I'm just imagining things

Daniella's pov

  I'm feeling a mix of excitement and nerves as I head to Sebastian's house. What can I say or do to make Sebastian find me interesting? I don't even know his likes and dislikes. I was still thinking about how to make a good impression when the taxi stopped in front of Sebastian's house. The sun was setting, and as I walked towards the front door, I could feel my heart racing. This is something new for me, and I hope it goes well.

  I gently knocked on the door and waited. After a few minutes, I knocked again.

  "Who's at the door?" Sebastian asked, and I could hear some noise coming towards the door.

  "It's Daniella," I replied, pausing for a moment before the door opened.

  "What?" I screamed. "What happened to you?" I bent down and gently touched his injured leg. We were still at the door when I asked again.

  "What happened to you?"

 "So your friend didn't tell you?" he asked.

  "If I had known, why would I be so surprised? The last time we met, you weren't using crutches." I raised my head and looked inside the living room, contemplating entering.

  "Where is Becky? Becky?" I shouted. Sebastian stepped aside, and I entered. This was my first small victory for gaining access to the house.

  "Becky?" I called again, waiting for an answer that I knew wouldn't come.

  "Please, is Becky inside?" I pointed inside the house.

  "No," he replied, moving towards a chair and sitting down after closing the door.

  "Where has she gone? Okay, maybe she went to get something and will be back soon?"

   "Hmm... no. When did you last see her?" He looked at me.

  "It's been a long time, but we spoke on the phone a few days ago. Why would she do something like this? I'm sorry, I didn't know about your leg or the accident. But if it's something else, she should tell me." I hissed in frustration.

  "What do you mean by 'something like what'?" he asked, showing interest for the first time. He pointed at the chair and invited me to sit down.

  "I understand that everyone makes mistakes, but what she told me wasn't a mistake on your part..."

  "On my part? What is it?" He interrupted, his eyes and voice filled with curiosity.

  "Please, don't mention that I said something like this. It's not necessary. Can we just forget about it?"

  "No, tell me. I promise I won't tell her."

  "I won't." He said, but I chuckled at his response.

  "You might not realize when you mention it to her during your intimate moments in the middle of the night. Please, I don't want to ruin my relationship with her."

  Sebastian initially smiled, but he kept insisting that I should tell him what Becky said.

  "Alright, she said she didn't like your behavior the last time you visited her workplace... let's stop there." I stared at him.

  "What did she say I did? Come on, tell me." He was eager to hear about it.

  "Did you bring her favorite meal with you?"

  "Yes, you're right. I actually brought her favorite lunch. So what did she say next?"

  "Please, I don't want to say the next word. It's embarrassing."

  "Tell me, I'm interested." He insisted, and I remained silent, allowing his mind to be open and ready to hear what I was about to say.

  "She said you acted childishly. And please, don't tell her I told you."

  "I promise," he said, and when he heard the word 'childishly,' his expression changed. I needed to make him feel excited or keep his attention on me.

  "Don't tell me you're home alone in this condition."

He remained silent at first.

  "Is anyone else in the house with you?" I asked.

  "No."

  "How do you manage?" I saw his vulnerability from the way he answered.

  "I... I'm alone. I'm managing."

  "Oh my goodness! Like this? I came to see Becky, but I don't know how I can help you instead. What can I do for you?" I walked into the house and went straight to the kitchen to check the pots. A few minutes later, I returned.

  "No food. How do you eat?" Trying to show sympathy.

  "I order my meals."

  "No, no. Becky would have prepared various dishes for you, even if she's away. So when is she coming? I don't like the way she's treating you. I know how you've helped her mom and how much you care about her. Why would she do something like this? She hasn't shown you any gratitude. You need to talk to her; she's not doing things right at all. If I were to tell her, it would seem like we've discussed it behind her back." I moved back to my seat and asked,

  "So what are you having for dinner?"

  "I've already ordered a meal."

  "No, you should cancel it. I'll prepare something for you to eat. Please, cancel that order. What's your favorite food? In this condition, you should be eating what you love the most. It can help you heal faster."

  "Wow! You've made my day. I appreciate your concern for me. I didn't know you had such a kind heart."

  "But please, don't tell Becky I'm doing this for you. She might get jealous." I smiled, and he smiled too, saying,

  "I understand completely. Why would I tell her?"

I stood up and walked closer to him, examining his injured leg once again, displaying empathy on my face. Finally, he told me what he would like to eat, and I went to the kitchen to prepare it. Deep down, I knew that by the time I finished cooking, it would be nighttime. So I intentionally took my time.

  It took me forty-nine minutes to prepare the food he wanted, and I set it on the dinner table. We ate together. The way I took care of him made him quickly forget that I wasn't his girlfriend. He felt comfortable around me, and I always kept a close eye on him, ready to assist whenever he needed help, whether it was to move or sit down.

  My helpfulness made him appreciate my presence, and when it was 8:30 PM, I pretended that I needed to leave.

  "Can you manage on your own? I feel guilty about leaving you in this condition."

  "I have to tell you the truth. You've made my day. I didn't expect this. I would have loved for you to stay and leave tomorrow morning. It's really difficult for me to get up in the morning. I experience a lot of pain when I try to get out of bed early."

  "Okay," I giggled, creating curiosity in his heart, and he asked.

  "Why are you laughing?"

  "What if Becky comes later today and finds me spending the night here on her behalf? Should I call her and let her know that I'll be staying? I prefer to be transparent. I don't want anyone accusing me unnecessarily."

  "No, there's no need to tell her that you're staying."

  "I'm willing to be here in the morning and evening, after work, to help you. But it's risky to move around at night. I didn't expect to spend so much time here, but I don't regret it."

  "Please, stay. I'm the one asking you to stay. Becky isn't coming, believe me."

I giggled again, sat down, and continued laughing, attempting to flirt whenever the opportunity arose.

  "Why are you laughing like that?" He smiled too, and I could see how handsome a man should be.

  "I'm just imagining things."

  "What things?" He asked.

  "Don't worry about it."

  "Why do you always keep me in suspense? I didn't know you were this conversational. All I noticed about you was that you always smile."

  "You can't easily figure out what's on my mind. I want us to play any game that you have in this house. If you win, then I'll tell you what always makes me smile."

  "That's interesting. I'd love to play, and I really want to know what's on your mind."

  "Then let's play. What kind of game do you have in mind? Or which one do you enjoy the most? I know you'll choose the game you like so that you can uncover what's in my mind."

  "Of course. Let's play Scrabble or chess... chess," he repeated.

  "You'll definitely beat me at chess. But why don't I take a bath before we play? Hmm!" I hummed, catching his attention once again.

  "What?"

  "I didn't plan on staying here, so I didn't bring any of my clothes. Can I wear your shirt and boxers?"

  "Yes, of course. Why not?" He accepted it without hesitation. I got up and as I was about to leave the living room, I turned to him and playfully said,

  "If I win against you, I'll dare you to do something. And if you win, you can dare me to do something, and we'll never reveal the secret to anyone!"

  "Yes! Yes!! That will be fun. Go quickly and take your bath. I can't wait for us to start the game.”