Surrender

chapter 13

Chapter 13

Juggling three paper bags filled with groceries that could feed two families, Sophie climbed the front steps of her apartment building. She pushed the door open with her elbow and proceeded to the cool lobby, sweat dripping from her temple down to her flushed cheek.

            A slew of obscenities came rushing out of her mouth upon being confronted with the haphazardly scribbled "Out of Order" sign plastered on the elevator door.

            All she wanted to do was to wallow in junk food for the rest of the day. Was that too much to ask for from the universe?

            Huffing and puffing, she trudged her sore feet up the stairs. Clearly, she had picked the wrong day to raid the grocery store. The tub of ice cream she'd bought had probably melted into chocolate soup by now. She let out a harsh breath in an attempt to blow her unruly bangs from her eyes. She could hardly see the steps in front of her as it was.

            "Sophie," a voice called from the top of the third floor staircase.

            She craned her neck from where she was standing on the second floor. She gulped, wondering if Chris could see the sweat on her brow. She desperately wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole. She could have pretended she was just leaving, she realized, but the thought of descending those dreadful stairs when she was already half-way home made her shudder.

            Why did he make her so self-conscious, so…weak? Since when did she start caring about what other people thought of her? She was disgusted by her deteriorating self-esteem in addition to the beads of perspiration tickling the back of her neck.

            Chris hurried down the stairs to meet her, dressed in a pair of cargo shorts and a black tee shirt. "Let me take those," he said, transferring the grocery bags from her sore arms to his sculpted ones, and they started up the stairs, side by side.

            "Thank you," she said, rubbing the numbness away from her arms. She unlocked her apartment and let him inside.

            "Just there is fine, thanks." She pointed to the kitchen counter. "I'll be right back. Make yourself at home." She rushed into her bathroom, hardly able to catch her breath. She splashed cold water on her flushed cheeks at the pedestal sink and looked in the mirror.

            Goodness, she was a mess. Sniffing her V-neck tee shirt and pulling her frizzy hair back into a neat ponytail, she wondered if he would notice if she changed her shirt. She decided to risk it anyway.

            Pulling on a fresh lilac tee shirt with a parfait pink floral design running down the side, she ambled into the kitchen.

            "Can I get you a drink?" she offered.

            "Sure. Water would be great, thanks," he replied, lingering by the counter as Sophie filled two glasses with cold water. She couldn't tell how long they'd sat there across from one another, as though using the glasses of water to justify the way their eyes exchanged unanswered questions that they were both reluctant to voice out loud.

            Finally, Chris stood and surveyed the apartment. Sophie blinked and sucked in a breath, feeling as though she'd just lost at a staring contest.

            "Do you play?" He pointed to the piano in the far corner, tucked between the wine rack and the built-in bookshelves displaying her CD collection.

            She choked on her water. "No," she said, clearing her throat. "Do you?"

            "No. My little sister does. The guitar is her favorite, though." He had a far-away look in his eye. "She's sixteen. She's always dreamed of becoming a professional singer."