Love... or something like it

Part 12

Nell decided that she needed a shower after spending the day at the amusement park. She quickly returned messages that she had ignored that day including filling her mom in on her plans. She felt like so much had happened since she had seen any of her friends, but it had really only been a day since talking to most of them. She debated spilling the whole story of Bash and the break up to their summer school group chat, but she didn't think she was ready to field those questions just yet. Especially having to explain how she had somehow found herself in another relationship so soon. Well, maybe a relationship, maybe a flirty friendship, she wasn't sure in her own mind, so she would have no possible success explaining it to someone else.

She changed into her robe and took the time to run her laundry down and start a load before getting in the shower. She didn't want to wake up and have the smells of the park filling her bedroom. the house was dark and quiet so she didn't want to spend more time in the basement than she needed to, so she rushed through the task making sure to have her hand on her phone in the robe pocket. She had never been one to be afraid like she was but something had given her the heebie-jeebies and she couldn't shake the feeling.

Nell raced up the stairs and into the bathroom across from her bedroom. She quickly turned on the hot water and stepped in the shower. Once the heat met her skin she relaxed. The steam of the water filled the room making her feel like she was in a secret world and was untouchable. She took her time washing her hair and shaving making herself feel lighter. She loved the smell of her lavender hair products and the feeling of her smooth skin after the razor had done it's work. She bundled herself back up and headed to her room to get dressed. Hoping she had waisted enough time so Charles would be arriving soon.

She opened her door and screamed. There was a large black hooded figure in the low light of her room. Just as she was about to break out her karate skills to subdue the intruder, He turned around and she relaxed. Charles looked frightened as she stood in guarding stance and he was well aware that she could kick his ass.

"Woah! easy! If you changed your mind about me being here I can just go." He held up his hands. The sight pared with the tone in his voice made her laugh. He was a tall strong guy acting afraid of the petite girl wearing nothing but a bath robe.

"I'm not going to hurt you but why are you skulking?" She flipped on the overhead light an went into her walk in closet closing the doors so she could get dressed.

"Skulking? I wouldn't say I was skulking exactly." He said through the door.

"Snooping? Were you snooping?" She laughed finding her pajama shorts and tank top. She opened the doors so she wasn't needing to shout and hung up her robe on the side hook. She made her way across the room to find her hair brush and elastics and proceeded to brush her hair while she waited for him to answer.

"I would never!" He said with conviction but he looked a little guilty.

"Yeah right. I bet you were trying to figure out where I hide all my secrets." She laughed twisting her long hair up into a top bun.

"I would actually be scared to find your secrets, I mean you can legitimately kick my ass." He admitted making her laugh.

"Yes, yes I could." She grinned. "Now do you have a movie in mind? Nothing scary, I freaked myself out enough tonight." She pulled her laptop out and put it on the bed for him to scroll through the Netflix screens.

"Hm, what about This?" He turned the screen to show her a movie cover with two naked or almost naked people in an embrace.

"Are you just looking for pictures of naked people?" She looked at him with shock.

"Not necessarily, but I wouldn't say no to a little um, inspiration." He blushed but winked at the same time making her smile and sigh.

"Ok things you need to know. ONE: I am a virgin and plan on staying that way, at least for now. So if you had some notion that you were going to get lucky tonight you should just go now, cuz it's not gunna happen. TWO: Remember I absolutely CAN kick your ass and I will not hesitate to do so should the need arise." She looked at him with her hip cocked to one side and her hair brush pointed at him.