l♥️ve takes time

And just as I was about pushing the wardrobe open, Nora's voice broke out; causing me to halt my intention.

"Mom, so uh... did she say she was coming back again?" She asked her mom almost in a panicking voice. I knew what what she was playing at -- trying to distract her mom from reaching for the wardrobe.

Relief came in waves when I leaned quietly to peep through the slit again and noticed her mom turn to face her. "Who?"

"I meant Henry's mom" Nora added, folding her arms in a bid to appear more reserved than nervous.

"No" said her mom with a brief shake of her head. "It's too late his mom to come out again, and besides, the woman is heavily pregnant... But am sure he must've returned home by now"

"Mm-hmm" Nora nodded and cleared her throat in awkwardness before saying. "Then I guess I should probably go to bed"

"Yes, you should" her Mom agreed and leaned forward to give her a brief peck on the cheek. "Good night dear"

"Night Mom" Nora wore a wide smile and turned slowly to face her mom who walked towards the room door but paused halfway when her eyes caught something.

Then she turned very slowly to give Nora a suspecting stare and asked, "Was someone here with you?"

"Nn--no, no mom..." Nora's voice sounded shaky in my ears, even her stance began to waver a bit.

'Please keep it together... Please' I begged in my heart, praying that Nora remained calm and not appear nervous, else her mom would definitely suspect something.

"Is anything wrong mom?" She asked almost immediately and unfolded her arms.

"Not really, just that there happen to be two wine glasses sitting on your table which begs the question, who were you having it with?" Her mom sounded suspicious as she replied; folding her arms to look at Nora who at first appeared stunned and speechless which made my heart skip and race very fast. At this moment I thought to myself, 'maybe this is it' -- maybe this is where we get caught. But I was wrong, not until Nora put up an act that caused my jaw to drop in surprise.

"Brian... He sincerely promised to return those but didn't -- I guess I can never count on his words." she sighed in response; tapping her forehead as if disappointment by her brother.

"Oh!... Didn't know you both were celebrating" her mom chuckled in a playful tease. Even the suspecting frown she once wore on her face vanished completely. And to be honest, I was extremely relieved and pleased by Nora for her smart thinking... she surely deserves an award of some kind!

"Pfff, we just felt -- you know, happy that we moved to a nice friendly environment... We had only a glass of wine -- not more than one" she lied with a grin.

Her mom believed the lie she told as if it was the truth and said, "it's better than the both of you always fighting or arguing. But make sure you return them to the kitchen... I've gone to bed" before turning to leave the room.

I waited for a few minute inside the wardrobe after she left, just to be sure she was truly gone... And still peeping, I watched Nora rush forward to lock her room door before returning to open the wardrobe.

"My mom's gone" she heaved with a forced smile of relief as I came out of the wardrobe.

"So what now?" I asked in a worried tone as I walked towards her bed.

"I dunno, what do you have in mind?" Nora returned the question after closing the wardrobe to follow behind me. Then I paused halfway near the bed and turned sharply to face her. "To go home of course!"

Nora shook her head in doubt and walked past me to sit on the bed before saying in a quiet voice. "I don't think that'll be possible"

Her response made my heart sink in horror.

"What are you saying?" I turned to face her with a disappointing frown.

"Look..." She lifted her head to give me a 'sorry' stare and answered. "you might just have to spend a night here because --"

"No no no... No" I cut in sharply, shaking my head in refusal as I retreated a step from her. "I have to get back home, like right now"

"Then be my guest..." Nora sounded annoyed as she stood up quickly from the bed. "You don't think my dad and mom haven't already locked the front door? Or you think they wouldn't hear us walk through the corridor?... We almost got caught Henry, infact -- am in a big mess using my brother as some cover up lie because he will be glad to expose me at the slightest chance"

My breathing became shaky and intense on hearing her blunt response. Everything was coming down to me sleeping over -- something I've never done before!

Then I turned my head sideways to study her room window -- seeing if it was a good option for an exit, but it wasn't, due to the protective bars shielding it. This made my chances of getting home tonight even more slimmer.

"Erm,... Uh, what if we wait for some few minutes be--before you sneak me out. Maybe by then, everyone could be fast asleep" i stuttered in a hasty whisper as I returned my gaze back at Nora who rolled her eyes and sat back down on the bed.

"You mean when it's around 11pm" she gave a sarcastic scoff.

My eyes went wide in shock. Then I moved closer and asked. "what's the time?"

"Look, 10:50pm" Nora answered, raising her phone screen up my face.

'Oh God!' were the only words that echoed loudly in my head. I felt faint, nervous and speechless all together. There was definitely no way of me getting home tonight.

So I slowly lowered myself to sit beside Nora; placing both elbows on my thighs as I buried my face on my palms and muttered almost inaudibly to myself. "This was all a mistake, I should never have come out tonight"

"Look, you can always tell your parents you crashed at some friends place... Am sure they'll understand" Nora's voice broke out beside me in advice -- an advice I didn't quite appreciate at this given moment.

"I have no 'friend's place' don't you get it" I unburied my face from my palms and sat erect to face Nora with my temper slowly rising. "This place, your house... It's the only friend's place they know because I don't have friends!"

"The fu*k Henry... Lower your voice!" She growled to my face, turning quickly to observe her room door before returning her gaze back to say, "Okay, I didn't know you have zero friends around. But then, what has happened -- has happened, so just suck it up and stop overreacting -- they won't kill you for sleeping out for only a day." Then she stood up in annoyance and walked to the other side of the bed to lay.

I didn't know what to say to her or give as a response, and was there any need doing so? I doubt there was. So I lowered my back to rest my head on the pillow and looked up at her ceiling fan as it rotated. Then I turned my head slowly to the side after some brief moment of silence and noticed Nora laying on her left side; backing me completely.

"Am, am sorry for overreacting" I said softly in a low remorseful voice and waited, looking to see if she was still awake or fast asleep.

"It's fine..." Her soft voice finally broke out before she rolled on her sides to face me. "And... am sorry for sounding that way or putting you in this mess" she whispered.

I chuckled and turned sideways to face her fully; looking straight into her eyes before saying. "I just hope we survive tomorrow" then I slowly reached out to place my right palm on her left cheek; rubbing my thumb gently over it as she let out a soft smile.

"How come you've lived here for so long and don't have any friends" she asked.

"Uh..." I cleared my throat and retreated my hand on her face to return to my previous position; lying face up. Then I answered her, saying. "Well, if you haven't noticed -- am a pretty shy person, plus... No one finds me interesting to even chat with. Which is why I keep to myself"

"Well, you're wrong.." she started to say and paused; leaning closer to place her left hand on my chest.

"And why will you say that?" I scoffed, turning my head sideways to study the smile on her face.

"Because, I actually find you interesting." She teased with a romantic grin.

"You're just saying that to console me" I chuckled in disbelieve, removing my eyes from hers to look back at the ceiling fan.

"No, am not...am serious" she giggled in amusement; placing her left palm on my cheek to turn my gaze back on her before she repeated, but this time in a more purposeful whisper. "I find you very interesting, Henry"

Her sweet words sounded more like an invitation than a compliment as it trickled into my ears. And even as I laid mute looking at her beautiful face, I couldn't help but notice the glitter in her eyes which sent tingling sensations all over my body. Then she licked her lower lip and slowly lifted her head halfway up the pillow and began leaning closer until her lips finally touched mine.