The Date Auction

Chapter 9: Last Date?

I heard a vehicle pull up around 7 pm, and though I knew it couldn't be Driversby from its audible approach, I still thrilled inside with hope. But it was just an unmarked white van. I kept my intense watch for the limousine while a man in work overalls approached and began to install cameras pointing into my windows. Another knocked on the door.

"Hey, we need inside to install the rest of this surveillance equipment."

Ugh. I hated how the college insisted on installing new things when students were still in the dorms.

"Who are you working for?" I asked, opening the door. I'd need to know who to blame if they chipped the paint or something. I didn't want to lose my security deposit.

"We're with Blaise's Looking At and Inspecting Surveillance Equipment."

I took his card, stuffed it in my purse.

"Hey, sorry miss. I can tell I'm inconveniencing you. You've got the kind of aura of special virtue that makes me apologetic to have bothered you in the slightest. I know we're here a little earlier than scheduled, but-"

Just then I saw the Blaise's limo pull up silently.

"Sorry, gotta go," I said.

Driversby opened the door for me, and Blaise was there waiting, two mimosas already prepared.

"Have you changed your bandage?" Blaise asked immediately.

"What? This?" I peeled off the old bandage and threw it into the ice bucket. "It's fine already. I've always healed fast, for all of my childhood I can remember."

Blaise investigated my arm, and seeing the cut had healed, finally relaxed. "I'm glad you're okay."

"So. Who was your lady friend yesterday?" I asked.

"Oh. Lena? Just an old friend of mine."

"Just a friend?" I asked, thinking of her wicked eyes and haughty lips.

"An old, close friend."

I ignored the sinking feeling in my stomach. A man who had one close friend would almost certainly have others. And sometimes, friends were women.

But I didn't care. Tonight would be our last date.

"Pine needle girl." Blaise mused, "That's who you are."

"What?" I cried, embarrassed. "You can't call me that!"

"It's okay," Blaise assured me, arrogant eyes complementing his rich boy persona, "I like the way pine needles taste."

I blushed deep red. Oh my god, who does he think he is? How dare he talk so sexy to me!

Blaise sipped his mimosa. Cool. Confident. How I hated him in that moment. What was it about him that always aroused such strong feelings in me? I tried to seek answers in the turgid- no! turbid waters of my soul. Screw it. Screw him too. I downed my mimosa in one, pouring myself a glass of straight champagne.

"If you're going to talk like that, this date will cost you a lot of very expensive champagne." I declared, flicking the bloodied gauze off the bottle onto the floor.

"I don't mind spending money on you."

Shoot! How do I respond to that!

"Then you'll not mind paying for another date, I suppose?"

He stared deep into my eyes. I tried to think of something else to distract myself, but it was like the bubbles in the champagne had turned into butterflies, and I was left nervous and dumbstruck.

"Another date? Fine."

Oh no! I had been sure that would trap him. Now I was stuck unless I could scare him off by having the third date right away, as if I had some urgency in my heart to see him all the time.

"Tomorrow! Night!"

"Let's do it."

Another mistake! Now I'll have to immediately go on a date with him after this date! A fine mess you've put yourself in, Madison! What would your father think if he hadn't gone missing in the Grand Canyon!

Luckily for me, we quickly pulled up to our destination. Starstruck Hill. It was one of the cooler places in town. No matter what time of the year it was, you could always see shooting stars at Starstruck Hill, even when there were none you could see anywhere else. I considered doing my Astro 101 thesis on it, even though none of the other scientists thought it was interesting.

"Have you ever wished upon a star, Pine Needle Girl?" Blaise asked.

"I always wished for world peace." I said wisely. "But it hasn't happened yet, so I keep wishing."

Blaise nodded. "I always wished that we could all love each other."

"You? The bad boy of campus? The one who I just heard of a few days ago, but also I know your reputation intimately? Wishing for love? Seems pretty unlikely."

"I guess I feel like I have to hide sometimes. But not with you, Madison." He moved his hand closer to mine, his fingertips brushing my hand.

My heart jumped into my throat. Dare I? It had taken so long to reach this point with Jake. Could I really take someone's hand on only the second date?

I looked over. His hand, laying there with its normal number of joints and bones. Such a simple thing, and yet so fraught. I kept coming back to the same question: Dare I? Dare I? Dare I?

My heartbeat echoed in my ears. Surely he could hear it? Or feel it? I felt like the whole world must be able to see how nervous I was. There it was, his hand, with his five human fingernails, neatly trimmed. His hand lead to an arm, as was typical. Then his arm to his torso. Above his torso, his head. And below it...

"Are you alright, Madison? You're trembling." He looked almost embarrassed, as if caught out in some intense failure of polite behavior. "Have my jacket, please," he said as he draped it over my shoulders. Which meant his arms were almost around me. A hug? That was like a full body hand hold. Did I... did I want that?

He put his hand back on the ground, and I, like Icarus before me, moved my hand so a couple of our fingers overlapped.

He didn't pull away. Neither did I.