Home again, home again, Mandy thought as she entered her apartment. A bit of the evening’s earlier conversation with Charles prompted her to re-evaluate the place. It was true what she had said – that she’d needed to find a place on short notice, and as she looked around she again realized she wasn’t fond of it. Still, beggars couldn’t be choosers, and she didn’t want to up and tell her Dad she wanted to move already, especially when he was paying for things.
Coffee with Charles had been interesting, and kind of fun, if a little flustering at points. She still wasn’t sure if some of those moments had to do with Charles himself, or his training as a counselor. He was educated though, and made her think, which was something she had found throughout her dating history that she liked. Not that it was a date. Or that they were dating. Or…
She shook her head and sighed, needing to get him off her mind. Since things needed to be done around the house, she took the time to do some cleaning, ignoring it when her brain wanted to ask what he’d think of her place. Every time she brushed it aside, she tried telling herself that he was technically her boss, and probably older than her twenty-two years. Still….thoughts persisted. She worked up until she felt she couldn’t do anymore, due to the amount of noise it might make, so she instead made herself some dinner, and opted to get a shower.
After starting the water, she peeled off her clothes as it heated up, tossing them into the hamper before looking into the mirror and pulling her hair down, and shook it out. She finger-combed through the tresses, humming idly to herself like she sometimes did. Upon stepping into the shower, she let the hot spray warm her body before she began to soap up, starting first with carefully washing her hair so as not to damage it more than the dye already slightly did, and then proceeded to wash her body thoroughly.
She soaked for a while, then stepped out and dried off thoroughly before beginning her nightly routine, which included moisturizing her skin, something Michael had instructed her to start doing when they were twelve. After pulling on her PJs, she went around the apartment, locked the doors, made sure windows were closed, and turned off the lights on her way to the bedroom. Snuggling down into her blankets amidst the darkness, she reached over to turn on her white noise machine, and tried to sleep. She had trouble for a while, with her thoughts drifting to Charles’ lovely green eyes. Frustrated, she punched her pillow, and switched the background noise to quiet music, which was more effective for the time being. Maybe another night, we’ll go for another walk…an actual date…or is that just…to crazy? Wishful thinking? Maybe I just need to get out there and find someone.
With a little more adjusting, and a little more getting entranced by the music, she was eventually able to fall asleep.