chapter 42: heat

Mika POV:

I had just cleaned up after tucking Lily into bed and was ready to collapse on the couch, maybe catch up on some series or just enjoy the quiet. It was already around 12AM and the day had been long—too long, honestly—and the last thing I expected was my phone buzzing.

When I saw Andrew's name flash on the screen, I rolled my eyes. Really? I thought, not in the mood to deal with whatever drama he was bringing now.

"Hey," I said shortly, answering the call.

"Mika, I've got a bit of a problem," Andrew started, his voice unusually rushed. "Lily's meds, they're still in my pocket. I grabbed them last minute and forgot to put them in her bag."

I sighed, rubbing my temple. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, I know, I messed up. I'll just swing by real quick, alright?"

"Fine," I muttered, hanging up and tossing the phone aside.

Not even fifteen minutes later, there was a knock at the door. Andrew stood there, looking sheepish as he held out the small bottle of medicine.

"Here," he said.

I grabbed it, waved him off with a quick "thanks," but then he hesitated, not moving from the doorway.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

I blinked, taken aback. "Why?"

"I'm thirsty," he said, shrugging, like it was no big deal.

I sighed, feeling like there was something more going on, but I wasn't in the mood to dig into it. "Fine, come in. But only because Lily needs the medicine."

He followed me inside, and I grabbed a glass from the cabinet, filling it with water from the tap. As I handed it to him, he took a long sip, lingering in the kitchen. I watched him closely, waiting for him to leave. But he didn't. He just stood there, looking at everything except me.

I folded my arms again, growing impatient. "Alright, you've got your water. Why are you still here?"

Andrew hesitated, putting the glass down on the counter. He rubbed the back of his neck, that same nervous gesture he always did when he was uncomfortable. "I don't know, Mika. It's just been...a long week. The festival's coming up, and I haven't really...I mean, I haven't seen you."

I blinked. "And that's why you're here? You haven't seen me?"

He looked at me, his eyes searching my face for something, but I couldn't figure out what. "I mean...yeah, kinda. I just—" He stopped, shaking his head like he was trying to shake off whatever thought he was having.

"Spit it out, Andrew," I said, my voice firmer now. I wasn't in the mood for games, especially not with him.

He ran a hand through his hair, not looking at me directly. Andrew took a deep breath, exhaling slowly before finally speaking. "I've been thinking about you. All week. Hell, longer than that. All month. And...it's just messing with my head."

I stared at him, confused. "Andrew, what are you talking about? You're not making any sense."

He let out a frustrated sigh, running his hand through his hair. "I'm trying to tell you...I can't get you out of my head, Mika. I know you probably think I'm being weird or whatever, but...you're driving me insane."

I blinked, stunned. This wasn't the Andrew I knew—the cocky, self-assured guy who could charm anyone in the room. He looked genuinely flustered, like he was on the verge of something he didn't want to admit.

"You've been thinking about me?" I asked slowly, trying to wrap my head around what he was saying.

Andrew nodded, his eyes dropping to the floor. "Yeah. Like, all the time. And I know I'm just...nothing to you. But to me, you're...you're perfect. Amazing. And I'm just...me. I'm nothing special in your eyes."

I frowned, caught completely off guard by his vulnerability. I had never seen him like this before—never heard him talk like this. "Andrew, what the hell are you talking about? You're not nothing. Where is this even coming from?"

He laughed bitterly, shaking his head. "Come on, Mika. I've seen the way you look at me. I'm just the guy who annoys you. The guy who's always a little too much for you. You're... perfect, and I'm just—"

"Stop," I interrupted, my voice sharp. "You're being ridiculous."

"No, I'm not. You've never once looked at me like I'm anything more than some annoying guy who won't leave you alone."

I opened my mouth to respond, but the words wouldn't come. I didn't know what to say. Andrew was standing there, practically falling apart in front of me, and I hadn't expected it. I hadn't seen it coming.

