AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I think you're fucking amazing for everything you've done. I'm proud of you, Clarissa.
I don't know what to make of that information, but in the moment, it had had such an extreme effect on me that I had kissed him.
And when the kiss was over, all I'd wanted was more.
I'd gotten almost nothing accomplished all day, constantly checking my phone for his texts and the door for his shadow. But now, now that I'm distracted by work, he appears, acting like nothing happened.
"I'm just here to see my sweet. And look, I brought sweets for my sweet." He says with a cheesy grin, then stands up and holds out a box. I take it, surprised at the gesture. I hardly even notice as he leans over and presses a kiss to my cheek.
I give the box a shake. It's heavy, about the size of a shoe box. "What is this?"
"Open it and see," he answers, infuriatingly.
I consider and then hold it out to him. "I don't want it." It's been a weird enough day, I'm not sure if I can handle an unsolicited, surprise gift.
His eyes flash hurt. "I wasn't asking if you wanted it or not. Open the damn box, Clarissa. Everyone is looking." Matthias turns to the neighboring table and says, "It's just a belated birthday gift. Her birthday was last month. I'm a terrible boyfriend." His self-deprecating explanation makes them break out into smiles, and I want to throw the box at them for falling for his charm.
Gingerly, not entirely convinced that it's not a prank, I tear away a strip of the wrapping paper. It reveals the corner of the box. And I instantly know what it is. There's a hint of yellow, green, red, and, of course, the trademarked, literally trademarked, purple.
It's a box of Caramello Koalas. I can tell by just a corner of the box.
Grumpiness gives way to awkward speechlessness as I stare at the box, mouth dropped open.
"This is a box of Caramello Koalas," I state.
He nods with a proud smile.
"H-How did you get this?" I'm stunned. For a bunch of different reasons.
"Um." He laughs. "You don't want to know. Don't you like them?"
I don't like them. Ifucking lovethem. In Sydney, I'd pretty much lived on them. A supermarket chocolate treat common in Australia, it is basically a chocolate shaped koala with caramel inside; it is hardly haute cuisine, but I couldn't get enough of them. Everywhere I went, I carried a stash of Caramello Koalas. But how would he know that? By the time I'd moved to Australia, Matthias had lived in New York for years. He couldn't have known.
"I cannot even imagine how you would know that."
He shakes his head and looks disappointed. "You're kidding, right? You don't remember when I came over to Sydney one time? There was a big bowl of chocolates on the table in the employee kitchen, I accidentallytoucheda Caramello Koala and you snatched it out of my hand."
I have a vague recollection of the incident at best, but to be honest, there's really no reason not to believe him. I will stab a bitch who touches my Caramello Koalas. And I haven't had one in six long months.
"I... don't know what to say, Matthias." The gift is extremely thoughtful. Monetarily insignificant, but something only someone who knew me would get. Why is that someone continuing to be Matthias?
"Well, you could say, 'thanks for this giant box of Caramello Koalas, sorry I almost amputated your arm up to the elbow that one time you accidentally touched one trying to dig through the box for a Flake?'"
I pretend to consider what he said. "That's kind of long-winded. How about just a thank you?"
He smiles, his eyes twinkling in the dark. "Happy belated birthday, Clarissa. I hope you have a wonderful year."
I hug the box to my chest and wander, in a daze, to my office. Inside, I sit staring at the opened box for a minute. There must be a hundred in here. If I ate two a day, that would last me almost two months.
I grab one and rip it open.
The little line etchings, filling in the details of a koala in the chocolate, make me laugh. And I break off the head of my chocolate koala and pop it into my mouth.
It's just like I remember.
I never knew a supermarket treat could bring me so much joy. I practically hoover down the other half and sit back, feeling the sugar rush around my body. The chocolate hasn't even fully melted before I rip open another one and cram it into my mouth.
Divine.
