JANUARY 20,

I met a girl today, not like the others, but really something unordinary. When she looked at me my whole soul,every part of me ignited seeping flames into the cold depths of my heart. I want her. I followed her to a shabby apartment building, a light was out near the rear of the apartment it didn’t seem as though she noticed it, however I did.

Carelessly she left the dingy door unlocked. A tall girl with black unkempt hair, left with her to an old looking, rusty car. I had no idea how long they’d be gone, but I needed to explore, to know everything about her. My fingers hungrily brushed past every bit of information they could discover, I knew she liked old books due to the full bookshelf of dated parchments, Purple and green covered the walls making the sad little apartment festive, a unicorn bedspread exposed an oddly childish side, I breathed in a sweet spicy scent that was entirely hers, soft, calm, comforting and all the more I knew she’d be mine.

I marked entrances in and out of her apartment, I knew my way in, then I simply waited for her to get back. I averted my eyes as she changed into a sports bra and stretchies, I am a gentleman afterall. After her shower I followed her to a large building where passing by a sour faced,woman on my way in, by the time I entered into the warm heated air of the plain beige office walls she’d pulled out a paperback book. Only two other people waited in tan fluffy chairs, I easily managed to slip by suspicion and watch her turn page after page of the book finding a more comfortable position from afar. Why wouldn’t she look at me? I was right there, instead she turned her attentions toward a dark haired man. She smiled and flirted, trying her hand at the game of love, but I will not tolerate that she is mine and always will belong to me MINE. I wanted to introduce myself that very night, so I did what I do best waited. Everyone had left, but her, she quietly packed up her belongings not knowing what lurked in the darkness how funny that was, I’d definitely be a pleasant surprise at this my deep chuckle escaped. What a magnificent reaction, such a beautiful shocked face was carved into my mind like a portrait of stone. I wanted more, and more and more. Even though she tried to shake me off I followed her every step like we were caught in a tango, step...by...step.

I saw her shifting uncomfortably in a pile of blankets, What troubled her in the depths of her subconscious? I moved closer to see what expression she wore. Such a dark pained look, I was pained by such a look on her beautiful face it wasn’t even caused by me, but a simple dream pained her so. Gently I leaned over smoothing away the hair from her forehead, lightly I painted a portraiture of my lips on the canvas near her brow. When she stirred I melted back into the dark shadows moving towards to a cramped closet, her footsteps started down the hall I moved towards the light from the hallway soaking up every soft step unfortunately my arm bumped the door sending it creaking open. My heart played against my ribcage as she shouted at me, finally she knew I was there… finally. What exhilaration strummed through my body crashing against everything I was yes, this is why I did what I did for that excitement that coursed through my veins when they got so close yet would never catch me. Slyly I crouched behind two boxes brimming with miscellaneous items that not even I thoroughly searched through. Silent, still, silent and still, no breaths snuck from my lips, no movement shook my body I blended in so perfectly she’d never distinguish my frame from that of a shadow’s, satisfied no monsters lurked in her closet she let out all of the anxiety with a heavy breath and moved on to the bathroom.

Her voice leaked out to me as she spoke on a hand held blue cased mobile phone, she was sitting on the light blue couch her knees drawn to her chest flipping through different shows on the TV. She was making plans, plans I would be apart of. Saying good night she hung up, laying on the couch until her eyes grew heavier and heavier decisively closing, I soaked in that image while the night ripened into the dawn and light lit up her hair then I went home to prepare for the long night ahead.

I smacked my lips together to wet my mouth, my bed felt especially soft for some reason, cautiously I ebbed my eyelids into a thin squint so I didn’t blind myself with sunlight. Seconds was all it took to realize this was not my bed nor my apartment ‘Ummm…. Where am I?’

Gray silky sheets crumpled onto the large fluffy bed, I pulled the red warm thick comforter to my chest ‘Oh my gosh what is happening? I did not sleep with a stranger, I did not sleep with a stranger, I’m simply not the type not at all. Please tell me I didn’t sleep with a stranger.’

“Hey you’re finally up, I thought you were going to sleep forever” A deep voice said peeking into the room from the doorway. He had short curly hair, and a swarthy tan complexion that completely offset dark sapphire eyes ‘how interesting...no NOT interesting, who is this guy and why am I in his bed?...Though he is good looking. NO stop this you crazy lady you don’t know him stop being so shallow’ great now my mind is in turmoil.

