Secret Rulebook of Cheating

Rule #5: The Forbidden Fruit Tastes the Sweetest

“Brandon is so going to thank me!” Chloe exclaimed as we walked out of the store and headed to the mall coffee shop which was another two stores away.

Chloe was a friend of mine from high-school. We weren’t really that close anymore but we hung out together every once in a while. Like today.

Brandon had asked me to accompany him to an office party and being the good girlfriend I was for the past week since I had come back from my short-but-not-lacking-emotion vacation, I said yes. It was going to be a total drag – spoken from experience. I had gone with him once before and there was one topic and one topic only – work. I mean, come on, I know it’s an office party, but it’s a party. So anyway, after rummaging through my closet thoroughly, I had come to the conclusion that I didn’t have anything decent to wear – I know, it happened every time – and Chloe and I went shopping. I now owned a new dress – elegant, silver, knee length, backless, and totally sexy. Chloe spotted it, hence her sense of owed gratitude.

“Every guy’s eyes will be pinned on you at that party tomorrow,” my friend added.

I lifted an eyebrow. “You really think he’ll thank you for that?”

“Of course. You’ll be what everyone wants but only he can have,” Chloe said competently as we stood in line for coffee. “Trust me. Guys love that.”

I snorted. “Since when have you become such an expert on guys’ psychology?”

Her shoulders rose. “When you’ve dealt with enough of them.”

Chloe had her share. Not that I judged her for it. There was a time once when I didn’t appreciate her frivolous ways, but now I sort of understood. She just hadn’t found her Brandon yet. I was sure once the right guy appeared she wouldn’t look at anyone else. Or at least wouldn’t want to. It wouldn’t be her fault if a super sexy perfect-abs-blue-eyes-tousled-hair kind of guy sprung on her out of nowhere. Really, what could she do about that? But it didn’t matter. That was behind her now. I mean… yeah.

“You think that will still be the case if I fall asleep during the first half hour?” I forced myself back into our conversation when we ordered two coffees to-go.

She threw me a sympathetic look. “Is it really going to be that bad?”

“You need a calculator to get one of their jokes,” I said dully. Okay, maybe I was exaggerating a bit. A tiny bit.

“Should we shop for one next then?” Chloe taunted with a not so subtle grin on her face.

“Funny. You won’t be laughing when you spend Saturday night on the phone with me, solving equations,” I shot back. We took the two paper cups the coffee shop girl was passing us and headed to the exit.

“I think I’m spotting a better way to spend my Saturday night.”

She tilted her chin to where her eyes were already fixed on something and I followed the motion. It wasn’t something, it was someone – walking in our direction. I could definitely see why her mind was already whirling into Saturday night fantasies. Hell, I was her a week ago. And it was the same someone.

The initial surprise in his eyes transformed into recognition as he spotted me and a lazy smile found its way on his lips. My knees better hold the fort!

“Hey, Nicole.”

“Jason,” I uttered, thrown off balance by this unforeseen encounter. The thought I would cross paths with him again eventually – having mutual friends and all – had crossed my mind, but I wasn’t expecting it to be so soon. And I sure hoped that by the next time we met, the inside of my stomach would be cured from the effect of his voice. It wasn’t and it also seemed like I had swallowed my tongue.