Let's Stay Strangers

Chapter Seven

People say that when you are in an uncommon situation by surprise, you are unable to say anything. Speechless. I've never really believed there are moments in which you can't talk, never really thought about it twice, but I'm pretty sure that's how I feel right now. It's kind of ironic, since there really isn't no surprise at all.

Blake is looking at me in a way I can't really recognize, but I'm guessing most of it is surprise. I can't really blame him on that though, I mean I'm in his hall when he thinks we live in LA, that if he even remembers me, but I can blame him for making this situation a hundred times more awkward than it could be by being shirtless with only a towel covering his lower part of the body. It's getting a bit uncomfortable not knowing where to look at.

He's just standing in the stairs holding the towel with one hand and still grabbing the handrail with the other one, looking at me. Only 10 seconds or so have passed, but it feels like a lifetime. 

If he is not going to talk, then I will, or at least try to.

I clear my throat to make sure my voice doesn't sound raspy or anything and say the first thing that crosses my mind. 

"Hey" I'm surprised my voice manages to come out normally. Silence fills the room. He doesn't even move. Shoot. Me. Now. "I'm Mia" At this point I don't even care if I look stupid, but I'm not just going to stand there until this jerk decides to react.

A few seconds pass until he finally speaks up, "I know" he says casually getting down the last step. 

So he does talk. I really do hope the heat I'm feeling in my cheeks is because this room is very warm and not because I'm blushing, although the latter is more probable. That's the kind of effect Blake Wood would have had on me five years ago, but I've changed since then, there's no way in hell I am going to allow myself to act stupidly because of a childhood crush.

He looks at me and smirks. Shit, he noticed me blushing. He's making his way to the kitchen when he bumps into someone, making a shattering noise mixed with the sound of liquid dropping to the floor.

"Shit" he says a bit too loud trying to wipe his wet towel with the hand that's not holding it.

"Watch your language Blake" says Mrs Wood leaning down to pick up the broken pieces "Look at the mess you've created! I had prepared tea for Mia and now it's all over you!! You're soaked!! 

"Mom I just got out of the shower, it's water, not tea" Blake says annoyed leaning down to help his mother.

I also get down on my knees to help them. We pick up the pieces of the broken cup to the uncomfortable sound of the fragments of porcelain touching each other. When we finish up, the three of us stand up and Mrs Wood says,

"Blake dear, look at that huge stain in your towel, you better get that cleaned up right now unless you want it to stay there permanently"

"Kay" Blake replies nonchalantly and as he is just about to leave the room, Mrs Wood stops him.

"Where do you think you are going? Give me the towel, you'll get sick if you don't take it off!!" she tells him.

"Mom, I'm not going to take off the towel" Blake says widening his eyes as he says each word slowly.

"Don't be childish and hand it over, it's soaking wet, you're going to catch a cold!" 

"Mom it's not like I've never worn something wet" Blake says both desperately and angry trying to convince his mother. 

"You just got out of the shower honey, you are soaking. It's not a good idea to cover yourself with something wet, you'll have a horrible cold tomorrow if you don't give me the towel!!"