MATT

 

It’s been a week since I went to Alex’s place, but I talk to her every day. We check in each night and do a progress report on how each of us is going with our Pessimistic matches. And tonight she’s invited me around for another catch-up dinner to check in and see how we’re both progressing.

I’m walking up to her door and the aroma wafting from her apartment is mouthwatering. She’s cooking for us tonight, and I’m excited to see what she has in store. Although, I’m not expecting massive extravagance but you know, don’t judge a book, and all that.

Arriving at her door, I knock gently. There’s a rustling behind the door, and then she pulls it open. Alex is wearing a pair of ripped, basically to shreds, jeans and a wife beater, and she looks pretty damn cool. Completely casual as she walks around in bare feet. I can’t help but notice her toenails are painted bright aqua too. A small smirk appears on my lips as she looks at me and pushes my shoulder with a huff.

“What are you grinning at?”

I look back up at her face and shake my head, then step off into her apartment with a bottle of stout in one hand and some ice cream in the other. “Is every color on your body aqua?”

She draws her eyebrows together looking down at her toes. “You don’t like aqua?”

“No, I love aqua, I just don’t know what it stands for?”

“Well, technically, aqua or turquoise represents…” she takes a breath, “… refreshing, feminine, calming, sophisticated, energy, wisdom, serenity, wholeness, creativity, emotional balance, good luck, spiritual grounding, friendship, love, joy, tranquility, patience, intuition, and loyalty, and I’m all about those things…” she takes another deep breath, “… but it’s also a freaking awesome color.”

“It is, and it suits you. I like it. Don’t change for anyone.”

“I won’t. Anyway, come in… I’m cooking Mexican!”

“Get out,” I say as she closes the door behind me, and I walk into the aroma of Mexican wafting through her apartment.

“Nachos and Fajitas… extra guacamole, of course,” she adds the last bit as if she knew I liked extra guacamole. But she didn’t, we’ve only had one talk about Mexican, and that was to buy her Taco Bell on the way home that time. It’s obviously just something we both love.

“Of course, I freaking love Mexican, there’s nothing better,” I say.

She tries to hide her smirk as she looks like she’s bursting, but then she lets it out anyway. “Except great sex.” She opens her eyes wide like she’s almost embarrassed by what she’s said, and then she shakes it off standing taller and strutting over to the stove, waggling her ass slightly from side to side. Making me, of course, study her in those tight jeans. She has a rocking ass.

And now I’m thinking of sex.

Good one, Alex.

I clear my throat slightly with a chuckle and shift over to the fridge, placing the ice cream in the freezer and the stout on her kitchen table as she goes about making the dinner.

“So what can I do to help?”

“Umm… well, do you wanna eat on the sofa or in the kitchen?”

I look to the sofa, so I go with option one. “Sofa, it’s lazy but comfy.”

She nods and starts plating up. “Pour us a drink and head on in. I’ll be there in a sec.”

I grab some cups from the rack on the kitchen bench and fill the glasses with stout. The foam froths up at the top, and I smile loving that Alex is not your typical woman who needs to have wine or cocktails. She’s more like a guy when it comes to drinking, and that impresses me. Taking our drinks to the sofa, I take a seat fluffing up the cushions. Alex comes over with a big plate full of nachos, and she sits down right next to me. Our thighs touch and a tingle shoots up my leg as she places the bowl on a cushion. Alex leans against me and waggles her eyebrows up and down.

“Can you hear it?’ she whispers and my forehead creases.

“What am I supposed to be hearing?”

“Eat me,” she whispers, and I’m sure my shocked reaction is priceless. “Eat me,” she says louder this time and grabs a nacho chip dunking it in the salsa, guacamole, and sour cream and shoving it straight into her mouth.

I take a deep breath realizing what she meant, but for a second, for a split second, especially after that sex comment, I thought she was propositioning me.

This chick, really!

Laughing, I grab a nacho and pop it into my mouth. The tomato hits me first, then the cheese, then the spice. It’s like a Mexican fiesta is dancing on my tongue. I glance at her as she smiles, nodding like she knows exactly what’s happening in my mouth.

“Oh my God, Alex,” I murmur.

She chuckles. “Not God, but your Mexican Majesty will suffice,” she teases.

“Woman can cook, who knew.” I chuckle.

“Well, we can make this a regular thing. You coming over or me coming to yours, and we have Mexican or whatever. If you want?”

“I’d like that. I’m gonna get fat, but I’m still gonna like it.”

She laughs and bumps her shoulder into mine. I like the closeness between us. I’ve had female friends before, but I’ve never felt closeness like this with them. Alex is different. That’s for sure. I appreciate the bond we have, even in such a short amount of time.

I glance at her sideways, as she shovels her face full of nachos. Sure, it’s not glamorous, sure she isn’t the perfect ten I’m looking for, but she has something about her. There’s an aura. Something that right here in this moment is making her stand out as if she were the most attractive woman on the planet. It’s unnerving. But also calming. I love being here with her, and I feel like this is the start of an amazing friendship.

