“Please forget that scene.” Lou spoke as she stood behind the brunette inside her bedroom; Sandra puffed her bed and gave Lou a new blanket, “I swear nothing happened. I just felt like standing and I didn’t know why I was even sweating.”
The brunette made her way towards a small cabinet just underneath her vanity mirror and pulled out a new pair of pajamas before she handed it to Lou, “So long as you promise that you didn’t think of murdering me in my own space, I’m all good. You can change in my bathroom. There is an extra toothbrush in there too.”
Lou gave her a nod, “Okay.”
Before she could even move a muscle to walk towards the bathroom, Sandra already buried herself on her bed, a loud thud ensued followed by a deep sigh. Lou, left with no words and a burden of a little bit of shame, she made her way towards the bathroom. It didn’t make her feel good as she stood in front of the bathroom and realized that it was a glass wall. She looked at the brunette on the bed who was busy with her phone before she turned to look at her bathroom wall again.
Shit. She could see me!
She turned to look back at the brunette again. She was busy with her phone, so she wouldn’t even try to look at her, would she? Lou wanted to smack her face for all the thoughts running in her. She then went inside the bathroom and her eyes literally went wide seeing the amenities and the products inside. Lou was rich, so rich, but the scene in front of her made her jaw drop. She practically walked herself inside a Sephora store. Sandra had all the skincare products one could use for two lifetimes, not to mention the amount of expensive body wash and hair products she had.
“What the…” Lou turned around only to see a big jacuzzi on the left side, her shower was across from it; there was a small partition on the other corner and when she looked at it, there her bathtub was, a little secluded, “…you’re so damn rich!” Lou yelled from the bathroom as she peeled herself off of her suit and her jewelry before hopping into the shower.
“Are you always that loud?” Sandra retorted back.
“Don’t you want my loudness?” Lou chuckled, “I’m always loud. I’m even louder in bed too.”
“Ew!”
“You’re a doctor. You know humans need sex. I need sex. You need sex too. We all need sex.”
“You make sex sounds gross and dirty.”
“A dirty sex is the best you could ever have.”
“We are a week-old friends still, but here you are, blabbing about sex.”
“Just stating some facts!”
Sandra didn’t reply and Lou didn’t sew another set of words as she went on to bathe herself.
—–
Steam clung to Lou’s skin as she emerged from the shower, the scent of vanilla and lavender swirling around her like strawberry smoke. A silent groan escaped her as she realized her mistake – the towel wrapped around her head was now damp. Why did I wet my hair? Sleep would have to wait a bit. Crossing the room, she was met with the sight of Sandra, who was now fast asleep on the bed. Fatigue etched itself onto Sandra’s face, softening her features ever so slightly. Yet, for Lou, it did nothing to diminish her beauty. It was a different kind of beauty, a vulnerable one bathed in the soft glow of the nightstand lamp beside her.
Unlike the previous encounter earlier, the urge to capture the image with her phone didn’t grip Lou. Instead, a different impulse took hold. She tiptoed closer, her bare feet whispering against the cool floor. Pulling back the edge of the duvet, Lou gently tucked it around Sandra’s shoulders, the warmth of the blanket mirroring the warmth that bloomed in her chest.
In the quiet hush of the room, she sat across the bed and Lou watched her sleep for a moment longer, the image of Sandra’s peaceful face etching itself onto her memory. Finally, with a soft smile, Lou turned away, the damp towel a forgotten inconvenience. Sleep could wait, and while waiting, she could use her free time to admire the sleeping beauty on the bed.
—-
The clock ticked past the hour mark, its muffled chime lost in the symphony of the room. Lou, who had just put the damp towel back to the bathroom, couldn’t recall the last time she checked the time. It barely mattered. All that filled her vision was Sandra, a sleeping brunette sprawled on the bed, her back turned towards Lou. A soft, rhythmic snore escaped Sandra’s lips, a melody more charming than any music.
The day had unfolded like a dream. After a rocky patch, their friendship had finally found its footing again. A smile, sweet as honey, bloomed on Lou’s lips as she envisioned even brighter days ahead.
The blonde uttered a silent prayer, thanking God for whatever conspired within that day.  Just as Lou drifted towards slumber, a sudden shift startled her awake. Sandra, still deeply entrenched in the land of dreams, turned. Arms outstretched, she reached for Lou, a silent plea for comfort. With a dreamy sigh, Sandra snuggled into Lou’s chest, mistaking the blonde for a particularly huggable pillow. Lou, initially bewildered, felt a warmth spread through her. Was Sandra seeking solace, or was it just a random act of sleep-induced cuddling?
A playful thought flickered across Lou’s mind, “Is she thinking I’m a giant teddy bear?” she whispered to the darkness, a smile tugging at her lips.
Instead of pushing the brunette away, Lou found herself wrapping an arm around the sleeping brunette. Maybe tonight, the comfort of shared sleep wasn’t just about slumber. Maybe, it hinted at something more. Lou closed her eyes, the steady rhythm of Sandra’s breath a lullaby against her chest. The mystery of the unconscious embrace would have to wait for the light of day but for now, Lou drifted off, a contented smile gracing her lips.
***
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