39

There was a weight against my skin, placing soft kisses all over my face, causing me to stir awake.

Ranging from my forehead, nose, lips, jaw to my chin and cheeks.

A tired hum escaped my lips, and my eyebrows furrowed together, irritated.

I knew from the perfume it was Daniela, but my mind chose to keep on resting.

Eyes shut, but awake.

"Wake up, cariño," her soft voice whispered against my ear.

I groaned loudly.

Daniela chuckled and peppered kisses down my neck, trying to wake me up gently, though a bit too slowly to my liking.

I continued my annoyed noises before finally giving in, slowly opening my eyes to see her leaning over me as she stands next to the bed.

Her brown locks were messy and sticking in different directions, and she wore nothing but a black tank-top and black shorts to match.

I was wearing the exact same, but in white.

She must've changed me.

She pulled back slightly to look me in the eyes with a tiny smile. "Morning, sleeping beauty."

I sit up on my elbows, eyes barely open as it threatens to close again.

I look around, not remembering being here.

In Daniela's room.

Then a sharp sting travelled down my spine, causing me to wince.

"Easy there. You and Iris fell asleep on a huge rock. I don't even know how, but the second I looked around for you two, you were out cold."

That explains the back pain.

"I tried waking you both up, but Iris mumbled something, told me to let you guys be, and passed out again." Daniela sat down on the edge of the bed next to me. "Mr. Pierce helped me carry you two to an uber we called, and from there we drove to the house."

I laid my head down on the pillow again and stretched my sore body.

"Did he want anything in return, Mr. Pierce?" I ask, "Did you pay like, for the jet's patrol or something?"

"No, he didn't want it. I did offer to pay, but he didn't take it. Her dad was more than happy to help, and actually thanked me for giving him the chance to fly it."

He was a very generous man definitely, and I'm glad he is. Without him, we would be in huge trouble.

I hope his wife let him and his daughter back in the house.

Daniela leaned over me again, and tucked some of my hair behind my ear, brushing her fingers along my jaw.

I smiled softly at her, feeling warm over my body.

Then the alarm next to me went off and it displayed 6:30.

Damn, we only got 5 hours off sleep. And that's just me and Iris. Daniela probably got less having to babysit us and carry us to bed.

In a few hours we'll need to be back at the airport, and act as if we just got back to New York.

"Where's Iris?" I ask, "Is she in Luka's room?"

"You really think I'll let her stay in Luka's room?" Daniela continued to play with my hair, pulling a few strands and untangling the rats nest it was in the moment. "You know she'll will kill me if anyone stays in her room."

"Not her house." I mumble

Here we're having this conversation again.

I've only met her sister once, and for a minute only. She did not like me. Well, she did say I'm pretty, so I guess that's a bonus point.

But she lives in Europe!

It's not fair that Luka threatens Daniela to keep her room clean and untouched.

If she's not even here!

Daniela took her hands away from me and stood up.

I wanted to grab her wrist and pull her back towards me, but decided against it.

"It's always an argument with that woman." She said, "But don't worry about that right now. Iris woke up on the way here and told me she'd take the couch. She's still asleep. Anyways, let's go make breakfast, yeah?"

We were now in the kitchen, getting out the ingredients and stuff to make pancakes.

Although, Daniela eats cucumber when she wakes up which is odd. But she was handling that while I mix the pancake batter in the pan.

From the kitchen I could hear Iris flipping around on the couch. She was also mumbling things in her sleep. I swear she mumbled Carol's name, but I wasn't sure. I was more focused on Daniela's hands on my waist.

I looked over, her cucumber slices in a plate.

Daniela was right behind me, nuzzling her head on my shoulder as she held onto my hips, watching me stir.

She kissed me right on my shoulder and I almost dropped the spatula.

She sighed against my skin. "How are you getting back home?"

She hummed and started tracing small patterns along my hips, then around my stomach.

I tried to focus on the pancakes, but my mind was somewhere else.

I love her touch.

"...or I can just drop you two off?" She then added.

"...or maybe I want to spend some time with you." I said.

Daniela hummed, as if she's hesitating. She let go of me and stepped back, leaning her back against the counter while staring at me.

"I don't know. That's risky." She said lowly.

"Why is it risky?" I asked, turning off the stove and setting the spatula down. I turned around and placed my bum on the counter, crossing my arms and look at her curiously.

We were standing across from each other.

Daniela shrugged and picked up her cucumber slices, popping it, one-by-one, in her mouth.

