14
Don't say a word about my jams
I can't contain it
Maybe it was the breakup
Maybe I just woke up
On the right side of my empty bed
—So Good
Dove Cameron
MY EYES welcome the little light into my eyes that had managed to seep in through the curtains. I like to sleep in a dark room so that Mr Sun isn't attacking me first thing in the morning.
I moved my hands so that they stretch beside me and my left-hand meets with a warm and hard... body?
My eyes widened reluctantly as I realised what was going on.
I turned my body which was lying beside the bed on the carpet towards the left and found Ray sleeping on the carpeted floor beside me.
I remembered how we moved to the carpet because I felt we needed to be more connected to the ground. Down to earth.
Sometimes I act like a drunk, without being drunk.
And Ray agreed.
I muttered profanities as I contemplated my reasoning and stood up and made my bed which was a mess with sheets and pillows in all places. I put the phone on the nightstand where I usually put it and put on my morning playlist on the speakers.
A soft piano melody fills the house as I smile and get ready to do my morning routine. I open the curtains and let the sunshine flow in when I was ready for it to illuminate the room. I put my duvet on top of Ray who was sleeping on his stomach with not a care of this world. I smiled as I saw his face at It's purest form and put the duvet up till his shoulders.
I disconnected the speakers of my room so that I don't disturb him and move to the kitchen. I did my usual workout after setting my mat in the living room. I had changed into my workout clothes and pulled my still oily, wavy brown hair into a ponytail a headband on top of my head.
"Twenty-nine...thirty... thirty-one..." I pushed harder as I decided to add ten more to the usual amounts of push-ups I did daily.
"You make quite a sight." An amused voice falters my thirty-ninth push up as I push down one last time for the last one of the day.
"Forty." I whispered to myself as I smiled in victory and jumped to meet the owner of the voice.
"Good morning." I chirped as I looked at Ray who stood against the living room wall with messy hair and smiling at me with amused eyes.
"A very good morning indeed." Ray muttered as he watched me roll the mat and put it in its place and remove my headband.
I went to the kitchen and poured myself a glass of water.
"Water?" I asked as I moved the glass towards him.
He pushed his body off against the wall and walked towards me. He took the glass out of my hands and took a sip as I poured myself another glass.
I took out the granola bars I made from the fridge and took a bite out of one. I passed the jar that contained them to him.
"Now you sit and watch me make a 'healthy' breakfast." I air quoted the word healthy as I racked my mind to make something healthy.
He smirked as he took a bite out of the granola bar and made an appreciative sound.
"This is good." He said after taking the first bite.
"Why, of course, it is, I made it." I motioned my hands towards myself and he chuckled at my antics.
"I never questioned your cooking, you know?" Ray voiced as he finished the first one and took out a second one.
"I know." I shrugged as I opened my fridge and found a cake I bought a couple of days ago, bread, my favourite three types of jam, some sauces I enjoy my nachos with. And some milk. And other stuff that I don't eat in the morning. If Ray weren't here, I would've eaten bread jam but now I feel conflicted because eating it would contradict my previous affirmation.
I cleared my throat.
Ray chuckled.
"Having trouble?" His arrogant ass made his way behind me and peeked at my fridge.
"I have nothing, Alright!" I threw my hands in the air as I surrendered faster than I ever have.
Because I knew I could not win this battle.
I did not eat healthy food.
Not guilty.
"How 'bout you take a seat?" Ray suggested. I narrowed my eyes at him, he put a hand on his heart as if saying 'you can trust me with your food'. I sighed as I made my to the counter and help myself to another granola bar.
"I did make these granola bars though." I uttered almost wailfully.
"I know, I believe you." Ray laughed as he took out the jar of milk from my fridge.
He started going through my cupboards, frowning now and then and took out some boxes I didn't remember I had, read something on them and put aside some of them, my guess is they are expired. Gosh, I am so miserable.
"What do you eat?" Ray said in disbelief as he kept on hunting for god knows what.
