Against All Odds

House Party

***picture of Zac*** :)
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This is the first time that I feel ignited and excited about something. I haven't felt that for a long time now. He knew how to fascinate me. Joe is different than the rest, but it's too early to deduce that.

"So you are harassing me?" I crossed my arms, challenging him to say yes. "and what makes you think I am okay with that?" I queried.

I am okay with that...

He leaned forward, ducked his shoulders since he was too tall to reach my short stature and whispered. "because your eyes say the opposite, "

That's embarrassing. I can't even mask my temptation toward him, what's wrong with me?
I need him to stop talking before I embarrass myself any further.

"Whatever, just stop talking," I replied, turning my back on him.

Joe chuckled said nothing for the rest of the ride.

The train stopped and doors opened, everyone hastily walked out, others walked in.

The street was glorious in its inception. The sidewalks were smooth grey stones, joined with such precision that the joins were almost invisible. The walls were concrete, but not like a villa in rural Spain; they were more akin to the construction of a modernist skyscraper, all sharp edges, and corners. The buildings were nothing short of monoliths, the bastions of the city's pride, stamping its arrival on the map of financially significant places to trade with. 

My phone was buzzing, most probably its Nicole wondering why I didn't show up till now. I made up excuses and lies just so that I avoid the embarrassment. I, the owner of Red Buggati decided to take the train in the middle of the night and walk to the party. I don't need more humiliation than that.

There was a crunch of gravel behind me, not the kind of continuous noise you'd get from a rolling car, but the defined short crunch of a footstep. The darkness pressed in on me as I fought the urge to turn around. Then there came another crunch, this time lighter and slower as if the maker of the noise was trying to be quieter, to sneak up on me perhaps.

I got frightened, so I immediately turned around to see who it was.

And to my surprise, again, it was Joe.

Is he stalking me? Why every time I turn around he's behind me? Yes, he is gorgeous, and I want to dive into his big ocean eyes for the whole day. But I don't know anything about him, and for all I care about, he could be a serial killer. I could be killed right here, right now!

He's boiling my anger now.
Let me tell you something about my anger issues.

My anger would come like an impossible build up steam, burning me on the way out, burning the one on the receiving end. I can tell you honestly, every time I ever blew I reckoned the other person deserved it. There was the explosion and then the mental framework afterward to avoid guilt, avoid owning the shame that was mine. That's how I stayed so foolish for so long, so immature, refusing to learn over and over - sacrificing who I was supposed to be to keep a pristine ego. But that pain, that realization, when I let it in, was more school than any classroom ever was. If I kept on being angry, how could I love anyone right? How could I begin to love myself?

But whatever it is, he should stop stalking me.

"I will call the cops!" I exclaimed. "Not only you're harassing me, but also stalking me, you're such a low life pervert!" I yelled and feebly made to push him away with my hands on his chest. He held fast and I didn't try any harder. I just left my hands there, trying to keep some distance, trying to think clearly.

"I am not, Vi, " he murmured back, still didn't move.
I looked up at his face; his eyes  gaze into mine.

One look from him and all my anger withered away.

"I am heading to a party, my friend's party, " he said.
He grabbed my hand gently from his chest and pushed it away.

"Who's party?" I demanded.

"Branson, Zac Branson." He replied.
He gives me one last glimpse and moves past me, continuing his way.

"Yeah right, and you expect me to believe that!" I wasn't asking. I was stumped. What are the odds for two strangers to meet on the subway, take the same train, and head to the same party they're invited to?

Great! Now I am stuck with this stranger for the whole night. Not that I am complaining about, but just startled.

We walked silently, and say nothing afterward.

We finally reached Zac's house party...

"hey, dude, What's up?"  Zac greeting Joe with their secret handshake.

"And...Vivian?" Zac said and confusion was all over his face. He looked silly yet funny. "You guys came together?"

I needed to make up a legit excuse, I can't let them know I took the train.

"No, of course not!" I protested. "I parked my car somewhere far, walked over here, and boom, I meet Joe, what a beautiful coincidence, isn't Joe?" I stammered.

The laughter evaporated from his eyes. His customary warmth gone faster than summer rain on the tarmac. Indeed even his focus was somewhere on the tree behind me as if I had become invisible to him or he could not bear to see me at all.

"I guess," said Joe, shrugging his shoulders.

END OF CHAPTER 4...