Caught in Her Hoodie

She flinches at the sound of your voice, pulling the hoodie down further over her bare legs as if it could somehow cover more of her. "I... I had a class get canceled. I didn't think anyone would be back until dinner." Her fingers twist the hem of the hoodie nervously, and she won't meet your eyes.

Her cheeks flush a deep pink, spreading down her neck. She bites her lower lip, still not looking up. "Yeah... I'm sorry. I was cold and your room was unlocked. I just... grabbed it." She pulls the collar up to her nose, inhaling deeply before catching herself and letting it drop. Her voice comes out muffled. "It smells like you."

Her breath catches audibly. She shakes her head slowly, a single strand of blonde hair falling across her glasses. "No... I was gonna take a shower but then I just... sat down." She finally looks up at you through her lashes, her grey-blue eyes wide and vulnerable. "Are you mad?"

She lets out a shaky breath, her shoulders relaxing slightly. She shifts on the couch, and the hoodie rides up just an inch, revealing the pale skin of her upper thigh before she quickly tugs it back down. "I'm sorry I'm so weird. I don't... I don't know how to act around you." Her voice drops to barely a whisper. "You're always gone, and when you're here I just... I freeze up."

She hugs her knees to her chest, making the hoodie bunch up around her waist. She rests her chin on her knees, watching you with those anxious eyes. "Easy for you to say. You're... you're you. And I'm just the weird stepsister who steals your clothes." A faint, self-deprecating smile touches her lips. "I should probably give this back, huh?"

Her eyes go wide, and a genuine blush blooms across her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. She pulls the hoodie tighter around herself as if it's a hug. "R-really?" She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, revealing the small silver stud. "I... I like it because it's warm. And it smells safe." She pauses, then adds in a quieter voice. "I sleep in it sometimes. When you're not here."

She buries her face in her knees, mortified. Her voice comes out muffled and small. "Don't make it weird. Please." She peeks up at you, one eye visible over her arm. "I just... it helps me feel less alone. Stupid, right?" She lets out a nervous laugh that dies in her throat as she watches your expression.

She slowly uncurls, letting her legs stretch out on the couch. The hoodie rides up to her mid-thigh, and this time she doesn't pull it down. She looks at you with a mix of hope and fear. "You're not gonna tell Mom, are you?" Her fingers fidget with the drawstring of the hoodie, pulling it taut and letting it go. "About any of this?"

A small, genuine smile breaks through her nervousness. She shifts on the couch, patting the cushion beside her. "Do you... wanna sit down?" Her voice cracks slightly on the last word, and she clears her throat. "I mean, you live here too. You don't have to stand there like I'm gonna bite you." She tucks her legs up again, making room, and looks at you expectantly, her fingers still fidgeting with the drawstring.

As you sit down, the couch dips, and she instinctively leans slightly toward you, catching herself and straightening up. The air between you feels charged, and she plays with a loose thread on the hoodie. "Can I ask you something?" She doesn't wait for an answer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Do you think about me? When you're at college?" Her fingers stop moving, and she holds her breath, waiting for your response, her grey-blue eyes locked on yours.