Doing my best to forget about the girl upstairs and her red cheeks, I went about my days just as I would have otherwise with only one little side effect: she was constantly on my mind. Always awkward. Always blushing. And almost always dishevelled in one way or another. Most often as a result of my hands on places they shouldn’t be.
My imagination got me waking up with a cold shower on Wednesday morning, and her name on my lips on Thursday as I couldn’t convince myself to take another. By Friday, I was too far gone, and I wasn’t sure I could face the video call on Sunday with my family without knowing where she stood, and whether I needed to jerk her off of my system more vigorously than I’d already tried to.Nonniwould ask about her. I knew she would.
After another unwarranted, wet dream I was certain this obsession was getting out of hand. I stood in the hallway, waiting for the elevator that morning, hoping to finally catch Hallie leaving at the same time, so I could try to talk to her in a way that wouldn’t scare her away. Or sound unhinged. Insane. But she was driving me crazy even when we weren’t stuck in an elevator together—elevating together, elevating my blood pressure among other things—so there might have not been a lot of hope for that. I should have instead hoped that my insane matched hers. Was there even a chance?
The elevator doors opened with a ding and the first thing I noticed was a pair of furry slippers. I was already grinning before I raised my eyes from those feet to meet the eyes of... Glen, the best friend.
Shaking my head, I kept the grin on a moment longer, though it now felt a little stretched, and stepped into the elevator.
“If it isn’t Mr Umbrella in the flesh. I thought the lift rides with you were reserved for Haylee only.” She smirked at my raised eyebrow at my apparent nickname. Or had she said Ombrello? If so, how did they know?
I also took note she’d called Red Cheeks Haylee and not Hallie this time. I liked Haylee more. Or Hals? Another thing to ask her about.
“Actually, I haven’t seen her the entire week.” I shrugged as if it didn’t affect me as much as it really did. “What did you call me?”
“Mr Umbrella?” She pointed at the one I was holding in my hands.
I had to get a new one since it seemed Haylee had no intention to return the one I loaned her. This one was bright red. Red like her cheeks. Red like desire.
I chuckled. “So close it’s funny.”
“It’s Haylee’s nickname for you,” Glen explained, not understanding my meaning. “She said it’s how you met.”
“So she does talk about me?” I pried, my heartbeat picking up without any real reason for it other than I wanted Haylee to be talking about me.
“I am not allowed to discuss such matters. Best friend’s privilege.” Glen made one of those childish movements where she took an invisible key and locked her lips with it.
“Ah.” I nodded knowingly. A true smile formed on my lips. “I understand perfectly. What else has she said?”
“No, no, Mr Umbrella, you do not understand.” Glen shook her head and swiped her finger left and right as if scolding a child. “When I say I won’t disclose any details about it, I mean it.”
“It’s Ombrello, actually,” I said, taking in Glen’s wrinkled eyebrows.
“What?” she asked.
“Mr Ombrello, not Umbrella. Although, that’s cute,” I explained, twirling my red rain protector around between my palms.
“You’re not serious.” She had her arms crossed over her chest with a funny look on her face.
I shrugged. “I’ll allow it this once, since I did fail to introduce myself.”
“You’ll allow it?” Glen gasped theatrically, then shook her head, her red pony tail swishing left and right. “Just like we’ll allow Red Cheeks, just because it makes Haylee squirm.”
“Ah, does it now? I’ll keep that in mind.”
We were both quiet for a while, or relatively quiet as Glen muttered ‘Ombrello’ under her breath a few times in a row, thinking I wouldn’t hear.
While Haylee tended to drop her gaze to her feet more often than look at me, Glen had no reservations against staring. It was a strange change that I did not totally appreciate, but couldn’t point out either. I had an inkling that my own tendency to stare at Haylee was similar, so I made a note to try and amend my behavior around her the next time I saw her. I could force myself to look at her shoes, too, right? Right.
“So, Mr Gorgeous,” Glen said slyly. “What are your intentions with my best friend?”
“Another one of Haylee’s nicknames?” I wondered out loud.
Glen laughed. “Oh, this one is entirely mine, though she did not oppose.”
“My intentions?” I hummed and tapped my fingers against the handle of my umbrella. “Let’s see... Stalking. Kidnapping. Maybe tying her to my bed. Nothing too crazy.”
Glen laughed harder. “I hope you won’t suggest those things to her, she’ll run the other way. I, on the other hand, appreciate the humour.”