"It's not my fault, I live on takeout more than actual food. I am a working woman!" I pouted.
Except right now I am not.
I frowned.
"I am a working man." Ray gave me a dry look as he glanced at me.
"So what?" I huffed.
Ray shook his head.
"That's it, we're going shopping. There is nothing in here!" Ray announced in defeat.
"Hah, you lose." I sang childishly.
"There wasn't a competition." Ray narrowed his eyes at me as he ran a hand through his hair.
"I just need to change into my clothes." He said as he made his way to my room.
"But I need to shower first! I am all sweaty and well, more sweaty!" I yelled after him as I follow him to my bedroom.
"You're good. You don't even smell and you should be thankful for that." He said with a grimace as it living memory in his head.
"What, you do?" I joked as I go to the washroom to at least wash my face and tidy up a bit.
"You're lucky you never had to be in the boy's locker room." He said through the door.
"What?" I turn off the tap to hear him.
"I knew a—" He began, "Why are we even talking like this?" He said through the door.
I opened my washroom door and found Ray in all his shirtless glory.
And holy hell, he is steaming hot. My red lose shirt that I had given him to wear was lying on my bed, neatly folded. Hmm, he was a fast learner. And then I saw his back muscles flex as he was picking up his white shirt from the plush chair where I had placed it.
"Oh, I thought you were having a shower." He met my eyes as he raised his eyebrows as he saw me.
That skin looked so smooth, so unholy.
Holy Mary, did you just send your Jesus?
I cleared my throat before I drool.
I dried my face from the towel in my hand as my eyes went helpless going through his abs, taking in every inch, they were the perfect kind, so soft. Not those scary brick looking things some guys like to have, those are a bit too much, might I say it. Also, these won't feel like a stone when I touch them.
Oh.
Stop it.
He asked for something. Or did he said something?
Yeah. Shower.
I could use one right now.
I looked up to find a smug Ray with his body leaning the room wall.
Caught.
Oops.
"You said not to take one." I finally answered as I put the towel in the laundry hamper beside my closet.
"Well, it was just a suggestion the end decision is yours." He spoke as he put on his shirt and buttoned it. And thankfully he didn't address me practically ogling at him.
"Oh well, I'll take one later." I shrugged.
"Alright then, let's go." He picked up his keys from the table situated in front of the plush chair.
"Yeah." I picked up the keys of my apartment and phone as we moved out of my room.
"I still can't believe you're going shopping with me. We could've eaten bread and jam." I muttered as I pressed the lift button.
The lift opened and we both get in.
An old lady smiled at us and we smiled back.
"Well, it's not my fault all you have for breakfast is some bread and three kinds of jam! For god's sake, my dear. I can't find the need for three different jams."
"Don't say a word against my jams Ray, I need all three of them!" I defend my precious jams as the elevator dinged on another floor and a young gentleman in an elegant tuxedo entered in.
The man looked at Ray and nodded with a hint of surprise on his face and Ray nodded back with a polite smile.
I watched the exchange curiously.
"You two lovebirds are so cute." The old lady spoke as she chuckled and moved out of the elevator and the man looked at Ray once again with a polite smile and left.
I felt my cheeks heat from the lady's comment. But forgot all about it when Ray muttered. "Some bird she is, more like a tiger." Needless to say, my elbow greeted his ribs gladly and he yelped after the contact.
"You have a mean hook." He managed to say in pain as he rubbed the area vigorously.
"Who was that man?" I ignored his overacting as he mumbled some Shakespearean prayers out of his mouth.
"A guy I know from work." He supplied casually as he unlocked his car and opened his door.
"Hey 'Mil." a very familiar voice rang through my ears as I froze on my way to Ray's car.
I looked at Ray from underneath my eyes but he looking was at something behind me, looking mildly perplexed.
I turned around and locked eyes with none other than Zachary Miller. I looked at him for a solid minute. Navy blue three-piece luxurious suit. A Rolex from one of his collections rested on his wrist and the ray bans that he just slid off his eyes. He without any question screamed money. His boisterous golden hair enough for several women to commit sins they'd never imagine. Stormy blue eyes, deep enough for one to drown.
