An Angel Straight from Hell

Chapter 2

As soon as she closed the door behind her, Chloe texted the phone number on the plastic cup hoping it was actually Sam's. She had been thinking of what to write all the way home and had settled for the stupidest thing, yet the one that agreed with her thoughts the most.

It can't be you but please tell me it's you.

A reply came immediately.

That depends on who you mean by 'you'.

Chloe decided not to text back. She thought it was probably just a prank and, if it wasn't, then he must have forgotten about giving her his number already.

Hey, lipstick girl. It IS me. U there?

Impossible. Utterly, completely, absolutely impossible. But... he had called her lipstick girl. He remembered. While thinking of an appropriate answer, the minutes ticked by until her phone beeped again.

Can I at least get a name?

With every text Chloe grew more and more wary, so she decided to try something.

To get a name you have to send me a selfie sticking out your tongue and holding a fork with your free hand.

This time, instead of a text message or a photo, she got a video call. After making sure her make up and hair were on point - all of this while freaking out, of course - she picked up.

"You don't trust me," Sam said pretending to be heartbroken by dramatically taking his hand to his chest. Then, he quickly switched his expression to one of curiosity. "Also, what the fuck woman? A fork?! The closest fork is two rooms away. How did you come up with that?"

Seeing him talking to her on the screen made her wonder why she had come up with 'fork' too. He looked so perfect, lying on that couch, shirtless. She should have asked for nudes, not a selfie with a fork for fuck's sake. Her head was going a million thoughts a minute but there was only one thing she could actually say.

"It's you! It's really your number. Oh my, oh my. It's you!"

"I guess it's me, yes. And you are...?" Before she could give him an answer he had something else to say. "Cute. But that I know already. I mean your name."

"What the hell is going on?" she half whispered. Chloe's face was turning all shades of red. "Chloe, it's Chloe."

"What's going on is I'm asking you out for a beer, maybe?"

"A beer?"

"Yes, Chloe. You up for a beer tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow? But.. You don't know anything about me."

"I know you like beer and that I'm leaving the city in a few days. We are already running out of time, honey. Is Willa's bar okay with you? It's the one on the beach."

Chloe would have expected an attitude like that from Josh but Sam didn't seem the cocky type. It was startling but she liked it. "What time should I be there?"