Deana and Bruce were at the bar, having a great time. Laughing, talking, having a couple drinks. 

“Deana, you’re so beautiful tonight. I’ve been wanting to tell you that for a while. I think I’m falling in love with you…”

He leaned in for a kiss, but before he made contact, Deana felt herself being pulled away. 

“Stop! No! Leave me alone!” she yelled. She gave a firm pull and was released outside the bar. 

It was Paul. “You promised me, Deana, you promised me…. Time to make good on it, here and now.”

Deana bolted up out of bed, screaming and her arms flailing as she awoke. 

“It was just a dream,” she said aloud, gasping for breath. 

She had only minutes before her alarm was set to go off, there was no point in trying to go back to sleep. She took a long shower, hoping it would somehow wash away the nightmare she had. She knew it wouldn’t, but was willing to try anything. 

It was surprisingly slow at work that day, but thankfully it helped keep her mind off of Paul and the dream. It had started to rain, getting heavier and heavier.  She got a text from Danielle while she was on her lunch. 

Hey, they need to extend my shift at work tonight. I won’t be at karaoke. Do you need your brother to walk with you?

Deana sighed a bit. No, let me check something. 

Hey, Dani can’t go to karaoke tonight. Any way you can walk me there and back?

I think I can swing that. I’m glad you trust me enough to ask. What time should I be there?

Um, around 9?  That way we’ll be fashionably late to karaoke, but not miss out on somewhere to sit.

See you then. 

Dani, Bruce will get me and walk me home. It’s been a day…

What happened?

Paul texted last night. He wants to see me, says I still owe him one last night together…. I told him I met someone else. 

Good for you, D. Tell him off. If he knows what’s good for him, he won’t dare show his face at karaoke. 

I need to look super hot tonight, to make myself feel better. You know my closet, what should I wear?

That one black criss cross shirt, no tank top underneath. You’re going to karaoke, not church. Your purple skirt, it shows off your curves. Your black boots and your black jacket. I’m just sorry I can’t be there to help with hair and makeup. If Paul does show up, you’re gonna look so hot and make him regret how he treated you. 

The rest of her shift went by fast, keeping busy and thinking of what songs she would sing and what she was going to wear. She worked on her paper some more once she got home. Even one page was progress. 

She relaxed a bit before making some pasta for dinner. As the water was starting to boil, she heard the buzzer. 

It’s too early to be Bruce, she thought. She walked to her window that looked out onto the street. It was Paul. She went to the intercom. 

“Go away!” she said firmly. 

“Deana, I’m sorry, I miss you…”

“I told you, there’s someone else. It’s been months since I’ve heard from you, why miss me NOW?  Did your new victim realize what a sleaze you are and kick you to the curb?”

“Deana, please…”

“Goodbye Paul.”  She walked back to the kitchen and finished making dinner. She did her best to enjoy it, but the interaction with Paul left her without much of an appetite. 

She started getting ready for karaoke. Her black shirt had a low criss cross front, leaving plenty of cleavage visible. Her skirt was a dark purple, snug against her body with a flare of ruffled edging. She took her hair out of the ponytail she’d had for work, putting just a little mousse to help with frizz. She liked the curl it gave her hair, without being too much. For her eyes, she used almost a gunmetal silver, with purple eyeliner to match her skirt. 

She heard the buzzer ring three times. She checked to make sure it wasn’t Paul before going down. She put on her jacket, just showing enough of the skirt underneath. 

He gasped when he saw her walk towards the outer door and towards him. He grabbed his phone as soon as he could, mentally kicking himself for not being able to talk. 

You look fantastic. That was all he could think to say. 

She blushed a little as she read his text. “I had a rough day earlier and needed to dress up a bit to help myself feel better.”

Wanna talk about it?

“No, not right now. I plan on singing it out first, then we can talk later.”

