It probably wasn’t a smart idea to get drinks with someone who was also in an emotional turmoil. Yet, Hailey didn’t want to be alone nor did she want to call her friends and give them the same old tired rant about how her mother doesn’t love her. She needed to figure it out on her own.
“What’s your name?”
“Hailey. Yours?”
“Lucas,” he mumbled.
“So what happened at the park?”
His blue eyes were cold when he looked at her.
Is he mad at me?
Hailey felt her body tense as she forced the drink down. She wanted to push down the feeling that he was daring her to ask the question.
Does he know, I know?
They went back to his drink, avoiding any eye contact.
“A break-up,” he said.
“It just… seemed tense,” she said.
He didn’t say anything else. He continued to down each glass of whiskey like he was being fed soup during a snowstorm.
“Maybe slow down,” she said.
“What’s your deal? Why were you in the park? In the middle of the night?”
“I just needed air,” she said.
“Guess you went through a break-up too, huh?”
“Something like that,” she mumbled.
She came out to drink with a man she didn’t know, out of fear that he would try to hurt himself after. Well, he was somewhat still succeeding. She still felt like shit.
Why did I come with him?
“Your boyfriend is stupid,” he said. “You’re really pretty and for you to accompany me for a drink, you’re either caring or stupid.”
“I can be both.”
He smirked at her comment as he finished his 4th whiskey before switching to Coke.
“What did you think was going to happen if you left me alone in the park?”
Hailey’s frown grew on her face. “That you would try-”
“Well, you certainly think the worst. I’m an alcoholic. That’s all,” he said.
“That’s still not good,” she said, “but you have control. That’s good.”
“I’m slightly hoping I won’t go home alone tonight,” he said.
Hailey’s eyes widened before looking at him, taken aback by his sentence. She couldn’t think fast enough before he changed his mind.
“Or I can go home alone.”
“I just didn’t think you’d want to go home with me,” she said.
“You’re cute. Why wouldn’t I want to?”
Hailey’s cheeks tainted pink as she avoided looking at his eyes. It had been a few years since her last time. It didn’t help that her mother’s insults were still ringing in her head.
You, with him? Do you really think you can be with him? With how heavy you are? And you didn’t even bother brushing that nest you call hair.
Hailey would be lying if she said she didn’t find him the least bit attractive. His blue eyes may have been dull but they were a gorgeous shade. His chestnut-colored hair made him look like a mess but it brought out his jawline a lot more. Damn, she loves a man with stubbles. Even with the salt and pepper color that ran wild in his hair, he couldn’t be any older than 35.
“Wow. You must be a real hit with the ladies,” Hailey said.
“I wouldn’t know. I’ve been with my ex for 2 years. So, not much to go on.”
“2 years? Was she always-”
“No. First 6 months, we were fine. I don’t know what happened. I guess I just didn’t see it coming,” he said.
“There’s always a red flag.”
“How old are you?” he asked.
“I’m 24.”
“I am way too old for you,” he chuckled.
“How old are you?” She asked.
“41.”
“That explains the salt and pepper. You’re really good looking for 41,” she said.
“Please, stroke my broken ego some more,” he said.
A smile came to his face and Hailey couldn’t help her own smile from coming. Her eyes fell to her drink, and she wasn’t even halfway done. It was sweet, she couldn’t even taste the alcohol but she couldn’t let herself drink.
“CLOSING TIME!”
“I should head back home.”
“I’ll come with you,” she said.
She still wasn’t sure if he was okay or herself, for that matter. The way his brow was cocked, she could take a good guess on what he thought was going to happen. She didn’t confirm or deny it. She wasn’t sure what she wanted from him.
“We’ll see when we get to your place,” she said.
Lucas tried to hide his smirk from Hailey but he failed. Hailey saw it. Hailey walked beside him, watching as he got an Uber for them. They waited a few minutes in awkward silence until they climbed in after he opened the door for her. She settled into the chair while her eyes scanned over Lucas before looking out the window. She took in the direction the driver was going and stiffen when feeling Lucas’s breath hit her skin. She could smell the whiskey and felt the heat from his breath, it brought a tingle along with a feeling that hasn’t stopped by in a while.
“What did you want to do?”
“Uhm,” she whispered.
She didn’t know. He had muddled her thoughts as she shifted a bit to be closer to him. There was an odd sense of calm being near him. She didn’t have anxiety or fear, there wasn’t a thought that made her think twice. It’s not something she was familiar with. She was used to her anxiety spiking around men.