"Just reject me," he said, his voice quieter now, almost pleading. "Please. Just tell me you're not interested, so I can move on."

I stared at him, my heart pounding. This was Andrew, standing here, asking me to crush him so he could get over me. But as I looked at him—his messy hair, the uncertainty in his eyes, the way he was practically begging me for closure—I couldn't do it. I couldn't say what he wanted me to say.

I had barely registered what I was doing before I grabbed Andrew by his collar, yanking him down toward me. My lips crashed against his, and for a moment, all I could focus on was the heat of the kiss, the way his mouth moved against mine. His breath was uneven, almost shaky, but the pressure of his lips was firm. I felt the slight rasp of his stubble beard against my skin, rough but not unpleasant—just different. It added to the rawness of the moment, grounding me in this strange reality where I was kissing Andrew.

His hands found my waist, pulling me closer, and I could feel the tension melting away from him as he leaned into it. His fingers tightened slightly against my hips, as if he was afraid I'd pull away, but I didn't. Instead, I deepened the kiss, tilting my head to get closer, the sensation of his stubble brushing against me with each movement sending sparks down my spine. It wasn't soft; it was messy, urgent—almost desperate. Our small, quick, meaningless kiss from 11 years ago was nothing compared to this one.

When I finally pulled back, breathless, I didn't let go of his collar. I kept him close, our faces only inches apart. I whispered, "But what if I don't want you to move on?"

Andrew stared at me, wide-eyed, his confusion clear in his expression. Then his gaze softened, and slowly, he leaned in again. This time the kiss was slower, more deliberate, but no less intense. His lips brushed against mine, and I could still feel the faint prickling of his stubble, a reminder of how close we were. His hand slid up to the back of my neck, fingers gently tangling in my hair, and I melted into it.

The room seemed to shrink around us, the only thing I could focus on was him—his warmth, the way his lips felt against mine, and how my heart was pounding so loudly I was sure he could hear it. I hadn't expected this, hadn't expected any of it.

And then, out of nowhere, a small voice broke through the haze.

"Mika?"

We jumped apart like guilty kids caught in the act, breathing heavily as we looked over to see Lily standing at the bottom of the stairs, rubbing her eyes.

I quickly smoothed my hair, trying to act normal, my cheeks burning. "Uh, hi Lily. What's up?"

Andrew looked as flustered as I felt, his hand nervously rubbing the back of his neck, his face flushed from both the kiss and the awkwardness of being caught.

Lily, standing there in her pajamas, rubbed her eyes and yawned. "Andrew? Why are you here? And why are you guys standing so far apart? Are you fighting?" Her voice was groggy, still thick with sleep.

"No, no, not at all, we were just talking," I said, forcing a smile as I tried to calm my racing heartbeat.

"Yeah, I came by for your meds, just... talking," Andrew added quickly, his voice a little higher than usual, which only made the situation more awkward.

Lily didn't seem convinced, but she was too tired to care. She padded over to the couch, dragging her blanket behind her like some kind of sleepy little ghost. "Can I sleep here?" she mumbled, climbing onto the couch without waiting for an answer.

I glanced at Andrew, who was watching his little sister settle into the cushions with an odd mixture of relief and confusion. He gave me a look that said, "I guess this conversation's over for now."

I nodded, feeling the heat still lingering on my face from the kiss. It had all happened so fast, so suddenly, I hadn't even processed it yet. And now, with Lily here, any further conversation—or anything else—would have to wait.

Andrew crouched down beside the couch, tucking Lily's blanket around her shoulders. "You alright, Lil?" he asked softly, brushing her hair away from her face.

She nodded sleepily, her eyes already drifting shut. "Yeah... just... a nightmare and got scared..." Her words were slurred, fading as she slipped back into sleep.

Andrew stood up slowly, looking down at her with a soft expression I wasn't used to seeing from him. The vulnerable guy who'd just spilled his guts to me was still there, but now there was something else—a tenderness that wasn't for me, but for his little sister.