He held out his arm, and she took hold of him as they started to walk. He wrote a black pea coat type jacket, the collar up and a scarf around his neck, covering his mouth to his nose. He wrote a gray tweed flat cap, trying to hide his eyes as well. 

She looked up at him as they walked.  “You’re all dapper in your coat and hat.  I like it.”  He smiled, looking back at her.

They got to the bar, and found a table between the bar and the stage.  He smiled as she took off her jacket, revealing the full outfit underneath.  He watched her hips as she walked up to the DJ booth to get her song slips.  He hid his smile as he all but stared at her chest as she walked back towards him.  Upon her return, Justin went and got drinks, when Deana noticed the water.

“You buy me drinks, but you don’t drink?”

Trying to cut back.  My doctor said it’s not good for my throat while I’m sick.  

“That makes sense I guess,” she replied, seemingly satisfied with his answer.  She put in her song tags in the order she wanted to perform them.  

They listened to the other singers, quietly judging as if they were on American Idol, using their facial expressions or hand signals.  

Suddenly Deana’s eyes went wide.  She looked at Justin in panic.  “Bruce, you’re my friend, right?”  He nodded.  “You’d do anything for me?”  He nodded again.  “I’ll explain later, just kiss me.”

She pulled him close, his lips against hers.  It took a second before she melted into his arms, his tongue finding its way towards hers, one hand on the small of her back, the other in her hair.  He wasn’t sure how long this was supposed to last, but he wasn’t going to argue.

He’s trying to be VERY convincing, she thought.  It’s been so long since I’ve been kissed like this, it feels so passionate, even if it’s just pretend, to make Paul jealous.

She pulled back from him slowly, her eyes staring deep into his.  “Thank you.  Again, I’ll explain later.”  She seemed apologetic, and they were both full of mixed emotions.

That was an amazing kiss, but she seems sorry that it happened.  I need to hear her out later, I just wish she could tell me NOW.

It was her turn to sing.  She got up to the stage, ready to sing.  Justin noticed her eyes weren’t on him, but elsewhere in the bar.  They scanned the room at first, then seemed locked on a particular spot.  He turned to look over, but there were lots of people around.  Could she be singling out one person in particular?

“I want you to know that I’m happy for you.  I want nothing but the best for you both…”

Justin had never seen this side of her.  Her voice seemed full of anger, her tone reflecting the words perfectly.  The line that got to him in a way he didn’t expect came when she sang “And every time I scratch my nails down someone else's back I hope you feel it…”  

After that kiss, I could let her scratch her nails down my back.  Damn, am I really getting turned on by this?  Now another thing to hide, he chuckled to himself.  

She slammed down her celebratory drink from him before sitting down.  She wanted to tell him now about Paul, hoping he would understand and maybe kiss her again, or at least hold her close.  “Pretend you’re my boyfriend, please.  I’ll explain it all after my next song, then we can leave.  I promise.”  Her eyes searched his, he nodded, seeming to understand without hearing her reason.

He put his arm around her shoulder, holding her close without giving away his true feelings.  He’d kiss her cheek or the top of her head, rubbing her back between her shoulder blades.  

The DJ played some background music for a second.  “Next week is 80s night everyone, so show up wearing your freshest, most radical outfit!”

It was soon her turn again, another darker toned song.  “Don't cry to me. If you loved me, you would be here with me.  You want me?  Come find me.  Make up your mind…”

It didn’t seem her typical style of music based on the previous weeks, but she was still killing it.  He continued to be impressed by her singing, no matter what she sang.  Her eyes were on the same part of the bar, but he had no clue who or what was making her feel this way.  

It isn’t me, not with the kiss and her asking me to pretend to be her boyfriend.  Could it be…?

He’d bought her another drink, as usual, even though he knew they were leaving.  She slammed it down again, ready to get the hell out of there.  He helped her put on her jacket before walking out of the bar towards her apartment.  

As they walked out of the bar, Deana looked behind them. She looked again as they walked a bit further. 

