Three Words, I Love You ✔️

15: Are you hitting on me?

|15: Are you hitting on me?|

I trudge down the stairs, my back tighter than ever.

When I woke up this morning, I woke up comfortable. There was this soft but hard, tense pain in my back. I figured I just slept wrong, no biggie. So when I showered, instead of my warm, normal shower, I bumped up the heat to scorching hot and burnt off my skin.

I thought it would help since heat relieves tension.

Did it work? No.

Did I burn all my skin off for nothing? Yes.

As I tread into the living room, something immediately catches my attention.

On the couch lies Grandpa flat on his back, his arms crossed and on his chest. The grey golf hat that he always wears is lying on the lower half of his face.

I pick up my speed, limping over to the couch, "Grandpa?"

He doesn't answer and the panic in me rises. Standing in front of Grandpa, I roll up the cuffs of my sweater, revealing my fingers.

"Grandpa?" I call him again, gently shaking his shoulders. His body remains still, almost lifeless.

Oh no...

I quickly press my fingers against Grandpa's neck under his jaw, and as soon as my fingers touch his skin, he bolts up, screaming.

I scream, tripping over my feet. I fall, landing on my butt with a thud.

Great. Now my ass is going to hurt just as much as my back.

"Ah, motherfucker!" Grandpa shouts, sitting up from his position, "Why'd you put your cold ass fingers on me?!"

"I... I called your name but you didn't answer," I explain innocently, "I thought you were dead,"

Grandpa mutters, "Child, I was sleeping,"

"Oh..."

Grandpa laughs suddenly, leaning down to pick up his hat which had fallen off. As he puts his hat back on, he shakes his head at me while still laughing.

"Don't give yourself wrinkles from worrying about me," he says, reaching out and pinching my nose, "Motherfucker, I'm as healthy as a horse!"

"I know..." I say, chuckling softly as I swat his hand away, "But I-"

"No buts. Now, get your butt up off the floor before your mother has a bitch fit," Grandpa says while leaning back onto the couch, "And let me get some sleep,"

As I stand up, a knock on the door springs through the house. Juju comes bounding down the stairs, his ears pressed all the way back.

Juju runs to the door, sniffing it and wagging his tail. He barks, hopping around.

I skip to the door and stand in front of it, holding Juju back with my leg, "Okay, Juju... go to the couch,"

Juju stares at me as if he doesn't understand.

"Juju, go to the couch," I say, emphasizing his name to show him that I'm being serious and his cuteness will not win me over this time.

Juju only backs up a little bit, determined to see who's behind the door. I chuckle and crack open the door, welcomed with Nemo's appearance.

"Hi," I greet him with a grin, "You're earlier than yesterday. Like, dude, you're close to forty-five minutes early,"

"I know," Nemo responds and leans his head trying to see into my house, "Why aren't you opening the door all the way? Is there somebody in there that you don't want me to see?"