I closed the door and rested against it for a second with my eyes closed.  This date was amazing. After dating a myriad losers, this was a breath of fresh air.   

“So are you gonna stop dreaming about Superstar and tell me everything that happened?”

My eyes shot open.  There was Nikki at the top of the stairs looking at me. “

You can’t even let me marinate in the moment can you?” 

“Nope. Details.” 

“Nikki.  He’s fucking perfect!” I said walking up the stairs.   

“Didn’t I say you’d have a good time?”  

“Yeah you did.  But man…that had to be the best date I’ve ever been on.  I didn’t feel the urge to scream ‘LAME!’ at all.” 

“But remember Nat.  No one’s perfect.  He has to have something wrong with him.  All guys do.” She said as she sat on her bed. 

“Can’t I pretend he doesn’t?” I pouted. “Sure you can babe and I’m pretty sure he’s a good guy. But don’t be all shocked and shit when he does something dumb out of nowhere.  It’s in their DNA.”  She’s right.  We both have come to the conclusion that all guys have a ‘stupid gene’ in their DNA.  I want to pretend that Justin doesn’t have that gene but I know he does, they all do. 

“He even offered to help me get my PR thingy thing started...in L.A.” 

“L.A.? How? You’ve never been there.” 

“I know.  He said I could tag along with him when he goes back for a couple days to see how I like it.”

 “Awww shoot. So Superstar is trying to make you wifey or something? Taking you on trips and shit. Let ME find out.”

I laughed. “No. He just wants to help me out.” 

“Uh huh.  Help you out.” She smirked. 

“Shut up. Oh yeah! And we’re going out on Friday.” 

“For real? Where??”  

“Well, he bet me that I’d like the food he chose. If I liked it, I had to go with him to the club…I lost.” 

“The club? Ms. ‘I hate people touching me’ is going to the club?”  

“You’re coming too.  He’s bringing his friends.” 

“Me? Well they better be cute.” “

Can’t make any promises…” I said laughing.

“Well. I’m off to my room.”  “To boo-love on the phone?” Nikki interjected.  I mean, I wasn’t gonna call him.  I was just gonna sit around and hoped that he called me. 

“No silly. I’m gonna change and go to bed.” I lied. 

“Yeah sure.  Nite Bitch!”

“Bye ho.” I said as I closed her door. This is all so new to me.  I never like guys this soon. Ever. Yeah I did like him before but I didn’t actually know him then.  Now that I do, I’m hooked.  But I can’t help but think that something will go wrong.  It always starts out like this and then all of a sudden BOOM! Everything changes.  It could be me though.  I dunno.  I’m gonna try to not go into this…thing, if you will, thinking negatively.   I kinda hope he calls me tonight though.  He probably won’t because of the whole two day rule thing but if by some chance he does end up calling, I’ll probably pee on myself. 

My phone rang.  I ran to answer it without even looking to see who was calling.  Of course I put on my ‘girl on phone with boy’ voice. 

“Hello?” 

“HA! You probably ran to the phone hoping it was him didn’t you!” Nikki. Motherfucking Nikki.   

“I hate you so much.” 

“Love you too baby! Goodniiiiiiighhht!” 

“Bye.” I said as I hung up the phone.  She just ruined my high.  I might as well finish changing and get ready for bed. There goes my phone again.  She’s gonna get it this time. 

“Bitch! I know where you sleep at night. I will kill you with my bare hands!” I screamed into the phone. 

“Uhhh…hello?” SHIT! It’s him! I really need to look at my screen before I answer the phone. 

“My bad.  Nik was playing on my phone earlier.  Sorry.” I said…clearly embarrassed. 

“It’s okay.  Now I know not to prank call you.  You kill people.” He chuckled.

“Damn right.  I don’t like people playing on my phone. So what’s up?”

“I just wanted to see if you got home okay.”

 “Ummm…you dropped me off. And you live across the street.” 

“You never know what could happen.” 

I rolled my eyes. “You’re so corny. Why did you really call me?” 

“I just felt like it.” He is laying it on thick. “Is this your way of buttering me up?”

 “Is it working?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Well then it is.” I could literally hear the smile creeping across his face. “But seriously.  I wanted to ask if you wanted do something tomorrow.” 

“Like what?” I have a couple ideas. 

“I dunno.  We could just hang out in my living room and watch TV or something.” 

“Yeah that’s cool. That’s probably what I was gonna do anyway. Might as well do it together.” 

“Okay. Just come by at like 12 or something.” 

“Alright.” I paused. “Hey lemme ask you something.  Were you serious about me going to L.A. with you? Because you can’t just –”  

He cut me off. “Yes.” 

“You better not be playing with my life and – ” 

“NAT!”  

“Yeah?” I said softly.

