DINNER DATE

Lyrical crawled inside her wardrobe cupboard and tousled all her clothes on her bed. Finally, her eyes landed on a pair of chocolate brown halter top with black jacket and chose to wear a denim, to go with it.

She wore a matte black pump shoe below it and not much accessories, just a stud ring and her watch. Lyrical kept her make-up to the minimal.

She scanned herself in front of her bedroom mirror, played with her hair, trying hard to decide whether she should tie her hair or let it loose. She must've done it ten times already, before she was finally convinced that she must tie a messy bun.

She called out to her aunt, who was busy cooking dinner in the kitchen. "I'll be late and my friend will drop me home." She said and kissed her aunt on her cheeks, before leaving the house.

Lyrical had been cheerful since morning and her aunt noticed it. She eyed Lyrical suspiciously, wondering what got her so excited. She presumed it had something to do with a boy, she must be going out with, but didn't pry much. As and when Lyrical is ready, she would introduce that boy to them, her aunt knew that much. Therefore, when Lyrical was finally ready to leave, her aunt couldn't help but compliment her and pinch her cheeks, "You look very beautiful my dear Lyrical." She smiled, but her uncle interjected. "Hot. Marissa, you should say, she looks hot." Lyrical blushed deeply.

Aunt Marissa smacked her husband's arms jokingly and told him to keep quiet, as he was emabarassingn the poor child. She nudged Lyrical, "Who exactly is this friend of yours?" As much as she wants to deny it, she was excited for the date.. Opps! Dinner with boss thing.

"Just an friend from the office," She replied casually,trying to shrugg it off as nothing important and shook her head to deny any misconception, her uncle or aunt had. Lyrical hugged both of them one last time, picked up her favorite sling bag and left the house.

While she was near her door, she received a quick call from Jennifer. "Hey Lyrical. I've sent you a pic, check it right now." 

She wanted to desperately avoid it, trying not to spoil her mood, so she did not check it right away.

Lyrical flagged down a cab and left immediately to reach the meeting location. After she slipped into the cab and was seated comfortably, she couldn't help but think what was the photo about, the one that Jennifer had sent to her. Lyrical knew, that her friend was only trying to help and save her from disaster, if any, from happening.

Lyrical hesitatingly unlocked her phone to check the dreaded message. And the moment she saw a girl in red dress made of sheer fabric holding Melody tightly by her waist, she was flustered.

The girls face was not visible in this photo, but it still was successful in angering Lyrical. She clutched the phone so tight, that her fingers turned pale white. Just before stepping out of the cab, she removed her jacket, neatly folded it and put it inside her bag. Then she removed the clip that was holding the messy bun she had and let her hair flow loose.

Melody had already messaged her the location address and they were supposed to meet there directly.

Lyrical reached ten minutes before the time they had decided to meet and planned to wait at the lobby for Melody. Even after thirty minutes when Melody was nowhere to be seen, she walked towards the parking and called on her number to check on her.

As soon as she answered, Lyrical could hear music blaring through the stereo. "Hey!! I'm on my way," Melody yelled over the phone, but her voice was hardly audible.  Lyrical just concluded, her boss must be on her way and will be here shortly. She went back to sit in the lobby.

If Lyrical was excited for this dinner, then Melody was like on the seventh heaven. She could hardly contain her excitement.  She leisurely floated through her apartment, dreaming of how this evening will go. Melody desperately wanted to call Gisselle and tell her that she has finally convinced Lyrical for one date.  Even though it was only a formal dinner, still she was content.

Melody checked her phone so many times since morning, but the time adamantly refused to pass. She must've dialed Gisselle's number many times, but disconnected right before it went through. She sighed and decided to sleep, to pass her time. But, was that even possible?

The excitement and anxiety surging through her, refuse to curb and Melody wasn't able to calm down almost the entire day. 'If only Lyrical knew.. would she be upset?' Melody wondered to herself. 'Was she at least a little excited about tonight?'

As sluggishly as possible, the time went by and somehow Melody managed to survive until the evening. Once she was dressed and ready to go, Melody did not waste a breath. She ran down the stairs, came out in the lobby and walked towards the parking lot of her apartment building. Melody put the key into ignition, stamped on the accelerator, pushed the gear, but the car refused to move. She groaned in frustration.

Stepping out of the car she went to check what was wrong with her car, which took another fifteen minutes of her precious time. Once she hit the road, she raced her car, trying to shove all the cars aside and make way for herself. If it was possible, Melody wanted to fly so she can reach sooner and meet Lyrical. Sadly, that was not possible.

Melody was extremely irritated, to be stuck on the road. So when Lyrical called to check on her, she turned on her stereo so Lyrical could not guess where she was. Eventually, she managed to reach the decided location and could hardly contain the rapid beating if her heart that only exhilerated due to excitement.

The moment she took a turn to enter the parking lot, she nearly got into an accident. Luckily, she did not end up killing the person walking in front of her car.

