A piece of my mind

Chapter 11

BRANDON

Class is almost over again and were going to be junior college next year...

It's been two years, two years since I got her back and I'm very happy with how our relationship flows. It's not perfect but there's nothing that we can't fix. We lived for another life to make this work, and we are doing everything we could not to waste it.

We decided to live together last year, and Natalie's mom agreed, giving us the responsibility of the entire apartment rent. So, we looked for a job and luckily got one from our course's field. I do part-time at a classic Italian restaurant while Natalie got a part job in a publishing company.
We both work after class and if possible we have to eat dinner together, though there are times that we don't because every once a week Natalie comes home late or maybe she's just working overtime. We also had arranged our day off so that we can have some quality time together, just like today.

"Hey." Natalie kiss my cheek as she drops the paper bag on the kitchen counter, I bet she came from the market.

I got up from the chair following her to the kitchen and hug her from the back, resting my chin on her shoulders, inhaling her intoxicating smell. "What do we got here?"

"I just thought that we'll have to take a break from food take outs and cook for dinner instead." she sounded a lot like a wife already. "What exactly are you going to cook?"

If I remember it right, this is your favorite dish. "Chicken Cacciatore followed by a sweet dessert called Bonét."

"Ohhh someone's going Italian..." I whistle and chuckle before kissing the back of her neck, "You smell so good babe."

Natalie face me, putting her arms around my neck. So, I also snaked my arm down to her waist. She still looks better than ever, her rosy cheeks, golden hair, ocean-blue irises, her buttony nose that suits her face too well, those long curved eyelashes, her lovely smile and those soft pinkish lips that I'll never forget.

I sigh and tuck the hair from the side of her face to the back of her ear. Cupping her cheek with my palm as I softly rub my thumb on her skin, Natalie leans to my hand and close her eyes. I can feel her fingers softly playing with my hair. I lean down to give her a peck on the lips, but she pulls my head back and kiss me. We both smile with our lips attached, sharing a passionate kiss.

It never gets old, the feeling of butterflies on my stomach is always there. Every kiss feels like the first with her and the excitement never fades.

Pulling back from the kiss, she whispers. "I love you."

I kiss her one more time before answering, "I love you too."

She smile at me before going back to what she's doing, and I let her. Going back to the living room, checking on her every once in a while and if she looks back at me I'll stick my tongue out and make a silly face. I can hear her laugh from here and smell the food too. It wasn't long before Natalie calls me.

"Babe, Dinner's ready!" she's setting up the plates already when I reach the kitchen, putting her apron back to the kitchen rack and take a seat.

"I thought I'll be having you for dinner." I pout.

She rolls her eyes and huffs, "You wish, you either eat or starve."

Not wanting to sleep hungry, I take a look at my plate and rub my palms together, I inhale the delicious scent of the food, "I'm soooo hungry."

She giggles and nod, "Ohhh... That's what I thought."

We finished dinner then wash the dishes together, we even had a little bubble fight that end up Natalie slipping into the kitchen floor. It's getting late, but we want to stay up and cuddle up in the couch, as we watch her favorite movie. It's about a girl that fell in love with a soldier but end up marrying someone else. It was sad, because that's what happened to me way back. I never told her about the arrangements my parents made, leaving me with no choice but to marry the woman I never loved. But Elise was a good wife to me, so I gave her two kids, which is Dad and Aunt Lucy. It's still weird how we are the parents of our parents though.

"Are you going to work late again tomorrow?" I ask her as I play with her hair.

She lean back to me and burry her head to the side my neck without taking her eyes off the screen, "I don't know, maybe?"

Hugging her tightly as I close my eyes and sigh, "I thought your shift only ends at four o'clock?

I notice her taking a deep breath and swallow a large lump in her throat, but I didn't mind it. "The company's been really busy you know, there's a lot of writers passing manuscripts during summer. That's why sometimes I need to do overtime."

"Okay, but aren't they paying you extra for that?"

"Nope." she quickly responds.

Furrowing my brows, I ask her again. "Why? You're only a part-timer, and they're using your time, they should give you a raise or something."

The sweet and peaceful at. atmosphere suddenly changes into something I wasn't expecting, when she answered with an irritated voice, "Since when did you have so many questions?" She removes my hand around her and face me, "You sounded like you're suspecting me for something."

"Sorry, I'm just curious that's all. I didn't mean to make it look that way, and why are you so defensive. Is there something I should know?"

Natalie looks away with her mouth slightly open from the shock, "Do you even hear yourself Brandon?!" I wasn't prepared enough when she starts to raise her voice at me. What the fuck did I do.

"I do and hell I'm well aware of what I'm saying." I stand up and walk around the couch, "I don't know why you're suddenly flipping up, I wasn't expecting this from you Natalie."

She run her hands through her hair out of exhaustion, "Are you trying to say, I'm hiding something from you is that what it is?!"

"I'm not, and I don't know why you look so mad about me asking you questions! Usually, you'd appreciate that and giddily answer me then you'll go on telling me about your day." I pause and look down to the floor. "I don't why I feel like I'm missing something from you."

"Oh hell no. Don't do this know Brandon. I can't."

She starts to walk away and head to the living room and loudly shuts the door. I sigh then close my eyes and take a seat on the couch, looking into nowhere. I don't know what to think, this is not what I wanted to happen between us.