When she woke up she didn't recognise her surrounding immediately, she wasn't in her room. She turned on her own body and realisation washed over her. She was on the guest room. She looked around the room and found a big, dark figure asleep on a chair, facing the bed. She was still wearing the clothes she had worn the previous day, but she was not sure how she dot there.
She remembered the call and her meltdown, how Emmanuel had helped her. But she did not know how she ended up in his bed. It was clear they hadn't done anything; he was sleeping on the chair. Or so she thought. She was staring around the room until her eyes landed on the man again. She froze when she saw him staring. Her face turned red and she let her hair fall around her face, trying to hide her embarrassment.
"Good morning" she said, but speaking hurt her a lot. She still had a sore throat and when he heard the way her voice sounded, worry crossed his face.
"We need to get you something for your voice" his tone was hoarse, his voice raspy from having just waking up. His hair was messy on top of his head and Dalia couldn't help but find him attractive, both of her friends were right, he was handsome. She cleared her throat, trying to regain her voice back.
"Why am I sleeping on your bed?" she asked, her tone void of any accusation. The night before she had decided to stop being rude to the man, he had helped, even if she had never done him any good.
"You fell asleep on the couch, and since I'm not allowed inside your room, I figure you could sleep in mine" he got up from the uncomfortable chair he had just slept a whole night in and a pang of guilt washed over her. She shook her head and moved to the far right corner of the bed and sat with her legs crossed in front of her and patted the free space besides her. He looked at her confuse and she motioned with her head for him to take the free space. Once he did she turned to look at him, deep in thought.
"First, I want to say I am sorry" when he was about to protest, she kept talking "not only for what happened yesterday, that was something I couldn't help, but that you shouldn't have been dragged into" he nodded, although she sensed he wanted to say something, she didn't let him. She needed to get it out before her voice went away completely "I also want to say I am sorry for how I've been acting the last few days. You already know that I do regret what I did to you all those months ago. When you arrived I saw you as a threat to the life I had built for myself, but that is no excuse. I understand why you are doing it and I want you to know that you are not wrong"
Emmanuel looked surprised at what she was saying and Dalia felt even worse, because she knew how he saw her. But there was nothing she could do in regards about how she had acted in the past, but she needed to make amends if she wanted to enjoy her remaining couple of months there, because as she saw it, there was no way out of the situation.
"So, new set of rules" Dalia cleared her throat again. She saw that he had placed a glass of water on the nightstand, so she took it and dawned half of it before turning to him again. He was looking at her waiting for her to continue "We are going to be living here for a couple of months together and I am honestly tired of being a bitch" at that he laughed.
"No opposition from me there" he said still laughing and she grabbed a nearby pillow and hit him as hard as the little energy she had allowed him. "You just said you were tired of being a bitch" he said smiling, grabbing the pillow and throwing it on the floor. She stuck her tongue out, a smile on her face.
"If we are going to survive those months, we at least have to be civil to each other. I'd appreciate if you stayed out of my things, but you shouldn't be sleeping on that chair" she motioned to it with her hand "just because I said you couldn't go inside my room. You don't have to stay out of my way, if you are hungry at the same time I am, we'll have dinner or breakfast or whatever. But I am not going to cook for you every day. That much is clear" Her voice was hoarse, but it wasn't going anywhere.
"I didn't sleep much, to be honest" his admission made her look at him with her brows furrowed "I was just worried. You looked like you hadn't had a good night sleep for a while and I didn't want anything to disturb it. Plus, that chair is uncomfortable as hell" She wondered why was he telling her that, but she fought against the urge to ask.
"So after I've apologized you are still going to tell me that I look awful. Jeez, thank you" she rolled her eyes at him, making sure he could see the gesture and he let out a laugh. She grabbed the other available pillow and hit him again, but this time without strength, pulling it to her chest so he couldn't take it away. "But really, I am sorry for taking up your bed" Dalia squeezed the pillow to her body.
"Stop apologizing, Dalia" the way he said her name made her skin tingle, but she ignored the sensation "it wasn't as much trouble as you think" he turned his whole body towards her, not leaving much space between them "I do have to agree with you, which was something I never thought I would ever do" she was about to hit him with the pillow again, be he grabbed it, pulling it towards him and her as well with it. She steadied herself with her hands, aware of the sudden proximity. She remained in that position for a couple of heartbeats, before returning to her place.
"You really think that ill of me?" she asked half mocking, half serious, but the way he looked at her made her stop talking.
"You have no idea what I think of you" the way he said those words made her shook her head; mostly to calm the way her heart was beating. Monica had been right; it was dangerous having him in her house, especially after they'd made amends. She tucked her hair behind her ears, clearing her throat for what felt like the hundredth time.
"I need to buy some things from the market, would you like to come with me? I've realized you have been eating what I like" Dalia tried changing the topic and for a second she felt he wanted to say something else, but he nodded and with that, Dalia untangled her legs and climbed down the bed, turning to him to flash him a smile and leaving him on the bed.
Once she was out of the room she felt like she could breathe better. She got inside her own and looked ate herself in the mirror, a horrified look taking over her face. Her hair was a mess and Emmanuel was right, she looked like she hadn't slept in ages. Her eyes were puffy and red from all the crying she had done the night before. She sighed and got in the bathroom.
While she was showering she thought about the events of the past 24 hours. She thought about her cousin, physical pain coursing through her body. She wanted to cry again, but she held the tears. She thought about her conversation with Emmanuel, what he had told her about Emile. She thought about her mother, the toll the whole situation must have taken on herm.
Once she was out, she let her hair air-dry. She moved her curtain to the side, a beautiful day receiving her. She put on a pair of high-waisted white shorts and a red crop top. She added a red big belt and a pair of white big sneakers. She grabbed a small purse and made her way downstairs. She rummaged through the fridge for limejuice and honey and she mixed both of the, heating it up on the microwave. After she drank it she felt her throat soothe.
She was scrolling through her phone, scanning the news for information about her cousin, but Christopher had been right, there was nothing about it on any news outlet. She put her phone down and found Emmanuel looking ate her. He had a plain grey shirt and a pair of denims. He looked quite nice. She smiled at him a picked her bag off the counter and made her way to the front door.
YOU ARE READING
72 Hours
Romance"That was so corny" That was Dalia's response. He took the bracelet and locked it in her wrist "And we've been engaged since I was 5" "Yes, I know. My parents felt the need to wait until I was in love and off age to tell me" he retorted. "See. I hav...
