SevenMinutesInHeaven.com

Six minutes left

"You're here to love me?"

I can't say I've ever heard that one before.

An aroma of arrogance seemed to infiltrate the air and the guy's good looks only furthered my growing dislike for him.

"Yeah, heard you gave our company a call? You asked to be loved so they sent me- and trust me, I'm better than anything you could have wished for."

I shuddered. I felt like his overwhelming amount of confidence was irritating me like a rash. Every hair on my body stood up in protest and I couldn't stop my eyebrows from furrowing together.

"I think you've got the wrong guy, maybe check next door, you're just his type. I heard he's always down for a massive dick."

I moved to shut the door but he caught the side with his hand. Annoyingly he was even stronger than he looked and with my flimsy arms I was forced to let go within seconds.

"Did you or did you not call Seven Minutes In Heaven last night?"

At the same time as producing the ugliest scowl I could muster, I nodded my head. I hoped the scowl would shield the shame I felt inside. This guy couldn't find out a single one of my weaknesses or I'd be doomed. Yet it felt like he already knew it all. My brain began panicking and overanalysing, it likes to help me in that way. Me and my brain are like two peas in a pod: both absolutely useless.

I bet he could see the hurt in the red around my eyes. The nightmares were evident in the purple shadows beneath them. He could see every insecurity in the cracks in my lips. Every anxious thought in my fiddling fingers. I was an open book. A short story he could read within minutes.

"I'm here because you wanted me to be here for you. Maybe you should consider being a little nicer to the people trying to help you then maybe you wouldn't need people like me."

"Maybe you should mind your own goddamn business!"

I slammed the door and this time he couldn't stop me. Marching away from the door I returned to the sofa and switched the TV back on. The TV doesn't jump to conclusions. The TV won't judge me for crying this much.

Knocking began to echo through the apartment.

"I'm not giving up or going away. Let me in, Jimin. Let me love you."

In reply I yelled a few curse words and turned up the volume on the TV. I wished TV could make him leave; I guess that's one thing the TV will never be: my protector.

"Jimin! Please? I'm sorry we've got off to a bad start but this is my job. I'm trained to help you! I'm a trained angel, Jimin! You'll regret not opening this door!"

Why are people always telling me what I'll regret? How would they know? I'll regret whatever I want to regret. I already regret opening the door to him in the first place.

The TV suddenly became too loud. The picture became too bright. The people's voices were too fast. The TV had turned against me. I turned it off. Another love lost.

"Jimin? Open up! I'll break this door down! I don't want our first proper conversation to start with a load of splinters and smashed wood! Is that what you want? I won't be paying for it. You've forced me-"

I pulled the door open.

"Stop yelling. I don't want the neighbours thinking I like getting visits from some psycho. Get inside already."

I motioned to the sofa and closed the door behind him. He sank onto the creased pillows before looking up at me.

"Thanks for letting me in, Jimin. I was starting to worry you were actually going to make me break the door down- which I definitely could do if I really wanted to."

He chuckled as he said it but I refused to let the slightest sign of amusement show on my face.

"Yeah yeah I get it, you're buff. Now what are you here for again?"

"I'm here to love you."

"You said that before. The whole corridor knows that now. What does that actually mean?"

"Well, love is like a magical feeling us adults get when we really like spending time with another person-"

My raised eyebrows must have unnerved him because he stopped the sarcasm abruptly.

"I'll be your lover. Your boyfriend; your partner in crime; your best friend- whatever you want to call it. I really am just here to show you love and affection, just like you wanted."

"So you've come here to be my boyfriend? Like we go out on dates and make out?"

"Well there's a bit more to it than that but yes, if that's what you want, that's what I'm here for. Sound okay to you?"

My brain screamed no and for once it made a lot of sense. A random man just entered my house with his only motive being to 'love me'. If that's not a cause for concern, my teachers didn't do a good enough job of teaching us about stranger danger.

However, my heart began to beat in rebellion against my ribcage. It wanted him to stay. It needed at least a little love to patch it up again. I couldn't let my heart down like everyone else.

"Fine. But just so you know I think this whole thing is dumb."

"I'll keep that in mind as long as I can just make sure you understand something rather important. You can't have me forever- as much as I'm sure you'd like to eventually. You only have me for seven days."