Why am I so calm?
Lucas helped Hailey out of the Uber and just by looking around, she could tell the vast difference between where they lived. There were nice Cafes and a Starbuck just around the corner. The building wasn’t an old brick one, it was modern with a balcony at every one of them.
He led her to his building, she noticed the security key and the guard by the door. Her shoes squeaked on the white marble floor, she could see how expensive the complex is compared to hers. She could still smell the cleaning products, while her complex still reeked of sweat from the people who go in and out.
The differences between them were starting to hit her. Age, skin tone, finances, most likely culture. She entered his place, looking around the whole apartment and holding back her giggles.
“What’s funny?”
“Nothing. I just…we’re very different,” she said.
“Is that bad?”
“No…I mean, you’re white-”
“Mixed.”
“Really?” She asked, “Interesting. Is your mom or dad black, Asian, Hawaiian or-”
“My mom’s black,” he said.
Hailey sat down on his couch as she watched him go to his kitchen. Her eyes went around the room before she saw a family photo.
“So, how else are we different?” he called from the kitchen.
“Well,” she said, “Our age. Culture, it looks like, and different statuses too.”
Lucas came back with two glasses of water, placing it down and kept quiet for a moment. Hailey’s eyes went to Lucas as she grabbed his cup, taking a sip. She earned a small chuckle from Lucas.
“How do you know I didn’t drug them both?”
“Guess you should take a sip too,” she said.
Lucas laughed to himself, taking a sip of his cup, then Hailey’s.
“Why did you drink mine?” she whined.
“I wanted to see if it counts as kissing,” he winked.
Hailey’s cheeks grew hot as she continued to drink her water. She fidgeted as she tried to calm her heart. It was like a wave of uncertainty and excitement had jolted every nerve in her body. She couldn’t make out what she wanted to do with him.
“So, what’s your race?”
“What?” she asked, “Oh. My race? I guess I’d be white since I was born in America but I was raised in Dominican culture.”
“Ah, ¿hablas español entonces?”
“You speak Spanish?” she asked.
Hailey was intrigued.
“Sí, hablo español, dialecto jamaicano, por supuesto. Francés, polaco y mandarín,” he said.
“Holy shit. Did you learn all that to help you get laid,” she teased.
“No,” Lucas laughed. “I grew up with patois because my grandparents spoke it a lot. I learned French and Spanish in high school and college. Something to do to-”
“Help pick up chicks?”
“Yes,” Lucas laughed. “Polish I learned because I had a friend who was Polish so they taught me. Mandarin I taught myself out of interest.”
“Aren’t you a cultured cutie?”
“You think I’m cute,” he smirked.
Hailey bit her bottom lip, not wanting to answer as she felt herself become more nervous. She could tell Lucas was reading her—her body language, how she responded to him, she met his eyes, and bit her bottom lip.
“We don’t have to,” he said.
“So you were reading me,” she said.
She watched Lucas shrug, adjusting himself so he was giving her some space but was still within her reach. She let her hands rest on his thigh before feeling her nerves get the best of her. Her heart was racing a mile a minute and she bit her bottom lip.
“I want to,” she said.
“Do you?” he asked.
Hailey reached for his face, seeing Lucas flinch before forcing himself to stay still. Hailey stroked his cheek, feeling his stubble on her skin.
“You can sit on my lap,” he said.
“I’ll crush you,” she mumbled.
Hailey laid back with Lucas’s help. She could see he was being careful with every move. Her breath hitched as his lips met hers. She melted into the kiss, following his lead while her hands slip up his shirt. She felt him flinch before relaxing into her hands. Her hand felt every inch of his smooth skin until she went over a rough spot. Lucas moved away from her hand.
“Don’t.”
“Is that a scar?” she asked.
“Yeah, it’s fine,” he said.
Hailey frowned, moving to sit up as Lucas moved away from her.
“Was that from a fight?”
“You could say that,” he said.
“Was it from your girlfriend? Is that why you flinch?”
“You should head out,” he said. “It’s about to be 4.”
“I didn’t mean to upset you-”
“I’m not upset,” he said, “I just want to get some sleep.”
Look what you did,
He’ll hate you now.
You fucked up.
What do you expect from trash like you?
“Okay,” Hailey said.
She made her way to the door, making sure she had her phone as she bit her bottom lip to keep from panicking.
“Have a good night, Lucas.”
“You too.”
Hailey flinched when the door slammed in her face, her eyes looking down the empty illuminated hall.
Heather Marie 