As A Friend

18: Midday Naps

"Mom, do you mind if Dominic comes over later?" I stare at her from my position on the couch.

"Sure, just don't eat all of my food. And make sure you take the dogs out and unload the dishwasher." Easy enough.

"Okay," I reply as she grabs her keys.

"Is he going to stay for dinner?" I shrug.

"I don't know. I'll text you if he is." I guess we'll find out.

"Alright. Just keep me in the loop."

My mom leaves and I'm alone in the house for the first (and most likely last) time this vacation. I've only been home for two days and I'm already sick of it. Today should be better; my parents are both at work so they can't yell at me for stupid things. Plus, my sister is at school so she can't annoy me. However, today is her last day before break so I'm going to be forced to deal with her while my parents work around the holidays.

I call Dominic, who answers after a couple rings. "What's up?" He's just as perky as usual.

"Um...do you want to come over?" I sound like an awkward mess.

"Is this an early morning 'you up?' call?" he questions after a few seconds of analysis and I feel embarrassment wash over me.

"Yes." Shame- shame is what I feel.

"I'll be there in twenty minutes." I sit on the couch wondering if this is what the formation of addiction feels like. I'm doing something I really want even though I know it's going to hurt me in the long run.

Rather than texting me that he's here like a normal person, he rings the doorbell. Everyone that comes to my house knows not to do that for one reason: my dogs. They race down from the second floor, most likely falling down the steps, all while yipping and yapping noisily. I glare at the door, waiting for him to let himself in. He does after he rings the doorbell three more times. He grins happily at my chihuahuas, who run circles around his feet.

"Coco and Bella," he coos as he scoops up them up. They lick at his hands excitedly.

"Seriously?" I watch him entertain them with a flat expression on my face. He simply ignores me and gives all his attention to my dogs.

"Why can't you greet me like this, Nova?" he asks in his animal and baby voice, which is a few decibels higher than normal.

I narrow my eyes at him. "You want me to lick you?"

"They're kissing me," he clarifies after letting them down.

"Let's just get upstairs," I respond as I get off the couch and head towards the stairwell.

"Where's Maritza?" He looks around as if she'd be silently off in the corner reading a book.

"School?" I answer, confused as to why he'd ask such a stupid question.

"I forgot that high school goes until the last possible day." Fair enough. We reach my room and he jumps on my bed while I shut the door.

"We'll actually have room to move around on this one." I join him on the bed and a second later, he's on top of me with a soft smile on his lips.

"I know it's only been two days but I've missed you," he whispers from a few inches above me. My heart pounds out of my chest as I stare up at him.

"What'd you miss about me?"

"Just you in general, not even in a sexual way." This gets a small grin from me. I was trying to take the conversation in another direction but I'll take it.

"I've missed you, too." I reach up and put my arms around his neck. He slowly lowers himself and kisses me and I pull him flush against me, enjoying the feeling of his body on mine.