Falling Into You

Return To Innocence

Chapter Four

The next couple of days were slightly tense. Selena was irritable and spent most of her time out at job interviews or staring off into the ocean. After about three days of her avoiding me like I had the plague, she gave me a peace offering of food. She had always been a very domestic person. This was her way of saying I surrender. I was surprised it had actually taken her the full three days before she gave in. My guess was she couldn't really come up with a logical excuse to be mad at me. At least I assumed that her lack of acknowledging my existence had to do with her trying to blame me for something. Exactly what, I don't know. I'm not a mind reader and she can't hold me accountable for that.

I was sitting on my bed with my laptop perched in my lap going over the monthly expenses at the bar. I noticed that she had poked her head into the room a couple of times as if she was ensuring I was still there. I was curious as to what she what she was up to, but she was a weirdo sometimes so I didn't really think much of it. I pushed my glasses back up to the bridge of my nose, they would slip occasionally when I glanced down at my notes. I smelled the food before I actually saw it. She walked into my room holding a tray of pancakes with an expression on her face that reminded me of a damn puppy. I couldn't help but laugh as she carried the food over to where I was sitting on my bed.

"I made you something." She said sweetly.

"Oh?" I responded raising an eyebrow.

"Yes." She breathed. "I wanted to apologize for how I acted the other night. It was embarrassing." She said softly. "I had no right to unload on you like that."

"I'm not even mad Sel." I smiled. "Are you good now?" I asked.

"Yes." She said smiling brightly. "I'm dumping the baggage and starting fresh. New city. New life."

"Sounds like someone gave you some good advice."

"Yeah, I should listen to her more often." She said blushing. "Anyway, eat the food and tell me how they're the most amazing pancakes ever." She said as she sat next to me. "They're strawberry banana." She added. "With blueberry syrup."

I sat the laptop aside and took a ridiculously large bite that resulted in making a mess all over my face. It had the desired effect, she immediately laughed. I was surprised when she reached up and wiped some of the syrup off my chin with her finger.

"You need a bib." She laughed.

I continued to eat the pancakes and she watched with an amused twinkle in her eye. I loved these moments with her. Words weren't necessary and the silence was comfortable and easy. She seemed less stressed and relaxed.

When I finished she took the plate and left the room. I laid on my stomach and stretched my legs out as I continued to work on my laptop. Selena returned a few minutes later and jumped onto the bed. I gave her a quick glance as I felt her head rest on the small of my back as she opened up a book. Apparently I was being used as a pillow.

"Comfortable?" I asked with a smirk.

"Very." She answered sounding slightly amused.

"I'd hate to disappoint." I chuckled.

"You never do, now shush. I'm trying to read." She scolded.

I went to back to my typing and secretly reveled in the moment we were sharing. I had missed this. When we first left for college all those years ago, both of us were a mess. As always, I was the one to put on a brave front and keep my emotions in check. She fell apart daily. Back then it was devestating, now it was sort of comical at how dramatic we were as teenagers. We had both changed over the years as we experienced life for the first time away from each other. The one thing that never changed was the way she needed me.