My house looked different from the house I had left that morning and for a second I thought I was in the wrong house. My house looked decent and spacious and it smelt clean.

“Roman. You are back.” Amora stopped in her steps toward me.

“What happened to your face? Oh my God. Were you in a fight?”

“I’m fine. The place looks nice with the redecorating.”

“Thank you. I had a little help from Nicole.”
My eyes darted at her.

“Calm down. She didn’t do anything. She just kept me company and we talked about a lot of things. She’s sleeping now.”

I sighed. “How were you able to move the furniture?”

“I’m a lot stronger than I look and hey your ex girlfriend? I think its best you guys broke up.”

“Why?”

“I mean did you see your house? How could she let you live in a place that looked almost shitty?” Amora asked with her hands akimbo and disbelief on her face.

“Shitty. Nice choice of words Amora. I’m upstairs. I need to rest.”

“Hey. Roman.”

“What is it Amora?”

“Please don’t be upset.”

“Why?”

“Promise me you won’t be upset.”

“I promise.” It was easy to promise. What could be worst than being betrayed by your friend?

“I cleaned up your room and did your laundry.”

“Amora…”

“I’m sorry. I’m just not used to staying idle. I love cleaning and your house and clothes were in dire need of cleaning so I…”

“The deal was for you to help me with my mom not be my maid.”

“It’s nothing. Really.”

“Thank you.” I said and walked upstairs into my room. She really did clean my room. It smelled so clean and the bed was so neatly made that it drew my body to it. I took off my clothes, leaving only my underwear and the door suddenly flung open. It was Amora. I didn’t know if to dive for my shirt on the bed or ask her to leave but then she acted like she wasn’t embarrassed, like she was used to seeing half naked men and mine made no difference. So I went with the flow, acting all normal.

I noticed she carried a bowl of water with a towel on her shoulder. She cared. I loved that she cared.

“What happened?” She asked, her eyes sad. “To your face I mean. Were you in a fight?”

I sat on the bed and she came and sat next to me with the bowl on the floor in front of her legs.
“Yes. I was in a fight.” I felt like a child.

“Why? What happened? With who?”
I laughed and looked at her.

“Just answer.”

“With Derek. We have been friends since we were children. I found out he is the father of Sally’s baby and they are getting married. So I confronted him and we got into a fight.” The way Amora listened like she really heard me made me want to pour my heart out to her.

“Who is Sally?”

“My ex.” I expected her to take my side. To tell me I was right in fighting Derek.

“Why are you upset?” She asked.

“Don’t I have a right to be?”

“Before you found out about them were you okay with your breakup with her? Did you want her back?”

“I didn’t want her back…”

“Why?”

“Because she made her choice.” I sighed, maybe I should tell myself the truth. “Because I felt grateful that she ended us.”

“Did you love her? Do you love her?”

“No. I don’t know. I don’t think so.”

“So why are you upset? You don’t love her. You are grateful she is out of your life meaning that you were unhappy with her and she probably was same with you and she cheated on you because she was looking for happiness elsewhere. So what if it’s Derek that she is happy with?” I couldn’t believe the words that came out of Amora’s mouth.

“Are you justifying their actions?”

Amora smiled and took my hand, “No Roman. Your pride is hurt. That’s all. You will get over it trust me. Now sit still while I take care of your face. Goodness, he really beat you up, I hope his face looks worse than yours.”

I laughed. Amora dipped the towel into the bowl and gently squeezed out the water and then placed it on my left eye. It was very cold and it hurt. It really did hurt.

“Easy.” I groaned.

“Next time, you should avoid fighting at all cost, even if you are right and the person is wrong. Choose to walk away rather than fight.”

“I hear you ma’am.”

She dipped the towel in the bowl and repeated the whole process, this time dapping on my chin.
I stared into her eyes and the urge came back. The urge to taste her lips. I held her hand stopping her movement on my face and I slowly leaned in. Amora closed her eyes like she had been expecting me to kiss her and used her free hand to caress my face. I brought my nose to hers and rubbed against it and then I kissed her left cheek and then her right cheek.
Amora with her eyes closed looked angelic and in that moment, I wanted her to be mine. I wanted her to be my angel. I looked at her, my heart thudding against my chest, feelings I wasn’t accustomed to roaring inside of me. I used a finger to raise her chin and her head a bit higher and then I placed my lips against hers.
I kissed her slowly, one lip at a time. I wanted to know her lips and I wanted them to know me so I took my time, ravishing in the softness of them. Amora pulled herself close into me and then she took over the kiss, going faster and at the same time gently pushing her tongue into my mouth causing me to shiver.
The kiss obliterated every of my thoughts and all of my worries faded into the background and all I felt was the quickening of my breath, mine and Amora’s.

Our tongues met and swept through each other and my hands wanted to touch her skin, to feel her skin. I already had an erection as hard as rock and I knew if I didn’t stop now, I wouldn’t be able to stop myself anymore. So I broke the kiss but Amora still had her eyes closed. I planted one more kiss on her lips and I whispered her name,
“Amora…”

She opened her eyes very slowly and then a grin appeared on her face causing a grin to appear on mine.

“Um. How does it feel?” She asked.

“It was a nice kiss.”

“I was asking about your bruises.” She said very softly as she gently ran her fingers over my bruises.

Damn. I felt stupid. “All better. Thank you.”

“Anything for you, Roman. I will get dinner ready in a bit. Rest for a while okay?”

“Okay.”

Amora stood and I don’t know why but I pulled her by the hand back to the bed and I kissed her again, deeply.

“Now you can go.” I said as I untangled my lips from hers.

                      _______________
“Roman what happened to your face? I have tried to ignore it all evening but I can’t anymore. Were you in a fight?” My mom asked. I noticed her voice sounded fainter by the day.

“Mom, it’s nothing. I ran into a wall.” I lied and Amora giggled.

“Amora. He is lying isn’t he?”

“Um…Nicole, please don’t worry about him. I will take care of him.”

“Promise?” My mom asked.

“I promise.”

They talked about me like I wasn’t there or like I was just a little boy.
“I can take care of myself you know?” I said not knowing exactly whom to.

“You are doing a great job already.” Sarcasm. I heard it in Amora’s voice.

“Goodnight Nicole. Get some rest.” Amora said and kissed my mom on the forehead.

“Goodnight darling. Thanks for dinner. It was delicious. Roman?”

“Goodnight mom.” I kissed her cheek.