Chapter 1 Vintage love
As much coffee as an early grad college student can take, it was not keeping me upright. What was I dreaming that now yours truly cannot function? I remember sleeping early to start the next midnight sun morning for it was the last day without finals. Months have passed since I started my first year as a freshman in college and now dreading the upcoming exams. Opening the doors to my Oslo university I head towards my already waiting friends with angst. Nica, “why are you so late we agreed at 9:45 they utter” had a bad dream by nightfall I retorted. I can’t quite recall what it was, but it had something to do with a warning.
She noted “You’re thinking too much about this Nica, it’s your worry for the finals tomorrow. I bet nothing will happen to you, just need to eat something and relax”. Sadly, Leith I have to wait till class is over, I really need the study notes for the day, but I seriously feel like I will not pass finals. Mrs. Paige has been working me to death. She demanded that we try this old book cafe that she’s been dying to go to. I’ve been friends with Leith since the beginning of university.
She’s been my literal rock since my mother’s meltdown. I never wanted her to see how far she can go but there’s nothing now I can hide from her. She’s my best friend who knows my quirks, all my laughs and all my upsetting stories. We walk in and the first thing I know I have to do is go sit by Mrs. Paige and help her grade papers which I know it’s going to distract me from actually getting the full notes, but I hope telling Leith about needing the footnotes she will possibly pay attention today. Mrs. Paige went on and on about economic policies which by the way I know affect the community, but I just feel like I cannot focus.
All I can seem to think about was the weird meaning behind my dream but dreading its existence. WHAT could it actually mean to me if I just ignore it like Leith suggested. Alex and Sam came in last as much as I hate to say it but I know Alex wants to be more than friends but to be completely honest he’s been one of my best friends for such a long time I don’t want to lose him. Mrs. Paige speaks too fast, sometimes I just can’t get all the notes that I need for the beginning of tomorrow. We were ending the seminar, and I was starving but remembered I needed to get some cash and put away my backpack.
I don’t have any more classes today until 7pm. Leith, Sam, Alex, and I all walk out of the class and decide to go to my dorm since I got a big board because of being a teacher’s aid. We walked up the stairs to my room and made me realize we should go later today to the cafe. It’s much too early for me to be outside when all I can think about is the dream and the lecture notes. Opening the door to my room they all relax on my couch knowing that no shoes shall go near my white beautiful carpet. Reaching for the modern refrigerator I take out butter, sausage links and from the pantry I get pancake mix and sugar for coffee.
I truly wished for someone to make me food and Alex had offered but they are my guests and we are all hungry. Making us all beautiful pancakes is hard especially since I was dropping some of the mix on the floor because Sam would not stop making fun of my “organizing skills”.
I usually clean on Sundays, but I had forgotten to do it last night, for I thought I should sleep early but the dream crushed my hopes of getting better sleep. We sat at my table as one big family but just then I got a message from my brother Kai that his best friend Zay was asking about me and my phone number. I gave him permission to hand it away and once Zay texted me. I felt more butterflies than I could possibly get from talking alone with Alex’s genuine smile.
I like Alex but something about Zay makes me quiver and makes me all jittery. Something I hate to admit but even him and my brother know about but he won’t stop it from happening. He just wants me to be happy remembering his delightful words from memory. Every second from the moment he ended the call I felt this angst in my heart telling me he would be gone in a split second that I did not know what he was offering me that he was so much more than I would ever know behind the scenes. I heard his voice today and I finally feel this tug in my heart. Why should he control me?
Why does he attract me like no other. I shake uncontrollably, my hands trembling making a disturbance for everyone in the room to notice that Zay shared something big enough to make me shiver. Alex looks worried but like if he knew the offer Zay gave me, he gives me a very disgusted look as if I had said I’d marry Zay in front of him and not to him. As they gather their thoughts, they come rushing to my side asking what’s wrong or what did he say. I’m fine, I explained, just shocked by the news. They don’t push it and give me room to breathe, and I finally get the strength to tell them Zay is coming to live with me for some time. Kai and Zay decided it wasn’t safe for me to live alone and that Kai wouldn’t be able to be 24hr disposable like Zay is for me.
Kai and Zay are getting on a flight first thing tomorrow morning, they all looked shocked about Zay moving in with me. Alex started asking me a bunch of questions, questions that I even did not have answers to. I love my brother but sometimes he comes up with many unnatural ideas. I was too distraught to keep up the pleasantries. I asked my friends if I could have a moment and they said they would see me later, instead of sitting down I cleaned up and then sat down to think this through. Why were my brother and Zay wanting to see me, what exactly happened?
I woke up thinking it was the day before that all the pleasantries and morning soreness was but a dream but to be completely honest I wishing it wasn’t I’ve had a huge crush on Zay since I was kid and the way he was speaking to me like he would burn the world for me made me yearn for him to live with me more than anything. Everything happened so fast that I never thought of the significance that came from wanting him in my home and what would my friends think of me if they say I’ve gone mental or maybe even ask more questions than needed. I’m conflicted. I thought being with myself was what was needed but maybe it’s not so bad, I look around and see that my place looks like a woman’s place. I could try to add some guy touches for when Zay gets here.
I collect my things and take my purse, and I head out to go buy some things for Zay when I get a call from Alex asking what’s going on, and why I let Zay stay at my place. I simply retorted that my brother wanted me to feel safe and comfortable with someone I’ve known all my life and reported that I wouldn’t let Zay stay in a hotel when I clearly have room for his visit. He gets tense and inquires if this is going to affect our relationship. I can angrily say that he was testing the waters, and he got me to explode. I instantly yelled that we have no love because you never said anything to me and I hung up.
