Aeri leaned closer to grab a strawberry, her fork clinking against the plate, and her nose brushed near my shoulder. She paused, inhaling, her eyes closing for a second before they snapped open, sharp and searching. "This smell... it’s the same as Sara always wears," she said, her voice soft but pointed, locking her gaze on mine.
"Ughh..what?" I expressed.
"Hmm..Sara wears the same lavender perfume all the time. Her entire house smells of this same fragrance." Said Aeri, leaning forward and sniffing it with ber eyes closed like a dog on a mission.
My mind blanked. My heart skipped, like it forgot how to beat, and I swallowed hard, the sound loud in my ears. Panic clawed at me, but I forced words out before I could think too hard.
"Ugh... yeah, it’s Jonathan’s," I blurted, grabbing the water jar to fill her cup, my hands moving just to keep busy. "He gave it to me to try." I flashed a quick smile, hoping it looked convincing.
"Ohh, I see," Aeri said, her voice calm again, her eyes softening as she leaned back in her chair. She picked up her fork, twirling it in her fingers, and took a small bite of pancake.
"Yeah," I said, sitting down and trying to keep my voice steady, "I thought it smelled familiar too. Now that you mention it, you’re right—it’s totally like Sara’s." I forced a laugh, shaking my head like it was no big deal. "But eww, I’m not wearing it again. Smells like her now that I think about it." I pulled my face, playing up the disgust, hoping it’d sell the lie.
Aeri laughed, the sound light and bubbly, cutting through the tension like a knife. "You two hate each other so much," she said, shaking her head as she pinched a strawberry. "It’s like you can’t even hear her name without getting mad."
"Yeah, obviously," I said, chewing a bite of pancake a little too hard, irritation creeping into my voice—real enough. "What the hell does that Daniel guy even see in her? She’s such a pain."
"Oi, oi, that’s rude," Aeri said, reaching over to nudge my arm, her touch gentle but firm. "Be nice. She’s not that bad." Her smile was playful, but there was a hint of a warning in it, like she didn’t want me starting a fight over nothing.
I shrugged, taking a sip of water to cool myself down. "Whatever." I set the glass down, trying to steer us away from Sara.
Aeri tilted her head, popping another bite in her mouth. "So, how was work? You didn’t call or text at all last night," she said, her tone casual but with a tiny edge of curiosity. She glanced at me, her fork hovering over her plate.
I shifted in my seat, my knee brushing hers under the table. "Yeah, it was... busy," I said, "Got caught up in stuff, and then I managed to take a good amount of nap in between. Helped me recharge."
"Ohh, that’s why you don’t look *completely* dead today," she teased, her laugh bright and warm. "Two days back you came home and blacked out so hard? Slept like a baby till late afternoon."
"Yeahhhhh..." I dragged out the word, my face heating up as I rubbed the back of my neck, embarrassed.
"So, what’s the plan for today?" She looked down at her plate, casual as she cut into another pancake.
I didn’t answer right away. Instead, I reached under the table, grabbing the leg of her chair.
The wood scraped across the floor as I pulled it closer, pulling her right up against me. Her thigh pressed against mine, warm and soft, and our shoulders brushed, the air between us buzzing.
Aeri let out a little *ahem*, her hand landing on the table to steady herself, her cheeks flushing as her breath hitched.
"Ezra!" she squeaked, half-laughing, half-shocked, her eyes wide as she looked at me. "Warn me next time, before you do this!"
"I like it when you are closer to me." I said, my voice low, leaning in a little so our faces were inches apart.
Her lips parted, like she was about to say something, but she just stared back, her hand still on the table, fingers twitching like her heart was racing as fast as mine.
Aeri and I sat close, she was all warmth and light in her blue one-piece dress, the fabric hugging her curves, her bare shoulders catching the glow from the window. My black t-shirt and pants felt plain next to her, but the way she looked at me—like I was the only thing in the room—made me feel like I was enough.
I grabbed my fork, spearing a piece of pancake dripping with syrup, and held it up to her lips.
"The plan," I said, my voice soft but sure, "is to spend time with the woman I love."
Her face went pink, a blush creeping up her cheeks, and she twisted her lips into a shy smile.
She leaned forward, taking the bite, her eyes never leaving mine as she chewed, then smiled again, brighter this time.
"Such a flirt you are," she said, her voice teasing.
"Hehe, only for you," I said, grinning as I reached out, brushing my thumb across her cheek where a tiny smudge of cake had stuck.
We went quiet for a moment, just staring at each other. Then, like something pulled us together. Her smile faded, not in a bad way, but like she was seeing me, really seeing me. My heart thudded, and I felt myself leaning in, her face closer now, like gravity was doing all the work.
"Hey," I said, my hand finding hers on the table, my thumb brushing over her knuckles. Our faces were inches apart, her lips parted just a little, and mine followed, like we were both caught in the same spell.
"Ezra..." Aeri said as her eyes started to close.
Then it happened—our lips locked, soft and slow at first, tasting syrup and strawberries. Her hand squeezed mine, and I slid my fingers into her hair, pulling her closer, the kiss deepening until the world was just us, just this.