“I said yes.” He said laughing. 

“Oh.  Well since you’re serious, I’d love to go.  Just let me know when.” 

“Will do.” 

“Let me get off the phone though.  I’m kinda sleepy.” I yawned. 

“I wore you out tonight didn’t I?”  

“Shut the hell up.  You could never wear Miss Natalie out.” 

“Is that a challenge?”  Seriously, what is with him and these games and challenges? He’s competitive as hell. 

“No it isn’t because I’d pretty much wipe the floor with you in just about anything.” 

“So it is a challenge.” 

“Whatever. I’m going to sleep.  I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

“Alright.  Goodnight.” 

“Nite.” 

“I hate this damn show!” she growled.

“How could you hate this show?  It’s so good!”

“Change it.” She said narrowing her eyes at me.

“But I wanna watch it.  I like this show.”

She rolled her eyes. “You like it because you’re sick.  You’re a sick, sick man.”

We were sitting in my living room watching “Scarred” on MTV. I admit that this show is kinda gross but I can’t help but watch it.  It’s like a car accident.  You don’t really wanna see it but you look anyway. 

“Fine.” I changed it to the Disney Channel.  Her eyes lit up.

“Lilo and Stitch! I love this show!” she said as she curled up on the couch.

“Are you serious? A twenty-one year old watching Lilo and Stitch?”

“Shut up. I like it. Just like you like watching people’s arms break.”

I guess I’m stuck watching a little girl and an ugly ass alien go on wild adventures.  Woohoo. Might as well go to the kitchen and get drinks.

“You want anything to drink?” I offered.

“Yeah some water please.” She said staring at the TV

I’m more interested in watching her.  Physically, she’s beautiful.  A perfect ten.  You know those people who have skin so smooth, it looks like it tastes good?  That’s her.  She looks like she tastes like chocolate.  She has this glow about her every time I see her.  I’m not sure of what is it but it’s intriguing.  And her smile, at the risk of sounding cliché, lights up a room. 

“Hey where’s your mom?” she asked interrupting my thoughts and she shoveling popcorn in her mouth without breaking her gaze from the TV.

“She went away for the weekend.”

“And Trace?”

I shrugged and took my seat. “I dunno. Probably at his house.”

She turned to look at me. “So you had this all planned out didn’t you?  To get me alone in your house to take advantage of me.”

“You caught me.”

“Loser.” She said as popcorn kernels flew at my head. I kinda did ask her to come over today on purpose.  I wanted a chance to just hang out more with her and figure her out a bit.

“You have a younger brother right?” I asked.

“Yeah he’s thirteen.  I have an older brother too.  He’s twenty-five.” Damn. An older brother.  So not only do I have to deal with her dad but an older brother too? 

“Oh…” I stated.

She looked at me and smiled.  She must’ve sensed my uneasiness. “Don’t worry.  He doesn’t live with us.  And won’t hurt you…unless I ask him too.  Do you have any siblings?”

“Two younger half-brothers.”

“Awww…how special.”

“I guess the brats are special.”

She punched me in my arm. “Don’t talk about them like that!”

“Damn woman!” I said rubbing my arm. “Kinda rough there.”

“Ehhh…you like it.”

“You’re right.” I countered.  I wonder if she’ll ever fall victim to my incessant flirting. 

“You like it rough.” She stated.  By this time I had her undivided attention. Her eyes were focused on mine. 

“Yup.”

She just laughed.  “You don’t look like the type.”

“What do you mean?”

“You look like you’d be all sweet and shit…like the girl would have to take charge.” She said nonchalantly directing here attention back to the TV.  I feel like I should be offended or something. I turned to the TV off.

“Hey! I was watching –” I cut her off with a kiss grabbing her face into my hands.  She felt kind of tense but warmed up to me in no time.  As soon as I slipped my tongue in her mouth, I felt her moan.

“Mmm…”

I have her right where I want her.  My hands were all over her legs and shit when suddenly she broke the kiss.

“What’s wrong?”

“Damn.” We both said breathlessly.

“I guess you do like it rough.” She said.

“I think you might like it a little more than me sweetheart.  You were about to rip my clothes off.”

“Was not! I was just caught up in the moment you know.” She said slightly embarrassed.

“It’s okay.  All the ladies get that way around me.”

“Oh please.  Whatever.  So about tomorrow…what’s the deal?” Nice subject change.

“Uhhh…I think we’ll head out around 10.

“And your friends? Is there anything I should mentally prepare myself for before I meet them?” I responded to her with a smile. “Oh God. I knew you’d have weird friends.”

“They’re not weird.  They’re just like me!”

“Like I said, I knew you’d have weird friends.”

I pouted. “I resent that.”

“You’ll live.”