𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 |𝟏𝟖+|

9

Etta Valentines POV

"Now. I will warn you, it's a little messy in here but I can assure you I'm not typically an untidy person." Miguel punched the digits into his door before walking inside and holding it open for me.

My mouth wanted to hang open in awe the moment I stepped over the threshold.

Wow. Just wow.

Slowly walking inside, not wanting to gawp like an idiot, I did a small 360 scan of his impressive home. Because that's the only word I could use to describe his house. Impressive.

Fully open plan, his grey kitchen area sat opposite his large lounge, the same dark chrome theme complimenting the floor to ceiling windows that looked out to the city.

The floor was a warm oak, the polished floorboards stopping once they reached the raised kitchen that used dark tiles instead of wood.

Hanging from the ceiling was a sleek fixture of singular hanging large industrial styled light bulbs that hung at different levels, drawing attention as the apartments main feature.

He had worn leather couches in front of one of the biggest flatscreens I've ever seen in real life.

The stairs to the right caught my eye, and I only assumed they lead to the bedrooms and bathrooms. The ceilings were so high it made the idea of a second level seem out of the question.

But despite the utter beauty of this place, it didn't quite feel like a home. It didn't have that loved and lived in feel.

"Earth to Etta?" Miguel's voice suddenly snapped me out of my stupor and I suddenly felt like an idiot for losing myself in his architecture.

"Sorry! I just...erm.....woah." I shrugged, shaking my head with a small laugh as Miguel shut the door behind us.

"You like it?" He mused once he was in front of me again, his arms open and indirectly showing me his large wingspan. Despite the hoodie he donned, you could easily tell he was made of muscle.

And that shouldn't have made me feel anything. But it did.

"Y-yeah." I stuttered, memories cascading to the forefront of my mind and harshly reminding me why these new feelings need to be extinguished on impact. "It's really pretty."

Really pretty? What kind of stupid answer is that?

"Pretty?" Miguel smirked, walking further into his home in the kitchen direction. "Highest praise in my books."

As he pulled two glasses out from the cupboards, I stood in the middle of the room probably looking as out of place as I felt.

Was this a mistake? The logical part of me was shaking its head in disappointment.

But the other part of me, was wanting to curl up in a ball and relax here. And that was kinda daunting for me.

"Here." Miguel placed a water on the counter for me. "You thought of a nickname for me yet, Scooby?"

Heading over to the kitchen, I smiled. I've known this guy for all of five minutes and we were already on a nickname basis. "Nothing fitting has sprung to mind as of yet."