Monsters & Fairytales (3 page)

He shifted his legs impatiently and my brain was forced to make my eyes look and continue to not respond to the question he had asked. I suppose the fitted jeans weren’t half bad. Wait, could he hear me? No, that’s crazy talk.
He had a small smile on his face. I only noticed because he moved his hand up over his chest and his lips.
             

His chest, his shirt would be nicer without the jeans. If he had had on some black pants the outfit would actually be my kind of style. He might be too built for all that, though. I guess I had to admit that he knew what he was doing. Everything fit. It was nice. Subtle and yet captivating, especially his eyes. They had this twinkle to them that was just, wait, he’s staring at me. What am I doing? What was the last thing he said? Think! Oh right, he asked my name.

“Oh!” I said aloud.

“You really messed something up in there, didn’t you?” He asked finally letting the laughter out he had been holding back.

“I got distracted. I’m sorry. Um, my name is Mirabelle. I prefer Mira, though.” I said shoving my hand back out.

He wrapped both his hands around mine and finished allowing his laughter to escape. I felt the corner of my lip curl up into a smile. He was very patient for someone who had been in such a hurry earlier. To honestly stand there and just let me judge him while he was waiting for me to tell him my name really said something about his character. I wouldn’t have taken it. Nevertheless, I guess he had to be used to it, just not from a woman of my standards. Well, I guess all women would admire him. I just couldn’t imagine him giving someone like me the time of day like this.

Suddenly, I felt all my flaws expose themselves. He had to be judging me if I were judging him. My insecurities made me shiver. No, that was from my wet clothes. Ugh, that’s
right,
he’s seen my bra and everything already. I was a mess. At least I remembered my bandana; my hair wasn’t a noticeable wreck with that holding it in place. I wonder if he could see the teal dye through it. I know he saw it on my shirt.

Maybe it was a good thing the paramedics had come. If it weren’t for them I would have had my gray leg warmers on too. Come to think of it, did credit really go to the paramedics? If I had never fallen into the fountain none of this would have happened. I guess maybe if they hadn’t brought me back to life I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to take anything off or even to put my soaked bangs under the bandana. So yes, yes credit did go to them more so than the fountain. Thanks, paramedics, for allowing me to look less traumatizing to this guy than I would have. I know if he had seen my hair in its natural state, with the teal bangs, this guy would honestly be walking away rather than trying to make conversation with me.
             

This was crazy. Who was I kidding? Guys like him don’t like girls like me in any situation, hair pulled back or not, leg warmers or
bare
. I was a total wreck now and he would have thought me a total wreck then. This is pointless. He and I could never be together. I needed to just accept a nice guy when I met one and not think the first one ever is into me. It will only lead to more heartache, and I certainly didn’t need any more of that.

“Well, Mira, I’m Johnavon, but I prefer Joe.”

He took about as long to respond as I had earlier. I hadn’t even noticed. Was it a test? He’s such a tease. Then his name registered. Did he just say Johnavon?

I felt myself lose slight interest in him, only a little, just a tad. Still, he said Johnavon. How could he take a super unique name like Johnavon and go by Joe? Ugh, he probably even spelled it like J-o-e instead of J-o. I hated feeling this shallow, but it showed his character more. It just didn’t make any sense. At least mine kept the originality. He made himself an average Joe. Was that it? Was he dying not to stick out with his
materialistic qualities by calling himself something so subtle
?
             

He stepped back up next to me and I instantly turned sideways to step back from him. I was still angry he took the one unique thing away from himself. It was all the proof I needed that he’d never appreciate my own originality. Why was he so afraid of standing out? Who wanted to blend in but demand so much attention as he has been doing this entire time?

“I’m going to walk you up the stairs, is that okay?”

No, it’s not okay that you go right on making me like you even more when I’m trying to convince myself you’re something that’ll never work for me.

“Really, I’m okay. I promise”

“I insist. I’m going to make sure you get to your door safely. I mean given your track record, you can’t blame me for thinking
something else could possibly go wrong. And then I’ll take you out for lunch, especially since you decided against that hospital visit, you’ll need someone watching you move around without falling.”  He exclaimed, rushing through that middle part.

He was standing
there with his elbow out blinking at me. A strange grin was in his cheeks. I couldn’t do anything. I was dumbfounded. Had he just asked me out? He really just asked me out. No, he told me we were going out. Did he think I’d say no? Who was this guy?

“I... well, what?” I asked him very slowly.

“Oh, please. I’m pretty sure if they knew you fell again they’d be freaking out.”

“No, I meant that-” I stopped myself again. He was clever.

“It’s the least I can do for all this trouble.”

He was honest.
Danggit
, this guy was really, honestly into me. No way. I was such a drama queen.

“I suppose. It really wasn’t your fault though, any of this.” I grinned as I finally looped my arm through his.

We started walking up the stairs. Spike was watching me. I had forgotten about him, just a little bit.

“Hmm, who do we blame, then?!” He teased. It made me smile.

“Well if I’d have to blame anyone, it’d be that guy.” I exclaimed, pointing towards Spike.

“Ah, makes sense. He seems like the scoundrel type!”

Joe looked over at me and winked. His cheeks turned a little red, was he blushing? He was making this very difficult for me.

“Yes, he is.” I sighed.

I looked to my dog waiting on us to reach him. He’s a good dog, the best. I love him.

“Which apartment is yours? I know that 5a just opened up, but I’m pretty sure Mrs. Archibald would have said something.
Hmm.”

“I’m in 3B.” I answered him.

I hated saying that. It sounded like freebie. This was far from a freebie.

“Really?!
I’m in 2C!”“ He exclaimed, stopping in his tracks.

