Untangle Me (5 page)

Fuck, did he really know where I lived?
I walked towards the front door, my body shaking.

Kayden: I’m kidding, Sophia, just thought I’d get your heart pounding.

Damn. I felt sadness at his words; I wanted him to be outside my door. My want for him outweighed any fear I had of him.

Me: You’re such a dick.

Kayden: I’m not there now, but I do know where you live.

Me: No you don’t, what’s my address?

My palms grew sweaty against the plastic of my phone as I read my address on the screen. My mouth dropped open in shock.

Me: How?

Kayden: The messenger chat shows where you are when you message me with your phone kiddo.

Fuck. I never paid much attention to the details in the chat window. I knew it said a city, but never knew it showed an exact location. I tapped on his message and I could see the street and location of where he was at this very moment.

Me: OMG. I never knew that. I always thought I was untraceable. I thought this was safe.

Kayden: Are you saying I’m dangerous, Sophia?

I didn’t feel physical danger from Kayden, but I knew he could break my heart.

Me: Nah. I don’t think you would hurt me, but I think you would turn my world upside down. I’ve always steered clear of men like you.

Kayden: No wonder you’re still looking for that great love. You’ve maneuvered yourself to all the wrong men.

Me: Who would be the right type of man?

I wanted Kayden to be the right type, but there was a problem… He didn’t want a girlfriend.

Kayden: You need a little trouble in your life… some excitement. You’ve stayed safe too long, and what did it get you?

Me: Navy Blue.

Kayden: Exactly, time to add some other color, baby doll.

The Great Picture Show

I needed to draw her to New Orleans. I wanted her to see how beautiful and special this city was. I was heading down to Bourbon Street with my roommate, John, to enjoy the best NOLA had to offer.

Sophia: I’ll miss chatting with you all night.

How could she think I could leave her behind? She still hadn’t given me an answer on coming to New Orleans. I’ll tempt her with the sights of the city, the allure in its beauty.

Me: I’m taking you with me Sophia.

Sophia: What do you mean?

Me: I’m going to bring my tablet, take pictures, and send them to you. I want you to experience the city with me.

Sophia: Really? You’re going to give me a tour of the city?

Me: Yes, I want you to see the beauty and the fun. I want you to want to come see me.

John and I headed out the door to catch the street car down Canal Street. I looked around and wanted to start the tour off right.

“Hey John, can you take a picture of me?”

“Sure thing,” John responded as I looked around for a great spot.

My eye caught a large DANGER sign spray painted on a cement separator… perfect. I stood next to the sign and made sure it remained in full view. John snapped the picture, and I quickly walked over to view it. I knew I was dangerous to Sophia, unlike any man she had been with, but I wanted her. I wanted to draw her in as deep as I could.

Me: The start of the tour.

Sophia: Are you trying to tell me something?

I laughed, Sophia knew how my mind worked somehow.

Me: Me? Never.

Sophia: Where to next?

Me: Down to Bourbon Street. Ready? The streetcar is here.

I sent her pictures of the inside of the streetcar and the stops along the route to our final destination. I snapped pictures of the buildings and the people all dressed for a night of fun. I couldn’t even leave the house for an evening and not find a way to make her part of it. I needed to talk with her. I had feelings for her already, but I’ve never met her. I felt a connection with her unlike any I had experienced.

Sophia: It’s beautiful and so different.

I sent her a picture of a beautiful courtyard that was filled with flowers and tables, and a fountain stood in the center of the courtyard flowing with water and glowing.

Me: I want to sit in this exact spot with you and sip on a drink. I want to share all of this with you in person.

Sophia: I’d rather be there with you than sitting on my couch right now.

Me: Look at this.

I spotted a few girls with body paint decorating their bodies. They didn’t have shirts on, but the paint helped mask their nudity. They were taking pictures with random men on the street for money. I snapped a picture from a distance and sent it to her.

Sophia: Wow. They have no shirts on, and that guy is basically grabbing her boob.

Me: Yes, women do it all the time.

Sophia: More pictures please, but maybe less boobs.

Me: Gotcha.

