Driving through the Art District to get to Alex’s apartment is eye opening. This part of town is really cool. I can see why Nate was so excited by her living here. The giant giraffe mural comes into view, and I pull up out the front of her apartment. I’m still in awe that she’s that uber talented. Grabbing the Chinese takeout from the front passenger seat, I hop out and head inside the building and up the three flights of stairs to her door.

Knocking on the green paintwork, she doesn’t take long to answer. When she pulls the door open, she’s standing there, not in her usual business attire which I’m used to seeing her in, but in a pair of cute denim shorts and a plaid shirt buttoned up just above her perky breasts with her cleavage peeking out. The sleeves of her shirt are rolled up her arms giving her an edgy look. It’s grungy, but somehow it looks hot. My eyes bug out of my head as I stand here gawking.

Alex eventually furrows her brows like I’m being weird. “You gonna stand there all night, or you gonna come in, you creeper?” she asks, shocking me back into reality.

I hand her the bag of Chinese and give her a smile. “I brought food.”

She chuckles, taking the bag and turns to walk inside. “I can see that. Are you high or something, Matt? You’re being weirder than what I’ve ever seen before.”

I shake my head and walk into her apartment, closing the door behind me while taking in the size of the warehouse-looking room. It’s not like I’d imagined at all. Actually, it’s so much cooler. I like her place instantly as I take in all the colors and the arty feel of the place.

“Alex, your place is amazing.”

She shrugs walking to the kitchen area and plonks the bags down on the metal dining table. “I know, I furnished the place myself. I love everything in here, this place—”

“Is like a work of art,” I interrupt and she nods.

“Yeah, exactly. It’s my own living canvas.”

“I love it, Alex. It makes me feel so… warm,” I say honestly.

“Yep, that’s how I feel here too. Shall we eat before this gets cold?”

We take a seat at the dining table, grab some chopsticks from the takeout bag and start eating straight from the containers.

“So, in your eyes, how’s Nate doing?” I ask.

She sucks in a long noodle and shrugs. “He’s… he’s doing what he does best. Moping and keeping busy with his art. Distraction is key for him. If he’s distracted, he’s okay. He’s constantly painting anything that reminds him of Ria, which isn’t bad because they’re beautiful, but it’s not healthy. When he’s not working, though, he gets super sad. He’s not doing that great. I kinda hate seeing him like this.”

Sighing, I give a small nod. “And how’s Zaria doing?”

“She’s okay. Not doing much better than Nate.”

“They need to sort their shit out.”

“Oh, don’t I know it. Man, those two are the worst at being in a relationship, I swear. But neither of them will listen to me, so there’s nothing I can do.”

“You’re a good friend, Alex.”

“I am. I’m a great friend, Matt.” She smiles wide then sucks up some more noodles. “So you and Jaci, huh? How’s it going?”

“Really well. We’ve been talking on and off all day. She seems great, and I’m excited to learn more about her. Did you make contact?”

She nods and grabs a fortune cookie, breaks it in half and throws the fortune in the bag without reading it. “Yep, with a guy called Logan. He seems okay, maybe a little cocky, but I can work with that. He’s a tattoo artist in downtown LA.”

I chuckle. “Most men are cocky in one way or another, even me sometimes.”

She fake gasps. “Oh no, you would never, Matthew.”

I laugh and grab an egg roll as she continues with her noodles. This Chinese really is good. But with being here and not knowing Alex all that well, I think I’d like to get to know her better. So I figure in the theme of internet dating and getting to know people by asking them questions, I’ll use the same method with Alex. Even though technically we’re not dating, but it’s a good way to get to know someone. I want to ask her some deeper questions.

“So, feel free to tell me if I’m pushing the friendship too far by asking this too soon… but you met Zaria in a women’s shelter, and I’m guessing you weren’t volunteering there?”

She tenses slightly. “No, I was staying there after my douche boyfriend Kyle up and left with all my stuff. Plus, he lifted all the money in my bank account… literally all of it. He left me with not a thing. Couldn’t pay my rent, couldn’t even afford to buy a bottle of fucking water. I was so screwed. Thank fuck for that shelter.” Her eyes flicker, and she blinks a few times and continues, “I had to quit college, couldn’t afford to pay for it. Had to get out of the apartment I was in. Had to sell the few items I had left, which amounted to the jewelry I had on my wrist, for food.” My forehead creases. “The cops didn’t help. They tried to find him, but said there was no hard evidence that it was him, so they couldn’t do anything.

“The shelter was… a godsend. They helped me back on my feet. Gave me odd jobs here and there to allow me to buy things. Then Ria came in, and my world turned upside down. We hit it off. She offered to help me. Paid for me to finish college. So I studied and got myself a part-timer working at a café so I could afford this place. Man, I owe her so much. I don’t know why she took such a liking to me, but I’m eternally grateful to her for helping me through. I’d still be at the shelter if it weren’t for her.”

