Lia.
"Ok now its getting creepy" My smile widens a bit more "Will you just tell me why are you smiling like you just met your favourite author?"
I put the bunch of books down on the table and sigh dreamily at the flash of his lips in my mind. God, I am such a love sick puppy.
"Liaaaaaa..." Amanda's voice takes me out the misery.
"No there is nothing as such. I am just happy." I sought out the books and start stamping the review notes by customers.
" I've been here from the last 2 hours and either you zone out of the conversation or smile creepily. It's getting me worried." Her eyebrows furrowed but after a second it immediately widened in shocked.
"Did you do drugs?" I look at her in horror.
"N-No, why would you say such-"
"Then spill." She ordered in a no nonsense tone.
Guess I have to tell her. I lean closer and took a deep breath. This is so hard to say.
"I-I k-kissed him." My face grew hotter inspite of the cool weather around us.
"Who?" I look at her deadpanned. Who does she think I have kissed?
"Ezron."
"Oh my gosh, fucking finally you both kissed." Her lips stretched ear to ear.
"How was it? Did he taste nice?"
"Yes it was amaz-" My eyes widened "What the hell Amanda?"
" Goodness Lia, its so easy to tease you." She laughed off as I can feel myself blush.
"Are you happy with him?" She asked after moment of sobering up.
I glanced up and truthfully answered.
"I am." She smiled gently squeezing my hand.
"I love him." Her eyes widened.
"You sure?" She leaned closer, gazing at me with seriousness. I nodded trying to keep my smile within the confines of my face.
She stood up and squealed loudly catching everyone's attention and immediately rushed towards me pulling me up, hugging the life out of me. A laugh bubbled out of me.
"I am so happy for you babe." She backed a bit looking at me with a big smile of her own.
"Finally after so much suffering, you've found love." Her eyes teared up a bit and mine too.
Amanda has always been my rock through everything. She tried protecting me with all she had. She felt it personal to take care of me. She is family to me.
"Ok ok that's enough or you'll get your eyes and nose all red." She wiped off the little tear "I have no interest in facing your husband's wrath."
"Shut up." I collected the books and walked to the shelves as Amanda trailed behind me with the plate of cookies. How does she still manages to stay fit is beyond me.
"Did you confess to him yet?" I stiffen at her question and swallowed hard before facing her.
"No I -um its- its just hard right now."
"Sweetie its fine, confess it to him whenever you feel is the right time." She squeezed my shoulder. Yes I definitely need more time.
"By the way I have one more question." I rearranged the last book and nodded at her to continue.
" Did you two got down dirty after the kiss?"
My jaws dropped at her balant question but soon few images of her question flashed in my mind and I immediately shook my head.
"W-what ? You c-can't do-" I move the cookie plate away from her, running to the other side of the shelves.
"That's what you get for having such a corrupt mind."
●●●
Still more 3 hours to go before I can see him again. I've been glancing at the clock for the millionth time maybe, waiting to get home as soon as possible and be near to him. The mere thought of him sends my heart into frenzy, longing to be in his presence.
Eventhough physically I am present in this world but mentally somewhere else with him. I've never felt this way, craving to see someone, getting restless to just get a glimpse of him, thirsty to hear the sound of his voice calling me out.
"Lia" Great! Now I am hallucinating. I've seriously gone crazy.
I should just focus on cleaning the shelves.
"Lia." Wait..I turn around at the deep voice behind me.
Cladded in his grey suit and disheveled hairs, he looked breathtaking. My heart raced and I had to blink my eyes to see that I wasn't hallucinating. That he was really infront of me, staring at me intensely with those pool of grey eyes.
Putting the dusting cloth down, I strode towards him.
"What are.....oomph" I couldn't complete my question, my words muffled into his hard chest.
Recovering from the shock, I let the warmth from him seep into me and shakily wound my arms around him. His arms tightened around me and I closed my eyes savoring the moment.
The murmurs reaching us reluctantly made us pull away. I ducked my head down embarassed for momentarily forgetting about our surrounding. I slowly liftled my head from his chest without glancing at him and sent out an apologetic look at my customers.
Tugging his wrist I dragged him in the corner behind the book aisle.
"Something happened? You are here." I say worriedly at his amused face.
He stared for a few second before answering.
"I came to pick you up." I frowned.
" But the shop doesn't close before 7." Suddenly his expression turned into a awkward one.
"Um- the meeting got over early, so I thought to pick you up. Didn't realize it was too early."
It is whimsical to watch the ever so confident man being awkward.
"It's fine. If you want you can wait or go home." Please wait.
I pleaded mentally still maintaining a smile on my face but soon it turned to a big one rather more than big at his words.
"I'll wait."
"Okay, I'll bring you some coffee and maybe you could read something." He nodded went away to pick some book from the shelf.
What was that sudden hug about? I wanted to ask but didn't. It is surprising to see him like this, hugging me out of nowhere or being nervous around me.
I glance at him discreetly only to find him staring at me. Immediately with a flustered face, I turned around to attend to the customer. While everyone's gaze in the shop would flicker at him every now and then, his were following me. I could feel the piercing gaze on me even when he has a book in his hand, which is by the way upside down.
I hold back the chuckle slipping out of my mouth and continue with my work.
I try to wrap up work early as few of the people around pulled out their phone trying to discreetly click his picture. What the hell? Can't they give a person some privacy. I know it doesn't bother Ezron but this is just downright wrong.
"Eva" She strode towards me.
"Yes?"
"Finish up all the customers, we'll close early." She nodded and quickly hurried everything as I helped her too.
I want to go home early with Ezron.
Almost all customers were out. I'll leave as Eva has some books to collect. Finally Ezron and I can go-
My eyes almost bulged out when I saw a woman approaching him with a shy smile. Before she could touch him, I immediately rushed towards him.
