I have two days to finish two clothing designs.

One is a long dress with a train. The other is a couple of pieces dressed together into a men's suit.

Sara has been really helpful. She models my designs, she cooks and forces me to take breaks when I've been working for a long time. She even tidied my room when I was sleeping one time.

She's the best.

I'm having difficulty with putting all the piece of the suit together. I have one of those mannequin to help me put the fabric on it and pin whatever needs adjusting.

But the problem is, well the mannequin has a small waist and boobs. So not efficient for males clothes.

The shirt I made has to be tight. I'm going off on standard sizes. But I would still like to have a real model to try it on.

Our school is assigning the models, and we don't know who they are and what they look like. We can't call them up or anything to make the clothes fit their body. This way the students will be challenged even more. According to my profs they want us to make clothes for everyone, even if we have never seen their bodies, which is why they only gave us a couple of measurements and we have to go on with them.

I sit on the floor, measuring tape in my hand and a piece of black satin fabric laying on the floor. My back is hurting from buckling over for so long. But I ignore that pain, I'm also ignoring that my stomach has been growling since the morning.

I haven't gone out of my room except for to go to my lectures. I don't dare to look in the mirror because I'm pretty sure I look like a homeless person. My hair is in a messy bun on top of my head and I'm wearing lounge shorts and a tank top that don't even match. Good thing is that Sara reminds me when I need to shower.

I hear my bedroom's door open behind my back. I don't turn around, assuming it's just Sara checking up on me. The sound of a paper bag being dropped on my dresser echoes in the silence of my bedroom.

"I'm not hungry." I lie.

"Then I'll eat everything myself." My head whips back when I hear Luca's voice coming from behind me and not Sara's like I thought it'd be.

He stands at the entrance of my room. Arms crossed and with furrowed eyebrows. He scans my messy room, then his eyes scan me.

"You need a break and you need to eat." He picks the bag again and comes and sits next to me on the floor. "I brought Italian." He ruffles the bag a little then begins pulling out cartons of foods and drinks.

I sigh and put the things in my hands on the floor, pushing the fabric back so no food destroy it.

"I do love Italian."

"You mean Italian men or food?"

I laugh, "mhm, maybe both?" He winks.

I finish eating in two minutes, I guess I didn't realize just how hungry and tired I actually am until I took a break. Sara has lectures the whole day so she wasn't able to check on me. This is my first meal of the day.

I check my phone and my eyes widen when I see its something past six pm and I have a million missed calls and unread messages.

"I called and sent you a bunch of messages. I got a little worried and called Sara, she told me how you've been busy with your designs. So I thought I'd drop by."

I nod, then..."Wait. How did you get in?" I ask.

He chuckles and scratches the back of his neck. "I went to where Sara had a lecture and asked for a key."

He takes a sip of his beer, I stretch my neck from side to side and groan because it feels stiff. He puts his beer on the floor and moves behind me and sits in his knees. He starts messaging my neck and shoulders.

"Mhmm." That feels really nice.

His fingers are relieving some tension from my neck. It feels stiff from bending it for almost an entire week. I suddenly feel sleepy and my eyes are having a difficult time staying up.

"You shouldn't work so hard." His soft voice is acting like lullaby to my sleepy head. "Did you stay awake the whole night?" I don't even answer him, I don't have the energy anymore.

I think my body was running on pure adrenaline and stress this past week. If these two designs don't turn out good I don't get a redo and it's eight percent of my grade. So I have to make sure they are perfect.

My eyelids feel heavy so I just close them, giving in. I lean back against Luca's chest, his steady heartbeat lulling me into slumber. I feel something comes under my knees and neck and then I'm floating. Something soft hits my back. I feel fingers touch my cheek and my baby hairs are pushed back. I circle my fingers around those fingers and tug with what energy I have left.

"It's okay, just sleep." I hear Luca's soft voice.

"Mhmm, stay." I mumble.

"Bella..." His wavering voice says my name with a softness that feels like cotton candy

"Please." My voice is barely audible, even to myself.

I hear something hits the floor with a soft thud. The bed dips from his weight and a strong arm comes around my waist and pulls me closer. I nuzzle myself in his chest and finally let myself drift to sleep.

***

Something tickling me wakes me up.

I don't want to wake up!

My face is resting on a hard surface, but somehow it feels soft under my cheek. I move a little and something squeezes my waist. My eyes fly open and Luca handsome face is inches away from mine.

"Good morning, love." He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear.

Love.

Why did that word make me want to do a happy dance?

Wait a damn minute...Morning?

My eyes float to my alarm clock on my nightstand and my eyes widen even more when I see its six-O-nine.

A.m.!

I try to get up but he holds me down. "Did you sleep here the whole night?" I ask, wincing.

He furrow his brows, "uhm, yeah. You kind of made me sleep here with you."

"No I know. I just...didn't realize I would fall asleep for so long. I'm sorry."

