I stood in front of the closet in my room at my parent’s house. My hair was still wrapped in a towel and I had on nothing but a pair of black capri pants and a bra. “I don’t know what to wear.” I groaned looking over at Melissa was lying on her stomach on my bed reading US Weekly. I’d been through both our suitcases. Twice.
She glanced up at me before returning to her magazine, “I think the last five shirts you put on were pretty good choices but apparently you don’t like what I have to say. Besides, weren’t you just bitching about not needing to impress him? Hmm. Did you know that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are going to need a farm sooner or later? I swear, they like adopt a kid a year.”
Chuckling, I rolled my eyes and picked up the last shirt I threw half hazard on the floor. “This will have to do. I have to leave in like 30 minutes.” I slip on the sleeveless white tunic with a cute faded floral design on the front over my head and step into my silver flats. Turning around, I pulled the towel out of my hair and cleared my throat, “How do I look?”
Melissa raised an eyebrow before nodding, “Like I fucking hate you. Why do you always look good in MY clothes?” She closed the magazine and crossed her arms in front of her, “How are you doing your hair? It’s like 75 degrees outside. Perfect day! Where are you taking him? What time will you be back? Are you going to kiss him?”
I looked at her, my eyes wide, “WHOA, MOM, calm down.” I laughed as she cocked her head to the side, looking at me with an ‘I want answers’ smirk. “I’m leaving it down and curly, is that okay with you? I’ll probably take him downtown to Soup & Taco for lunch and then walk around. I do not know what time I will be back, depends on how long we walk around for and no, I am not going to kiss him. Are we covered?” I move towards the bathroom, scrunching my natural curly hair in the process.
As I begin applying my make up, I heard her giggle, “I’m putting a condom in your purse, by the way.”
*~*~*
We sat at a back table in the little restaurant Soup & Taco. I looked at Justin and grinned. He was dressed casually, denim jeans and a grey t-shirt and he was wearing his glasses. He leaned down to take a bite of his fajita but stopped when he noticed me smiling, “What?”
I shook my head, “I’m amazed that’s all.”
He chewed slowly, taking a sip of his water before speaking, “About what?”
“That you don’t bring that big scary black man with you.” I responded, taking a sip of my own water.
He gave me a lopsided grin, “Depends on where I am at. This town is pretty chill so I didn’t think it was necessary. Can I ask you a question?” I nodded so he would continue. Sitting his food down, he linked his fingers together on the table, “You and Melissa are close, right? How did you guys meet?”
I finished chewing my taco and smiled, “Well, we met the summer before our freshman year of college when we both were touring the campus. We kept in touch and decided to be roommates. She was my roommate for all four years and is still my roommate to this day. We’re so much like sisters it’s ridiculous; I love the girl to death. We’ve been through a lot of stuff together, good bad and ugly.”
He nodded, “That’s how I feel about Trace, the guy that was with us last night. We’ve been friends since we were kids and it’s like … I’m not sure I would know what to do with myself if I didn’t have him to keep me in check. Other than my mamma, he is the one person that calls me on my bullshit. How long have you been singing for?”
I laughed and folded all my trash on the tray, pushing it off to the side. I leaned on my elbows on the table, “Since I was about 4. My dad has been performing since before he met my mom. He and my uncle used to have a duo type thing going on until I was about 8. On my fourth birthday, he brought me on stage to have me sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and I haven’t stopped since.”
“Would you do it professionally?” He questioned, using the napkin to wipe his mouth before placing his trash on mine.
I shook my head, “No. I like what I do too much to give it up. It’s a fun hobby to have and a great second job but I like my life the way it is now. What about you superstar? Giving up?”
He shrugged, “Not exactly. I’m pretty content with the way my life is right now. My second record was very fulfilling and I’m enjoying the producing and writing a lot more. I mean, I still love to perform. I do on occasion and I’ve done a lot of tracks with other artists but I’m enjoying this down time of sorts.”
I looked down at my watch and noticed it was almost 3 o’clock, “What do you say we get out of here? I was thinking we could walk around downtown, if you want to.”
He stood up, grabbing the tray, “Yeah, sounds great.”
*~*~*
As we walked down the main street, I pointed out various historical factors about my hometown. Justin seemed really interested, asking questions and cracking jokes. Around 5 o’clock we started heading back towards my car. Justin cleared his throat and I peered over at him, “You alright?”
