Change your clothes. I will close my eyes

Change your clothes. I will close my eyes


Carissa relaxed a little after the door closed behind her friends. The flat went quiet again, but the mess they left behind covered everything. She rubbed her forehead as she looked around the living room. The sofa cushions were scattered, crumbs covered both the floor and the seats, and dirty plates and glasses filled the sink.

The sound of a door opening made her turn. Leon stepped out of the room. He looked just as shocked as she felt. The place they had cleaned that morning now looked completely ruined.

“Sir… I am sorry,” Carissa said, her voice low, guilt clear in it.

Leon let out a slow breath, but instead of getting angry, a small smile appeared on his face. “It is okay, Car. My place used to look like this too whenever my friends came over.”

Carissa blinked, a little surprised.

“You should go and rest. I will clean everything,” she said as she picked up one of the cushions and placed it back.

Leon shook his head right away. He walked over and started helping her arrange the cushions. “We will do it together.”

Carissa looked at him for a moment, then smiled before continuing.

“So those people were your friends?” Leon asked later.

He stood at the sink, washing the dirty plates, while Carissa moved around the kitchen preparing dinner. They had already finished cleaning the living room, and it looked neat again.

Carissa glanced at him. “Yes. Some of them you know. They are your students.”

“Not all of them. I only know Dinne and Alvero. Who are the others?”

Leon had not missed any of the names earlier, but one stuck in his head.

Chaka.

The guy they had teased Carissa about. The same one who had made Leon knock down the books on purpose just to call her into the room and tell her to send everyone home.

“They are from other departments,” Carissa said.

“Chaka?”

This time Carissa turned and looked at him for a few seconds before a smile slowly formed on her lips. “What do you think about him?”

Leon stopped what he was doing. “What do you mean?”

“Do you think Chaka and I match?” Carissa asked, her tone light, almost playful.

Leon turned off the tap, removed the apron, and faced her. Carissa was placing the food on the table.

“Do you like him?” Leon asked. His voice did not rise, but he kept looking at her like he needed a real answer.

Instead of answering right away, Carissa walked to the fridge and took out a bottle of cold water. “Dinne said he likes me,” she said honestly.

Leon let out a short laugh that did not sound like he found anything funny. His fingers pressed tight against his palm.

“You are annoying, Car,” he said.

He moved closer until she had nowhere to step back. Carissa found herself pressed between him and the fridge. She looked up at him, her eyes meeting his. His face lowered toward hers, heading straight for her lips.

Carissa lifted her hand and pushed against his chest.

“You should not try anything if you are not ready to take responsibility for my feelings,” she said, her eyes locked on his.

This time, she stopped him before he could cross the line. Leon said nothing for a moment. He let out a low sound of frustration, then stepped away and turned his back on her.

“Sir, where are you going? Let us eat first.”

“You eat,” he said without looking at her.



The next morning, the sound of the doorbell filled the flat. Leon was in his room, adjusting his tie, when he clicked his tongue in annoyance. He walked out, already irritated at whoever decided to show up at that hour.

He reached the door and looked through the viewer. His eyes widened. Chaka stood outside. Without wasting time, Leon rushed to Carissa’s room and pushed the door open without knocking. Carissa was still asleep on the bed.

“Car,” he said in a low but urgent voice.

He pulled the blanket away from her.

“Car, Chaka is outside.”

Carissa slowly opened her eyes, still half asleep. “Chaka?” she asked, confused.

“Yes. He is at the door,” Leon said, his voice tight.

Carissa got out of bed and walked to the front door, then opened it.

“Good morning, Carissa.”

Chaka smiled at her, and for a second she just stood there, staring at him.

“Why are you here?” she asked without thinking.

Chaka’s expression dropped. “What kind of question is that? Am I not allowed to pick you up?”

Carissa scratched her head. “That is not what I meant. I mean… why did you not tell me earlier?”

“I did. I sent you a message. You did not reply.”

Carissa pressed her lips together in frustration. Of course she had not seen it. She had just woken up.

Chaka checked his watch. “You are almost late. Go and get ready.”

Carissa let him inside and asked if he wanted a drink, but he refused and told her to hurry instead.

Chaka sat in the living room, smiling to himself. He liked seeing her like that in the morning. Her sleepy eyes, her messy hair, her bare face without makeup. He did not regret waking up early just to come and pick her up, even though he did not have classes that day.

He looked around. The place was clean again. Suddenly, there was a loud sound coming from inside. Chaka frowned slightly. A moment later, the bathroom door opened hard. Carissa rushed out, wrapped in a towel, and ran straight into her room.

The door closed behind her with force. Carissa leaned her back against the door, breathing fast. She almost relaxed, but that feeling did not last. Her eyes widened.

Leon stood inside the room. She almost screamed, but his hand covered her mouth.

“Do not make a sound. Chaka is outside,” he said.

Carissa nodded quickly.

“What are you doing here?” she asked in a low voice once he let go.

Leon placed his hands on his waist. “How am I supposed to leave when he is sitting in the living room?”

Carissa pulled the towel tighter around her body. She started to panic again. She needed to get dressed, but Leon was right there.

“Sir…”

“What?”

“I need to change,” she said.

Leon said nothing for a moment. His gaze dropped over her body before he forced himself to look away.

“So?” he asked, but his voice no longer sounded the same.

“I need to change, sir,” she repeated.

“You want me to walk out and let him find out we live together?”

Carissa shook her head. Leon let out a breath, then turned his back to her.

“Change your clothes. I will close my eyes.” It was the first lie he told that morning.