Lisa was shoving her bike home slowly. Her knees and her elbow were bleeding. Luckily it was getting dark, so she didn’t attract any attention.

On her half way, she heard a bike bell ringing from behind. She stopped walking and turned around, seeing Tom. 

„What happened to you?“ he asked concerned, seeing her bruises and her damaged bike. He also noticed that she’ve been crying. 

„Karma, I guess,“ she said cynically. 

Tom left his bike and came closer. 

„Are you okay?“

„Do I look like being okay, Tom? Nothing is okay in my life, don’t you get it?“ 

He was terribly sorry, feeling responsible for her condition. He came another step closer and grabbed her hand. Then he pulled her into his arms. 

„I’m sorry for being an ass,“ he said, hugging her tightly. 

She responded his embrace, being grateful he came to look for her. Her anger immediately eased down. 

„You’ve been right with everything you said,“ she replied. 

Both released each other slowly. He gave her a calm smile. 

„Let me fix your bike.“

„Don’t you need any tools?“ 

„I don’t.“ 

Tom put her bike upside down and fixed the chain quickly. Then he turned it back around again and adjusted the handlebar. Lisa watched him curiously.

„Is there anything you can’t do?“ 

He cracked a smile, giving the bike back to her.

„It wasn’t a big deal.“

She smiled back at him. 

„Thank you, Tom.“

„Um… I would like to escort you home. It’s almost dark,“ he suggested. 

She giggled. 

„I already look like someone mugged me.“ 

„I’m afraid you may fell off again,“ he teased. 

„You might be right,“ she said, before sitting down on her bike again. „Let’s go, Mr. Miller.“ 

They arrived at Lisa’s place short time later. 

„Um… you wanna come in, having a glass of wine or something?“ Lisa offered, parking her bike in the driveway. 

She felt like owing him a favor after fixing her bike and escorting her home. Tom hesitated. If he was honest, he still needed time to process what he learned about her. He wasn’t the kind of person who ignored warning signs and put himself into unnecessary trouble. Lisa herself warned him very clearly from falling for her. Keeping healthy distance was the only right thing to do.

„It’s just wine, Tom. I’m not planning to seduce you or something,“ she added, noticing his struggle. 

Tom smiled, pushing all doubts to the back of his mind. 

„Okay.“  

Both entered the house, put off their shoes and went into the kitchen. 

„Lisa, this must really hurt, doesn’t it? he said concerned, pointing at her bruises. 

He didn’t noticed it was that bad during nightfall. She looked at herself. 

„The blood makes it look worse than it really is,“ she played the situation down.

„Come on, sit. Let me clean your wounds.“

She did what he asked for and sat town at the dining table. Tom looked for a clean rag and made it wet. Then he knelt down in front of her and begun cleaning her knees carefully. 

„Mmmmm…“ Lisa moaned.

„I’m sorry,“ he apologized. „But there is a lot of dirt inside your wounds.“ 

She nodded and continued watching him cautiously taking care for her. Her mind drifted away at some point. She begun asking herself, if she met Tom for a reason. Was everything just a meaningless coincident or did the universe open a new door for her?

Tom continued cleaning her elbow. Then he stood up and looked for band aid in the drawers. As he found what he was looking for, he knelt down in front of her again and applied the bandage carefully over her wounds. Then he looked up to her and smiled.

„Finished.“ 

„Thank you, Tom. You are too good to be true,“ she replied, smiling back at him. 

He stood up and helped her up, as well. 

„Let me sterilize that wounds from inside now,“ she giggled. 

Then she went to the fridge, put out a bottle of white wine and filled two glasses. 

„Do you mind, if I switch on some music?“ he asked, pointing at the old radio standing at the counter.

„Of course not,“ she replied.

Tom switched the radio on and chuckled, hearing the verse of I don’t wanna miss a sing from Aerosmith. 

„My grandma loves that oldie station.“ 

„Obviously my grandma did as well,“ she replied, smiling at him. 

Then she handed him one glass. They clinked and took a sip. Both looked at each other for a moment. 

„Do you dance?“ he asked her out of the blue. 

„Do you?“ she asked back. 

„I do,“ he said confidently and grabbed her hand in the next moment. 

Lisa smiled. Tom’s confidence and his easiness was more than just charming. Both put their glasses aside and started dancing in the kitchen. 

„Look at you, you can dance English Waltz,“ she said surprised. 

„My mom owned a dancing school. Unfortunately I didn’t share her passion. But she forced me learning some standards. She said, one day it would certainly pay of,“ Tom chatted. 

„Your mom was a smart woman,“ she replied. 

Of course Tom immediately noticed, Lisa must be an educated dancer, as well.

„And what’s your story, dancing queen?“ he asked curiously. 

„It’s just a hobby.“ 

Both smiled at each other again. Tom got a little too confident about his skills at some point and turned her around a little too fast. Her aching knees made her stubble. He kept her from falling and pulled her body close to his. Lisa giggled, being glad he reacted in time. She put her arms around his neck, smiling all over her face. 

„What was that, Mr. Miller?“

He smiled back at her, enjoying having her close. 

„I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?“ 

She shook her head, still smiling. She knew it was the right moment to release him, but for some reason she decided not to. Tom thought it was now or never. While Aerosmith’s romantic love song slowly ended, he bent his head close to hers. There was just a small gap left between their lips. He waited for her to close it. 

In the same moment I want you back from *NSYNC begun playing in the radio. 

Lisa’s heart skipped a beat. She stared at Tom like seeing a ghost. 

„What’s wrong?“ he asked irritated. 

Their intimate moment was gone. She released him and stepped away.

„I’m sorry Tom. I can’t. I don’t wanna hurt you,“ she apologized. 

Although he was disappointed, Tom understood why she pulled out of the situation. Very obviously she couldn’t ignore the problem she left behind. 

„I should go now,“ he replied. 

Lisa nodded. 

He forced a smile and kissed her cheek.

„See you tomorrow.“