Shaking my head with a heavy sigh, I had no idea what she went through. “Wow, that’s crazy. I’m so sorry that happened to you. No wonder you’re weird about dating again. I totally understand why now. What I don’t understand though is… where was your family in all of this? Why didn’t they help you when all this shit went down?”

Her face falls, and she sniffs slightly like she’s sad. I instantly know there’s more sadness in her as she chews on her bottom lip.

“I don’t have any family left. I’m an only child, and in 2001 my parents were on holiday in New York City. It was the first time they’d gone on a holiday without me. I was staying with my grandma when the news filtered through of the first plane striking. My grandma tried so hard to get in contact with my parents, but we couldn’t reach them. We tried for hours upon hours… nothing.” The heartache in her voice is clear as it breaks slightly while she talks. “We kept watching the broadcasts. The second plane hit, then they fell. The other attacks came and the world was thrown into madness, and still no word.

“But I could feel it. We knew they were in New York. We knew they weren’t ones to stand around and watch. If they weren’t there at that precise moment they would be there helping through the chaos. That’s the kind of people they were.” She swallows and sniffs slightly taking a breath, as I watch her in awe of how utterly brave she is with all she’s been through.

“Three days passed, still no word. We knew… we didn’t know how, or in what way, but they were gone. The phone call came and said they were on the ground trying to help people get away from the towers when they came down. They went out heroes, and I… was an orphan, just like that. God, I was so young, no seven year old should have to go through that.”

I reach out to take her hand. Something passes over me when I touch her—a warmth, a tingle, a buzz. My breath catches slightly, but I ignore it comforting her instead. “I’m so sorry, I don’t even know what to say.”

“There’s nothing you can say. They were amazing parents.”

“They raised an incredible daughter.”

“Thanks, but Gran had a part in that, too. She died when I was eighteen, and I had to grow up pretty quickly... been on my own ever since.”

“Well, you’re not on your own now. You have Nate, and me, we’re your family, okay?”

She smiles and nods looking in my eyes. My chest feels heavy as I stare at her. I want to desperately reach out and move the loose strand of hair behind her ear and caress her cheek, but that’s not what friends do.

“Thank you, for letting me get that out. That’s the first time I’ve told the story without crying.”

I squeeze her hand a little tighter. “You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for, Alex. You’ve been through some pretty rough shit, way more than most people. It’s amazing you’re so well adjusted, to be honest.”

“I don’t think I’m that well-adjusted. I mean look at me, I have aqua hair and lip piercings.”

“I think that adds to your uniqueness and has nothing to do with how well you are adjusted. I can’t imagine you any other way.”

“Perfect the way I am, huh?”

“Yep, perfect as you are.”

She half-smiles finally breaking my gaze and looks down at her phone. “Should be good to go with Logan then?”

An unease settles in my chest, and I swallow hard. “Ah, yeah, he’d be a fool not to see the good in you.”

“Just gotta work on my trust issues,” she replies, and I nod.

“Yeah, totally get that. After what Kyle did to you there’s no doubt that you’ll have some reservations about having another man in your life. But Alex, we’re not all douches like Kyle. I promise.”

“It’s been so long and taken me three years to get to where I am. I’m not sure I’m willing to risk it all for another asshole.”

“Then test the waters, make sure Logan isn’t an asshole, and if he is, cut him loose before it gets too far. Plus, I’m your wingman. He has to get my approval before things get full on anyway. I got you.”

“Okay, good to know you have my back.”

“Of course, just like you’ll tell me if Jaci is not right for me. We have to be each other’s sensible mind in this internet dating saga.”

She nods. “Okay, you have a deal. When one is getting in too deep with the wrong person, the other steps in and says something?”

“Exactly.”

She puts out her hand, and we both shake on it when my cell beeps. I check it and it’s Jaci.

“Speak of the devil,” I say.

 

Jacqueline: Man I’ve had a busy afternoon, but you’ve been on my mind for most of it. Hope you’ve had a good day?

 

I grin widely, and Alex chuckles as she nudges her shoulder into mine. “She makes you smile already, that’s a good sign.”

“Logan doesn’t make you smile?”

“Haven’t spoken to him enough to figure that out yet.”

“Okay, well, let’s go to the sofa and chat to them at the same time. We can ask them the same questions and see how they both answer.”

“This is so weird, but sure, why the hell not.”

We sit down on the gray sofa next to each other. With the fortune cookies in hand and our cell phones, we open up the Lovepessimist app.

“Okay, so let’s send them random questions and see what each of them writes back,” I say and Alex giggles but nods, as we open up the message section for Logan and Jaci.

