North Star
quatorze.
While I waited for the pan to boil I went into the cupboard and pulled down two of my favorite mugs, the matched set I'd picked up at the flea market with Spencer last year. I sighed at the memory, one of many good ones. That was the worst part about being cheated on. I had no bad memories with Spencer. He had been an amazing boyfriend - except for the fact that he betrayed me every chance he got. I pulled my thoughts away from my former relationship just as the milk started to boil. I scooped some of the cocoa powder into the mugs and poured the hot milk over it. I stirred in a little bit of hazelnut before dropping in two large marshmallows each. Finally I topped it all with whipped cream sprinkled with cinnamon.
I left one mug beside my favorite comfy arm chair and brought the other one with me as I stepped outside the apartment. I tiptoed down the hall and set the mug down gently in front of Leo's door. When I was ready I knocked on his door and then scurried back inside my own place. I heard his door open and then a moment later close. A minute later my phone started to ring.
"Hi," I greeted him, settling into my chair.
"What is this amazing ness? It tastes like a liquid Fererro Rocher," he said. I laughed.
"It's hazelnut hot chocolate," I explained. "My brother-in-law taught me how to make it that way."
"I didn't know you had a brother-in-law," Leo pointed out. I smiled thinking of Ben and the joy he brought to my life as well as Eric's.
"He pretty much saved me and Eric. We struggled a lot after our parents died. I tend to stress myself out trying to please Eric, and he works way too hard to relax but Ben keeps us both grounded. He's the one who got me through -" I stopped myself.
I was stunned. I'd been about to reveal to Leo what had happened in August. I clamped my mouth shut. Leo was a nice guy and everything but I couldn't bring myslef to say aloud what I'd been through. He already knew because of Spencer's outburst in the hallway a couple weeks ago but that wasn't the same as me actually saying it. I realized I was crying.
"Hey Avery," Leo's voice was soft. "It's okay, I'm here for you." I started crying harder because I didn't know how to handle this reassurance.
"Thanks Leo," I whispered. "You have no idea how much that means to me."
I left one mug beside my favorite comfy arm chair and brought the other one with me as I stepped outside the apartment. I tiptoed down the hall and set the mug down gently in front of Leo's door. When I was ready I knocked on his door and then scurried back inside my own place. I heard his door open and then a moment later close. A minute later my phone started to ring.
"Hi," I greeted him, settling into my chair.
"What is this amazing ness? It tastes like a liquid Fererro Rocher," he said. I laughed.
"It's hazelnut hot chocolate," I explained. "My brother-in-law taught me how to make it that way."
"I didn't know you had a brother-in-law," Leo pointed out. I smiled thinking of Ben and the joy he brought to my life as well as Eric's.
"He pretty much saved me and Eric. We struggled a lot after our parents died. I tend to stress myself out trying to please Eric, and he works way too hard to relax but Ben keeps us both grounded. He's the one who got me through -" I stopped myself.
I was stunned. I'd been about to reveal to Leo what had happened in August. I clamped my mouth shut. Leo was a nice guy and everything but I couldn't bring myslef to say aloud what I'd been through. He already knew because of Spencer's outburst in the hallway a couple weeks ago but that wasn't the same as me actually saying it. I realized I was crying.
"Hey Avery," Leo's voice was soft. "It's okay, I'm here for you." I started crying harder because I didn't know how to handle this reassurance.
"Thanks Leo," I whispered. "You have no idea how much that means to me."