“ Ummm, where am I?” I managed to croak out.

“ Oh you don’t remember?” He fully entered the room revealing a well toned build I could just imagine being wrapped up in. Stocking over to the bed he took a seat on the bed’s very edge careful not to get too close to me.

“ Last night you sorta passed out on the bar, generally I wouldn’t take anyone home, but it was closing and I don’t need vagrants in my bar making a mess. I’d feel bad about leaving a little girl like you alone on the streets, so I took you to my house above the bar until you woke up and that’s about it” A faint accent lilted each word, though I couldn’t quite place it.

“ Little girl? I am sick of people saying that, I may be little but I am mighty and I’ll take down any attacker if anything they should be worried about me” I was extremely offended. Yeah sure he was an attractive guy, but I got enough of that ‘ women are weak’ thing from my dad I didn’t need to hear it from others...plus I was not small! I hated that.

“ Jeez, okay I didn’t mean to offend I was just worried is all. How about you let me drive you home? I’m sure you don’t want to walk.” I didn’t want to walk, but I also didn’t want him to think I was weak, I could fend for myself.

“ No, but thank you. I’ll just contact an Uber” I said getting up to gather my small purse and shoes, that were neatly set beside the bed.

“ Alright it was just an offer” he shrugged crossing the room to make his exit.

“Oh if you want I have some toast, though you might just throw it up you’ve been awfully pukey all night” he shuddered as though he’d seen a horrendous sight. I froze.

“ Please tell me you didn’t have to clean up my puke.” I cringed, when I puked I really puked it was not okay how much.

“ Yes I did, it was like exorcist puke, everywhere...everywhere” I could see the event playing in his eyes, and knew it had been horrible.

“ I am so sorry. I won’t take you up on the toast, but I’ll have to repay you I feel really bad about this” I hung my head between my knees feeling the nausea rise to the surface.

“ I hate to ask this, but where’s the bathroom?”puke already surged up my throat when I moved.

“ It’s in there” He hastily pointed to a closed door on the other side of the room. I sped towards the door flinging it open to barf on the nearest bowl which was thankfully the sink, not to say nothing splashed on the handles, but hey at least it was easy to clean off. When I glanced up I caught my reflection in the mirror, I looked like a drug addict. My eye makeup was smeared so I looked similar to a clown, my face was gaunt and pale, my hair was tangled with a few chunks I could only assume came from barf. Yup I wasn’t winning a beauty pageant anytime soon. I did my best to clean up washing away puke and makeup all in one go, then trying to straighten out my hair as best as I could.

“ Wow you clean up nice” laughter rang behind me as he stepped into the bathroom.

“ Would you hush, I looked like skeletor” I said not pleased being a joke.

“ Hey, remember I haven’t seen you without puke coming out of your mouth” he said with another chuckle, then he simply strolled away.

“ Come down when you’re ready to go, and don’t forget anything I’m not going to track you down” he called from another room.

“ Yeah yeah” I muttered still trying to make it look like I had some dignity.

15 minutes later I was presentable, and my Uber had arrived so I found my gracious host in a neat little kitchen.

“ Uh thank you for taking care of me I guess.” I wasn’t really sure what to say to him.

“ No problem come back again, and I’ll actually make you some good food and you can throw that up instead of whatever it was you ate.” He said jokingly as I sighed.

“ I’ll still have to pay you back somehow, so just call me if you need a favor and I’ll oblige as long as it’s not something I can’t do” I was going to regret this, but I’m not somebody who wouldn’t repay a debt.

“ You don’t have to pay me back, I didn’t expect anything” baffled he looked at me as if I was some alien.

“ Nope, I have to otherwise I won’t be able to have a clear conscious” I said writing my number on a sticky note pad I carried in my purse. I stuck the stick note on his counter and headed out the door into the snowy street.

“ 5th avenue south please” I said to my Uber driver.

“ Rough night?” The man asked gruffly.

“ You haven’t even scratched the surface” I said recalling the stranger who’d taken care of me,his striking blue eyes. I didn’t even know his name.