Need directions or your car fixed."
"None of the above," I say.
"Trick-or-treatin' on my side of town?"
"No."
"It's over, Why do you keep droppin' into my life and fuckin' with my head? Besides, aren't you supposed to be at the Halloween dance with some college guy?"
"I blew him off. Can we talk?"
"Listen, I've got a shitload of work that still needs to get done. What did you come here for? And where's Enrique?"
"He, uh, left," I say nervously. "I think I scared him away."
"You? I don't think so."
"I showed him what I was wearing under my coat."
Alex's eyebrows shoot up.
"Let me in before I freeze out here. Please." I look behind me. The darkness seems inviting right now as my blood pumps harder. Pulling the coat tighter around me, my skin puckers with goose bumps. I shiver.
Sighing, he leads me into the body shop and locks the door. There's a space heater in the middle of the shop, thank goodness. I stand by it and rub my hands together.
"Listen, truth is I'm glad you're here. But didn't we break up?"
"I want to give us another try. Pretending we're just chemistry partners in class has been torture. I miss you. Don't you miss me?"
He looks skeptical. His head is cocked to the side, as if he's not quite sure he's hearing correctly. "You know I'm still in the Blood."
"I know. I'll take whatever you can give me, Alex."
"I'll never be able to meet your expectations."
"What if I tell you I won't have any expectations?"
He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. I can tell he's thinking hard about this, because his expression turns serious. "I'll tell you what," he says. "You keep me company while I finish my dinner. I won't even ask you what you have…or don't have…under that coat. Deal?"
I smile tentatively and smooth down my hair. "Deal."
"None of the above," I say.
"Trick-or-treatin' on my side of town?"
"No."
"It's over, Why do you keep droppin' into my life and fuckin' with my head? Besides, aren't you supposed to be at the Halloween dance with some college guy?"
"I blew him off. Can we talk?"
"Listen, I've got a shitload of work that still needs to get done. What did you come here for? And where's Enrique?"
"He, uh, left," I say nervously. "I think I scared him away."
"You? I don't think so."
"I showed him what I was wearing under my coat."
Alex's eyebrows shoot up.
"Let me in before I freeze out here. Please." I look behind me. The darkness seems inviting right now as my blood pumps harder. Pulling the coat tighter around me, my skin puckers with goose bumps. I shiver.
Sighing, he leads me into the body shop and locks the door. There's a space heater in the middle of the shop, thank goodness. I stand by it and rub my hands together.
"Listen, truth is I'm glad you're here. But didn't we break up?"
"I want to give us another try. Pretending we're just chemistry partners in class has been torture. I miss you. Don't you miss me?"
He looks skeptical. His head is cocked to the side, as if he's not quite sure he's hearing correctly. "You know I'm still in the Blood."
"I know. I'll take whatever you can give me, Alex."
"I'll never be able to meet your expectations."
"What if I tell you I won't have any expectations?"
He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. I can tell he's thinking hard about this, because his expression turns serious. "I'll tell you what," he says. "You keep me company while I finish my dinner. I won't even ask you what you have…or don't have…under that coat. Deal?"
I smile tentatively and smooth down my hair. "Deal."
( Simone Elkeles )
[ Perfect Chemistry ]
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