“So what’s first? Something simple?” Alex asks.

“What about… what was your favorite childhood activity?”

Alex scoffs. “That’s a damn boring question. He’s gonna think I’m lame.” Alex giggles as she sends the question, and the sound is so cute I almost want to lean over and hug her for being so utterly adorable.

But that would be weird… right?

 Chuckling as I type the same question out, I send it to Jaci. We sit waiting to see if either reply. Alex’s answer comes in first, and she laughs out loud while showing it to me.

 

Logan: YES! This is great, I love 20 questions! My answer is Moto-X riding…

 

“See we’ll get you chatting with him properly in no time,” I say as Jaci’s message comes in, and I open it. Alex leans over my shoulder to see.

 

Jacqueline: Well, I guess my childhood was always about horses, didn’t do much else as a child, except maybe go to the beach house.

 

Alex turns her nose up and purses her lips. “Jaci sounds… nice,” she offers with a hint of humor in her voice, so I bump into her side playfully.

“Oh shush… she’s just from an upper-class family—”

“Oh yeah, I got that vibe.”

I shake my head. “Okay, what’s the next question?”

“Weirdest place you’ve had sex?” she asks, and I jolt my head back.

“No, you can’t ask that this early, Alex.” A slight snort comes from my mouth, and she frowns and nods.

“True. Okay. What about the most adventurous thing you’ve done?”

I agree and set about typing it out. We both send the question, and the replies come in soon after.

 

Logan: Oh easy, parachuting from a hot air balloon!

 

We both open our eyes wide and gawk while we chuckle.

“Geez, this guy’s got balls the size of King Kong,” I say.

“Imagine how big his cock is then,” Alex says, and I burst out laughing.

“Alex! You can’t say that with another guy in the room.”

She pats my knee. “Oh, don’t worry, Matt, I’m sure your cock’s huge, too,” she teases and I raise my brow at her.

“You’ve thought about my cock size?”

She jolts back like she’s been caught out, and doesn’t know what to say when Jaci’s message comes through saving her from replying. I smirk and hold up the message for us to check out.

 

Jacqueline: I guess staying up for 24 hours straight one-night binge watching t.v. and then going in to work the next day.

 

We both sag into the sofa and let out a collective sigh. I reach for a fortune cookie, crack it open and throw some into my mouth not bothering to read the fortune.

Alex looks to me and furrows her brow. “Well, seems like Logan’s definitely more adventurous than Jaci.”

I shrug. “Oh well, I can get my adventurous woman out of you, right?”

“Yup, sidekick extraordinaire and go-getter. I’m your gal!”

“Exactly, she can be my calm, and you can be the trusty sidekick that does the adventurous things with me.”

“Absolutely! As long as Logan doesn’t mind sharing me, of course.”

I chuckle. “Hey, I’m going to be the flower girl at your wedding, so he better like me,” I tease, and she literally bursts out laughing.

Once she gets herself back under control, she takes a steadying breath. “Out of all the things at a wedding you choose to be a flower girl? Wow Matt, is there something you’re not telling me?”

“Oh, like what?”

“That you have a split personality, and one of them is a little girl dying to get out of you?”

“You got me,” I say with a chuckle and she giggles.

Leaning her side into mine even more so now were touching quite comfortably, the atmosphere in the room is one of complete ease and familiarity. The buzz circling us is just enough to make my skin prickle, but not enough to be electrifying. It’s enough to notice, but not enough to act on as we continue through the night becoming more and more comfortable with each other, as we continue to text Logan and Jaci.

Eventually, the messages die down from Jaci and Logan, and it’s just Alex and me on the sofa watching re-runs of The Walking Dead. I’m in a laid back sitting position, while Alex has her head resting on my lap and it’s pure comfort. We fit so well together as friends. There’s nothing about tonight that hasn’t been utterly enjoyable. And for the first time being here, I feel like I’ve been here a million times before. Hell, I feel like this is my place I’m so comfortable here.

I love this place.

Alex yawns, and even though I don’t want to go it’s getting late, and I don’t want to keep Alex up when I know she has to be up early to go to the gallery tomorrow. I lean down pulling her up off me, and her sleepy eyes look at me questioningly as she stretches and sits up.

“I’m gonna head off, but thanks for an awesome night.”

She nods and yawns again, moving the back of her hand to her mouth to cover her yawn. “Shit! Thanks for coming over. Sorry, I’m all sleepy.”

“No, don’t be silly. You have work tomorrow. You need some sleep.”

“Thanks, Matt, we should do this again.”

“We definitely should,” I reply as we stand up and walk to Alex’s front door. She opens it, and we lean in embracing each other. As I pull back, she tilts her head and kisses me on the cheek. I get that warm feeling again, and I squeeze her hand in a friendly gesture and turn to leave.