Two near-strangers find themselves having to share an apartment during quarantine. Their growing mutual attraction is clearly just the isolation getting to them, right? Right?!
Anika had rarely been so frustrated. At this precise moment, she was supposed to be on an airplane, flying back to Amsterdam. Just a few hours ago, everything had bene lined up perfectly. She had reached a stopping point in her thesis work, had sent messages to her family and boyfriend, had packed up everything. And after her initial flight on Saturday was cancelled, she'd managed to get a seat on a Friday flight. Going home a day early!
And then, just as she was almost at the airport, she got a text. Thanks to travel ban, her flight was cancelled.
Now she was trudging up the stairs to her apartment, sweaty, tired, angry and worried that she might have been exposed during her cab ride. Her trip home was postponed, and, by the look of things, it might be a long time before she could reschedule. She was stuck in New York. And while she loved the city, she did not want to wait out the pandemic there.
She finally reached the small apartment she shared with Rachel. Rachel had gone home a week ago when spring break began. But the University was now going fully remote and Rachel was almost certain to stay home. Anika sighed in resignation as she unlocked the door, knowing she was about to be alone for a long long time.
She got into the tiny entry and closed the door. And as she put down the bag, she was overwhelmed with a feeling of uncleanliness. She'd been out there, in the world, getting heaven knows what on her clothing. She quickly began to strip. Her short skirt hit the floor, her blouse followed. She even unleashed her bra, leaving her in nothing but her panties. For a moment, she felt a little better, like she had shed off the outside world and could be herself.
She got the phone out of her purse. As she crossed the living room, heading toward the hallway and the bathroom to take a shower, she texted Rachel.
You are not going to believe what just happened to me?
???
My fucking flight was cancelled! I'm stuck here!
That's awful! What are you going to do?
I'm guess I'm going to have to wait things out in the apartment.
That sucks. Are you on your way back?
I'm already back. Going to wash up just to be safe.
Well, say Hi to Adam for me.
Anika froze in the hallway.
"Shit," she said.
In all the chaos, she had forgotten about Rachel's brother. He was up in New York for a job interview and to hunt for a place to live. They had agreed to let him use the apartment while they were away. She'd even taken her valuables with her just to be on the safe side.
Her eyes drifted rightward toward the bedroom. She gasped.
A strange man -- presumably Rachel's brother -- was lying asleep in one of the beds.
Time stood still. She wasn't sure what she should do. Then she heard a ringtone from Adam's phone beside the bed. He flailed for the phone, lifted his head up and glanced at it. Then he sat bolt upright and slowly turned toward her.
For a second, they stared at each other. Adam wondered if he was dreaming this vision of a curvaceous woman with reddish-blond hair and bright blue eyes clad in nothing but a pair of bikini panties. Even with the shock, he couldn't help but notice her.
Anika was a bit less impressed by his slightly pudgy physique. Her eyes widened a bit at the sizable disposition between his legs before it processed that the reason she could see it was because he didn't have a single stitch on.
With mutual cries, they moved. Adam covered up his crotch with a pillow. Anika's hands flew to cover her breasts, a task to which they were somewhat inadequate. She turned and scampered into the bathroom and slammed the door.
Shit shit shit shit.
What is it?
I totally forgot your brother was staying here.
Oh, he's not bad. A little dorky, definitely. But he's a good guy. You're perfectly safe with him.
That's not what I meant. I mean I forgot. So I walked in on him naked.
OMG!
And I was heading toward the shower so I was almost naked too!
OMG! OMG! LOL
I feel so humiliated!
I'm sorry. I shouldn't laugh. I know it must be humiliating. But I can't help it.
This is not the way I wanted to meet your family!
You've met him before.
Well, I don't remember him.
I'm sure you will now. A great story to tell your grandkids Hahaha. }:)
Not funny, Rachel!
Anika stood over the sink and looked at herself in the mirror, a thousand thoughts buzzing through her head. She had no idea what she was supposed to do now. But she knew she couldn't go back out into the apartment. Not with him there. Not with ...
She realized her clothes were still in the hallway. All she had in the bathroom was a washcloth.
She jumped when there was a gentle knock on the door.
"What do you want?" she barked, more harshly than she intended.
"You're Anika, right? I'm sorry about that. I thought there was no one here."
Silence.
"Look, I ... I brought your clothes over. I can just leave them outside the door and go into the bedroom if you want."
Anika felt her embarrassment diminish slightly but only slightly.
"I don't want to wear those. I wore them outside."
"Oh. Well, yeah. That's why I was, uh ... well, you know. I'll put them in the laundry. Do you want me to bring you something else?"
Anika didn't like the idea of him going through her clothes.
