around her and tightened my grip so that she wouldn't be able to escape

"No, I can not. I have some stuff to take care of, unfortunately. My work is never done." She flicked her index finger up and down my lips. "Maybe I'll see you a little later."

I watched as she collected her clothes from different areas of the room. A large wave of sadness overcame me, and realization set in that I was deeply attached to her. We knew so little about one another - outside of interactions we had in class and recent events- but I wanted to be in her skin. I was emotionally attached; that, in itself, was a dangerous place to be. I had never been in love with someone the way I was falling in love with her, so I knew this experience would reveal so much about myself to me. I laid there silently, hoping she wouldn't leave.

" You look so sad. I promise you'll see me tonight. I promise." 

"I better see you." I folded my arms.

"Unfold your arms." She was stern. "Now, give me a kiss."

I listened by the door so I could track where Jasmine and Laila were. When I didn't hear any noises, I cracked the door to see if anyone was out wandering around. Both of their doors were closed.

" Okay, we can go now. They're still asleep." I mouthed at Kamala.  I let her walk in front of me just in case.

"It's really chilly out here." She stuck her hand out of the door before she completely went out. You could see the steam coming from her mouth from the condensation. "I'll call you in a few hours and we'll do something, okay?"

"Okay, Madam, I'll hold you to it." I watched her until she was safely inside her car. I hadn't noticed that she parked near another house. She was always a few steps ahead.

I went back upstairs to shower.

A few moments later...

I walked into the kitchen and saw Jasmine and Laila. They were up cooking breakfast.

"That call must have been really important. We didn't see you for the rest of the night." Jasmine directed her statement at me without taking her eyes off the pancakes she was making.

"Yea, what happened?" Laila was a little more straight forward than Jasmine. She wasn't an asshole about it.

" I fell asleep. I was up for a long time yesterday cleaning, so I was a little tired." I could tell Jasmine wasn't buying it, but I knew she wasn't going to address it right then and there. I took advantage of that.

"I thought you had somebody in your room or something, with how long you stayed in there." Laila laughed. It was a joke to her, but she almost blew my cover.

"Y'all let's talk about the reading because class starts in three days and I'm not going to have anything to say if I get called on during our discussion." I redirected the conversation. " What are we gonna do?"