I walk into the store and on the spot, I locate this vintage black and red leather jacket that I feel like Zay would love, it has these side pockets that are great for wallets and other personal items. As I walk in to grab it I have this double thought of finding us matching sets of pjs, but the insane thought was that I get some lingerie to match his set, I mean I know things probably won’t get there. I’ve never asked him how he feels for me even if he flirts a little. I could be totally off and he could view me as a sister or worse a little kid. I got the jacket and made my way over to this beautiful wooden record player with hints of brown and beige that seemed instantly could fit Zay’s personality, I put it in the cart and grabbed a couple vinyl records that I really enjoyed.
I pay and take it back home; the record was wrapped with this pretty box that makes you think the box itself is made of money. By the time I got home it was already 1:20pm and I definitely wanted to shop more but I know around 3 I have to go with Leith to that bookstore so I started daydreaming how it would be to have a man in my house. I’ve never seen Zay in a natural element. I’m kind of excited and nervous for him, it’s hard to think that he’s coming here to make sure I’m safe and not to find a woman or I hope he’s not here for another woman that’s not me. Why am I getting in my head all day? It hasn’t been anything but him, maybe I should call Alex but the more I think about him it feels like I’m stringing him along. I care for Alex but not in the way he wants me too and I don’t want to give him a chance because it will ruin our friendship. I put some background music on and head to the second bedroom and see that I have girly sheets and I look in the cabinet to find some different ones. Apparently I’m more girly than I thought I was. I guess another thing to add to my list for Zay….
Zay’s list #
Getting him new bedsheets
Tooth paste
Shampoo
Conditioner
Towels
Loofas
Razors and wipes
Body wash
I decided by 2:15 pm to go get him this list in just 15 min walking and Leith called, of course she wanted to ask me about Zay but if I don’t tell her she’s going to keep asking me and I tend to get angry if you keep asking about those little things. Knowing her she will push all the buttons till she gets the answer, so I told her I like Zay and I’m excited to be living with him. She also wanted to know why Alex called her telling her to convince me that maybe I should be afraid of Zay and why he gave me a face earlier. I said it fairly because he’s been wanting me to choose him but never asked me, he thinks just because he wants me means that it will make me want him I tell her boldly. She tells me she thinks he’s pushing me to dislike him as I always had an issue with guys who push things on me. I utter that I don’t trust him as much as I should. The talks about Zay being here made me realize I don’t trust Alex to be alone with me I just suddenly got that vibe.
We hang up and I finished shopping and walked back to my house leaving it in his room for him all I do really is fix the bedding and leave the rest on top of the bed for him and sit on the floor to rest so tired but I’m oozing energy like a red bull to the heart. I got a text from Sam in the group chat if we wanted to hang out later tonight, Alex texted right back saying sure and Leith and I answered we were all in. We agreed that after 9pm we would meet at my place to eat a late dinner. It’s 3:00pm & Leith took me to the cafe, and I ordered a red velvet cake and a hot chocolate. While we waited, we babbled about what hangouts we could do so she could meet Kai and Zay. Most likely Kai will flirt with her, she’s gorgeous after all but at the same time I don’t want him to look at her in that way at all. She’s kindhearted but so stubborn.
We finish and pay and we finally head to the back part, it’s incredibly colorful but also smells like old book materials like if they do the books here. I enjoy the smell and walk over to this large section of books by this medium sided window and look through them and it’s all my favorite authors Jane Austin, Emily Brontë, Edgar Allen Poe, Harper Lee. As if the owner knew that I would be looking here because of curiosity and not being able to finish organizing them since it’s also a cafe. I got three books: To Kill a Mockingbird, Wuthering heights, Pride and prejudice my top favorite books from high school. Paying for the books isn’t that hard, there was this employee in the back waiting for us to pick our books and going in front to pay. I saw this sign saying they need employees and that it’s only a paper application and an interview. I asked the woman bringing up our books if I could get one. She gave me one but before I could think about what I was doing I locked eyes on this cute tall guy, he looks like the quiet type but also looks kind of meanish.
He stares at me and drops the box that he was holding and it’s like an intense aura coming from him. He bends down to pick the books and I go to help him because for some reason I think I made him stop them and not him just being clumsy and nerdy enough to drop them. He thanks me for the help and asks for my name, I tell him it’s Nica and his name is Eros, what a hot olden name. He has these double colored eyes, one blue and one green. I guess he saw my application form and asked if I was interested. I informed him that I enjoy reading and it’s not a far walk from my home, and it’s such a cute place to not want to apply. He briefly said that he doesn’t live too far either and looked at me with his fascinating eyes.
Leith came over and said it’s time to go that we been at the store for an hour and half as she was about to talk to Eros he walked away without a word and made it look like he was never there in the first. We pass by the cafe and now thinking about it I would love another cup because of the appetizing aroma but then Leith drags me and really wants me to make a huge dinner for tonight and for tomorrow. It’s October and there’s a breeze but not as chilling as Christmas time, I do want to make something for Zay to come home too. I tell Leith it’s a good idea we make our way down to the nearest supermarket a couple blocks down from the store, we enter and grab Hawaiian rolls, Alla vodka pasta sauce, cheese, chicken, garlic butter, potatoes, carrots, beef, broth, sodas brownies, and a special wine.
