I sit down on my bae window seat curled up with a cup of coffee and a blanket. I yawn feeling throughly socially drained despite it only being 4pm. Being in public is hard, all the people, all the noice. It's overstimulating and always leaves me with a headache. I never know how to react, how to fit in and despite all the people, in crowds, I always feel utterly alone and isolated.

I hadn't made any friends on my first day, it's not surprising but I can't help but feel a swell of pain in my chest at the thought. I guess some part of me still has hope. I've always wanted someone I could truly confide in but I struggle to let people in, it's easier to be what they want then to be who you are.

Blake's clearly interested but I know nothing will come of it, he doesn't seem to have bad intentions, I think recalling his big smile and honest laugh. My cheeks warm at the thought. I think he just holds simple curiosity. He sees me as nothing more than a strange rock, once he picks me up, inspects me for a little while, and finds nothing special he'll toss me aside and go on his merry way.

I give a deep sigh and bring my mug to my lips letting the warm liquid wash away my depressing train of thought. I crack my window open and let the cool breeze hit my face.
With much struggle my fat cat hops, ungracefully onto my window seat. I lift my foot and place it on his fluffy head.

"Hi my kitty kitty," I cue in a mock baby voice as he gives me a glare of pure, unfiltered hatred. I laugh, "Oooh Tuby, Tuby don't look at me like that, you know I lo-,"

I'm cut off by a soft ding that comes from my phone. Hm, every number in my phone has a special ring tone. Probably spam.
I look over at Tuby, "Who do you think it is?" I whisper. I lean over, put down my mug and grab my phone from my desk, turning it on.

Unknown number: I can see you Essence

My stomach drops and my mind slows. I feel a chill go up my spine.
What do I do? Do I call the cops? No, What would I call for? Maybe it's just- I don know. My mind races as I try to think up an explanation rationally. But I come up short. With shaky hands I quickly delete the text stream, as if that will make my fear go away.

Wait, why did I delete it, what if I'm kidnapped and that was the only evidence? Dang it, Tori, don't be slow.

I let out a high pitched scream and crash to the floor when I hear someone whisper my name outside my window.

I scurry backwards till my back hits my nightstand. My breathing and heart beat pick up speed as I stare at my open window in horror.

"W-w-who's th-there?" I ask, shakily. I scurry to my feet and stand on shaky legs as I look for something heavy to throw.

I stop dead in my tracks and my scattered thoughts come to a stand still when I hear a deep familiar laugh.

"B-Blake?" I stutter quietly, still shaken from the fright. I walk as quietly as possible to my open window and peak out.

There standing right out my window, in the grass is Blake hunched over and shaking. Is he in pain?

"Are...are you ok?" I asked feeling slightly concerned.

He lift his head up and a wave of deep laughter falls from his wide grin. He try's to speak but just doubles over and starts laughing harder.

I flush deep red from embarrassment, as my concern turns to annoyance, then anger.
"You nincompoop!!!" I yell, flinging the rest of my window open. He looks up to see my angry expression then breaks into another fit of laughter.

"That scared me!," I screech picking up a pillow from my window seat and throwing it right in his face.
He falls on his back and continues to laugh in the middle of my lawn like a lunatic.

"Blake it's not funny! I thought you were a kidnapper!" I yell at his laughing form, feeling my anger rise.

He stands up and dusts himself off. "Calm down princess, it's just me," he taunts with a wide grin plastered on his handsome tanned face.

"Don't princess me, I was scar-," my words are cup off when Blake puts his hands on my window seal.

"What... what are you doing?" I ask looking from his hands to his grinning face.

I move back as he hauls himself into my window in one swift, fluent movement. "What does it look like I'm doing, Essence?" He asks, every word laced with laughter.

I stare at his lithe form that swallows up my window and makes my room look rather small. He plops down on my window seat and places his hand on Tuby's head. Tuby leans into his hand and purrs. The dirty traitor.

I blink incredulously at him as I try to regain my train of thought. "It looks like you are trespassing," I say with less confidence, I clear my throat, suddenly very aware of everything in my room. My full hamper that sits in the corner, my cluttered desk, my unmade bed and the books that cover every surface of my room. My room's not gross it's just cluttered.

"Trespassing?" He asks, cocking an eyebrow and giving me a smirk that is more feline then the very cat he's petting. "I'm just visiting a friend." He states matter or a factly.

I pause at his words. Friend. Despite rational thought, I can't help but feel a flutter of happiness in my stomach.

The touching moment is brung to a halt when Blake lifts his tattooed hand up to my steaming mug of coffee. "Isn't it a weird time of the day to be drinking coffee?" He asks, picking up the mug and looking down at the warm liquid.

I go to speak but he lifts the mug to his mouth, where my mouth was just at a few moment ago and takes a long sip. "Mmmm, that's a good cup of Joe, if I do say so myself." He says before his honey eyes flick up toward me.

A warm blush spreads up my neck to my cheeks and the tips of my ears as all thought alludes me. "I-I...Uh" I stutter, struggling to tear my eyes away from his mouth. The corners slowly lift in satisfaction.

"You?" He whispers.

When I don't answer because I quite literally can't speak, he places the mug back down and stands.

"You what, Essence?" He asks taking a step toward me. Of course that one step is enough to eat up all the space between us leaving absolutely no room for Jesus. Why are his legs so frick fracking long?

He looks down at my flushed face, with an expression that breathes amused satisfaction.

