his nod would be my signal.

k n o c k . k n o c k . k n o c k .

it had taken me ten minutes to build up the courage to knock on his door, and it took him another ten to open it— and when he did, i almost wished that he hadn't.

"keep in mind that i'm sober. will you do that for me, adrian?"

the boy standing infront of me looked like he had been dragged to the scourging abyss of hell and back; and what scared me most was the fact that he seemed to accept it. his face was impossibly handsome; his green eyes— fiery, one that seemed to hold all the mysteries in the world. his usual carefully styled hair was now in a total disarray, the locks falling mercilessly over his eyes. his sculpted nose flared in frustration at the sight of me.

the stench of cigarettes and alcohol in the air overpowered my carefully masked façade.

"ira, what are you doing here?"

his voice, cold— void of any emotions, lest he betray them. eyes, bloodshot— a combined result of the absence of pillows and the numerous heineken bottles strewn all over the floor. knuckles, balled into a fist— the sum total of his hatred towards me. his jaw, clenched— the heavy stubble not giving justice to the perfect jawline that was hidden underneath it.

"i came here to ask you for a favour."

"if you need a place to crash, sorry. the bed's already taken."

and indeed, it was. the flimsy blanket revealed a smooth back that was cocooned under its warmth. heaps of clothes were scattered all over the carpet— adrian's jeans, his belt hooked around the loops. the mysterious girl's skirt bunched along with her thong.

there was no doubt about it: i was jealous. of course, it hurt like a bitch, but i had to remember that i had brought this upon myself.

"no, i don't need a place to crash." my breath got stuck in my throat, preventing me from elaborating the reason for my sudden visit.

"what is it that you want of me, then?" his naked frame, save for the silk boxers, leaned against the doorway, watching me squirm relentlessly under his piercing gaze. only one question seemed too coherent to run through my mind: had i done this to him?

"do not stop me, do not overthink. please, that is all i ask."

"go ahead." a n o d .

there it was, the signal.

bunching up on my toes, i tangled my fingers into his hair and let my chapped lips meet his.

[a/n: my self restraint is horrible. thanks to your heart-wrenching comments.]