11

October 31st saw me dressed up as myself in front of my neighbor's TV with a bowl of popcorn on my lap and my dearest neighbor on my right.

She was eating absentmindedly from her own bowl of popcorn while I glanced at her amusedly. She had put on makeup and had a bright red lipstick on because it apparently suited the Halloween atmosphere. She looked cute and I couldn't help but laugh.

"What?" She asked, mouth full, turning towards me.

"Nothing." I replied and turned my attention back to the TV. We were watching some comedy on Halloween day and I couldn't understand how Ann could be so immersed in it.

I looked at her, again, but this time she caught my stare and glared at me. "Stop looking at me."

"Why?"

"It's distracting me."

I furrowed my brows. "How is it distracting you?"

"I have peripheral vision."

I couldn't understand if she was serious or what and so I burst out laughing. She threw a popcorn at me. "Stop, I'm trying to watch a movie here. Say what you have to say."

I smiled now. "You look cute today."

Her eyes widened before her hand moved to throw another popcorn at me. "Shut up."

***

Since it was Halloween and I had decided to spend it with her, Ann insisted on having a real Halloween experience. And what was Halloween without a scary movie?

So we did watch one. The movie was called, guess what, 'Halloween' and Ann reassured me that it wasn't that scary so I didn't have to squeeze her to death this time. The palm of my hands became sweaty as it started and I placed the empty bowl of popcorn on the small table in front of me so I could move more freely, you know, just in case.

"The kid looks like my brother." I said turning my head to look at Ann.

"He doesn't."

"How would you know anyway? They are both chubby and have the same creepy smile."

She sighed. "I'm your neighbor, I've seen your brother before."

"So you can say they look alike." I insisted.

"They don't. Your brother isn't blonde and he has dark eyes just like yours."

I sat up. "Wait, my eyes are not dark."

We were looking at each other now. I squinted my eyes as she came closer to inspect them. "Your eyes are dark, they seem almost black but they are actually dark brown." She proclaimed as she leaned back.

I was about to comment on her exceptional eyesight in the dark when I saw the kid in the movie kill another kid with his bare hands. I reached out for Ann's arm, hearing her sigh. "You said it wouldn't be scary." I whined.

Ann laughed and shook her head. "You call this scary?" She took my hand then, trying to loosen my grip on her arm. As she failed though, she took a deep breath and relaxed on the couch. "I see that I'll have to endure your deathly grasp, again."

I smiled, bringing my other arm around her stomach to hug her.

***

I woke up to find myself drooling. Still with my eyes closed, I could feel something very soft and comfortable under my head and I snuggled closer to it.

I opened one eye slowly seeing the TV in front of me and realizing that I was sleeping on Ann's couch and apparently on Ann herself. Opening my eyes wide now, I examined the situation. I was laying between Ann's legs, my head comfortably nestled on her soft chest, my arms wrapped around her body.

We must have fallen asleep during the movie. I could see her chest raising up and down as she breathed slowly in her sleep. I tried moving partly off of her but in doing so I kicked her leg. I darted my eyes to her face, scared of having woken her up. And I had.

She slowly opened her eyes, looking puzzled in finding me on top of her, our bodies squeezed together on the couch. "Hey, uhm... We must have fallen asleep." I said trying to ease the awkwardness. I lifted my head from her chest, not daring to look her in the eyes.

I felt her shifting and moving her arms from under me but she didn't say anything. Instead she just yawned and pulled my head back down on her chest, wrapping her arms around my back.

We stayed like that for a while until I snuggled closer and lower to her chest and I felt her body stiffen. "Don't get too comfortable." She warned.

Instead of replying I hugged her tighter and felt the incredible softness of her boobs press against my right cheek.

"Are you comfortable enough?" She then asked, a tone of amusement in her voice.

"Yep, it's perfect."

"What is perfect?"