I cleared my throat, trying to break the tension that had settled between us. "So... about what just happened..."

Andrew turned to face me, his eyes still wide with the weight of everything he'd just said and done. "Mika, I—"

"I think we need to talk," I interrupted, stepping closer but keeping my voice low, glancing at Lily to make sure she was really asleep. "But not here. Not now."

He nodded, his eyes flicking down to the floor for a moment before he looked back at me. "Yeah... no, you're right."

The awkwardness hung in the air like a heavy fog. Neither of us knew what to say next, but the tension between us from earlier hadn't faded. If anything, it had only grown. I could still feel the press of his lips on mine, the scratch of his beard, and the weight of his confession hovering in the back of my mind.

But now wasn't the time to unpack any of that.

"I should go," Andrew finally said, breaking the silence. He gave a small nod toward Lily. "You'll be alright with her for the night?"

I nodded. "Yeah, we'll be fine."

He hesitated for a second, like he wanted to say more, but then shook his head and turned toward the door. "Okay... I'll... I'll see you tomorrow."

I stood there, watching him leave, my arms folded across my chest, trying to make sense of everything that had just happened. I had never seen Andrew like that—so raw, so exposed. And I definitely hadn't expected to kiss him.

As the door clicked shut behind him, I felt a strange mix of emotions swirling in my chest. This whole situation had escalated so fast, and now I was left standing here, alone with my thoughts... and a very confused heart.

I sighed, glancing back at the couch where Lily slept peacefully, completely unaware of the storm that had just blown through the room.

What had just happened between Andrew and me? And what did it mean for whatever we were now?

One thing was clear—I wasn't going to be able to stop thinking about it anytime soon.

Bose POV:

I woke up slowly, the soft morning light filtering through the curtains. Chapa's arm was draped over me, her body curled close, and I could feel the warmth of her breath on my chest. She was still asleep, her face peaceful, her hair a bit messy from the night before.

My mind drifted back to the night we'd just had, and I couldn't help but smile. It had been... different. Special. Something we hadn't rushed into but when it happened, it felt right. I glanced down at her, still without clothes under the sheets, and felt a warmth spread through my chest—not just physical, but something deeper. I hadn't expected things to happen the way they did, but now that they had, I was glad.

Chapa stirred slightly, her fingers tightening around me, her head nuzzling into my shoulder. I didn't want to wake her just yet, but my mind was already racing through the day ahead. It was Sunday—Blaise's birthday party.

But first, I needed to figure out how to get out of bed without waking Chapa. She was holding onto me like a human koala, and honestly, I didn't mind. I shifted slightly, trying to ease out from under her, but she let out a soft groan and buried her face deeper into my chest.

"Not yet," she mumbled, her voice thick with sleep.

I chuckled quietly, running a hand through her hair. "I wasn't going anywhere, Sparky."

Her lips curved into a sleepy smile at the nickname, but she didn't open her eyes. Instead, she shifted even closer, practically wrapping herself around me.

I sighed, giving up on the idea of getting out of bed anytime soon. Maybe I didn't want to leave either. I rested my hand on her back, drawing small circles with my thumb, feeling the steady rhythm of her breathing. There was something incredibly peaceful about this moment, something grounding in the chaos of everything else going on in our lives.

But then, of course, my phone buzzed on the nightstand, reminding me that the world outside was still very much a thing. I reached over and grabbed it, trying not to disturb her, and saw a message from Andrew.

"Hey man, we need to talk ASAP. Meet up today?"

I frowned at the message, wondering what could be so urgent. Andrew wasn't one to be cryptic unless something serious was going on. Still, I wasn't going to deal with it just yet. I placed my phone back down and glanced at Chapa again. Whatever Andrew wanted could wait.

"What time is it?" Chapa asked.

"Early," I said softly, running a hand through her hair. "We've got time."

She yawned, stretching a little but still keeping herself wrapped around me. "Blaise's party today, right?"