“Get out!”

I pushed him with my hand in that sarcastic sort of way. He steadied himself against the railing on the opposite wall and laughed. I had no idea what him living in 2C meant, but he had given me that look as if I was supposed to know. I was tired of feeling dumb and hopeless around him, so I figured a chest push made things believable. Besides, not only was it a good excuse to see if he really was built under that shirt, but I sort of felt it appropriate to give him a nice little jab for making me fall on my face, twice.
             

We made it to the second set of stairs without any more falls. I wasn’t sure how I managed it. I barely even remembered putting one foot in front of the other. I was so caught up in him. He was a real trickster to put a girl through such a loop as this.
             

Rather than grab the railing, my free hand wound itself around my necklace and fidgeted with the charm. My heart skipped a beat; Mom. What would she think of me letting some random guy walk me to my apartment? My grounding, she was always there when I needed her. This was my push to get him away and start thinking smarter. I needed a distraction, something so it didn’t seem like I wasn’t trying to think of a way to stop him from walking me up the stairs. All I could think of was fainting, but something told me fainting would have a reverse effect with this guy. I’d probably wake up married to him.
Distraction.
Wait!

“As the pain is subsiding from my head I can feel it getting worse in my leg, so I really think I should just rest by myself.” I said.

It sounded so dumb. I didn’t even buy it. He was going to see right through me, I could feel it. He stopped walking. I felt a little shaky.

“Well, that was my intention for getting you safely to your apartment.” He said.

“I understand, but well-”

“Say no more.” He held up his hand to stop me. “I know I’m a weird guy who just met you. I understand. You’re not hurting anyone’s feelings.”

He started backing off. Was it a ploy? It was working. Damn him.

“I’d still really like to go to lunch with you. Can we make it for tomorrow?” I whispered before I really knew what I was saying.

“You really missed the whole point of me taking you to lunch, huh?” He chuckled.

“No, I got it. I have someone else that could check on me. And if I feel that bad, I’d hate to ruin your day.”

“Really?”

He
squinted
his eyes, he was testing me.

“Mm-hmm.”

I tried to hold my ground. You won’t win this one, Mr. Good Looking. I couldn’t give in to his charm. He looked so cute judging me, though. I felt my
cheeks start to blush. I was giving myself up. He knew I was lying. Of course I had no one else, look at me! I just wanted him to walk me upstairs and stay with me forever; it wasn’t rocket science. Tomorrow would suffice. That would give me enough time to judge his character and intentions truthfully. Rida, my mother, would be proud of that.

“Okay, tomorrow it is. And I’ll be honest, that actually works out better for me, too.
I was going to risk a lot by taking you out.”

He smiled and winked at me. I nodded my head for our parting ways. My brain was slightly stuck on his words, however. What did he mean by that risk thing? Was I not worth any risks? Was he just playing more tricks to try to get into my head? Well two could play that game.
             

He gave a nod in return and I smiled all smug like. Brushing my hair over my shoulder, I carried on as if I didn’t need him. I made sure not to look back when I started up the stairs. That ought to do it. His footsteps carried on in the opposite direction confirming he wasn’t waiting on me. He was walking much faster than I was. I could feel him constantly looking back, though. I made sure to walk slowly. I knew better. He wasn’t going to leave it like this. I heard his feet echo as they landed on the lobby floor, and then it got quiet.

“Mira!”
Joe screamed up the stairs like clockwork.

I smiled and carefully turned around. I walked up to the edge and leaned over. I had the biggest grin on my face. He was standing in the middle of the oval lobby with his hands cupped around his mouth. If I reached my hand out, I could smack him.

“Yes?” I said as dryly as possible.

Walked right into my trap; doesn’t feel so good does it Joe? Go
ahead,
take the ball into your court again. I know you will.

“I’m sorry, I know I agreed to tomorrow, but I just remembered that I’m busy tomorrow morning. So the morning after, Thursday, that is, I will take you to breakfast. Okay?” He shouted again.

Ah, it was beautiful. I was so happy he was testing how much I actually liked him. It meant he really did like me and I was a drama queen. But, what really mattered was that I was still in the lead. Who was I kidding, in the lead or not, I had never picked up a guy in my life! And in all of ten minutes after falling into this guy’s lap, we were fighting over who likes who more. We were just too stubborn to admit it, literally. Sorry, Mom. I was hooked.

“Oh! I just remembered that the movers are coming tomorrow anyways. Thursday it is.” I said in a way that made it sound like I honestly hadn’t remembered the movers.

Of course I remembered them. He wasn’t going to let this go. I knew it. I had a feeling he was going to take everything and try to get under my skin some more. As long as I kept going, he’d never have the last word though.

“A simple yes, would have worked too.” He mumbled.

“Huh?”

I wasn’t exactly sure of what he said. My brain was hazy. Was he changing the day again? I leaned over the ledge to make eye contact easier.

“Thursday!”
He exclaimed.

His hands snapped into fists, he was fidgeting. He was debating something. I shouldn’t have all this free time for him, we were still playing cute. I stepped back and started on the second level of stairs finally.

I could still see him. It was slightly invigorating, but it made me nervous. It wouldn’t be so bad if he left. Nothing else go could wrong in front of him that way.

“Bye, Mira!” He said.

“Bye, Joe.” I whispered so low he couldn’t hear me.

He turned away from me and finally walked out. When the door shut, I let out a deep breath, as well
as my stomach
. That guy was trouble. I looked at Spike and patted his head. That’s when I noticed we were next to 2C. I stopped and stared at it. Confused as ever and feeling the weight of the evening dissipate, I trudged on to our new home.