Melody wore a blue deep neck jumpsuit which made her look more than ever breathtakingly beautiful and awe-inspiring. As soon as she walked in, Lyrical stood gawking at her. She couldn't understand 'how' a simple change in dressing style, can enhance Melody's beauty to such an extent that it stunned her.  And 'why' was her heart beating.. no racing. She felt hot.. all over to the point that she felt like she was wetting herself.

"Quit staring at me like that Ms. Assistant. You'll bore a hole through me." Melody put her hand below her chin and closed Lyrical' mouth that was open. 

"Did you borrow this outfit from somebody, just to be on this dinner date?" Lyrical made an attempt to hide the awkward situation. But.. failed miserably. 

"Ah--huh!! Do you really think, although not earlier discussed, but this dinner can possibly turn into a date?" Melody teased. 

"Oh, whatever. Let's go in already." Lyrical walked ahead of her to hide the nervousness she was feeling, her breath was getting out of her control, not to mention her heart that was desperate to jump out of her chest. At that moment, Lyrical completely forgot about the photo that Jennifer had sent. She was engulfed in trance right here at this moment.

Melody chuckled and grinned at Lyrical. "And no. I did not borrow this outfit. But may I asked what makes you think like that?" 

"Just curious. You know." Lyrical simply twisted her body a little, only for a moment, to look back just to reply and then she started walking ahead. She did not want Melody to notice, any of these weird things happening to her. If at all it showed on her face, she'd be doomed.

Just as her assistant turn around and walked in front of her, she noticed Lyrical' denim was tight fitted, that made her butt look more round and fuller. She marveled at the beautiful view in front of her and slightly licked her lips while scrutinizing Lyrical.

"Now what are you looking at?" Lyrical whisper and yelled at the same time, whilst looking around to see if anyone noticed her. This time she caught Melody gawking at her, but hell.. she was getting even more nervous by each passing minute.

"Nothing. Just wondering if you've ever been on a date before?" Melody asked, but there was no reply from Lyrical. "So.. I am guessing it's a no and I am not even surprised."

"W-what? What do you mean by that, Melody? Why aren't you surprised and.. uh. Tell me what exactly are you trying to say?" Lyrical glared and bore a whole in Melody's ears with her questions. "Melody, I want an honest and dirent answer. I promise I won't be upset."

Even though she put it that way, Melody still searched for the right words to say. "You want the truth?" Melody asked again and Lyrical nodded. "Umm.. ok." Melody took a deep breath, she knew Lyrical won't take 'no' for an answer, neither will she be able to take it positively. Melody knew this won't go easy, but she said what needed to be said anyway.

Melody cleared her throat, "Well let me start by saying that you look beautiful and even if you are ever in a mess, that doesn't change or affect your beauty. And.. this is a genuine compliment." Lyrical blushed, but rolled her eyes. "If you don't believe then wait till someone approaches you tonight. Though, I must also add, I won't like if it happened." Melody said what she herself actually felt whenever she saw Lyrical.

"Now coming back to the point - you going on date. Well.." Melody paused to think what she should say to make her point, but without upsetting Lyrical.  Melody tried her best to choose her words carefully. "The way you dressed tonight looks more for seducing someone. You know.. as in you deliberrately trying to attract somebody's attention?"

"Yes. I know what seducing means Melody. Go ahead." Lyrical faked her laugh. But she was not liking what she was said. 

"As far as I know, you would be least interested in seducing me. Moreover, you are very observant, so you must've thought many times before choosing to wear this. Especially when you knew you were going out with me, but it won't be just me there." Lyrical squinted her eyes at Melody. Gradually, Melody's words were piercing through and hurting her.

But, Melody went on to say, "Furthermore, if you would've been on a date before, your partner would definitely have pointed it out or may be, not allowed you to wear it altogether. But, since you've never been on a date.. you don't have an idea that your top is a bit too revealing and denim is way too tight for a dinner-date and if it's a formal dinner, then the thing you wearing is strictly obscene."

Lyrical was sitting with her arms folded around her chest, listening to what Melody had to say.

But.. as soon as Melody was done talking, she scoffed "Well. I feel that's what YOU think, it's all in your cheesy brain and empty head. Before you tell me what is right, why don't you take a look at yourself? If I am a seducer then what are you?" she scoffed derisively. "A shameless lesbian openly flirting and willing to have casual sex, what do I call you then?" Lyrical smirked and raised an eyebrow.

Melody knew Lyrical would be upset, so she remained calm. "How do you know I am open to casual sex?" Despite trying to be the calm one, a little smirk was etched on her lips.

"Then what else Melody? You don't look like the commitment type. I think that's where you go when you are MIA and not reachable the whole day. That is why you were exhausted, the other day, when you came to see me near my house.

You refused to come inside my house, and even after I asked you repeatedly, you never gave me an answer. You must've been afraid, I will know your little secret." She mocked. "You know what? Jennifer was right. YOU.. are trying to seduce me, so that you can take me to your bed. Since the first day, I've joined. No actually, even before that. Remember that restroom incident?" she arched her brow at Melody.

