"What?" I asked looking up from my book.
Alec and I were in my apartment. As he said, he drove me back home and stayed to teach me chemistry so that we can finally do our project.
"What?" He asked amused as he sat beside me on the floor with the table in front of us.
I pointed the tip of my pen towards him and squinted my eyes, "Stop staring at me."
He looked taken aback before giving me an innocent look, "I am just admiring."
I could feel the corner of my lips turning upwards but I stopped myself and cleared my throat, "Well stop that. It's distracting me from focusing on the question in hand."
He shifted in his seat before coming forward. I leaned back as I stared into both his eyes. He had a smirk on his face, when he stopped just centimetres away from my face.
"Who wants to study when we can do so many things together."
I gulped, "What do you mean?"
His eyes traveled a little down, "We got together today. Do you really want to study?"
When I said that I had intuitions about him coming over, I wasn't wrong.
"Of course." I tried to smile with him still very close to me, "I don't know what else you might be thinking either."
He stared at me for a while. I could see him biting the insides of his cheek when he suddenly pulled back and ran his hands through his blonde hair.
"If that's what you want." He muttered and looked away.
I felt bad. I shouldn't, but I did. But I wasn't going to get distracted, or that's what I wanted.
I went back to my book. I had only put the tip of the pen against the paper when I felt his velvety voice whisper just beside my ear,
"Are you sure?"
In reflex, I snapped my head to my left and to avoid bumping our heads together and crack them open I pulled a little back.
I lost my balance as I fell down on my back. But that wasn't shocking. Not at all. I was more surprised when I saw Alec slowly coming on top of me.
He placed both his hands beside my face and slowly started leaning in again.
Look, who isn't giving up at all. Finding ways to get close. Just taking advantage of the situation.
But I didn't mind him taking the advantage of the situation right now. I closed my eyes as I waited for his lips to finally touch mine.
I heard a knock on the front gate.
My eyes snapped open as I looked at Alec in alarm, "Who could it be?" I asked with him still on top of me. Even he was looking towards the door in a questioning way.
"Serene."
That voice. It was enough to send down shivers down my body. I snapped my head to look at Alec and found him already looking at me with horror.
"I-is that your-" he could not even finish his sentence when I pushed him away from me. He landed a little far away and groaned in pain as I sat straight and stared at the closed door now.
We are screwed. We are so screwed.
My mom is here. She is here! She is never home in time for god's sake! Whatever happened today?
"I am coming in." She said.
"WAIT." I yelled getting up on my heels as fast as I could. I started fidgeting on my legs.
There was silence before she spoke again, "What's wrong?"
"Uh I- uh I AM NAKED." I yelled getting a look from Alec.
I shushed him. This was the only thing that could come up in my head at this existential crisis. The least he can do is stay quiet and hide.
Hide.
Oh my holy mother of Jesus. HE NEEDS TO HIDE! I need to hide him.
"I have seen you naked." She said as a matter of fact.
"MOM I AM GROWN UP!" I said alarmed. I need to keep her outside.
"Geez. Okay. Don't yell. I guess you have grown up, huh. Anyways, I'll wait outside. I thought you would be happy to see me after I took a day off for you."
"I AM! Just wait a second, mum."
And I was happy. Just not right now. I needed to hide this young man who was on the verge of making out with me just a few moments ago.
Of all the days, she chose today to take the day off. I cried internally.
"What are we gonna do?" Alec whispered.
I gave him a look. Doesn't he know what he needs to do? He need to fucking hide right now. That's what he needs to do.
I took him by his arms and pulled him up. He got up in a questioning way but I forcefully dragged him with me into my room.
"What are you doing?" He asked trying to break free from my clutch but I just held it tighter around my hands.
"You don't see? I am trying to hide you." I said frantically looking around for a hiding spot.
I felt his stare on my face, "What?" I asked agitated.
"Why do I need to hide?" He asked unsure.