He looked down and nodded, “I really like it here. Thank you for showing me around and for lunch. I’m not used to being the one treated on a date.” He gave me that sexy lopsided grin again.
“Well, don’t get used to it buddy. You’re paying next time.” I responded, nudging him with my shoulder.
He nudged me back, “So… there will be a next time?”
I shrugged nonchalantly, “That’s up to you. Do you want there to be?”
He threw his head back and laughed. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he seemed thoughtful before answering, “I haven’t been this awkward on a date in a really long time. Yes, I do want there to be another date. I’ve had a really nice time with you. So, Miss Ari, what is it that you do?”
I linked my arm through his and smiled up at him, “Good answer, Superstar. I work for a Law Firm in New York. I’m senior intern which is pretty cool. I get all the good jobs like sitting in on court cases and actually helping prosecute a couple. Melissa works there, too. I know we’re kind of inseparable which is scary sometimes.” I laughed before continuing, “We both applied for the same job without telling the other. They couldn’t choose so they created another senior intern position so they could have both of us. It’s pretty sweet.”
“What did you major in at college? I’ve thought about going back but I feel like I waited too long.” He commented, stepping a little closer beside me.
“I got my Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. I’m currently trying to get my Master’s in Forensic Science. I think that if you want to go back, you should. Start small, like online classes with your schedule and what not. What would you major in?”
He thought about for a minute before answering, “Business.”
We finished walking to my car in silence, my arm still looped through his. I pulled out the keys to my silver Dodge Neon and hit the unlock button. As I opened the door, “So, Melissa has to go to the law firm down here because she drew the short end of the stick. Our parents are going out of town for the night so if you want, you could come over and we could maybe watch a movie or something?”
We both got into the car and he nodded at me, “Sure, but under one condition.”
I started the car and backed out of the parking spot, “You name it.”
“You let me cook for you. What’s your favorite food?”
I stopped at the red light, “You cook? Amazing! I love Italian so anything that is extremely bad for you and super starchy is awesome.”
He laughed, looking out the window, “A girl after my own heart.”
*~*~*
I returned home a little before 7. Melissa was sitting on the couch watching a Lifetime movie, bucket of popcorn in her lap. I shook my head as I kicked off my shoes by door. Grabbing the blanket off the back of the couch, I sat down on the other side after stealing a handful of popcorn. She looked over at me, a small smirk on her lips, “Did he kiss you?”
I groaned, “Don’t beat around the bush. No, he didn’t. I told you I had no intention of kissing him today! I’m just starting to get to know him.”
She threw a piece of popcorn at me, “You’re no fun. Gosh, you and this whole ‘I got to have morals’ shit.”
I giggled, throwing the piece of popcorn back at her, “He did ask me on a second date though. Kind of.”
“What do you mean, ‘kind of’?” She questioned, raising an eyebrow.
“I mean, I sort of asked him if he wanted to and then he asked me if I wanted to and then we came to an agreement. So I invited him over tomorrow while everyone is gone. How long are you going to be at the office?”
Her sly smirk was back, “Are you going to get freaky in your parents house?”
I threw the last piece of popcorn I had at her, hitting her right between the eyes, “Melissa Anne Zoey Blake! Is sex all you think about!?”
She nodded, “Basically. When you haven’t gotten any in a couple months, it tends to take over your life. Which, Arianna Elizabeth Slater, I am surprised it hasn’t taken over yours. It’s been what … two years?”
I groaned and rolled my eyes, “Can we not bring that up right now? Besides, I’ve accepted the fact that I haven’t gotten laid in a while, a really long while. Something you obviously need to do.”
“I’ll be at the office until at least midnight because I’m not going in until around 6. I’ll text you when I am on my way home that way I don’t walk in on anything. Now shut up and let me watch this movie. It was just getting good. See, that man is cheating on his wife with the nanny who in turn hates his children and tried to poison one of them. But I’m not sure why he was fucking the nanny, I mean look at her. That’s like … downgrade 101 rights there. Besides, who the hell fucks the nanny nowadays? Now, she’s going after the second –“
I hit her in the head with the pillow, laughing, “Please, shut the fuck up.”