He shakes his head and gives me a smile. "It's okay. I actually enjoy cuddling with you." He wraps his arms around my middle and gives me a squeeze. I feel my face getting hot.

"I enjoy cuddling with you too." I whisper.

No one, beside Sara, has ever taken care of me like he did yesterday. He brought me food. Gave me a message. Put me to bed and he stayed here because I said so. Even if he had plans or schoolwork of his own to finish.

My fingertips graze his stubble, his plump lips, his straight nose, his eyebrows. His eyelids flutter shut when I sweep my fingertips softly there. He really is beautiful.

The whole time he hasn't looked anywhere but at me.

My stomach growls and his chest vibrates under me with his laugh. "I'll go make something while you take a shower."

I wrinkle my nose, "do I smell?"

He shakes his head and boops my nose, "no, you smell amazing. But a nice shower will give you some energy."

I get up and head to my bathroom. I take extra long shampooing my hair, messaging my scalp. I clean and scrub my body. After my shower I braid my hair so it doesn't get all puffy and I smear my body in my typical peach scented body lotion. I put on face sunscreen and some mascara to give the illusion that my eyes aren't tired and puffy.

I get out of the bathroom and I see that my bed is made, the stuff scattered on the floor are on my desk. My sketches are neatly stacked and on my nightstand.

That was so sweet of him. As if he hasn't done enough for me already.

I get out of my room and enter the living room and open kitchen. Luca is standing by the counter, he lift his head after he puts the last serving of eggs in a plate. He smiles big at me, showing me his perfect set of teeth.

Something in me makes me move quickly to him and wrap my arms tightly around him.

"Thank you."

He tightens his arms and holds me until I break away.

"Thank you for everything. For yesterday and today." I say again. He cups my face and his eyes grow more serious.

"Don't worry about it. It was nothing." He lifts his brows, waiting for me to accept that and when I nod he tilts his head to the island where there's food. "Now let's eat."

We sit on the stools and eat the omelette he made.

"Did you have anything planned yesterday evening?" I ask after I've taken a couple bites.

"Nah." He lifts a shoulder and drops it. But I feel like he did have plans but I forced him to sleep with me, preventing him from attending whatever he had. Slight guilt settles in my gut. 

He seems to read the quilt that I'm sure is clear on my face and holds my hand and gives it a light squeeze. "Hey. I didn't mind staying over. I enjoy spending time with you." His voice is sincere, I nod my head and give him a small smile. He gives my hand another squeeze then removes his hand from mine.

Suddenly I miss his hand in mine. It's warmth.

He helps me put the plates in the sink and offers to wash them but I refuse. He's already did a lot for me today.

His phone buzzes with a message, he reads it and sighs.

"I have to go. If you need anything give me a call. And don't overwork."

"I'll try."

When he's at the front door he turns to face me, "I'll ask Sara to give me updates about you and if she tells me you didn't eat or take a break I'll come here and tickle you until you can't breathe and force you to take one."

I roll my eyes in a friendly manner, "don't worry, I'm almost finished anyways."

He nods and opens the door. "Oh! And turn your phone on. And answer if I send a text."

"I will."

"Good." He hesitates to walk away. I'm holding the door open and I want to give him another hug for being so sweet and considerate.

So I give him a hug. I also peck him on the cheek.

"Now go to class, I'll be fine." I promise. He finally leaves and keeps turning around to see if I'm still standing at the door. I wave one last time before he turn left and out of sigh. I close the door and lean against it.

I feel like there's butterflies in my belly. He makes me feel all kinds of warm and giddy.

Sara's door opens down the hall. She rubs her eyes and she beams when she sees me.

"Looks like it took Luca to get you out of your room." She comes to me and gives me a quick but firm hug. "Did you eat already?"

"Yeah. Luca made me breakfast when I was in the shower." 

"Wow he's total boyfriend material." She begins making coffee. "So how was the sleepover with Luca?" She asks sarcastically. 

The flutters and butterflies return at the mention of his name. I hope I'm not blushing.

"He's really sweet. He gave me a back message and it made me sleepy so he put me to bed. And I don't know why I didn't want him to go so I kind of forced him to sleep with me." She nods slowly as she fills her mug with coffee.

Luca apparently also set the coffee machine ready.

Can he get any more perfect?

She hums and seems to be deep in thought. "You want to know what I think?"

"Sure." Even if I said 'no' she'll tell me her opinion.

"I was gonna tell you anyway." See! "But, I think you like him."

I don't think she needed to tell me that. Ever since we played beer pong for the first time together, I liked him. But Sara means that I like him more than a friend. Do I like him like that? When he took me out for dinner and to see his grandpa's hotel, I got these weird feeling I've never felt before. I was really interested in what he was saying about the hotel. When Sara talks to me about all kinds of laws she learned during class I almost fall asleep—even though I love Sara to death. It's just so boring for me—But with Luca, even though I didn't understand half the terms he used while describing some things, I was genuinely intrigued in what he was saying.