"I mean... what if someone sees you?" She asked as if it was obvious, "I mean hell, that time when Luka came, I didn't know she had came here so early. What if someone shows up unexpectedly, you know?"

My cheeks suddenly felt hot with irritation, but I ignored it.

"I guess." I mumble.

I felt her staring at me before walking to the cucumber still out, and picked up the knife.

Almost as fast as sound, I cut the cucumber down it's length, aggressively. The knife gets stuck in the cutting board with each forceful swing, the sound echoing. I grit my teeth, swinging faster at it.

Daniela sneaked up behind me, wincing as she looked down at me torturing the poor cucumber, now in tiny slices.

She took the knife out of my hand, setting it down then moved me to the side.

I huffed out, letting her take over.

She cleaned the mess I made, sighing.

"Why are you getting mad, cariño? I'm just stating the worse case scenario."

I crossed my arms, still frustrated.

"It just feels like you're trying to make excuses to keep me away." I muttered

Daniela paused after putting the knife in the sink and turned to me, a frown on face.

"What! I'm not-" She sighed and rubbed her face, collecting her thoughts before continuing. "Okay. Okay. You want the truth?"

I didn't respond, only nodded.

"Adeline's been getting on my nerves. It's like her voice is in the back of my mind. I can only imagine what she'll do if she finds out, Vic. She knows something's up between us."

Ah.

That's what I'm worrying about too.

I sighed softly before stepping towards her. I hug her around her neck.

"She's a pain in my ass too."

Daniela hummed, returning the embrace and wrapping her arms around my body.

She leaned in close where her chest was against mine and rested her head on my shoulder, her brown hair tickling my neck.

"I just can't believe she actually stays with you." She whispered against me, "Victoria, if she ever makes you feel uncomfortable, you tell me."

I pulled back and went to check on the pancakes, but a thought linger in my mind and I hesitate to speak.

"This is going to sound... weird, but, do you still have feelings for her?" I ask, but honestly don't want an answer.

She stares at me blankly, finding it amusing.

"Trust me, I've lost feelings a long time ago after what she did to me."

"What did she do to you?"

"She cheated, a lot. She had a list of other girls' and guys' numbers and when I asked her about it, she would explode on me, calling me crazy and that she would never do such thing. She was manipulative and knew what buttons to push. I was a fool. It took me too long to see the truth that she wasn't even into women like that. She was experimenting with me and all the other girls."

"She thought we were only fuckbuddies, but I thought more, I guess."

Shit, what if I end up like Adeline one day?

I was always into boys, and felt nothing towards girls. Of course, I found them pretty. Pretty as in jealous, but not pretty as in I want to get with them.

But now looking at Daniela, maybe I am lesbian. Let's keep the title at Bi.

But it's so much more than that.

It's not any girl, but her.

The way her smile makes the air feel lighter, how her laugh feels like home, and how every moment with her feels like a little piece of magic. She protects me, and she cares, and that's what I fell for.

I fell for someone that understands me, and likes me for being myself.

Even though it's my professor, she feels like so much more.

A friend, a partner.

I don't want to hurt her.

She's already been through so much pain, but yet she's giving me a chance still.

She's been cheated on so many times.

"Hey." Daniela pulled me out of my thoughts, bringing her hands to place on my cheek and lifting my head to look at her.

"You okay? Your thoughts seems loud." She said quietly, her voice soft.

I looked at her.

I never loved before, but now looking at Daniela, I realize that all the little moments with her feel like pieces of a dream I never knew I was meant to have.

Like my mind had a body of it's own, I lean forward and kiss her.

Hands on her shoulders, bringing her impossibly closer.

After my body grew warmer, I had to pull back before things went too far.

Not saying that I don't want it, but Iris is still nearby and I don't want to wake her up with my screams.

We lean our foreheads against each other.

"What was that for?" She asks softly, holding back a tiny smile.

I blush, embarrassed.

"I-- I just..."

"It just felt right." I said, but in truth I had no clue.

The urge to just pounce on her was strong but I held back.

That's when we heard footsteps approaching and Daniela let go of me and walked away to the cucumbers, eating again.

I sighed.

I reckon she doesn't know about me and Iris' chat from yesterday.

I have to tell her that she knows.

After a few seconds, Iris rounded the doorway and into the kitchen, yawning.

She was wearing yesterday's clothes and her hair was messy.

"That couch sleeps better than my own bed!" She exclaims, then looked at the oven,

"Ooo, food!"