'ONE – DATE – STANDS'
'This chapter contains sexual contents'
'Who's that?' Allyssa asks, peering over my shoulder to get a glimpse of my phone.
I'm quick to gridlock the screen on my chest before she sees any more than she already has— I would never understand why she does that.
'I have no clue what you mean.' My lies are tactlessly transparent, especially to her.
I look like a teenager caught sneaking out past curfew.
She goes to sit at the edge of my bed, stretching casually. 'The girl with the pimple patch on her breast, the one you were just eye-fucking.'
'You'll have to be more specific.' I look away, grinning. As far as I'm concerned, there's no girl.
There's a brief silence, like she doesn't plan to press any further, until, 'Is she the one you have the date with?'
'What date?'
'Th—'
'Allyssa, why are you here?' I study her through the mirror, she's smiling. She knows what I'm playing at, it's a game she plays too well. But surprisingly she lets it go.
'I got a reply from Browns.' I'm all attentive now, turning around to face her.
'What did it say?'
'They're closing in on the killer. Though there are possible suspects— ex-convicts mostly— who are under investigation, none of them really match the profile.'
'Any new leads?'
She shakes her head, a trace of tension melting into a sigh, 'None. Still the same old, boring theories.' That lifts a small weight off my chest, but I don't let it show. Alyssa can't smell fear coming from me; She looks up to me.
The media has been blowing up with countless conspiracies and theories since Michael's murder, they've got every flavor of speculation. The police claimed a breakthrough; newly obtained evidence that's bringing them close. Usually, it was 'The Dopamine Killer', though, this time, they kept using 'the Unsub.'
This makes Allyssa worried, so I suggested that she go undercover, emailing Browns as a college student completing her final year's project on the Dopamine killer. Being the attention whore he is, he answers all her interview questions with extras.
We are ahead in all ways that count.
'That's good, then?' I say.
She blows out another long, hefty breath, her shoulders slumped forward, 'I don't know what to say.' She looks to the door, and her smile breathes life into her features again, 'Come here, Simon.' She calls our dog. He's up on her lap in no time licking away at her face.
I'm filled with satisfaction, hope, as I watch them. My only family. The only ones that if push ever came to shove, I'd give it all up for them. In the blink of an eye.
'When are you going? Chris is coming over.' She says after a while.
'I thought you broke up.'
'We made up.' She shrugs.
I roll my eyes; it never ends for good. They've been going at it for a while now. On and Off for four years.
Apparently, the plan is to be end games. 'it's a do-or-die situation' the bald idiot would say.
'I hate his wig.' I mutter half distracted by my phone. There's a text bubbling, which I don't pay much attention to. It's always the same reel with these dating apps.
'Unpopular opinion.' She teases.
'it's just the wig, though, he's alright otherwise. Plus, Uncle Larry is bald too.' She burst out laughing.
When she's able to catch her breath she says, 'Uncle
Larry's dying bald; my Chris isn't.'
—
HOTCHICK-CRIMSON: Are you standing me up?
I smile at the message lighting up my phone. Feeling Alyssa's words echo somewhere in the back of my mind: 'You need to get a life. Don't screw this up.'
I'm nervous about this date. I've never been nervous about anything.
ME: I think it's too soon to make resolutions.
HOTCHICK-CRIMSON: Tell that to the waiter who keeps pestering me about ordering.
Me: Which one?
There's hesitation, I expected that.
The reply bubble appears and disappears, up and down. I wait, then nudge her with a quick,
ME: ??
HOTCHICK-CRIMSON: Looks Asian, a little too built for a twink, serious piercings all over.
ME: Any Chance he's the one with the buzz cut?
HOTCHICK-CRIMSON: Odd. But, yes, that's him.
At that, I can't help but grin, and a wild confidence pushes me to stand up. As I walk in, I spot her immediately, hunched slightly over her phone.
I pull out a seat, 'Shall I kill him for you?' she looks up from her phone, her face pulling into a slight frown at first, then surprise, and she lights up, finally, recognizing me.
