baby steps | ✓

twelve

      Alejandro and Athena had retreated back to her apartment for dinner, the sun had set and with Athena's new phone in her hand had sat on the couch with Alejandro as he taught her how to use some of the features.

     "Okay, so everything is self-explanatory, well some of it. See this app? It's the app store if you want to download some games, facebook even, I'll let you use my data so you can download it now." he explained to her, pointing a blue icon which read 'app store' in small font.

    "I have facebook, I guess, I mean, we could download it now and you can teach me new things while we wait," she shrugged as Alejandro pulled out his sleek phone and got ready so he could let her use her data. Once getting the apps she needed on her phone, even Candy Crush, she continued to teach her out to use emojis, how to text him and such, shortcuts as well as the longer version of things. Athena has listened through all of it, sinking the new information into her brain as she did what she was instructed. Alejandro seemed very pleased with himself as he taught her things, he liked being close to her and occasionally their fingers brushed against each other which sent shivers down his spine.

    "Let's take a photo for your background, how about you and Drew?" he had suggested to her and Athena nodded excitedly at the idea. She rushed to get Drew from his stroller, he was chewing on his thumb which warmed Athena's heart up. She picked him up and took him over to Alejandro who held her phone in his hands and pointed to the blank wall which he thought was the perfect place to take a photo. Athena complied to his wishes and position herself against the wall with Drew and posed for a photo. 

   Looking at the photo, Alejandro didn't like it at all and asked for another shot, sighing deeply, Athena put another big smile on her face and positioned Drew in her arms as if she was hugging him, but again, the person taking the photo wasn't satisfied. 

   "It's too, I don't know, generic. How about holding him like this and kissing him on the cheek?" Alejandro told her whilst showing what she should be doing. Annoyed, she did as she was told and positioned herself so she was carrying Drew in her arms and placed a tender kiss to his cheek until the flash indicated that the photo was taken. She looked at the photographer who stared at the photo with wide eyes as if it was the most beautiful thing he had seen so far, curious, she went up to him with Drew cradled in her arms.

   Her expression mimicked his. 

   It was an adorable photo with Drew looking into his mother's eyes and Athena's face smiling lightly as she kissed the one major thing she cared about most. Alejandro smiled pleasingly, giving Athena and wide smile. 

  "It's perfect isn't it?" he questioned as he saw the expression plastered on her face.

   "It's perfect," she replied back.

      "I kind of don't want to leave, I can't face my father for what he has said to you, I might not be able to hold back if I see him," Alejandro  admitted to Athena who was cooking up some soup for the both of them, the aroma making the both of them hungry. Drew was sleeping soundly in his cot as his mother and friend conversed in the kitchen. 

   "Well if you stayed here, you'd be sleeping on the couch," she giggled out as she stirred the soup slowly, glancing back and forth to the food she was making to Alejandro who was looking at her as she did what she needed to do. He smiled lightly, liking how Athena laughed so carefree. 

    "I wouldn't mind that," he told her truthfully and Athena stopped her movements and took one long glance at Alejandro with red cheeks as he stared at her back. 

    "Erm, uh- well, sure, I guess," she stuttered unattractively, her face turning beet red before she went back to her cooking, hoping that the person sitting in her living room didn't see. She bit her lip as a swarm of butterflies erupted in her stomach, it was as if they multiplied over the past few days and started to flutter around her belly in a way she found satisfying yet scary at the same time. Alejandro felt them too as he shied away from her, he felt slightly embarrassed from telling her that he wouldn't mind staying over but felt amused at the fact she was blushing and stuttering. It was cute and he enjoyed watching her get flustered, he genuinely liked seeing her happy, it made him feel warm everywhere.

    "Really?" he said, teasing her a little further as he watched her cheeks light up into a bright red, she resembled a tomato.

    "Uh yeah, I don't mind. I'm sure Drew wouldn't either," she muttered out as she stirred the pot of soup as she tried to fight the next wave of warmth and embarrassment that seemed to come over her, luckily Alejandro was too deep in his thoughts to even realise it and a small silence had come upon them. It was a comfortable silence, no one was talking besides their minds who seemed deep into their thoughts, neither of them knowing what they were feeling deep inside of them.

        "Dinner was really delicious Athena, you're a really good cook," Alejandro complimented the chef as he washed up the dishes, which was meant to be Athena's job until Alejandro pestered her into sitting down for the rest of the night. She was still annoyed about not cleaning, but somewhere in her mind, she was thankful for being able to sit.

    "Thanks, uh, yeah," she mustered up, trying to wrap her head around the whole ordeal that a beautiful human being was going to stay over in her apartment. She really didn't have a lot of people coming over, hell, it was a surprise someone would want to stay in her run down apartment. 

     "You know, you're really adorable," he spoke out, causing Athena to snap out of her thoughts and blush profusely. Her heart almost burst out of her chest from one measly compliment, yet it seemed to mean the world to her as she tried to fight the urge to squeal in delight, she really didn't know how to take compliments.

     "Thanks," she breathed out, her cheeks still tinged with a strawberry colour as she tried to stop her heart from beating really fast. Alejandro was only silent for the next few seconds and said nothing else making Athena ponder her thoughts and somewhat felt extremely uncomfortable.

    "I'm going to get some blankets and pillows," she blurted out quickly before rushing into her room and shutting the door behind her. Her heart was racing, her face red with embarrassment, her body twitching every so second. Who knew several words would make her heart race and her body flush a red colour, she didn't understand why it affected her so much, not even her past boyfriends had ever such things to her, or even made her feel the way she was. She was confused and yet she understood a lot.

    She tried to gather her racing thoughts as she went to her closet and picked up two blankets and one of her spare pillows for her guest. She tried to breathe in air to make her feel colder, it was too warm for her inside her room which was cold. Athena didn't want to keep overthinking things, yet she was anyway, it was an unexplainable feeling and that confused her to the oblivion. Didn't she know whether it was an attraction towards Alejandro or was she feeling surprised for hearing such a compliment? She didn't know, and she didn't want to explore further, but somehow in the near future, she did.