"You just need to! Now fucking hide!" I opened the door to my wardrobe and looked inside for the free space.
I gave him a quick look to make sure if he could fit.
I shook my head to myself. He cannot.
"Why do you have to be so buff?" I asked irritated.
He gave me a dead look, "Is it my fault that I work out to look better now?..." he tilted his head in confusion, "Well, that would be the first time someone hated it."
I wasn't even listening to him anymore. I was already looking around my house for more hiding spots.
Where the hell am I living where there is no place to hide? This was the first time when I felt the inconvenience of this place.
"Can I come now?" I could heard my mom asking from outside, "I am tired."
"Just a moment, mom. I am almost done!" I yelled so that she could hear before panicking inside the room. The panic had surpassed almost all my body parts by now.
Washroom. Can I hide him in there? I looked at the door to the washroom with hope.
Alec came in front of my face with concerned eyes, "That look. You are giving that look to a fucking washroom. Have you even looked at me like that even once?"
I sighed in a disappointment when I realised that mom would probably use the washroom.
"I am gonna throw you outside this very window if you don't shut up right now." I mutteredâ holding the temple of my head.
Wait a second.
I looked up in hope.
Throw him outside the window? That is exactly what we are gonna do.
I grinned at him.
"What are you thinking?" He asked. I swear I could see that he was terrified to know what was going through my mind.
"You are going outside the window." I stated.
His eyes widened like the saucers before he ran towards the only window in my room and looked down.
"Do you want me to die?" His voice trailed off in the end with the amount of fear, "I don't think I work out enough to jump out of three storey buildings, Serene."
I walked to him and looked outside along with him. Unlike him I looked beside the window.
"Who says you are jumping down?" I asked.
He looked at me in a questioning way. He followed my gaze before snapping his head to look at me and shake his head.
"You are joking, right?" He asked trying to laugh but failing miserably.
I smiled sweetly at him, "I am not."
"You don't love me, do you?" He asked taking a step back.
"Very much."
"A person who loves you won't ask you to hold onto a pipe outside their window!" He cried.
"People climb pipes to meet their lover. You cannot hold onto one to help yours?"
"I love my life."
"You work out! Just climb down the pipe, for goodness."
"What do you think I am?" He cried, "A squirrel that I can crawl anywhere?"
I stopped and stared at him.
"That was a weird comparison." I stated.
He thought for a while before sighing, "Yeah, I guess." He said softly before entering into his old mood back, "Doesn't change the fact that you want me to crawl down the pipe!"
"I am coming in." I heard my mom say before I could actually hear the door opening.
I felt the insides of my churn as I jumped in my spot with panic.
The amount of panic in me was reflected in Alec's eyes as he got up on the window seal without me saying another word.
In panic I didn't even realise that I had moved my hands forward to literally push Alec outside the window. I stopped when he turned his head around and looked at me with horridness.
"Are you planning to murder me?" He cried, "What the fuck. Step away! I will jump onto the pipe on my own. You will only make me lay flat on my face on the ground if you push me."
"Is there someone with you, Serene?" Mom asked now that she was inside the house.
I could hear her footsteps outside my room as she walked about placing her belongings in their place.
I could hear her footsteps growing closer and closer as she came near my room.
I ran towards the door to stop her from entering before Alec could get out. I stepped out and almost fell on my face when I slammed into mom. She held me steady before looking at me with concern.
"Are you alright? Why are you sweating?" She asked.
I took a step away from her and with the help of my sleeves tried to wipe the sweat off, "You know it gets sweaty when you try to wear a tight top." I chuckled.
I expected her to laugh with me but I was surprised when she didn't.
"What's wrong?" I asked her.
"You are wearing an oversized t-shirt." She knitted her brows together.
I looked down at my t-shirt. Shit.
"I missed you!" I hugged her tightly and took in her smell.
She smelled like sanitisers. But still it was unique.