Intimidating was an understatement. He was stupefying.
I took a deep breath and started walking ahead of him and he followed.
"I'll catch up with you." I turned and muttered to Ray, who thankfully didn't question me and after giving an appraising look to Zach and made his way to his car.
We come at a distance from Ray's car and I stand so that I can see Ray behind Zach.
I fold my arms and look at him.
He had his hands inside the pockets of his tailored pants and looked at me with some emotion that I didn't want to name or feel.
"Hey." He whispered.
"Hi." I let my eyes wander around, suddenly finding the parking lot a whole lot more interesting than him.
I looked at Ray who, now seated in his car, was probably enjoying some good beats and shaking his head to them without a care in this world but at the same time, somehow I had a feeling he was staring right at me through his dark windows.
"We need to talk." His earnest gaze did little to tame the annoyance that was seething out of me.
"A little early for that, don't you think?" I narrowed my eyes.
A faint smile.
"You still sarcastic?"
"Just the same." I quipped.
He ran a hand through his hair and glanced behind him.
"Who is he?" He raised an eyebrow as his eyes bore into Ray's car behind him.
"Someone."
He narrowed his eyes and decided to ignore my unprecedented behaviour.
"And how do you look?" His eyes gave me a belligerent look. Suddenly, I felt self-conscious in my workout clothes and tied up oily hair.
But somehow I had this strange, obscure urge to defend myself.
"I am not up for a show, Zach." I muttered indifferently, even though my gut wrenched at every single syllable that I had just uttered.
He sighed.
"I can't do this right here. You have some commitments planned." His eyes glanced at Ray's BMW for a brief moment.
"That I do."
"Meet me tomorrow night for dinner?" He looked at me with an expectant gaze.
I looked wryly at him.
I sighed.
"Fine." I conceded.
"I'll text you the details."
"Okay."
I turned without any other word and made my way to Ray's car, inflated the pent up frustration and got inside.
"You didn't open the door for me, your hostility ends outside the walls?" I teased as I put the seat belt around me.
"Nah, I just don't see any use in it. It's completely stupid." He waved his hand around and something told me that he felt strongly for this.
"What are you reading?" I peeked into the book he was reading.
He narrowed his eyes with and hesitated a bit.
"Alright, I'll read it to you" He pursed his lips.
"Okay." I smiled and positioned my body to face him.
"If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain."
"That's beautiful." I closed my eyes and sighed.
"Yup, this woman is amazing, I just can't stop going through her poems."
"I read it for a class, I don't remember her name though. It ends there." I pursed my lips.
Ray looked at me, rolled his eyes and shut the book and put it back into the glove compartment.
"Hey, don't get me wrong, it's just that when you study something for getting graded on it. It takes out all the fun." I shrugged.
"I understand. It was Dickinson by the way." His lips curved up and he revved the engine.
"Oh, Dr Green, my therapist is a big fan too."
"Then this Dr Green of yours has good taste." He muttered.
He didn't even question me anything about Zach.
"I am guessing that was Zach?"
Said to soon.
"The one and only."
"Hey, it's cool you don't have to talk about it." He shrugged.
I sighed.
"I might have been avoiding him. And I pushed it a bit too long I guess."
"That he had to come to your house to talk to you? Definitely." He nodded.
"Hey! You are supposed to be on my side."
"I am not on any side. I can't blame the guy for wanting to talk to you after the way you ended things. The least he deserves is some closure."
That's the thing. What Ray didn't realize is that Zach wasn't the closure kinda guy. If he was here he had something in mind. And I couldn't think of anything at the moment.
Guess I'll find out when I will find out.
***
A/n: So, he finally made an appearance, huh? Zach is here people!
Any Emily Dickinson fans here? I adore the woman.
And no, Zach wasn't going to just lunge onto Ray, my characters are way mature with controlled emotions. Thank you very much.
~Ria
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