Encounters Worth Avoiding

In which our protagonist finds out that sometimes, there is nowhere to run

There was just a room this time. No paper, no light. To my amazement, no doors either, which meant no key. Turns out I was wrong. Natural light did flourish through two large gaps in the ceiling, carving, burning their way to the ground.

And within an instant, my consciousness flickered to life. I realised at once that those 'holes' were my eyes, and the 'light' was the morning sun beating down on my face. John was resting next to me, and as I looked over, he tossed himself in my direction.

Minding my own business, I hopped up from my bed and proceeded to dress for the assumed busy day ahead.

"No messing around with you, is there?" My brain piped up.

"Not at all," I responded aloud, grabbing some clothes from the cupboard and allowing this mindless conversation to take place, my thoughts suddenly filling themselves alight with breakfast ideas.

"Whaddya feel like this mornin', Alex?" they conversed, "Cereal?"

"Nah, too plain. Full of oats, too. You know how much I detest oats." I fumbled with the buttons on my pants.

"Up for pancakes?"

"Too filling, and sweet. I don't wanna go into a sugar rush, now, do I?" I giggled, slapping a colourful shirt on.

"Then what do you want?!" Just as I was about to make my decision, an irritating knock at the door redirected my train of thought.

"Who is it?" My voice echoed from inside. I made a note to myself to be careful of my projection, the early hours of the morning still in their wake.

"I'm after Hamilton." The voice was female, sprightly and something along the lines of seductive.

"Well, rest easy now, John!" I muttered, before striding outside, quickly collecting myself. I leaned against the door, lingering outside with this mysterious figure.

"Who are you?" I asked, "This is... strange." I paused, attempting to find the right words.

I glanced at her appearance. She had an olive complexion, black flowing hair and vibrant red dress and makeup, along with ballet flats. The lipstick she was wearing was bold, a powerful passion emanated from them.

"I'm so sorry to bother you at home!" She abruptly began, shyly pointing at the door.

"N-no worries." I stammered, "What can I do for you?" I started.

"Bad move, dude." My brain coached, "Bad move." I brushed it off. Your brain can be real demanding sometimes.

"I came here, all alo-one..." she slurred.

"So, you're new?" I inferred.

"Yeah. Just tryin' to find my way around here, and I stumbled upon you." She tapped her foot rhythmically on the ground and blinked like a cat. Short and adorable. Except I wouldn't call it that. Short and... I couldn't conjure up the word.

"Why?"

"I can't disclose out here." Whoever this lady was, her impression set me on edge. Her dual impression, I might add. One minute enticing, the next minute, poisonous.

"What are you up to?!" I half-shouted, pacing back a few steps. She dashed up to me, placing a finger at my lips and sweetly whispering, "Shh."

"Who are you?" I repeated as she continued to bring herself closer to me.

"I'm Maria," she stated, her lips forming a thin smile.

"Shit." My brain froze. "Run!" It exclaimed. It almost felt as if the world was closing in on me, entrapping me in her presence.

"Excuse me, I have some business to attend to!" My voice cracked as I made a beeline for the dorm door, only to be swiftly obstructed.

"You stay here now." She continued to coerce me, "All alone, with me! How could you pass up on that?" Her hands toyed with her dress, as she twirled on the spot. In the split moment, she had cast her gaze off me, I threw my hand at the doorknob and yanked it to the right, door flinging askew. Maria toppled over, expecting me to come with. No siree! I stepped right over her.

"Ah! My dress!" She squealed childishly, instantly jumping up and caressing her gown.

"That's what you deserve," I smirked. The clock read 8:40am, flicking to 8:41am a millisecond later. Sleeping beauty remained dormant, hair scattered like leaves in autumn weather.

"I deserve to be treated much better than this! I deserve luxury and royalty. Ball gowns and presents. Parties and razzle-dazzle. Last but not least, a worthy suitor." Her attitude gave me chills.

"She deserves the Academy Award for being a spoilt brat." I joked, bracing myself for another behavioural change. I could just sense it coming, like a Spidey sense, in a way.

"I'm practising some techniques in neuropsychology. Would you like to be my test subject?" Again with her sweet blinking. Counterfeit innocence was never the answer.

"N--" I began.

"Good." She circled me like an eagle to her prey. "Close your eyes and stand up straight." Something about her instruction was soothing, and my willpower wilted. "Remain still," she added. And so I mindlessly obeyed. Her aura was calming, deafening and powerful all at once, as she lapped me several times with no further command. Perhaps her training was being put to the test? Or perhaps she was feeling me out, waiting for the moment to strike.

"I'm going to ask you some questions, ok?" she started, halting in her tracks.

"Uh-huh," I responded placidly, with a hint of tentativeness. She could fire anything at me, and considering the nature of our encounter, the probability of opening myself up to her grew steadily with every passing moment.

"Three words to describe college. Go." Her shoes clicked against the floor.

"Exciting. Exhausting. Unfamiliar." As I finished, I felt a light tap at my right shoulder, a zapping sensation tickling my senses. "Is that your practice?" I asked her.

"You'll find out soon enough. Do you fancy anyone as such?"

"No comment," I responded, evasion being the only reasonable tactic. Tapped and zapped once again, now to the left. The only difference was that it burned, making me numb. "Ah!" I exclaimed in pain.