After finishing off our nachos, we move onto the fajitas, which are equally as mouthwatering. She sure knows her way around the spices. There’s just the right amount of heat and flavor.

The conversation between us is effortless, and we talk about anything and everything like we’ve been friends our entire lives. So now that the Mexican and stout are all gone, and we’re officially in the final stages of an ice cream food coma, we’re nestled on her sofa, cuddling in a way that’s not quite how friends would cuddle but I don’t mind. I like the comfort it brings when I’m with her. There’s an energy in the air that I’m not very familiar with, and I like the buzz that surrounds us. It feels like I’m grounded when I’m with her.

“So, I guess we should send messages to Jaci and Logan, right?” she asks breaking my rambling thoughts.

I nod, as she sits up and grabs her cell while I reach into my pocket for mine. “So what random questions are we going to ask them tonight?” I ask, and she laughs.

“We should ask them really weird shit.”

“Oh, yeah like what?”

“Like… maybe make them pick this or that type things.”

“This or that?”

“Yeah. Like would you rather be stranded on a desert island, or live underwater for the rest of your life?”

I burst out laughing. “One problem with that, Alex.”

She cocks her head to the side raising her eyebrow.

“You can’t breathe underwater.”

She folds her arms over her chest. “You can so… if you live in a domed city that has oxygen.”

“Of course, how silly of me. But I think we should think of something a little more like… would you rather chicken or beef?”

She scoffs waving her hand through the air. “Oh my God, you’re so boring! No, we’re not sending that. Here, give me your cell.” She snaps it from my hand and starts typing into the app facing away from me.

“Alex, what the hell? No way, give it back!”

“Give it back,” she mimics in a childish tone while laughing and moving away from me even further. “My name’s Matt, and I have no sense of adventure,” she says in the same mocking tone, trying to fend me off as I reach for my cell around her.

“No sense of adventure? Ha! Fine. Go ahead, Alex O’Donovan. Send your worst.”

She giggles. “I already have,” she tells me, and hands back my cell.

I glance at it to see the message sent to Jaci from me.

 

Me: What do you prefer? Top or bottom?

 

I let out a small gasp as I read it, and Alex grins maniacally at me while I give my head a shake. “You devil, you better send that to Logan, too,” I demand, and she nods pulling out her cell. Angling it toward me, she types the same message out and hits send like she doesn’t care at all.

“See, I’m no chicken.”

I take a deep breath and clench my eyes shut, wondering if Jaci is now going to think I’m a filthy pervert while I watch those three little balls bouncing up and down.

 

Jacqueline: What do you mean?

 

I swallow hard as Alex bursts out laughing, rocking back and forth clutching at her stomach. “Oh God, she’s so prim and proper.” I type something in to try and backtrack.

 

Me: As in, do you prefer top or bottom on a bunk bed?

 

Alex scoffs and rolls her eyes. “Pussy!” She pushes my shoulder as Jaci replies.

 

Jacqueline: Um… bottom, I suppose. What a strange question?

 

Alex chuckles as a message comes in from Logan. I look over her shoulder and open my eyes at the tone of the message.

 

Logan: Depends on the mood. If I’m feeling lazy then on bottom, nothing better than a girl on top. But if I’m feeling more dominant then I’m on top riding it hard and fast in positions you didn’t even know existed, girl!

 

Alex’s eyes open wide as she tries to hide her semi-shocked expression—she looks at me like a deer caught in the headlights. I take a deep breath, wondering how she can find someone being overly sexual that you haven’t even met yet, attractive. To me, it’s just perverted.

“Wow! Okay, was not expecting that,” she murmurs once she’s recovered enough to talk.

“Well, the question kinda didn’t leave room for anything else.”

She scoffs and screws up her face. “Jaci found another way to answer.”

“True. Is that what you were doing? Testing him?”

“No, I was just being funny and testing you really.”

“Testing me?”

“Yeah, you’re not a pervert are you, Matt?” Alex’s lips turn up in a genuine smile.

“No, generally not.” I chuckle. “I mean I can be kinky when needed, but a pervert… no.”

“Good, I’m glad. Okay, what’s our next question?”

I rub my chin. “Hmm… what about… what do you prefer? Cats or dogs? Make it a bit tamer this time?”

Alex scoffs and rolls her eyes. “Fine, but you’re chicken shit. You know that, right?”

“I wear the badge with pride,” I reply as I type into my cell.

 

Me: Are you more dogs or cats?

 

I hit send as Alex types it into her cell as well, and we sit back waiting.

“You’re a dog guy right, Matt?”

“Yeah, you?”

“Yeah, I like the weird ones, like French bulldogs or those naked dogs—”

“Chinese Crested… yes, I love that breed,” I say, and we both chuckle as the messages come in.

 

Logan: Dog man all the way, the bigger, the better.

 

Alex nods, and we look at my cell to see Jaci’s reply.

 

Jacqueline: Oh, I just love cats. They’re so agile and calm, unlike dogs that are so chaotic and crazy.

 

“Seems like Logan and Jaci are quite the opposite in all things, hey?” I ask.