"Yep. Tonight."

She groaned softly, burying her face into my chest again. "Ugh, I forgot."

I chuckled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Yeah, I know. But we can't skip it. I promised her to come."

She tilted her head up, squinting at me. "I wasn't saying we should skip it. I just... need to mentally prepare."

I raised an eyebrow. "Mentally prepare for Blaise? Or mentally prepare for the fact that we're going to be around everyone again after... well, you know." I gestured between us.

She bit her lip, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks. "Maybe both."

We lay there for a moment in comfortable silence. Then she pulled herself up a little, resting her chin on my chest. "Last night was..."

"Yeah," I agreed, knowing exactly what she meant. "It was."

She smiled, her eyes soft but holding that vulnerability she rarely let anyone see. Here, in the quiet of my bedroom, she didn't have to hide behind her usual tough exterior.

"So, Blaise's party," she said, changing the subject. "What time are we heading out?"

"Not till later," I replied, my hand resting on her back. "We've got the whole day."

"Good," she murmured, settling back against me. "Because I'm not ready to get out of bed yet."

I grinned, pulling her closer. "Neither am I."

We stayed like that for a while, wrapped up in each other, knowing that the outside world would come knocking soon enough. But right now, it was just the two of us.

My phone buzzed again, and I sighed, reaching for it. Another message from Andrew:

"Seriously, man. Need to talk. It's important."

I stared at the screen for a second, a knot of curiosity forming in my chest. What could be so urgent that Andrew needed to meet up right away? Chapa noticed my distraction, lifting her head slightly.

"What's up?" she asked.

"Andrew," I muttered, placing the phone back down. "He wants to meet up. Something's going on, but he's not saying what."

She raised an eyebrow. "You think it's serious?"

"Knowing Andrew, probably," I sighed, rubbing my hand over my face. "I'll deal with it later. Right now, I just want to be here with you."

She smiled softly at that, her hand resting on my chest. "I like that answer."

I chuckled, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "Good. Because I'm not planning on moving until we absolutely have to."

Just as I was starting to relax again, my phone buzzed one more time. I groaned, picking it up to see yet another message from Andrew:

"Dude, seriously. I need to see you before you're heading to that party. It's important."

I stared at the screen, feeling my annoyance bubble up. What was so important that he had to interrupt this?

"Again?" Chapa asked, raising an eyebrow as she shifted slightly, propping herself up on one elbow to look at me.

"Yeah," I muttered, tossing the phone down beside me. "He's being persistent."

Chapa looked at me, her eyes searching my face. "Maybe you should just go meet him. Get it over with so he stops bugging you."

I frowned, not really wanting to leave her or deal with whatever drama Andrew had going on. "I don't want to. I mean, I'm here with you, and this—" I gestured between us—"is way more important."

She rolled her eyes but smiled. "It's sweet that you think that. But clearly, it's something he needs to talk about. It's probably best if you just go meet him and find out what's up. I'll still be here when you get back."

I sighed, rubbing a hand through my hair. "Yeah, but... it's Sunday. Blaise's party is today, and I was hoping we could just chill."

Chapa gave me a soft look, but there was that knowing glint in her eyes. "You know you're not going to relax until you find out what Andrew wants. Just go see him and come back. It's not like he's going to take the whole day."

I hesitated, looking between her and the phone. She was right—Andrew wasn't going to stop, and I knew I wouldn't be able to focus until I knew what was going on.

"Fine," I grumbled, reaching for my phone again. "But I'm only going because you said so."

She laughed, leaning in to kiss my cheek. "I have that effect on you."

I shook my head with a grin, texting Andrew back.

"Fine. Meet me in 30 minutes. You better not waste my time."

"There," I said, tossing the phone aside again. "Now we wait."

Chapa smiled and kissed me softly. "I'll be here when you get back. And who knows, maybe Andrew's freaking out about something stupid."

