Be The One | ...

one; how it became alila and leon

his head rested against the pilling pillows while the black sheet draped right bellow his belly button as his eyes followed the figure around the room. " it's late. stay for the sun rise," he suggested as the girl pulled her arm through the sleeves of the satin shirt. " it's close to 6 am already. i need to catch an uber back to my home at the edge of the city, leon and practise my walk of shame's speech," she turned around, her fingers on the button.

" let me drive you home," he offered.

" it's okay," she muttered flatly. she reached for her jeans next.

" i'm tired of being your secret," he frowned, his lips upturned to show his discomfort of being treated like a one-night stand; except it wasn't. they see each other every single night; leon goretzka is the morning person, footballer and tea avid while alila heikkenen is the night person, engineer and fingers deep in greasy fries avid. when alila isn't stuck in night shift at the airport working on the aircraft electronic system, she would be in his apartment, eating his cereal which he would judge her disgusting choice of milk then cereal.

they knew each other for awhile now, 3 years and counting at wedding of his cousin, beth but never once they've declared that they are dating. she fucked the groom before, and loudly berated over how he is not worthy of beth before stealing a present.

standing at the balcony far away from the party, she had caught his attention.

" you know that's a blender," leon muttered, approaching the girl from behind.

she turned around, white malboro box tucked between her fingers as she fumbled with her lighter. " no fucking way," she said, with the stick between her lips and immediately ripped the top blue wrapper.

philipp 3 in 1 blender.

"fuck, i thought it was food processor," she muttered below her breath, cursed and kicked the box, " you can have it." leon smiled, shoving his hand in his pocket. " why would i want a gift that i bought for beth?" she stared at him like he'd grown 3 heads in span of 2 seconds. " you know beth?"

" she's my cousin. do you?"

" i knew the groom, in a biblical sense, yeah," she tucked the cigarette back in the box and purse, " i'm alila. i know you."

his eyebrow perked up, a small smile hit his face, " really?"

she picked the box up, smile sweetly before pushing something into his chest. he laughed, holding up the matching blue gift tag that he had put earlier. " hey, you fucking thief, come back here," he called out, following her long legs that peeked out through the flowery night dress that emphasized perfectly on her curvy body.

she reeked of earthy smell of her perfume mixed with the bitter smell of her cigarette. he was taught to despise it, a footballer thing but something made hers bearable.

" beth!" the girl called out for the bride, who was happy to see her.

" lila, you made it! and leon- leon's your plus one?" beth the bride asked in shocked. lila was taken aback, her lips struggled to form a word so he came in. " yeah, i'm her plus one. we met at the gym."

"lila doesn't do gym," beth muttered flatly.

lila laughed and brushed her brown hair behind her ears, " new lila does gym every 3 times a week," she turned at the new man she had know for less than 30 minutes with sweet smile and deadly what the fuck. she's clearly not a gym type but she has a killer curvy body; his type too. another figure had graced the conversation, wrapped his arms around beth and kissed her on the head, " ila's here."

leon watched as the girl's face fell flat, and her earlier bitchy aura was back, " lila," she insisted, " congratulation on the wedding again, beth and greg." her grip on the half torn gift almost slipped that leon had to help in. "let me," he whispered gently, and the gift and the glass of wine exchanged hands.

" this is from both of us, congrats again." the gift then went from leon to the groom, greg. greg the groom took it with half a smile before passing it to one of the waiter. " i don't believe we have met before. i'm greg." leon watched as the man uncurled his hand towards him.

" leon. i'm beth's cousin. alila's plus one. " he took his hand in; it was an aggressive handshake from greg.

greg was surprised.

" lila never told me she's seeing someone; a footballer too." leon felt a hand creeped on his arm, digits wrapped around his fingers. " greg is my boss. he thinks he needs to know everything," she said, which beth took as a joke and they all half heartedly laugh. the three of them knew it wasn't a joke.

" i'm heading home, anyway."

beth protested, " no, you have to stay. leon, tell her." alila turned towards where the footballer stayed, waited for his move. her eyes begged this time. " i'll sent her home," alila immediately excused herself.

" no, darling. tell em they can't leave yet," beth reached for greg but leon insisted. told that alila wasn't well. " please, take care of her. thank you again. leo, we gotta have lunch together one day," beth kissed his cheeks before leaving the footballer to chase the girl in the flower dress.

she's no longer the girl in flower dress but the girl in black coat , wind blowing through her dark locks, her face in distress.

" jesus, what does it take to get a taxi around here?" her shaking hand reached for her purse to pull out the earlier cigarette. she lit the end, and he watched curiously as she held the stick loosely on her lips and puff of air escaped.

" alila."

" what?" she asked, tugging the jacket closer. " come on, let me sent you home." he offered, pulling his car keys from his coat's pocket. she took a long drag and blew it to the ground away from his face.

" my home is at the outskirt of the town. can you drop me at any near hotel that isn't hilton's? i'll take the next train in the morning."

he pulled her by the arms and they walked towards the door to the stairs of the underground carpark. " you can stay at mine. i won't do anything, i promise."

she laughed and threw the burning cigarette on the floor, "that's what greg used to say too," her heel stepped on the burning stub, extinguishing every questions in his mind.

a wet feeling on his lips awaken him from his thought of their first meet, she was inches away from him. she is now fully dressed, but he could pick the flaws; braless, lack of hair ties, flushing face, heavy bluish eye bags. she is exhausted. "i never wanted you to be my secret. since when you are my secret to be kept away? we are nothing, leon." his hand rested at the nape of her neck; his skin contrasted hers so much. " 3 fucking years and we are still nothing?" he asked, softly.

" i don't feel anything. you're seeing someone, i do too. what's the point?" she shrugged his hand off her and she rose to pick up the socks near the side table.

he reached for her hands, tugging her back to bed with her back against his chest. she prayed that he didn't feel the sudden rise of her heart beat, but she was denied. her heart beat faster than his, her spine trembled from the beating of her own heart and also the fact that his breath was powerful enough to penetrate her skin and gave her the goosebumps. " you're stubborn as fuck," he spitted the words as if it was nothing anymore, and sealed the word with a kiss on her neck.

she chuckled, " what's new, leon?"

he reached to kiss the corner of her lips, they remained there, his lips against her skin and they watched as the sun rose up between the white blinds.

then, he let her go. so she kissed him, he was drowsily sleepy and she was gone.

and for the first time, she didn't return later that night.