5

At the end of August Ann went on vacation with a couple of friends for two weeks and in the meantime I was left here. Alone. Doing nothing, as usual.

So the day she was supposed to be back I barely restrained myself from going over to see her. It was late already and I didn't want to disturb her, I thought she might have been tired from the flight and that I was probably the last thing she needed at that moment.

I waited for the next day, when finally I rang her doorbell at 10am. I knew I should have waited a little longer but she was a morning person after all and even if she was still sleeping, well, she would have woken up for me.

As the door opened, Ann stood in front of me already dressed and made up.

"Going somewhere?" I asked before I could stop myself, I should have said something like 'Welcome back' or whatever it is you say to someone who's been away for a while.

"I was expecting you last night." She smiled and motioned for me to come inside.

"Uh... I didn't want to disturb you."

She arched an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah. Well, welcome back." God, could I be any more awkward? I was standing in front of her and didn't know if I should hug her or what. Instead, I just stood there like an idiot.

"Gee, thanks." She laughed and then stared at me. "Are you going to hug me or are we going to stare at each other for an hour?"

If I could see myself right now I was probably blushing. I stepped closer to her and hugged her briefly, it was after all the first real hug we'd shared. She looked up at me as I stepped back. "Have you grown taller? Kids these days sure grow fast."

I smiled. "More like you've become shorter, you know you're getting old and all..."

She looked at me incredulously and smacked my arm. "You know, I haven't missed you at all."

I feigned being hurt. "Aw. And here I thought you couldn't wait to see me."

"Nope, definitely not."

We both smiled at each other.

"I should probably leave, it seems like you're going somewhere."

"You could come with me. If you want of course."

"Where?"

"I'm just going grocery shopping, my fridge's empty. Come on."

"Uh, now?" I looked down at myself. I wasn't dressed for going out, even if just to the supermarket. I looked like a beggar who hadn't changed clothes in days.

"Of course."

"But-" I tried protesting before she dragged me by the arm.

"You look fine, come on!"

*~*

It took us an hour to go to the supermarket across the street and come back with three bags full of food.

As soon as we got into the house I flopped down on the couch and closed my eyes.

"Aren't you going to help me?" I heard Ann's voice asking from the kitchen.

"Nope. I carried the heaviest bag, remember?"

"That must have been really tiring, hmm?"

"You have no idea."

I didn't hear her say anything anymore so I let myself relax on the couch.

Only maybe twenty minutes later as I was drifting off to sleep, did I feel Ann nudging my legs. I opened one eye carefully.

"Are you going to move or do I have to force you?"

I arched my eyebrow, or more like my eyebrows since I wasn't able to raise just one. "I'd like to see you try."

She glared at me, exhaled slowly and bent down to hook her arms around my legs. She started pulling but it was pretty easy for me to resist to her force.

"Giving up yet?" I smiled and waited for her to look at me. She pulled away and took deep breathes as she once again glared in my direction.

"Stop smirking." She said, arms now on her waist and serious expression on her face, looking down at me.

"I'm not smirking."

"Yes, you are. Stop it."

"That's not smirking, it's smiling. I just have an asymmetric face." I explained, and it was true, I wasn't lying. I did have an asymmetric face.

"Right."

"It's true, see?" I smiled widely to show her. "I can't help my genes."

She sighed. "Okay, fine." She started walking away from the couch (and me) but then turned around. "I'm going to sit on a chair. In the kitchen," she pointed towards its direction, "go back to sleep."

I considered my options and decided to concede her a small corner of the couch. "Wait, I've changed my mind. I'll let you sit."

She turned around with a questioning look and then came over, nudging my legs that I promptly retreated. "Thank you, oh Lord Almighty, thank you for conceding me the opportunity to sit next to you."

"Enjoy it as much as you can, it's a rare opportunity." I winked at her and, oh my God I actually winked at her. Could I get more ridicolous?

In response to the wink she slapped my leg and if I have to be honest it actually hurt this time. I yelped and gave her a death glare only to see her smiling triumphantly. I put my legs on her lap and to my surprise she didn't say anything and just switched on the TV that we watched silently for a while, a long while I think.