A genuine smile made it's way onto my face.
She pulled a little apart before kissing my forehead, "We will spend the rest of the day together."
I nodded my head energetically at her.
She stepped away, "Let me check if you keep your room clean first."
"You cannot!" I was quick to come in front of her.
I felt my heart beating wildly against my chest. It could come out flying anytime soon if everyone keeps giving me such shocks.
"Why?" She asked taken aback.
"B-because..." I looked around, "Because it's clean. Duh."
The more I tried to sound convincing the more she seemed skeptical.
"I'll still check it." She said.
"You don't have to mom." I said standing in front of the door.
"Step aside, Serenity."
She was determined to go inside. There was nothing I could do to stop her now.
I gulped before stepping aside slowly and closed my eyes tightly as I waited for mom to squeal at the sight of a guy squatting on a window seal.
"Hmm." I heard her approval, "It's clean."
Wait. There were no squealing and heart attacks involved?
I rushed inside the room and looked directly towards the window seal to find it empty. The only thing coming through it was the wind.
I sighed a breath of relief.
"Close the window, okay? It's getting colder now." She said smiling at me before going out in the the living room again.
As soon as she was gone, I ran towards the window and looked outside at the adjacent pipe to find Alec hugging it tightly and looking scared for his life.
"Are you alright?" I asked tugging a strand of my hair behind.
But he wasn't listening to me. He had a distant emotion on his face, "Did she just ask you to close the window?"
He wasn't even looking at me.
"Yeah."
He shifted his intense glare to look at me, "I am here in the air, holding onto a pipe for my life and you will close the window? WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO? DIE?"
"I told you! Just climb down!"
"YEAH, NEXT TIME I'LL BRING SOMEONE TO TEACH ME THAT. That is if I make it out alive of here today."
I don't know he was just being overdramatic or he was really afraid. But whatever the reason, one thing was for sure... he doesn't know how to climb the pipes.
And it meant only one thing... I had to sneak him out of the house.
"Come in, and close the window behind you." I told him before going outside and checking for my mom.
I found her in the kitchen (just like usual) and even though that sight always made me happy, I had to get her somewhere else.
"Why don't you freshen up? I'll chop the vegetables for you in the meanwhile." I said taking the knife away from her hands.
She took it back, "It's alright. I am doing it."
I snatched it back, "Mom." I pressed harder on my voice, "You should freshen up."
She gave me a weird look, "You are acting strange." She muttered before going away.
At least she went away!
It gave us enough time to sneak Alec out of the house.
I ran on my tip toes to my room and hurried Alec out.
"It's time." I whispered before pulling him with me and running towards the main door.
"My book." He turned around but I pushed him out.
"I'll give it to you tomorrow."
He nodded his head. I was about to close the door but he placed his foot between the door making me stop.
"What?"
He came forward and pecked my lips before smiling, "You and me. Date. Tomorrow night to make up for today. Don't be late."
That was all he said before going away. I smiled like a crazy person while staring into the air before shaking my head and closing the door behind me.
"I hope he sneaked away easily." I heard her voice as soon as I closed the door behind me.
"Oh god." I jumped and put my hands on my heart in terror.
My eyes widened as I saw my mom leaning against the wall with a sly smile on her face, "Do you think I was deaf when you guys were arguing?"
Why did we have to hide if she knew anyhow. I sighed before slacking. Great.
Thank god, Alec doesn't know or he would push me out of the same window without any second thoughts.
"You both are adorable though." She chuckled before coming and going towards the kitchen to continue chopping the vegetables.
God, this was embarrassing.
I tried to hide my face as I walked into my room.
My phone's notification went off. I checked it and noticed that it was from Alec.
"Why did I hide again? I just came over to do the chemistry project, right?... *sigh* anyhow I'll see you tomorrow. Dress pretty! I'll be waiting."
I laughed-cried, we were actually studying. Why did he hide?
___