"What?" Luke regarded her with distaste, his brows knitted into a scowl.
Mariam tried not to meet his scrutinizing eyes. She cleared her throat and held out a bag of pastries. Mariam worked part-time at a small bakery near the university. It doesn't pay all that much, but she manages to get by comfortably. On the other hand, she is always fortunate enough to bring home sweetmeats after working hours.
"I... I didn't know which ones you like so I got you some of these," she trailed off feeling flustered. When he silently glared at her, she dug around the bag as a means of a distraction. "There's a chocolate cupcake, brownies, sugar cookies, cinnamon rolls, a blueberry muffin..."
Luke's eyebrows dipped in frustration as she continued. "I love cheesecake so I got you some too..."
Her cheeks and nose were a rosy shade which may or may not have been at the dispense of the chilled weather outside. She had walked home that day because she missed the bus.
"I don't like sweets." Luke finally spoke.
His grip on the doorknob tightened as her eyes widened in surprise. He wondered briefly how old his neighbor was.
Her lips parted. "You... You don't like sweets?" Her voice wavered, feeling foolish.
"No."
She cradled the bag to her chest, avoiding his gaze. "I just assumed... Since you're nice and-"
"Nice?" Luke interrupted, quirking a pierced brow. He humored her. "You think I'm nice?"
"Well yeah..." Mariam mumbled. Taking a deep breath, she straightened and mustered up the courage to look at Luke. "Yes, I thought so."
Her heart began to pound as he leaned forward, gently prying the bag from her arms and fishing out a blueberry muffin. "I'm not nice, you loser." And as usual, he closed the door.
Mariam couldn't be anymore embarrassed.
When she returned to her own apartment, Mariam leaned against the door. She brought a hand up to her warm cheek, a peculiar throbbing in her chest. She pressed her lips together to keep herself from smiling like an idiot. "Stupid," she said softly.
sorry for the late update bc life
