Stuck In Quarantine

16.

       It had been eleven days since the quarantine started. And Celeste woke up the this morning, feeling like she hadn't felt in a long time. She woke up feeling happy. She stayed in her bed, all wrapped up in her comforters, smiling like a child on Christmas. She heard a knock at her door, and she sat up. She reached for her phone, which was in bed beside her. She clicked it unlock, and looked the time. It was only, 10:00am. She heard the knock again.
      She got up from her bed, and grabbed her housecoat. Draping it over her body, and tying it together. She didn't have any clothes on, other than her underwear. She heard the knock again.

      "Hold on! I'm coming!" She shouted, as she made her way to the door, putting her hair up in a ponytail.

She opened the door, and James was standing in the hallway with two brown bags in his hand.

      "Coffee and donuts?!" He said with smile, holding up the bags beside his head. "The coffee shop down the block does delivery, and disinfects everything! I'm sure our coffee is going to taste like Tide-Pods. But that's what all the popular kids eat nowadays, anyways!

She laughed and smiled at James. Taking the bags from him.

      "That sounds perfect this morning! The Tide-Pods taste just adds extra flavour!" She said, with a laugh.

      James walked in, closing the door behind. He looked around her apartment, and noticed it was the same exact layout as his. He was pretty sure all the other apartments were copy and paste, like Celeste's, and his.

      "Make yourself at home! I'm going to quickly put some clothes on!" Celeste said.

      "Okay, awesome." James relied.

      Celeste went back to her bedroom, and started to get changed, dropping the housecoat on her bed. She grabbed a pair of, black short-shorts, a navy-blue shirt, and threw them all on. Fixing her hair in a body mirror that stood in her room. Throwing it into a quick-messy-bun. She quickly peaked down her hallway at James, and watched him as he set out the coffee and donuts for them, she smiled.
      She left her room and went to the bathroom, brushing her teeth quickly and washed her face. As soon as she was done, she entered the kitchen and sat down at the table with James. Sitting with her feet up on the chair, and her knees to her chest.

      "I grabbed us both, medium-black coffee's." James said. As he pushed the coffee towards Celeste.

      "Oh perfect! Thank you!" Celeste said, as she grabbed the coffee and took a small sip. "You have no idea how good this tastes!"

      "You're welcome." He replied. "You know it's so weird having your food and groceries delivered to you. I kinda miss going to the store myself and doing my own shopping. Not phoning in to someplace and placing an order."

Celesste blew on her coffee to cool it down, and took another small sip.

      "I know!" She exclaimed. "I can't wait till things go back to normal! There is only so many time you can wander between my place and yours, before it's get boring. And feels like an endless circle!"

      "Only a few more days!" James said, taking a big gulp from his coffee. "I haven't heard anything from the government on a longer lockdown. And the COVID-19 cases, seem to have slowed down to a dead-crawl. No new cases, in the last couple days."

      "That's great!" She said, as she got up from her chair. She walked to the fridge, grabbed milk, and went back to the table. Pouring in a little milk into her coffee. "Sounds like we should be done this quarantine in a few more days!"

      "We can only hope!" He replied.

      The two of them, continued to drink their coffee in silence. They didn't even touch the donuts yet.

      "Listen, Celeste." James said, breaking the silence. "I just want to thank you! You've been so awesome these past few days. With cooking, and giving me company, and helping me take my mind off everything! You've been a really good friend!"

      Celeste smiled and reached out her hand for James's, and he reached out for hers. Their hands griped tightly together. And they stared at each other for a moment, both smiling. Celeste stroked the top of James's hand with her thumb. The past eleven days have been rough, for the both of them. But they were able to keep each other going, and keep each other positive.
      Her feelings for James had grown strong the last couple days as well. And she hoped deep down, that maybe, he felt the same way. But she figured it was a lost cause. Because his relationship with Stacy was a long time, and normally people aren't over something like that, within a couple days. Whatever the future held, she hoped this could become something more.

      "You've been a good friend too." She replied. "You've been helpful in so many ways! And I'm really glad we were quarantined in the same apartment."

      Celeste watched, as James smiled big to her response. And he gripped her hand tighter. She could feel the skin on her face getting warm, and she hoped she wasn't turning red in front of him.

      "Anyways Celeste." James said, as he removed his hand from hers, and pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked the time. "I'm going back to my apartment to cook some breakfast. I'll make extra, if you want some?"

      "Yeah definitely!" She said. "Just yell down the hall when it's done."

      "Okay! I will!"

     She watched James get up from the chair, and make his way to her door. He had his hand on the handle, and was about to turn it. When something in her took over. She stood up from her seat, and walked directly to James. Pushing the door closed, and he began to open it.

      "Please forgive!" She exclaimed, her voice shaky." There is something I have to try!"

      She pushed James up against the door and kissed him. Her lips locked gently with his, and she could feel the shock jump through his entire body. And his hands stayed up, and hovered over top her arms. Before he finally set them down, and gripped her arms, squeezing them, and bringing her in close. Kissing her back. Their lips stayed locked for a few minutes. As they made out in front of the door.
       Celeste gently bit his lower lip, and she pulled back. Letting go, and looking at him, with big doe-eyes. Celeste seen his eyes were closed, but he opened them slowly. Blinking fast, and taking in, what had just happened.

      "Um... I'd say breakfast can wait." He said to her, biting his lower lip.

      "Me too." She replied, softly, going in for another kiss.