I laughed, standing up and stretching. "Knowing him? Probably."

As I grabbed my clothes and started getting dressed, I couldn't help but feel a little irritated that I was being pulled away. But if Chapa was cool with it, I couldn't exactly argue. Besides, I had a feeling whatever was going on with Andrew was bigger than usual.

Andrew POV:

I had barely finished pacing the living room when I heard a knock on the door. Bose had just texted saying he was on his way, and I was already feeling a mess. Last night had been... a lot. And I still wasn't sure how to wrap my head around it.

When Bose finally walked in, I could tell right away he wasn't in the best mood. He gave me a look like I'd ruined his morning or something.

"Alright, what's so urgent?" Bose asked, shutting the door behind him. He sounded irritated, but it wasn't like I blamed him. I had kind of spammed his phone.

I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to find the right words. "Look, I didn't want to bother you, but... something happened last night. And I—" I hesitated, not sure how to start. "It's about Mika."

Bose raised an eyebrow, folding his arms. "Mika? What happened?"

"First off, why are you so annoyed I ruined your morning, has it something to do with Chapa?"

Bose sighed, a bit of a smirk tugging at his lips. "Let's just say... things are good. And no, I'm not giving you the details."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Right. Well, I kinda guessed already, but that's not the point." I took a deep breath and finally admitted it. "I kissed Mika."

Bose blinked, looking genuinely surprised. "Wait, you what?"

"I kissed her. Well, she kissed me. But it happened, and now I don't know what to do."

Bose's face softened, his earlier annoyance fading into concern. "You kissed Mika? Okay, man, that's huge. Did you guys talk about it?"

"That's the thing... I don't know what it means. She kissed me first, but now I'm just overthinking everything. I need to pick up Lily from her place, and I'm freaking out about seeing her again."

Bose shook his head with a grin. "So, you finally made a move. Didn't think you had it in you. But why are you freaking out now? Just talk to her, man."

"I don't know!" I threw my hands up, feeling the pressure of everything. "What if it was a mistake? What if she regrets it? She's always been so... untouchable."

Bose gave me a look that said I was being ridiculous. "If she kissed you, she clearly doesn't regret it. Stop overthinking and just see what happens."

I opened my mouth to respond, but then the doorbell rang.

Bose raised an eyebrow. "Expecting someone?"

I swallowed. "No, I'm not."

I hesitated for a second before opening the door, and there she was—Mika, standing with Lily beside her, looking as casual and perfect as ever. My stomach flipped. She wasn't supposed to be here.

"Hey," Mika said, her tone flat, but she gave Lily a little nudge forward. "I have work and you didn't show up, so I thought I'd bring her back."

Lily beamed at me. "Hi, Andrew! We had so much fun!"

I forced a smile, trying to hide how awkward I felt. "Uh, sorry... yeah, thanks for bringing her. You really didn't have to."

"No problem." She replied.

Mika gave a small shrug, her eyes flicking toward Bose. "Hi Bose." she greeted him.

"Hi Mika." He said.

There was this tension hanging in the air, like we were both too aware of what had happened last night but neither of us wanted to bring it up. Bose, meanwhile, stood off to the side, watching with interest but staying silent.

"Do you want to come in?" I asked Mika, unsure of what else to say. "I mean, you probably have stuff to do, but—"

"I'm fine," Mika cut in, giving me a small smile.

"Lily, say goodbye to Mika." I said, turning to her.

"Bye bye Mika." she said.

"See you soon." Mika replied as she offered Lily a soft smile.

It was almost like she was trying to brush everything off like nothing had happened. But then, just as she turned to leave, she glanced back at me and gave me this look—like she wasn't done with whatever had started between us.

Bose stepped up beside me as she walked away. "You're an idiot if you don't go after that."

I groaned, rubbing my temples. "Yeah, well... what do I even say?"

"Try not overthinking it for once," Bose said, patting my back. "Just be straight with her. You'll figure it out."