Les Femmes Fatales [2]

▪ One

The rays of the sun got in through the half-closed window, falling on the tiles and then to the double bed, soon falling on the eyes of a woman with dark hair that was tangled seemingly beyond repair who slept with a peaceful smile on her lips. As the sun fell on her eyes, though, her smile started fading and she nuzzled her head into her pillow so as to avoid it but there was no use. She was awake now.

Her eyes slowly opened and she blinked quickly as she turned her head, the smile returning on her lips as she noticed her boyfriend sleeping soundlessly beside her, looking utterly adorable in his sleep. Slowly so as to not wake him up, she untangled herself from his grasp and after putting her slippers on, she left their bedroom in her pyjamas and headed to the kitchen. There was no way she was starting her day without a cup of coffee.

Her motions were mechanical as she made herself a cup of coffee just the way she liked it and then took a small sip, the smile returning on her lips. Coffee was the solution to all her worries at this point.

When she drank her coffee, she headed to the bathroom and after brushing her teeth and struggling to brush her hair, she set it in a ponytail and then got back to the kitchen. She washed her hands, took out a tray and some ingredients, including chocolate, sugar and eggs and started making pastries, her boyfriend's favourite sweet. His birthday was tomorrow and the least she could do for him was make him pastries.

She moved around the kitchen quickly, making the syrup at the same time as she checked to make sure the first part of the sweet was ready, and just as she had taken the tray out of the oven and she was sure the sypur had turned cold, there was a knock on her door.

Her eyes widened and she instantly rushed to her door to open it quickly before her boyfriend heard and woke up. She checked who it was and then unlocked as quickly as she could, placing a finger against her lips as soon as she opened the door before they could say anything.

"Chris is asleep, if you make a loud sound and wake him up I'll make sure you'll regret it."

Her two friends exchanged a look before nodding. They got in the apartment and she closed the door behind them. "Stella, it's about eleven o'clock, why is he still asleep?"

"He didn't sleep much last night, Branka, I'm afraid I kept him up." As she noticed her raised eyebrows, her eyes widened. "Not in that way! I asked for a massage, my back was hurting me a bit."

"You have a good boyfriend."

"Thank you, Qara. I know. Come on, get in the kitchen, quietly. I'm making pastries."

Branka and Qara got in the room and sat down around the table as Branka spoke up. "Again? Didn't you make pastries like last week?"

"It's his birthday tomorrow, I can't not make pastries," she explained as she poured the syrup in the tray. "It's his favourite sweet, as I'm sure I've told you."

"Countless of times."

"Well, it's never a bad thing to pay attention to what he wants. He always pays attention to me and what I want, I want to be a good girlfriend and do the same for him in return."

Qara smiled slightly as she watched her. "I'm not particularly good at sweets."

"It's fine, Qara," Stella sent her a fleeting smile, "I don't know six languages like you do. Everyone has their own talents."

"You're in a good mood today," Branka observed as she looked at her with a smile. "Anything you'd like to share, Stella?"

"I always am in a good mood when making sweets and my back is a lot better, it's a relief at this point, I wasn't able to do most things the way I used to for days."