"I-You... uh," I shake my head in an attempt to compose myself. "You should probably go." I finally state, cutting my eyes toward my bedroom door.

He looks at my door as well then back at me. "Why?" He asks feigning ignorance.

He's so close I can smell him and feel his body heat. He's so warm and smells so good. It takes an embarrassing amount of willpower not to lean forward and plant my face in his warm, hard chest.
I glance back at the door quickly, "My mom will be home soon," I say clearing my throat then looking back into his beautiful eyes that glow in the afternoon light, "She'll p-probably get the wrong idea." Why'd I say that? I mentally slap myself.

Just as I predicted the weirdo's eyes drop low and the corners of his mouth twitch. Earth please just open up and eat me.

Blake leans forward so our faces are just a breath apart. A wave of warmth swirls enticingly around me, smelling of something I can't quite put my finger on. "What would she think, Essence?" He asks, rolling my name off his tongue like it's a promise whispered in the dark beneath the glittering stars.

A shiver runs up my spine causing goose bumps to erupt along my arms and my cheeks to become impossibly hot. "I-I don't.... I don't know." I mutter, my eyes glued to his mouth. I feel kind of dizzy like I've been hypnotized. I'm the dancing cobra and he's the flutist, I have no choice but to sway, hypnotically to the rhythm he plays.

He lifts his tatted hand to the side of my head and tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear leaving a trail of warmth where his fingers go. His touch is sturdy and confident, like he knows and does exactly what he wants. I'm kind of jealous of his ability to just do what he wants to do. He doesn't overthink it or get caught up on what if's. His confidence is as attractive as it is intimidating.

"Hmmm," Blake hums, pulling back slightly, studying my face with a contemplative look. He taps his chin and squint's. I stare back, curious as to what he's thinking.
Is he studying the structure of my face? What does he see when he looks at me? Or maybe he's just scheming.

"What goes on in that head of yours?" Blake asks breaking the silence and reflecting my own curiosity.

It's nice to know we equally want to pick each other's brains apart.

I cant say a thing because we both hear the front door open. My moms home. My eyes go wide and I frantically look around my room like the answer of 'How to get Blake out of my room' will be lying in my scattered laundry.

"Blake, you have to go now," I half whisper scream at his smiling face. Without thinking I grab his arm and use it to spin him around, ignoring how nice it feels when his muscle flexes at my touch.

I plant both my hands on his warm back and forcefully push him toward the window. Blake lets his arms fall to his sides and leans back, nearly collapsing me to the floor.

"Ughhh, Blake move." I whisper pushing harder, but my efforts fail at budging his unmovable stubborn body.

I'd love nothing more than to move back and let him drop to the floor. But that would be loud and mom would come running. How unfortunate.

"But I don't want to go, Princess," he wines way too loudly.

I pause, listening for my moms footsteps. When I don't hear them I blow a sigh of relief and push a little harder.

"Blake, come on," I whisper pleadingly

"Fine, fine, fine," he whispers back. He lifts himself up and turns to face me. "Let's make a deal."

I frown. Yeah, that's not happening.

"Tori!" My mom yells from the other side of the house. "How was your day, honey?"

My eyes go wide as a I freeze. Fig. Snickerdoodles. Bubble guppies. This isn't good.

"What do you want?" I ask looking at Blake.

He stares down at me, annoyingly unbothered. I'm pretty sure he would be perfectly fine if we got caught.

"Well," he draws tapping his chin like he has all the flip flapping time in the world. "If you want me to leave, you have to kiss me."

Before I absolutely B slap him, he taps his cheek with a finger and leans down.

I fight a blush that rises from anger and embarrassment. The sucker knows he's won, he's just rubbing it in at this point.

"Tori!?" My mom asks when I don't respond. Then to my horror I hear her foot steps.

Without giving it much thought I grab Blake's face and smash my mouth to the side of his cheek.

His cheek is warm and strong. I love the way it warms at my touch and the way his hair feels, tangled in my hand. I grabbed the back of his head when I pulled him to me.

I pull away, feeling like I'm on fire. But I'm not the only one blushing. Though it's slight, a pink hue tints the tips of Blake's ears. And his face has fallen like he's lost.

His golden eyes flick to mine, holding my gaze captive. Taking a step closer his eyes then flick down to my mouth. But before he can do anything my mom's footsteps break us from the trance.

Giving me one last glance Blake turns around and hops out of my window.

My mom opens my door and I turn away, knowing my face is the color of fire engine. "Tori?" My mom asks varied. "Are you ok?"

"Yup," I answer with a scratchy voice, I clear my throat and stare at a a book pile that liters my floor. "I'm fine, just tired. The day was very eventful. I think I'm gonna take a nap."

"Oh, ok." My mom answers, I know she's worried and I feel kind of bad for making her worry. "Well, lay down for a little, I'll wake you when dinners done in an hour."

"Thank you, mom. I love you."

"I love you too, honey." My mom says then leaves shutting my door with a soft click.

I rush to the window and look for Blake but he's not there. I melt into my window seat and stair out of the window for a few moments.

I can't believe I kissed him, well I mean. It was only on the cheek. An involuntary smile crawls up my face and I bury my head in my arms in an attempt to hide it from the world.

Taking a long breath I stand up and flop myself onto my bed. I told mom I was taking a nap so I might as well, I don't like lying.

Despite my efforts to fall asleep I spend the next hour staring at my ceiling unable to calm my racing heart and Blake filled thoughts.

💙💙💙