Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (Teacher-Student Romance Robert Downey Jr.)

She.

Robert's POV

She.

She lives in daydreams with me. 

Daydreams almost as good as her sitting right in front of me, as she is now.

„So," I say, „have you been good?"

She frowns. „Good in a ‚how have you been' or in a ‚I might punish you' sort of way?"

She starts laughing as I clear my throat. The music from the band is slowly weaving into our conversation. The dim lights are making her look almost surreal. Dream like. I can't stop my head from spinning every time I dare to look anywhere else, apart from her eyes.

„Do you enjoy making me uncomfortable?", I ask her, raising an eyebrow.

Aria leans back, offering me a clear view of her figure. Even in a T-Shirt she makes me shiver. I cross my legs under the table. Helpless.

„Do I now?" she replies.

„You know exactly what you are doing, kid." I tell her and she gives me an innocent look.

„Oh I do apologize Sir, please don't tell my parents. They are so proud of me for making it to the big city."

I can't help but join in on her laughter and bathe in the warmth of her affection. The feeling of belonging to her, with her. As thick as thieves.

We've been meeting every second Sunday for a couple of weeks now. Always the same time, always the same bar. Same drinks, same crowd.

Exactly as many people around as one needs to still hold a private conversation. Enough people around to feel safe, to hide from anything that might be rising to the surface in a lonely dark room. We tell each other about books and films we like. People we think are boring and future plans. We talk about everything and nothing at the same time.

„Yes," she starts, „I've been doing fine. You on the other hand, seem to have been going through it, have you?"

Her bluntness still throughs me off, even after all this time. I've not been on my best behavior, if I have to be honest. There have been too many drinks, long nights, not showing up to work on time and the odd drunken call. I couldn't seem to get that night out of my head. How she acted as if everything was forgotten, as if we'd just go back to how things were. Her words still stuck in my head like a song I can't get rid off, unless I hear it one more time. Her body so close to mine. Her breath. Soft words spoken into my ear. And no other option than to jump right into it or drown trying to swim.

„It does not leave me cold, when I am ghosted by the woman I'm sleeping with, if that's what you were getting at", I reply and Aria looks up at me.

„To my defense, I thought you were married."

„To your defense, I still was."

„But not anymore?", Aria whispers and I catch her glance over the table, shaking my head, slowly.

„Not anymore."

She exhales, as if hearing it again lifts a weight off her chest.

It's our first meeting, after my divorce has been finalized. I texted her earlier today and did not receive a reply. Waiting for her reaction, as if I had just asked her to prom. She kept me waiting. Up until now. Sitting in front of me, giving nothing away.

„And how is life as a divorcé? Are you going to buy a red convertible and start dating cocktail waitresses?"

„We both know I already did that," I say and take a sip of my drink. The slice of orange hits my lips and leaves a sweet and tangy aftertaste. „And I'm not a big fan of red cars."