first american title | tenya iida

twenty-four

~*~

lydia's pov

Unfortunately, the day after Christmas Tenya has to go to work. I don't. I sit on the couch, playing with my hair and do work on my computer. My phone buzzes on the table. I check to see who's calling, and to my surprise it's Gray. 

I slide the answer button. "Hello?" I say.

There's a sigh across the line. "Okay. So. Our water has been turned off for two days, and I was wondering if I could shower at your place? I know that's such a weird request, but I don't really have any other friends who are in town."

I chuckle. "I thought you were a multi-millionaire and they shut your water off?"

"Listen, man, I don't know why they did! We pay our bills! It's stupid. But is that a yes or no?"

"Yeah whatever just be quick," I reply before hanging up the phone. 

Twenty minutes pass before I hear a knock at my door. I open it up to see Gray, who towers over me. He's even taller than Tenya. "Hey," he says.

"Hi. The bathrooms down the hall on the right."

He nods. "Cool, thanks again.

I shrug. "It's no problem." As the words leave my lips, he's already walking down the hall to the shower. I hear the knobs turn and the hot water begin to pour down. 

I crack my knuckles and outstretch my arms, getting ready to get off the couch and actually do something. The kitchen probably needs to be cleaned, so I get to work washing some dishes and wiping down the counters. The day felt so wasted and boring. 

Gray probably took an hour in the shower, which was incredibly annoying. He walked out of the bathroom with nothing but a pair of shorts on, waved goodbye, and was gone. Once he was, I opened the bathroom door to let it air out so it wasn't all gross and steamy, and went back to cleaning. I ended up turning on music to fill the silent apartment. 

By the time I had cleaned the entire apartment, it was almost four o'clock. Tenya should be home at any minute. But- he wasn't.

I was getting so fed up with him being late, and especially since he didn't text me that he would be late. I worried about him, and then every night he would come out and say, "Oh I was just caught up at the office!" but how is someone caught up at the office late after work for weeks at a time? It didn't make sense. 

I just wished he would be honest with me. I had high doubts that he was cheating on me because that wasn't Tenya. Right? Did I even know him well enough to say that? Now doubt and worry consumed me. 

But then the front door swung open, and he was standing right there. Yes, an hour late, but so perfect in his wake. 

He goes up to me and gives me the biggest hug. "I love you Star," he says.

I can't help but giggle. "I love you too!" 

He pulls off from the hug and looks me up and down. "I know it's a bit late but do you wanna go on a date tonight?" 

My eyes went wide. "Sure!" I reply. He seems so happy and content with the idea. 

"Go get dressed love," he says. 

My previous thoughts were shoved away. No- Tenya was mine. Tenya loved me. He adored me. Right? All the evidence seemed to blare out at me but- no. It couldn't be true; because Tenya was in love with me. Maybe I was just jumping to conclusions. Like Juvia had said, I needed to give it time.