Heart Condition

Chapter Four: All-Nighter

I unlocked the back gate, and I could hear the sound of my Australian Shepard ruffling himself awake. He looked at me, and barked. When Sasha came through the gate behind me, I could hear the growl in his throat before he broke out into a full-on bark. Sasha hesitated, and I turned to the dog.

            “Levi, sh!” I snipped at him, “You’re gonna wake up the entire neighborhood.”

            He eyes Sasha suspiciously before laying down back in his spot. I shook my head before scratching his, and placing my key into the lock.

            Sasha spoke, “You’re sure this is okay?”

            I smiled, “If it’s not, will you be mad at me?”

            “I just want to know when I need to hide, or start running.” He said, walking in after me. I put searched for the light, and felt a bump behind me. “Sorry.” Sasha whispered, and I flipped the switch, the whole kitchen lighting up. In the big explosion of brightness, I saw Belize freeze on the kitchen counter. Her patchwork Calico coat glowed in the florescence, and when I found her yellow eyes, she meowed once.

            I shook my head, “Bad girl! Down, off the counter, you little menace.”

            She slinked down to the chair, and licked her paw.

            “It’s a menagerie.” Sasha laughed, taking off his jacket.

            “It’s not that bad.” I smiled, “They’re just not used to strange boys coming into the house.”

            He grinned, “What kind of strange boys do you bring here?”

            “Only the ones who eat paste and haven’t been committed yet.” I winked, pulling open the fridge, “I can offer you a soda, and some spaghetti and meatballs that were made this morning.”

            He eyed me, “A balanced breakfast?”

            I smiled, “My parents work in weird businesses. They keep odd hours. So my mom is a firm believer in the crockpot meal.”

            “Hm.” He nodded, walking to the cupboard “Cups?”

            “Here,” Standing up on tiptoe, I reached for the glass. Sasha walked over, extending his hand with ease; handing me the glass, he raised his eyebrows, but said nothing before walking toward the counter. As he leaned, I asked, “Do you have to be back at any certain time, or…?”

            “Nah.” He shook his head, “My dad’s not the worrying type.”

            “Ah. Do you normally stay out late on the weekends?”

            “Sometimes.”, said Sasha “I mean, I used to go out with the guys on the team, but…”

            I opened the fridge, staring at the soda. Caffeine, I thought, If I drank more caffeine, I’d have to detox for days. I grabbed the milk, searching the door for…Ah. There it was.

            Placing the containers on the kitchen counter, my mouth went on without me “But now you’re standing in my kitchen. Hot or cold?” I looked up, and his eyes were zoned out on mine.

            The beat came; that moment where the talking stops and he was supposed to do something romantic that would make me fall for him. He smiled, and I asked again.

            “Hot or cold?”

            And he said, “Hot. Hot would be good.”