'I think I can manage.' Her voice is curt, soft, and melodious. I'm convinced I'm way over myself here because, in person, her profile photos do her no justice at all. That killer smile that complements her gentle greenish-grey eyes is enough to send me sprinting back outside.
She's so out of my league and that's un-fortuitously obvious.
'No one warned me you'd be this beautiful.' She chuckled, demurely. I already feel like an idiot.
'You might have to polish those pick-up lines if you're hoping to sway me,' she winks, reclining in her chair. The act is simple, yet daring. Daring me to fish out something better, but I'm almost too awestruck to process or even remember the actual lines I'd memorized. It's like dysphasia.
She could be mistaken for the sun if it wasn't so bright today. She's... radiant, her skin, a blend of milk and honey, she's grace with every movement, a mystery in every stolen glance. I try not to stare, but it's impossible.
'If you keep staring at me like that, people might talk.' She says, tucking a stray piece of golden brown hair behind her ear. Her contrasting expression confuses me, she transforms even more beautifully with every gentle demeanor.
'Let them talk' I murmur, feeling bold. 'Just a guy admiring an angel. Not my fault that I can't seem to get enough.'
Her laugh bubbles up, drawing me further in.
'You always get this poetic on dates?'
'First dates, maybe, I won't know about the others.' A slow grin crawls up her lips, brightening her eyes even more.
'I'm gonna sue. I have to.'
I arch my brow, feigning a frown. 'Why?'
'No man gets all flirty and sexy with me and just gets away with it.' I'm a mess of chuckles before I can get a grip on myself.
But then the waiter's there again, killing the moment with his flashy but forced smile.
'Are you—' Before he can ask, she turns back to me, leaning in close,
'Should we get out of here?' her suggestive tone puts me in a thin line I struggle to stand on. I'm sure if my eyes hadn't trailed down her pumped cleaves, my nods wouldn't be so frantic
She pulls out a hundred and smashes it on the table, 'Keep the change.'
Moments later, we are practically barging into an apartment I don't have the time to take in; clashing lips, sucking tongues, panting heatedly, there's no time to catch air, no time to make small talks, we're just... a mess of laughs, breaths, and teeth.
Her hand drifts to grab a clutch of my hair as she makes a soft, timid gesture toward me, grinding slightly into me as we back up to a wall,
My cock responds with immediate effect, stirs, raging in my pants.
I groan and she drinks it up. Damn, she's good.
She's taking the lead and I can't find a fiber of bone in me to complain. I can't even remember the last time I thought about sex. God, I've never been so desperate for something in my life.
'Your hair smells... good' I murmur, mid-kiss.
She pulls only centimeters away, heat burning in her eyes, 'Why, thank you, kind sir,' her voice is raspy... hot... she brushes her lips against mine.
Our eyes are interlocked as I caress my hands up her body to cup her full breast, I tip my head lower to take a long, savory snuffle, all while maintaining eye contact. 'This smells good too.'
'Yeah?'
'Yeah.' I respond, starved.
It was quick— too quick, I didn't see it coming. She slides her hand into my pants, beyond boxer briefs, meeting my pulsing cock.
I grunt, 'Fu—ck!' my legs are weak.
She leans over, connecting our knees. She flips us so her back would rest on the wall— I'm not gonna lie, I'm surprised by her strength, especially with the no-fat policy her body emits.
Impulsively, our lips crash again, I'm on edge, panting miserably, as her hand doesn't just lay dormant in my pants.
'Have you ever had sex up against the wall?' she asks, darkly.
'Have you?' I retort.
'Let's find out.'
I hold up her leg to wrap around me, sliding my hand into the band of her panties. 'Let's do it.'
My phone pings suddenly, I ignore it, peppering her nape with kisses.
When the second ping hits, it's unmistakable: Alyssa's unique duck quack.
I wince. 'Sorry, let me just get that.' I squeeze my phone out of my back pocket.
ALYSSA: Sorry to cockblock, but you'll want to see this in person. No pics, trust me, it's serious.
I glance back at her, pained. 'I... kinda have to run. Promise I'll reach out.' She nods understandably.
I lean in for one last kiss before I scramble out of there. I don't miss the unreadable smile in her eyes as I shut the door.