Layers of Heat

Layer 6

There was a new Indian restaurant that just opened near their college campus, and Winnie wanted to go try it out. When Leila suggested they go together with Ken and Miles, to her surprise, Winnie reluctantly agreed. Maybe Ken had finally convinced her of his good nature, or maybe it was because their other friends were too busy to join and having more people meant having more dishes to try.

The four of them agreed to go after Winnie's and Miles's last class for the day, so Ken and Leila decided to meet up at their building to wait. When Leila arrived in the large lobby, she saw Ken was already there, sitting on one of the many armchairs. With a grin, she nearly skipped over and plopped her backpack on the seat next to him. He looked up and responded with a smile of his own.

Since they still had about thirty minutes left of waiting, Leila decided to lighten her load of clothes.

Ken was always fascinated at the way she managed to wear so many layers and he watched as she began taking off her clothes. Ever since he knew her, Leila was always a smiley person, so there continued to be a soft curl of her lips as she stood next to him, shedding her heavier clothing.

Scarves, gloves, coat, sweaters, sweats—it was an amusing sight as more clothes piled onto the armchair.

However, Ken soon realized he wasn't the only one looking at her. Of course, Leila was already known as the Little Penguin, so the gazes consisted of amusement—like his—as well as judgy looks. And yet, there was another type.

Ogling.

Whether Leila noticed or not, she made no indication. Instead, she continued to wear that sweet smile while stripping herself of clothes. There was something...sensual about it that Ken hadn't noticed before—unlike the other men in the large lobby. They stared with other intentions than innocent curiosity.

It was then that Miles's words from the other day echoed in his head.

"Sure, but she's not some innocent little animal, Ken. She's a person...A woman."

Ken reached out to Leila and placed a hand on her arm, stopping her actions. She looked at him in surprise as he gaped, surprised by himself. Quickly, his brain came up with an excuse.

"Don't take off too much. You might get cold."

Leila chuckled and patted the back of his hand. "That's why I have you though, right?"

He smiled tightly along in good humor but couldn't shake off the uncomfortable feeling of seeing other men eye her like predators. Eventually, she stopped at the point where she still wore a baggy sweater and tight leggings.

"I'm surprised Miles agreed to come eat with us," Leila said as she sat down. "He does know Winnie is going too, right?"

"He's aware. I even confirmed with him twice. I think he's eager to try out the new restaurant too."

"I hope the food is good. I saved my stomach all day for this."

"If not, we can always grab something else nearby."

Leila stared at Ken in silence for a few seconds before saying, "By the way, I forgot to thank you for the other day when I fell asleep on the bus."

The memories came back to him, and he couldn't help the soft smile that curved his lips. "Don't worry about it. I'm glad to help."

"You'd think I learned my lesson not to procrastinate after three years, but it's a hard habit to break out of."

"It's fine. This is our last year. Besides, I procrastinate all the time too."

"Then next time you're sleepy, I'll be there to help."

Ken grinned. "You'll carry me to my room?"

"It'll be more like a dragging motion, actually. Or maybe rolling."

The image of Leila rolling his body from front to back over the concrete and into their dorm building made him chuckle. She tilted her head and laughed along, her face flushing a light pink. It was an adorable sight that made Ken want to reach out and pinch her cheek, but he refrained.

However, the next moment, Leila zipped down the zipper of her sweater—probably feeling warm—and his eyes couldn't help but follow the motion before settling on her chest. He usually saw her in baggy clothes, so the sight of her t-shirt hugging her figure caught him off guard. For some reason, he was startled before quickly looking away.

And once more, he saw that he hadn't been the only one observing her.

For the remaining time, Ken was stuck between enjoying his time spent with Leila and feeling a strange heat at the back of his neck from the sight of other men ogling her. It was strange. He felt as if he cared too much about the perverse gazes. It wasn't his place to feel such a way when the person herself didn't seem to mind as he did.

"Ken? Is something wrong?"

He glanced at her, upset at himself for being distracted. To ease her worries, he smiled. "It's nothing."

She leaned closer to him, her sweet scent flowing into his nose. "It's best to just ignore the looks. Not like there's anything that can really be done."

Ken was startled. "You noticed?"

Leila's face scrunched into a wry smile. "It's kinda hard not to. But like I said, just ignore them. You're a guy yourself, so I'm sure you have an idea of what they're thinking."

Unfortunately, he was completely aware of the thoughts going through the men's minds. Of course there were those who had the decency not to stare so openly, but at the same time, there were too many who allowed their intentions to be known.

"If anyone bothers you, let me know," he said with a frown. "In fact, call me anytime you need someone to walk with."

Leila was pleasantly surprised by his offer and placed a hand on his arm. "Thank you Ken. It's pretty safe around campus, but I'll let you know if I need you." With a tiny chuckle, she leaned her shoulder against his. "Which is honestly all the time in this weather."

Weird. Ken usually didn't mind her reliance on him—he felt flattered by it even—but something about her words this time made him feel...perturbed? However, before he could think too much about it, Winnie and Miles arrived, staring with judgmental eyes.

"What are you two doing?" Winnie said flatly.

Neither Ken or Leila moved away from each other. They hadn't been doing anything inappropriate after all.

"Waiting for you guys," Leila answered plainly before standing up with a bounce. "But now that you're here, let's go!"

Winnie glanced at the pile of clothes on her friend's chair and knew they'd be there for another few minutes.

—

The Indian restaurant was still in the middle of a soft opening, so there were a few deals and discounts on their menu that Winnie and Miles utilized. The other two didn't care so much about price and efficiency as long as their bellies could be filled. And so, when a variety of dishes arrived at their table, they were more than satisfied by the choices.

For the harder to reach dishes, Ken handed them across the table to Leila who happily and eagerly scooped various meats and vegetables onto her plate. In the eyes of their friends, the two of them looked similar to a spoiled child and her fussy mother.

Honestly, anyone would question their relationship at this point, but if even their best friends couldn't provide a concrete answer, then who really knew?