Love Bites [on hold]

☆|seventeen

Later that evening, Natalie was discarding the leftover omlette in the trash bin when the doorbell rang. It was the first time she had heard Charles's doorbell ring ever since she moved in. Something in her snapped and she sucked in a breath in an attempt to calm herself down.

Charles would have mentioned it if he had been expecting someone, so whoever stood on the opposite side of the door was an unexpected visitor. She wiped her damp hands on her pants and headed for the door. Twisting the knob, she swung it open to reveal a boy who could not be older than twenty-five.

The first thought that caught her attention was how tall he was. He towered over her, and she was by no means short. He had tousled brown hair that framed his square jawline, and his eyes were a shade she could not identify- a combination of blue and green, but not quite one more than the other. And for some reason, he looked extremely familiar.

She took a step back and her eyebrows shot up. "Can I help you?"

He must have been even more surprised then she was, or he was just a natural pile of bluntness, because his forehead creased and he shot her a suspicious look. "Who the hell are you?"

"Excuse me?" She snapped, her eyes narrowing a fraction upon hearing his words. "I live here. Who the hell are you?"

"No, you don't." His scowl grew even deeper and he stuck his head over her shoulder, scanning the living room. "Yes! That's definitely the right apartment, and you certainly don't live here."

She shoved him away from her and gripped the edge of the wooden door. She pressed so hard her knuckles turned white and her fingers screamed in pain. "Look here, you twat!" She mocked. "I don't know who the hell you think you are, but I don't need your confirmation to know whether I'm living here or not. So if you don't mind, step off the threshold so I can properly slam the door in your face."

She waited for him to move, but he didn't seem to be going anywhere. A wave of comprehension was over his face and his eyes twinkled in amusement. Natalie frowned. There was nothing amusing about this.

"Oh, I know who you are," He nodded as he spoke, as if finally managing to put the puzzle pieces back together. His satisfaction made her feel uneasy. "You're one of those chicks, aren't you?"

"Chicks?" She scoffed.

"Yeah!" The dude smirked. "Those girls Charlie brings home when he isn't thinking clear. Now, step aside and make some space for me."

Without giving her a chance to even part her lips, his arm reached out to push her out of the way and he stepped into the apartment. The door slammed shut behind him, and Natalie stared after him with an expression so vague he could have been carrying a flying broomstick.

"Charlie, where are you?" He yelled out loud as he looked around. He wasn't really a stranger, after all. He seemed to know Charles, so well as to call him by his nickname. She wasn't surprised. Charles liked to keep his private life a secret, and it wasn't like she was his bestfriend for him to tell her about his friends.

"You're a friend of Charles," She stated, but he didn't seem to pay her any attention. "He's out. He'll be home in half an hour. You can wait for him if you want to."

He glanced over at her and his face fell, but he didn't respond. She crossed the room and went to stand behind the kitchen island. The distance made her feel safer.

"I was going to make some tea. Would you like some as you wait?" She wondered as she pressed the button on the kettle. "I've got English Breakfast, Earl Grey and-"

"What are you doing?" He cut her mid-sentence and she looked up to see him frowning. His expression didn't look pleasent, nor did the way his eyes slid over her from head to toe, analysing her. "You know, on second thought, you're not really the type of girl he brings home. Are you a burglar or something?"