"Baby let's go home." I put my hand on his shoulder and his eyes widened on me. I didn't heed any attention to him rather on the woman who stood startled. I smiled tightly at her.
"Yes?Anything I could help you with?" She shook her head negatively before scurrying out of the door.
I felt a triumph smile land on my face that turn into an embarassed one as I turned to face the man standing behind me with an eyebrow raised. Way to act stupid Lia. What if he would have wanted to talk to her? So idiotic of me to jump in suddenly with that sudden endearment.
Not to make more fool out of myself, I quickly took my purse and slipped out of the door with him behind me.
As soon as we were out Robert jogged towards us with a worried face.
"Sir I am so sorry but I've got an emergency at home. I won't be able to drive you home." He said apologetically forwarding the keys to us but I stopped him.
"It's ok. Take the car and rush home, its hard to get any cab at such hours."
"But ma-"
"Robert please, its really fine." He smiled gratefully at me before nodding at Ezron.
"Call me if you need any help."
"Thankyou Sir" He slipped in the car before driving away.
I just hope that whatever emergency it is, gets solved soon.
"I'll call Marco to bring us another car." He pulled his new phone out of the pocket.
"No wait." He gazed confusingly at me.
"Let's take a bus." I say enthusiastically.
"What? No." His face turned into a scowl.
"Why not? It will be fun and its also been many days." He opened his mouth to argue but I cut him off " also it gets boring to always drive in a car, sometimes we need change of transportation to save some fuel and also money." He opens his mouth but I cut off again "and I know you don't need to save petty money but we need to save envi-
"Ok ok let's just take a fucking bus." Thank God! The rant worked.
I tugged him crossing the road and fortunately the bus had just arrived on the stand. We quickly ran towards it before the door closes. As soon as we jumped in, we panted holding one of the pole. I took a seat in beside the pole, settling near the window and Ezron slipped beside me.
"Its been so long since I last took a ride in a bus." He glanced around the interior.
" Its has always been fun to me to ride in a bus." I replied smiling out of the window watching the scenery after many days.
After a minute or two of silence he turned towards me.
"So baby huh?" Shit.
I gulp down the thick saliva down my throat before fully facing him. My gaze nervously settling on the first button of his shirt.
"I - I um, I am sorry. I didn't meant to inte-" His smooth chuckle breaks off my stuttering as I look at him confusingly.
" You were jealous." What? No way.
"No, I was not." I say defiantly.
"Yes you were."
"Not."
"Yes"
"No."
"Just agree with me Lia."
"But I was not at all jealous. Why would I be?" I pout angrily looking out of the window.
"Okay then I'll go and ask her number."
" No, you cannot." The word rushed out of my mouth before I had time to regret. My hand holding his still wrist as he laughed at my inanity.
Pulling my hand back embarrassingly, I turn back to window. He is so mean, provoking me for no reason. I am also foolish to get provoked by his word. He just-
"Lia look at me." I don't respond.
His calloused hands turn my shoulder, and I looked down at my lap.
"If it makes you feel better I only have my eyes set on one woman." My most predicted fear has turned out to be true. He likes someone, that kiss did not mean anything to him. I just wasted my 2 days thinking of a kiss that meant so much to me and nothing to him. My eyes burned with heavy layer of of water brimming in them as I bit my lips to control it. You were always prepared for this.
"W-Who is she?" I still don't look up as shaky breaths leave my mouth.
He pulled my chin up, all I could see was his blurry face.
"Why the fuck are you crying?" Ezron wiped the skin below my eyes.
"What is her name?" I ask out the question. Preparing for the worst. But how did he find a woman just in a day or two or did he already had someone and I didn't knew.
"What the hell you talking about." He leaned closer to me, catching another droplet.
"The woman." My heart hurts. I could see his confused expression after a moment changing into shocked one as if realized something.
His hand moved down to cup my face gently. Why are you doing this Ezron?
"Do you think I am talking about some other woman?" What is he saying? I still nod confusingly with a frown on my face.
Frustrating gaze held my confused one as he tightened his grip firmly on my face.
"For fuck sake woman. I was talking about you. You are the one that is driving me crazy from the past days. You came like a peaceful breeze in my havocked life. I can't help but fucking yearn since I have tasted those luscious lips of yours." Stunned.
Yes that's what I am after his admission. I bet every single passenger on this bus could hear my heart beating loudly. Never had I expected Ezron to say so many words at once, let alone his feeling so early.
"Y-you want this?" Tears brimmed my eyes but this time with happiness.
A flash of determination passed in his eyes before he nodded.
"I want every fucking moment of this." My smile couldn't seem to fit my face at his admission.
Our gaze held each others stare as we let our eyes speak the unsaid words. Flickering my eyes at his very much lips, I lean closer as he did the same. Closing my eyes I was just mere inches to feel that sensation before a loud sneeze pulled us into reality.
I immediately looked at the person sitting behind us. A middle school girl with a handkerchief on her nose, she smiled sheepishly at me. She is so cute!
Her eyes soon flickered to the person beside me and turned terrified. I glanced at Ezron only to see him glaring at her.
I squeeze his forearm snapping his attention back to me. He scowled while muttering under his breath.
"Can't even kiss my wife peacefully." I chuckled at his silliness.
Linking my arm with his elbow I quickly place a kiss on his cheek to make him feel less bitter.
His face softened as he glanced at me before tucking a strand of hair behind my ears. The blush on my face must be spotting bright red under the light.
I lean my head on his shoulder to hide it as he put his arm around me. Both of us contentedly looking out of the window.
I am already home.
_________________________________________
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-Pihu☆