“Yeah, well, you wanted a prim and proper woman, and it seems like she’s ticking all those criteria right off the paper for you so far, Matt.”

I give her a weak smile as I move my arm out, wrapping it around Alex’s shoulders and pulling her to me. I like having her by my side, and we continue through the night texting with random questions that make us laugh while comparing answers.

We’ve been going for a few hours when a random message from Jaci makes me sit up taller and gasp a little.

 

Jacqueline: So, I was wondering if maybe you would like to catch up on the weekend for a date?

 

I glance to Alex as she reads the message and her face drops like she’s just as shocked by this as I am. Her eyes blink a little fast, and her breathing quickens, but just as quickly she smiles brightly like she’s trying to compose herself.

“Go for it! You get along with her well, so why not meet up with her?”

I let out a long breath as an idea comes to mind. “Hey, why don’t you ask Logan to go out on a date, and we can go at the same time to the same place. We can go together. Like, be there for each other for support?

“What… like a double date?”

“No, we’d be on our own dates. Separate tables. But knowing you’re there would make it easier.”

She screws up her face. “I dunno, what if Logan says no?”

“Only one way to find out,” I suggest.

Alex winces but sends the message asking if Logan would like to go out for dinner on Saturday night, while I agree to meet up with Jaci.

“This is going to be awesome, I can feel it. I’ll be right back, I’m just going to go and book a restaurant now,” I say standing up and walking away with my cell.

Taking a deep breath, I wander over to the other side of her large apartment wondering what the hell I’m going to organize. I need it to be somewhere where I can be easily hidden, but the night can still be romantic for both Alex and me, and our plus ones. So I ring a restaurant that I know can cater to celebrities. It has an exclusive venue in downtown LA, and I make sure that the back room is reserved for two tables.

I’m not going to tell Alex I’m doing that, though. I don’t want to scare her, but the problem is I know I can’t be in the middle of any packed out restaurant. I’m a rock star so I need to stay hidden, even if there will be security with us. I’m going to try and make it so the room looks romantic for Jaci. But to be honest, it’s more for my safety, and also so I can watch out for Alex. I don’t know Logan, and neither does Alex, so I want to keep an eye on her. After all, men online can be far more dangerous than women, right?

I finish making the booking with no hassle and walk back over to Alex, plonking down onto the sofa as she looks up at me nervously. “All booked in for seven. Shall we tell them?” I ask, and she nods like she’s nervous. It’s a sight seldom seen with Alex.

“Sure.”

We type out a message to Jaci and Logan telling them of the location and time, and they both message back letting us know they’ll be there.

“We should go together, arrive early and make sure we have an action plan if anything goes wrong,” I suggest.

“This is crazy, right. Won’t they know that we know each other?” Alex asks.

“Only if we make it obvious, which we won’t. We’ll just be like any other diners in there. It’ll be sweet, you’ll see.”

Alex suddenly looks scared. “Oh my God, what if he wants to leave the restaurant and go somewhere else? What if it works really well and he wants to like… kiss me or something?”

I let out a small laugh. “He’d be a fool to not want to kiss you. But just take it as it comes, and don’t worry. Just be your usual sassy self, and he’ll love you.”

“Are you gonna kiss, Jaci?” she asks with a hint of something in her eyes, I’m not sure what it is.

“I don’t know, I’ll see how the flow of the evening goes, but I won’t hold back if the vibe is there. Take the wings and soar or whatever the saying is.”

Alex chews on her bottom lip. “Maybe I’m not ready for all this. I mean it’s only been three years.”

Grabbing her hands, I look in her giant doe eyes, that warmth is flooding back through me as I stare at her and she sinks into the sofa. “Look, I know you’re scared. This is a big thing for you. But you’re strong, you’re brave, and you’re beautiful, you deserve to be loved and to love someone in return. Putting yourself out there Alex is a good thing, and I’m gonna be with you every step. If he’s getting weird or you feel uncomfortable, you come over to my table. I don’t even care if my date is going amazing, you come and join us, okay?”

“Thanks, Matt…” she sighs, “… you’re being really cool about all of this. Not sure I’d have the guts to do this on my own.”

“We’ll both find love, I’m sure of it. I can feel it, Alex.”

“Okay, but for the rest of the night I’m in charge of the remote.” She yanks the controller from beside me on the sofa, flicks it to Netflix, and starts playing The Walking Dead.

Chuckling, I pull her legs over mine as we sit cuddling on the sofa. Being with her is effortless and uncomplicated, and I hope I can have this with Jaci when we finally meet. That I can fall into the same sort of relaxed friendship. That Jaci accepts me for who I am, and perhaps with a bit of luck, she won’t even recognize who I am. But with knowing a lot about music, that’s probably highly unlikely.

Relaxing into the sofa, I enjoy my time with Alex as she chuckles at the guy slicing and dicing the zombies. I like her just the way she is. I hope that Logan isn’t a tool. I’ll have to watch him to make sure he doesn’t hurt her. My thoughts start to blur as I close my eyes just for a moment. Having Alex in my arms and the calm of the moment, even with the zombie noises, I’m utterly in my element as everything starts to fade away.