"Next," she continued dismissively, "Have you ever tasted love?"

"No comment." With every question came Maria's therapy, as she bordered her hand on my right shoulder, which stiffened. Who knows what would come next? I reckon if I asked her, she wouldn't have a clue, leaving everything to chance and probability. Everything shrouded in mystery.

"Would you like to taste it?" She had snatched the key that locked both my head and my heart and opened them both simultaneously. My heart fluttered in my chest, the answer lingering on the tip of my tongue.

"Yes."

The next thing I knew, pure indulgence was coursing through my veins. Her hands started at both shoulders, leaving me with a zesty shock, then snaking their way around my neck. I didn't reciprocate until she stopped, whispering to me to open my eyes, then going back for another round.

The black hole of a moment I was in blocked everything out. All the angst, negativity, spite was thrown out the window, with only a delicate lust and passion flooding my senses. I swear, whenever this kind of thing happens, I lose some logic.

"But logic don't matter when you're surrounded by lovers." My brain chorused.

Maria let go, slowly untangling her arms from my neck. Her eyes shone, but differently to other people. A dark, glistening, magical eternal eclipse kinda thing. She winked at me, before wandering over to the side of John's bed and placing a finger at his forehead. He made a subtle sound, somewhere between a gasp and a wince.

"What are you doing?" I forcefully shouted, tone resembling one of an angry mother to her children after they committed a horrible crime.

"I'm testing him! Wouldn't want to wake him now, would you?" she chided.

"No." I meekly replied, "No."

She repeatedly moved her finger across the surface of his forehead, flipping it over now and then.

"Do you reckon John would need this?" I asked.

"Oh no! Only certain individuals can tolerate the addition of chemicals to the bloodstream. His aura suggests he doesn't need treatment." she reasoned, waving her other hand about.

"So, I'm your only customer?" I winked.

"Indeed, Alex. Indeed. See you next time!" She swivelled on the spot, her hand cleanly stroking the side of my aloof hair, before waltzing out of the room.

My mind couldn't help but squeal. Her mysterious but amorous behaviour intrigued me. It was like a match that never burnt out. I spun around vigorously on the spot, in a hope to recover from the excessive amounts of ecstasy. Unfortunately, I bashed into the wall on the opposite side of the dorm, tumbling downwards and bursting into peals of hysterical laughter. It just happened to be the very thing that aroused my roommate.

"Alex!" he exclaimed, jolting up from his bed, "Are you alright?"

"Ahaha!" I continued to screech, ignoring the conversation my roommate had begun.

"Are you... drunk?" he asked, cautiously making his way over to me.

"Indeed, my good friend!" I nodded my head with approval. "But not in the way you think." I added, smirking.

"What trouble have you engaged in?" He pressed, grabbing my hand and pulling me up with great force.

"What do you mean, trouble?"

"I mean, shenanigans..." he paused, squinting at my face. "Oh, you've been up to shenanigans alright! Your face says it all! Follow me." John seized my hand again, briskly pacing over to the bathroom.

"Explain yourself." He pointed a firm finger at the mirror. It was only then I noticed that Maria's devilish lipstick had streaked itself across my face.

"Well," I turned to face him, "A mysterious figure showed up at the early hours of approximately 7:30 this morning. She told me her name. That was it." I breathed a sigh of relief.

"And she kissed you?" He suspiciously raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing more than a mere face paint!" I blurted out, "Along with some therapeutic therapy..." I muttered.

"It's only your... What? Second day? And you've hooked and flirted up with at least... Three people?!"

"And why do you care?" I retorted. Jealousy must've pierced his insides. I mean, his over concerning approach to the conversation gave me all the insight I needed, and gave it all away, too. I leaned towards the sink to cleanse my sin-stained face, but John fiercely obstructed.

"I don't. It's just... Explain! Then clean!" he squealed.

"I recommend you bottle up those puny feelings of yours. It does wonders for you in the long run." I eye-rolled.

"Oh, you wanna go?" he shouted, shaking out his hands.

"Who backs down from a fight, huh? Not me. He set up the provocation, anyways." That was my last thought before the slaughter.

"Oh, yeah, bud?! I'm gonna go!" I lunged at his chest, practically pushing him against the floor. He attempted to squirm his way out of my grip, furiously flailing about. His hands were free, though, so he took a few jabs at me. Weak jabs, I'll add. So, I did the same back, but the force I drove in my strikes was ten times more brutal. Thin rivers of red leaked from his chest like broken barrels filled with red wine. It's all in good spirit, anyways.

"He's too soft." I thought, "He's so weak!" I evilly chuckled in my mind, "He will never be able to rise up."

I'm quite glad I hand the upper hand in this quarrel, as being superior gives you power. It gives you rights. Total. Utter. Freedom.

"What the hell, Alex? What the hell is wrong with you?!" he screamed, deafening my ears.

"Nothing, that's what!" I shouted back, standing up and stepping carelessly on his right hand.

"OW! Frizzy-frackle-frazzing-razzing!" he cursed in pain. "Hah..." He let out an exhausted gasp, eyes fluttering.

"And there's one for good luck." I manically cackled, dusting my hands off and strutting out.