I don't like it when you are so close..
I don't like it when you are so close..
He was hugging her! All of her senses screamed.
One thing Leo really liked about her was her ability to always say what was on her mind. According to her, it made life easier and he actually agreed to that. But that was also where his problem with her lied. She always took him aback with his questions. He tried to imagine other girls in her shoe, they would have just pretended like nothing was happening but she always liked to say it out.
Leo ignored her questions and just buried his face on her neck. He liked her smell. His head screamed for him to let her be but his body could not move. He just wanted to stay there with her.
Mia's whole body froze. She could feel his hot breath on her neck and immediately had goosebumps all over her body.
Now, she totally forgot about Tara. She was worried about the bigger dog who was sniffing her neck.
She could hear his breathing her heavier by the second.
"Move away. You are scaring me!" Mia said to him on panic. She could have moved away instead but the dog was there with her tongue out, looking at her and wagging her tail. She could not move an inch.
Leo suddenly returned to his senses. He slowly let go of her and cleared his throat awkwardly. He had lost control again!
"Sorry I scared you...." He managed to say in a crooked voice as he told Tara to run along.
Mia could not meet his eye, neither could he meet hers. He felt guilty for doing so and scaring her after he promised he wasn't going to take advantage of her again.
Mia hurried inside the kitchen and quickly took out a bottle of water from the fridge before gulping down half of the bottle.
She hit herself on the head for just standing there and enjoying the hug instead of moving away.
"I'm starving. Let's fix something." She suddenly heard his voice behind him and whipped her head around to look at him. He smiled awkwardly and as he approached where she was standing, she quickly moved away from there thinking he probably was coming to meet her again but instead, he opened the fridge and took out some veggies.
"You're heading for school in two hours right?" He asked her after the awkwardness wore off.
"Yea" She answered casually while looking around for something to do.
"Good. I'll be heading to your school also... I can just drop you off." He informed her.
"Really? What are you going to do there?" She asked as she opened the top cabinet and began to take out some bottles of spices. She could vaguely guess what he was about to prepare.
"There is a talent show coming up in your school right?"
"Yea." She nodded.
"Well... I'll be covering the event."
When he saw the confused frown on her face, he explained "Like, a video coverage... videography."
"That's your job?" She asked with interest realizing now that she didn't know much about him.
"Yes. That's what I do." He said with a proud smile.
"That's cool and surprising...."
"Because I'm from a family of doctors right?" He asked with a small smile.
"Well.. Yea." She answered honestly as she took the bowl of veggies he had washed and began to chop them.
It suddenly struck her that she had filled a participant form for the talent show after enough pressure from Mira and Jeremy. Did it mean he was going to watch her? The thought made her feel uncomfortable and nervous.
When she turned again, she noticed Leo was standing behind her with an apron in hand. She flinched when he wore her the apron and stepped back but could no longer move since she was now pressed to the table.
"I.... can fix myself you don't have to." She said while looking at the side and tried to move away but he moved closer and began to tie the apron for her.
He kept staring at her face as he did so and she made sure not to look at his.
Mia kept shifting uncomfortably. It was as if they were both hugging since he was standing in front of her while tying her apron at the back.
"Why are you always so tensed?" He asked as he moved his hands away from her back but he didn't move his body and continued to stand there.
It's happening again. Move away! He scolded himself but his body still didn't move.
"I don't like it when you are so close." She said and quickly turned to continue chopping the vegetables on the table behind her.
"Why?" He asked. Still not moving away.
He was obviously teasing her and he enjoyed her reaction. He was happy to know he wasn't the only one always affected by the whole thing. She had finally joined him in!
"I would really appreciate it if you do not ask me questions." She said without turning to look at him.
*********
Breakfast was really awkward. They both silently ate without saying anything and after that, she went to get ready for classes.
He returned to his room to also get ready since he was dropping by her school and saw his phone which he left inside his room was ringing. He saw the call was from Richard and picked it up.
"I've been calling you. Where have you been?" Richard said into the phone but didn't wait for him to answer before he said, "I just spoke with Elijah now, he said he sent you a mail. Have you checked your mail this morning?"
"Elijah sent me a mail? Really?" Leo asked as he went to his desk where his laptop was resting and put it on.
"Yes! He said he spoke with Hillary and he is willing to meet with you. Today!"
"You are serious?" Leo asked with wide eyes as he opened his mail and confirmed what Richard was talking about.
"Dude! This is big news. You better don't screw it." Richard said with an excited laugh.
"I have no intention to." Leo said as a big smile spread across his face.
************
"You look tensed" Mia noted as they drove to her school. She hadn't wanted to say anything but thought as his housemate, the least she could do was know what was up with him.
He turned to look at her briefly before nodding. "Ya. I am." He answered honestly.
"Work related?" She asked and was a bit suprised she was suddenly curious about something totally unrelated to her.
"It is. There's a big contract I'm pursuing. If this works, its going to take my career to the next level.." He said to her.
"Do you think something may go wrong? Is that why you are so tensed?" She asked again.
"Are you curious about me right now?" He asked as he glanced at her with a small smile.
"You are curious aren't you?" He asked again when he turned to see the look on her face.
"Well.. Kind of." She said honestly with a shrug.
"Well... the thing is.. there is this movie producer I'm going to be meeting with later today. Apparently, he is very picky and wants everything to be done perfectly. He needs a good cinematographer for his new movie which everyone perceives is going to be the biggest blockbuster of the year..."
"Oh, wow... that's a big deal." She said in surprise.
"Exactly why I am slightly nervous." He confessed.
"This doesn't look like 'slightly' to me. You look really nervous." She pointed out making him laugh.
"But... doesn't he already have like a.. cinematographer already?"
"He did. But there is a rumour that both aren't in good terms... I don't know how those people in the entertainment industry act... I think he is searching for new people with good talent."
"Hmm.."
"What's that for?" He turned to ask her curiously.
"Well.. nothing actually. I really hope you get it." She said after a pause.
"Thanks." He said with a smile as he pulled over in front of her department's complex.
"Have a nice day Mia!"
"You too.. and good luck" She said with a smile when she got down and waved at him as he drove away.