TER

LO'S

y. I realized I hadn't eaten dinner yet. Looking

u eaten?

rmured and pressed a ha

t burgers, fries, and pasta. "The delivery guy will be here soon. I can't take you shopping for real clothes because it is too

u," she s

e gratitude, I felt a strange sparkle in my heart. Warmth bloomed in

At the same time, the rational and cynical side of my brain screamed in warning. I could not just keep a total stranger in my house.

nius and a master of logic. I could no

I said and stood

biological anomaly, there had to be physical evidence. I needed to analyze her and look for anything unusual. I skipped my usual wri

trackpad?" I directed her and poi

her print. Rows of data began to appear, but the system showed many error codes. Her fingerprint ridges were almost perfectly smo

webcam also checked her internal vit

ding the biological age on the screen

do young girls, I told myself and tried to strengthen my emotional walls. I'm

cal anomalies, the sharp melodic chime o

move. I will get the door," I instru

perfectly still on

wall-mounted security monitor. My ja

ead. Cassie was my childhood best friend. She was loud, intrusive, and fiercel

rack. "Cassie, what are you doing here? It's al

t into the apartment with her massive designer handbag. She smelled faintly of

to the living room sofa where my bird girl sa

al. She turned to look at me and raised an eyebrow. "That's why you treated

racter. She could spot a liar from far away. If this girl had bad intentions, Cassi

and walked to the sofa

m under Cassie's energy. She gav

" Cassie asked and

no name or that she was a pigeon

. The word flew out b

nd of name was that? I groaned inside and wanted to

me's Cassie," Cassie said. Her col

ie said slowly and repeated the na

being so nice? Usually she interrogated any girl I brought h

th a strained grin. I grabbed Cassie by the elbow and dragged her

" Cassie asked. She pulled her ar

don't like that," I complained and paced around the room. "You usually hate seeing

is absolutely gorgeous and has a pure, welcoming spirit. She looks like a genuinely good person, A

I go to bed with her?" I prot

ust a guest, but she's wearing your clothes? Really? If a g

out. She had a valid point. To anyone watchi

ed story," I said and frowned deeply. "Cassie, can you please go

"And again... her name isn't act

then?" Cassie asked

It's getting dark and the weather is turning bad agai

rolled her eyes as she walked back into the hallway. "Angelo, seriously, don't do anything stu

groaned, but she just chuckled and igno

building's automated drop-box. The containers were neatly arranged on the coffee t

very guy arrive?"

y full. She looked up at Cassie and held out a

sit down on the floor. "Oh, wow, that

d the back of her jacket and d

ith your boyfriend," I said sarca

any way to comfort your heartbroken best frien

a firm but supportive smile. I gently pushed her i

eat relief and leaned my back against the closed door. If Cassie had stayed longe

had faded and left a heavy exhaustion in my bones. It was finally time to

" Senorita said slowly. She stood up from th

I'm the host. You take the

"The couch is fine. It remind

to argue with bird logic. "Alright. Use that duvet

Angelo," s

dnig

to the glass window and looked outside. "It's snowing already," I said quietly and wa

nd switched off the bedside lights. Within minutes

gel

at cut through the darkness of my mind. I was deep in s

My vision was blurry. T

gel

closer now. Ri

and, and switched on the bedside lamp. The sudden warm yellow light blin

ress. My oversized t-shirt and shorts lay i

Her pale, flawless skin

racked with sleep and panic. I tried to pull the blanket up to

, straddling me. My eyes widened as she settled down. Her bare heat pressed over my boxer shorts right on

ession. There was no sexual intent in her eyes. To h

at my panicked face. "I watched you through the window with the other girls. You always take

ous naked body, the intense heat from her skin, and the s

My hands hovered in the air, terrified to touch her yet froz