"My pillow." I said and laughed. I glanced up at her to see her rolling her eyes but unable to hide a smile. "It smells nice too." I added, sniffing her distinctive perfume. "Although it would be even better if it was bigger."

That got me a slap on the shoulder and a kick on the leg. "If you have complaints you can easily get up."

"No, I'm fine thanks."

I don't know how much time we stayed like that but at some point I felt my pocket vibrate and, with it, my leg. Ann must have felt or heard it as well because she reached down the pocket of my jeans and took my phone. She looked at the screen and then handed it back to me.

We finally sat up in a sitting position leaving space between our bodies on the couch. I unblocked my phone, it was past 11pm and I'd just gotten a message from Rachel. We'd started speaking again after our awkward meeting in the parking lot, well, she'd started speaking to me and I actually managed to apologize. She'd invited me to a Halloween party tonight but I had politely declined and she messaged me just now saying she wished I was there.

Well, okay. I knew she was dating someone else so I couldn't understand why she bothered with me at all, maybe she just wanted to be friends.

I wrote a quick reply and turned my attention back to Ann who was now running through different channels in search of something to watch. "Your girlfriend?" She asked, not moving her stare from the TV.

I snorted. "Yeah, right."

Silence.

"If she misses you, she must like you." She said, still skipping through various channels. So, she actually read the message.

"Not necessarily." I said.

"Do you like her? It's that girl right?"

"What girl?"

"The one you went on a date with."

"Yeah."

She put down the remote and turned to look at me. "Why are you being so vague?"

I just stared at her.

"Well?"

I smiled. "Why are you so interested?"

She made a face and sighed. "I was just being curious. But, fine. Don't tell me."

I laughed. "I don't even know your boyfriend's name and you want to know everything about me."

She paused, as if to think and then turned towards me. "I don't have a boyfriend."

"See? I didn't know that."

"And what's your girlfriend's name?" She asked.

"I don't have a girlfriend." I whispered, like I was telling her a big secret.

"Oh." She said. "Did you like the movie?"

I laughed at her changing the subject. "I liked my dream better." I said and wiggled my eyebrows. We were sitting on the couch so as to face each other.

She rolled her eyes again. "And let's see, what did you dream about?"

"I better not say it." I said and grinned.

"You can't just say that and then not tell me."

"You wouldn't like it."

She furrowed her brows. "Why?"

"Because... Wait, I'll have to show it to you."

She seemed confused and she had every right to be since I didn't know what I was doing either.

"Stay still just like that."

"Cam?"

"Trust me." I said. Shit. Was I really about to do that?

Don't do it.

I know I shouldn't.

Don't, you'll regret it.

I know.

Fuck. My heart started beating so fast, I was afraid of having a heart attack. I looked at Ann, who seemed confused.

"Cam, are you okay?"

I got closer to her, all the while holding her gaze. I was about to kiss her, I knew it and she knew it as well. I leaned closer and closer and now moved my gaze from her eyes to her lips, seeing them part slightly. I was sure she could hear my heart beating. She tilted her head to the right imperceptibly and I held my breath as I finally closed the distance between us, closing my eyes and pressing my lips on hers.

And then I heard my alarm clock going off.

***

No, wait. I wasn't dreaming.

I felt her soft lips, smooth due to her lipstick and so different from my dry ones. I moved my hand up to the back of her neck, in her hair, pressing our lips even closer, gently. As our lips parted momentarily, she made a soft sound that seemed to wake her up from a daze and make her abruptly back away. I could see the word panic written all over her face and for a moment I didn't know what to do or say. She was looking down as if afraid to meet my gaze.

I started panicking. Shit. I knew I shouldn't have kissed her.

I was about to bolt out the door when Ann looked up.

"What..." She said, "this..." She seemed seriously upset.

"I'm so sorry." I said as I stood up from the couch. "I have to go."

"Cam?" I heard her calling me from behind and I turned around. "Can we pretend this didn't happen?"

Of course, yeah. Of course we can. I managed to smile weakly before going out the door.