“Sorry, just wanted to make sure we weren’t being followed. Paul is back. He texted me last night saying he was sorry, that he missed me. I told him to leave me alone. He showed up outside my apartment earlier as I was making dinner. Then he came to karaoke. That’s why I asked you to kiss me and pretend to be my boyfriend, to make him a little jealous and hopefully get him to leave me alone. I’m worried he won’t, he reminded me of some stupid promise I made him before everything happened. I had this terrible dream, and…”

He stopped, took her hand, and looked in her eyes. Time stopped, everything she needed to know was in his eyes. He knew, he understood. 

“It’s ok,” he mouthed. He pulled her close to him, and silent tears streamed from her eyes. He held her for a while, before she looked up at him and nodded. 

I think we were very convincing. Not gonna lie, that was a hell of a kiss…

“Well, you were the one sticking your tongue in my mouth…”

You didn’t seem to mind.  He smirked at her. 

“I just wish it meant something. The next time I want to be kissed, I want it to be perfect, not with a friend trying to make an ex jealous.”

Friend, he thought to himself. Is that all we are? I’m afraid to push her, she’s not ready. But dammit I wanna kiss her again, for real. Not now, it’s not perfect. 

I wish he’d kiss me, she thought. Now would be perfect. But he said we’re friends. I need to get to know him better. Hopefully this goes somewhere, I really like him. 

What was the promise? he asked. If you don’t wanna talk about it, I get it. 

Deana sighed. “It’s a long story…”

I have time, we even left early. Tell me as we walk. He’s gone, he can’t hurt you. 

“So the last time we were ‘together’, was actually pretty traumatic. He’d lied to another girl he was with, and she saw us go up to his place. They’d been drinking before I met up with him, and she basically broke into the apartment. I hid, shivering with fear, trying so hard to be quiet. I heard noises as he went to handle it. Just noises, no voices or talking. When it was all over and she was gone, we promised we’d have one night to make up for that night. Then I found out what happened.”

He looked at her. 

“According to court papers SHE filed, he put her in a choke hold to the point where she passed out. Twice. They wanted me to be a witness at the trial, I was terrified. To have to see him, knowing what he did, and relive the fear I felt when she broke in. I couldn’t do it. I wanted to, but I couldn’t. I knew all I needed to. He was still sleeping around, and had no qualms with hurting one of them. I could’ve been next if I walked in on him with another girl.  He’s been in jail on a plea bargain. Now he’s back and wanting our one night together.  I’m standing my ground, telling him no. Trying to create distance between us.”

I’m glad you told me this now instead of earlier, I’d have killed him if he so much as came near you.  I’m glad you’re telling me, you trust me that much. 

“I figured I owed you an explanation, with the kiss and everything…. You’re right, it was a great kiss, under different circumstances.  It was nice to be kissed again.”

I know the feeling. It’s been a long time. I hope you get that perfect kiss, you deserve it. 

So do you, she typed back. 

They reached her building. “Thank you, again, for everything,” she mumbled. 

I meant it when I said you looked great, I’m sure he was kicking himself for letting you go, being such a complete asshole. There’s no word for someone like him.

“Sociopath fits fairly well,” she almost laughed. 

True, but I think the best word is monster. To put you through all of that, guilting you into sex, cheating on you, then that whole other situation. I hope you never see him again, that he stays away. I hate what he put you through, I’ll kill him if he tries anything else. 

“I don’t think prison orange is your color.”

I dunno, I look damn good in orange, but yeah, I get your point. He’s not worth your time, but you’re worth mine.  

She smiled. “You gotta stop talking like that, or I’m going to think you like me…”

What if I do? 

She stumbled a bit. “Do you?”

Maybe…

“Maybe?”

Goodnight Deana.

“Goodnight,” she laughed, trying to figure out what had just happened. She watched him walk away, leaving her with her keys in hand, staring at him. 

What the hell just happened?!