"Can you massage my legs?" I asked breaking the silence. Ann switched her attention to me.

"You can't be serious."

"I am. Please, if you do I'll then massage you and, I have to tell you, I'm very good at it."

"You can't expect me to massage your smelly feet." She held her nose and made a disgusted face.

"Hey! They don't smell!" I whined until she said 'Fine!' and started doing something that I think nobody would consider a massage. She pinched and kind of poked my legs, probably trying to use this opportunity to hurt me. After almost five minutes she gave up.

I shook my head disapprovingly at her. "Let me show you what a real massage is."

"You don't have to, I don't like massages anyway."

"Oh, c'mon!" I sat up on my knees and motioned for her to turn her back to me. As she did I stretched my hands and my fingers. "Ready?"

She didn't reply so I started from her shoulders, first squeezing them softly and then putting more pressure. As I did I heard a little moan and couldn't help but giggle.

I could imagine her getting red right about this moment but I couldn't testify it. She cleared her throat. "That hurt."

"Sorry." I said smiling and continued with the massage moving from her shoulders down her back. I could feel her enjoying it even though she wouldn't admit to it.

"It seems like you've given a lot of massages." She commented and tilted her head backwards.

"Yeah, my grandma's back is always sore so..."

She burst out laughing. "And I expected you to tell me you used this so called skill on boyfriends or something."

"That too. But as you can see I specialize in old people."

"God, I hate you."

I laughed. "I have my charms."

I moved my hands to her lower back hearing her take a sharp intake of breath. "Are you done yet?"

"You really need to loosen up. You're really tense," I put more pressure in a tense spot with my thumbs, "do you feel it? That needs to go."

She reached her hands back and tried removing mine from her back. "Thanks for the information, but I'm fine."

Instead of complying I grabbed her handnd started laughing when she tried to free herself. "Cam, let me go!"

"Okay, okay." I said and let go of her hands. "You're cute when you get mad." I whispered in her ear and I could already see the rush of red that went up from her neck to her face.

"I swear I'll kill you one of these days." She started getting up but I wrapped my arms around her waist and blocked her in place. She tried freeing herself but gave up after a few moments. I stretched my legs on both of her sides and as she sighed I loosened my grip on her waist and relaxed in the hug, leaning my head on her shoulder.

"Are you in need of affection or something?"

"Shhhh."

"Cam?"

"You smell nice." I said without thinking much of it, she did smell nice and to be honest I'd noticed it before this.

"Okay?"

"And you're really soft."

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?"

"It is." I said but then decided to tease her. "Although that explains the enormous amount of groceries we just bought."

"God, did I say I hate you already?" Since I knew that she'd try to get up I tightened my grip around her waist again.

I laughed as she struggled in vain.

"You're so mean," she whined, "I know I don't have a perfect body but-"

"You do though."

"What?"

"You have a perfect body."

"You just said I-"

"I said that you eat a lot, not that you're fat. If I have to look at you objectively, which I am, as much as it pains me I have to admit that your body is very well proportioned and would be considered even attractive by a prospective love interest."

She turned her head to look at me and I just stared innocently at her, smiling. We were so close that if it wasn't her I was hugging, but someone else, I would have taken advantage of the situation. But I couldn't. And I shouldn't. And I knew it.

"What if you had to be subjective then?" She asked smugly and raised an eyebrow. At this point I leaned back a little to create more space between us.

"I think..." I trailed off wondering what I should or should not say. "I think you're really pretty." I finished and smiled brightly.

She was taken aback by my answer and I could see the blush that furiously colored her cheeks in an instant. At that moment I felt a pang in my chest. It was not fair. Here I was with someone I felt a connection to, someone I liked and I could do nothing about it.

"I meant about- wait, why is your leg vibrating?"

It was my phone, in my pocket. I took it out and showed it to her. "My phone." I said before checking what it was.

"Oh, is it important?"

"No, but I should go. I'll come again tomorrow." I got up and straightened my clothes. She didn't move and just stared up at me. "Well, bye then."