We walked down the heart of the French Quarter and captured as many images as I could to tell her the story of my night. John was very patient and understood my goal of luring Sophia to New Orleans.

“So you really like this girl, huh?” John asked me.

“I do.”

“Giving up on your arrangements then?”

“Yes, she makes me want more. If she is anything in person like what she is like online, then I want her and no one else,” I told him.

“Interesting bro. Do you have a picture of her?” John asked.

“I have a bunch,” I told him as I tapped my tablet a few times until a photo of her standing by the ocean appeared. She was wearing a flowing black tube top and shorts. Her long brown hair was blowing in the wind, and she was wearing sunglasses. I stared at her for a moment, “Here is the first picture I ever saw of her.”

“She’s beautiful, Kayden. I love her hair,” John said to me as he moved his face closer.

“It’s what drew me to with her to begin with. Thank God she didn’t have short hair—I may have never met her then,” I said jokingly.

“Is she going to come here?”

“I’m working on it. That’s why I’m taking these pictures. She’d love it here,” I told him while switching back to camera mode.

“You’ll do it. You’re a persistent bastard,” John said, strolling down the street to get a drink on the next block.

The night flew by quickly, and I sent at least fifty pictures to Sophia. I hoped the virtual tour of the city and experiencing it with me, but from afar, had made her want to come here more than ever.

A Moment of Pause

Me: I’ve decided I’m going to come to New Orleans to see you.

I couldn’t wait any longer. My summer was slipping away. When the school year begins everyone wants to swap stories about their summer trips. As of this moment, the only place I’ve been is the community pool. I wanted that great story, the excitement.

Kayden: Seriously? How about in July? I can take a couple of days off work.

Me: Let’s plan on that. Let me know when you can get off work, and I’ll be there.

Kayden: I can take off anytime I want. How many days do you want to visit?

I’ve never driven to see a man I didn’t know. I didn’t have a wild past filled with men, but I wanted to meet him—I needed to meet him.

How long should I plan to stay in New Orleans? Most of the time I’d set the first meeting to last a couple of hours or over a cup of coffee, but we planned for a long weekend. I would have my own car and a means to exit the city—and his life—if it did not work out, which put my mind at ease. I wanted to get to know him and reminisce about home. It would be a long drive and I wanted time to relax and enjoy before having to return home. I would arrive on Friday and leave on Monday morning so he could go to work. I hoped that the trip and our meeting wouldn’t be a disaster.

Kayden had made it clear in our early conversations that he wasn’t looking for a girlfriend—he was finished with relationships. He’d been burned by women too many times, and wasn’t looking for it to happen again. He wanted a physical relationship with someone, but not an emotional connection or a girlfriend—although I felt a shift in his attitude towards me. I was seeking excitement and he promised just that.

Before we finalized the plans, I told my brother about the upcoming trip. My brother remembered him from high school, but wanted to check him out since it’d been fifteen years.

“I told my brother that I’m coming to see you.”

“What did he say?” Kayden asked.

“He said he had a call to make and immediately hung up on me,” I replied.

“Think he’s calling some of my friends?” he asked.

“No doubt—knowing my brother, he’s looking for any red flags.”

“I have to tell you something first.” Nervousness filled his voice. “I have been arrested and am currently on probation.” was the next statement out of his mouth.

Stunned, I didn’t know what to say or think. He didn’t seem like a criminal, but a hard-working kind-hearted person… probation?
Should I run?
Fuck. I’d never invited trouble into my life before, but this was Kayden. My brother would find out if there’s a reason for me not to go. I’d wait until he gave me the okay.

“What happened? What did you do?” I implored.

“Well… it’s the reason my last relationship ended. I’m surprised you didn’t find it online.”

Weeks ago I do a search on him, but nothing interesting or notable was found.

“Where’d it happen?” I said.

He told me the location and I instantly searched online with his name and location. All of a sudden my browser was filled with information about his arrest. I skimmed the stories, looking at his mug shot, and trying to absorb the information.

“Please don’t look it up, let me explain what happened first,” he stated very quickly.

Too late, I had already become inundated with the gory details.

“I won’t look it up. What happened?” I asked trying to sound convincing.