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Ever since the pandemic started, Cleo felt like a hostage in their own house.
It certainly hadn't been easy, to say the least. Just being stuck inside, Cleo could probably manage fine. However, being stuck inside with her infuriating roommate Lizzie, well that just made the situation unbearable!
Yesterday they had an argument about the dishes of all things. It ended up with Lizzie storming away into her room, slamming the door so hard it made one of the pictures on the wall fall down. It hadn't broken, thankfully, but that was just another thing to add to Cleo's pile of annoyances at Lizzie.
Lizzie hadn't come out of her room since then. Not even to get a glass of water. Cleo should be relieved, Lizzie was leaving her alone for once, but she was starting to get worried. What if Lizzie was actually upset with Cleo this time? Or perhaps she was feeling depressed because of the pandemic? Or, heaven forbid, what if Lizzie had gotten sick? They both had been careful, but it might be possible? Cleo should check on her just to make sure.
Cleo knocked on Lizzie's door with her knuckles sharply twice before calling out, “Lizzie? You alright in there?”
“Go away!” Lizzie hissed back.
She didn't sound sick. So she was just mad at Cleo still. Well, whatever. She could rot away in there for all Cleo cared. They sighed to themself and walked away. At least they tried to walk away, but the door to Lizzie's room burst open and stopped Cleo in their tracks.
“It's finished!” Lizzie held up a stack of papers.
“What is finished, exactly?” Cleo heaved out a groan as she looked at the papers. They were filled with writing, but she couldn't see what it said from here.
“My epic poem!” Lizzie held the papers in front of herself. “It's all about how you won't do the dishes even when it's clearly your turn!”
“Why should I have to wash dishes I didn't even use-”
“Ah-papapa!” Lizzie cleared her throat and interrupted Cleo. “We shall begin the reading.”
Cleo decided to just let her get on with it. She was clearly in one of her weird moods and it was probably better to just let her get this out of her system. Lizzie struck a pose, holding out the papers in a way that didn't seem conducive to reading them, and started in on her poem.
“It was upon a midnight dreary
I woke up, in quite a fury-”
“Doesn't really rhyme,” Cleo chimed in.
“Shut it!” Lizzie glared at her.
“Okay, okay, get on with it.” Cleo rolled her eyes.
Lizzie started up again.
“I went to get a late-night snack,
But I was taken aback!
The bowl I needed for my nosh,
It had, in fact, nary a wash!
And who is the culprit, I might add?
It's someone who smells so bad!”
“Really Lizzie?” Cleo frowned at her. “I do not smell.”
“No, but this is my poem, so I can make it say what I want.” Lizzie shook her papers. “Let me continue!”
“Is this just going to be insulting me in various ways?” Cleo sighed. Why did she ever worry about Lizzie for even a second?
Lizzie ignored her and continued on,
“And this person leaves hair in the drain
To clean that is such a pain!
And once she ate my food
That put me in a bad mood!”
“Alright, that's enough.” Cleo stomped up to Lizzie. “Do you want me to start bringing up every single thing you have done? We've had this argument a hundred times!”
“And yet you never apologize, so let me continue-”
“No. No more of your poem. Shut up or I'll make you shut up.” Cleo sneered at Lizzie, getting directly in her face so she couldn't even see her stupid poem anymore.
Lizzie rolled her eyes and laughed. “I'd like to see you try!”
Something strange came over Cleo. She was furious at Lizzie, yes, but that doesn't explain why her thought process went where it did. Because the easiest way to shut someone up is to cover their mouth. And the easiest way to cover someone's mouth is…?
Cleo hardly thought of it as her lips crashed against Lizzie's. For a brief moment, they both stood there, stunned and confused. And then, for a much longer moment, Lizzie actually kissed Cleo back.
And it felt like electricity. It felt like her body was a live wire. Every single nerve was aflame, the source of the heat pressed against her lips.
Cleo nearly got lost in the moment, it felt like all her anger had dissipated, replaced by a deep yearning. That strange yearning actually snapped Cleo back to her senses, and she pulled away from the kiss.
Lizzie stared at her for several long seconds, not saying a single word, her eyes the size of dinner plates.
“Well.” Cleo cleared her throat loudly. “That shut you up.”
With that, Cleo turned and walked very quickly back to their own room. They closed the door and then slid down to the floor, leaning their back against the door.
They reached up, tracing their lips with one finger, feeling both like they had made a terrible mistake and that it was the best kiss they could remember having.