I really enjoy spending time with him. He makes me laugh and he wants to get to know me better and vice versa. I think that's the reason why I didn't want him to leave yesterday. He seems to always know what to do to make me feel better. He gave me a message without me even saying that my neck was bothering me. He organized my stuff back into place because he knows that I don't have time to do it myself, as I have to finish my pieces. He made me breakfast when he didn't have to after spending the night. He even comforted me when I was feeling guilty about making him sleep over.

The sound of a coffee mug hitting the granite counter pulls me out of my thoughts. Sara is looking at me, a smile pulling on her lips.

"He's a really great guy, babes. And to be honest, I'm pretty sure he likes you too."

"Did he say that?" She chuckles and sets her mug on the counter. She walks around it and hold my shoulders.

"Don't over think it, okay? Just go with the flow." She shakes my shoulders a little. "Plus, you're the only person I know to never over think anything, so why do with Luca?" She lifts one brunette brow at me.

She's right, and she knows it so I don't bother answering her.

She gives me a kiss and walks back to her room. "I'm going to class, I'll be back at three." She calls out.

I go back to my room and pull out all the items that are going to be assembled together into a suit. I spend a couple of hours working on it and getting it ready. My phone buzzes and my heart beats a bit faster at the possibility of it being from Luca.

I slump when I see it's my mom but then I feel guilty because I haven't talked to her this week. I call her and she picks after the first ring.

"Isabella, you didn't give me a call back after I called you ten times this week." I wince and apologize profusely and explain to her that I have a deadline and how busy I've been.

"Honey, you shouldn't skip meals or pull all nighters."

"Don't worry, Sara has been on my ass the whole time." I laugh. "Ben came over a couple of times too. And Luca brought me dinner yesterday-"

"Luca? I've never heard of him." Mom interrupts.

"Yeah, he's a new friend of mine. He transferred here a couple months or so back."

"Mhm, a friend." She muses.

"Yup. He's also Alex's roommate."

"Why didn't you ever mention him?" She teases. She knows all my friends, so it must be weird to her that I've never mentioned a Luca.

"I don't know. He never came up I guess?"

"So what were you saying? He brought dinner."

I clear my throat, "yeah, he knew about my project and how busy I've been, so he came so I would take a break."

"He seems nice."

"He is." The nicest.

A beat of silence before she speaks again, "is he like your boyfriend or something?" My mom lives in a romance bubble, so she thinks everything revolves around love and romance.

I groan. "Ugh. No, mom. I would tell you if he was. Besides, I'm not looking to get into a relationship right now." I tell her firmly.

"Why not? Not everyone will have a bad relationship experience. I mean look at Sara and her boyfriend. Just because your father and I... don't take me as an example for how every relationship will turn out." She knows exactly why I don't want a relationship and a boyfriend

"That's not it." I lie.

"Well, whatever it is, don't let it stop you from giving it a try. From what I've heard about this guy Luca from you and Benny he-"

"Wait wait wait. From Benny? What the hell did he tell you about him." And my mother had the nerve to pretend as if she didn't know him. Traitors. Both of them.

She chuckles, "he told me about when he walked in on you two making out." I press my eyes shut. That little dipshit. I bet mom doesn't know about his little—or maybe so little—crush on Victoria. Should I tell her? No. I'm better that Ben. I'm no snitch like him.

"Sara also told me he slept over yesterday." My eyeballs almost fall out of their sockets.

"What?" I screech. "When did she say that?"

"Hmm, yesterday evening. I called you but you didn't answer, so she called me to tell me that everything is okay." At times like these I don't like the fact that Sara and my mom have a tight relationship. The first time I've ever watched porn and told Sara about it, the next day my mom sat me down and told me to be careful with it and not use it as a reference to how real sex is. Even though I'm really close with my mom, I didn't feel the need to tell her that I watched a girl blowing a guy. Till this day I wonder how that conversation went between the two of them. But neither will tell.

"I'm going to kill her and Ben."

Her laugh echoes though my phone. "You sure he's just a friend?"

I groan loudly. "I gotta go mom."

She laughs harder. "I love you baby."

"Love you too."

I end the call and I see that I have an unread message. I try not to get too excited and assume it's from Luca. I see its from Jace.

Jacey: Hey you busy right now?

He never text me unless he wants something from me. I honestly haven't had sex in like two weeks and I thinks it's starting to effect me negatively.

Me: Yup

Jacey: I know you're stressed about your
project but I know a way to destress...😏

Me: Sorry boo
Another time

He sends an 'okay' and leaves it at that. What I like about Jace is that he doesn't push.

I put my phone down and continue working on the suit. Sara and Luca kept sending me messages asking for updates. Luca made me send him a photo of me eating, while holding a spoon to my nose so he knows it was taken just now.

I decide to go to my lecture that I have this after noon. After a great night sleep, cuddled with Luca. My productivity has been better and I only need to do some finishing touches to complete my two designs.