"A boss would never pick-up and drop her assistant, Melody, I am well aware of that. And I am not Giselle, ok. We are not best friends, still you volunteer to pick and drop me all the time, why? Do you think I don't understand?"

Melody furrowed and almost lost her composure. She took few deep breath, before she spoke. "If you leave the 'lesbian' part and then look at me Lyrical." She asked, but Lyrical smirked and raised an eyebrow and that's when she lost it. "Carefully. Just carefully look at me and tell me honestly, do you think anybody would be interested in me and even if they do, would they dare to approach me?" she gritted her teeth and snapped at her in response.

When Lyrical still did not say anything, Melody added "Thought so."

She let out a frustrated sigh. "Fine. You wanted an honest answer, you got it. If you don't like it, then there is nothing I can do Lyrical. Wait for some time, I can bet I will be proven right."

Lyrical stood up from her seat and walked towards the restroom. She was angry on Melody, completely hated her if she was to be honest.

After she had calmed down a little, she looked at her image in the mirror for quite sometime, then came out from the restroom. She walked straight towards the bar, instead of taking a seat with Melody. She ordered herself a drink, then another and another after that.

Melody regretted her action, she shouldn't have said those things to her and definitely not lashed-out on Lyrical. She was watching Lyrical, still seated where she was. She deliberately did not take the initiative to stop Lyrical or apologize.

She was herself hurting so bad, it she felt like she'll go mad tonight. So she just kept a watchful eye on Lyrical, just in case.

Lyrical was starting to get a little tipsy after her third drink. She had always been a lightheaded person, how she managed to gulp down her fourth drink and still not faint was a mystery to Melody. A man who kept staring at Lyrical, offered to buy her a drink. That would be her fifth drink and she was not sure, Lyrical would be able to handle it.

Lyrical smiled and politely denied.

The man moved extremely close to her, asked the bartender for a pen and paper. He wrote something on it, slipped the small paper and slid his hand on her waist. He moved his hand leisurely up and down her back and whispered in her ears, "Call me".

Since Lyrical had removed her jacket before coming in, her back was uncovered and the hand on it felt inappropriate.

Melody, who sat at her spot, watching everything unfold in front of her eyes, couldn't take the inappropriate behavior of that man.  She was enraged, but she had no right on Lyrical. She tried her best to stay calm, but gave up when that man slid his hand on Lyrical' waist.

Melody stepped up to her rescue. She directly shrugged his hands off Lyrical' waist and announced. "She's taken and she's mine. So back off, dickhead."  Melody tucked Lyrical' hand in her arms and walked out of the restaurant.  As soon as they reached the parking lot and near Melody's car, "Fuck" Lyrical groaned in annoyance.

The excitement in her heart turned into a wound, just few minutes after they went in. All the time, Melody watched her heart bleed and died a thousand time. But, what else could she do?  "Hop In." Melody ordered and signaled her to get inside the car.

As soon as she strapped the seat belt around her, Melody stepped on the gas and the car accelerated.  Lyrical was embarrassed of what just happened, frustrated of how the evening turned out. But, what bothered her the most was, Melody had warned her and she didn't believe.  She took her time and when she managed to gather courage, she turned her face to look at Melody.

"Thank you" Lyrical nodded in gratitude.  But Melody was in no mood to say anything, so there was no reaction received from her. She kept looking straight, focusing on the road.

Since Lyrical was a little drunk, she dozed off for sometime. But was alert the entire time, just in case Melody decides to crash her car into a wall or drop the car off the cliff or burn the car with Lyrical still inside or maybe just throw Lyrical out of the car.. in the middle of the road.

Lyrical started to feel cold and shivered in her sleep. She thought of pulling out her jacket that was still inside her bag, but decided against it. If Melody had no plans to kill her yet, then as soon as she pulls out the jacket, Melody will know she is awake and most definitely will kill her then.

So she wrapped her hands around her chest and kept her eyes closed.

After sometime, the car came to halt in front of her house, she waited for Melody to say something. But, Melody did not even look at her, she gave no reaction and Lyrical noticed that Melody's knuckles looked pale and white as her fingers were tightly wrapped around the steering wheel, jaws were clenched and she was frowning.

Having no other choice, she reluctantly stepped out of the car, staggered a little and found her way back home.  Melody not even once glanced at her direction, nor helped her reach till her door.

Lyrical did look behind one more time, before she could ring the doorbell. But, Melody has already left before that.

On the other side, as soon as Melody reached the parking lot of her apartment, she slammed her palms on the steering wheel four or five times or maybe more, to release the frustration and anger that was burning inside her.  She had been holding it in since the moment Lyrical started avoiding her and went to the bar.

She kicked open the door, stepped out of the car and went straight to her apartment. She hardly managed to open her door, and literally barged inside, kicked the bar stool that was next to the table, near the counter top and slammed her fist on the wall.  Her hand was hurting, but not more than her heart.

Melody stripped naked and walked inside the washroom and stood below the cold shower, crying her heart out. As she came out, her eyes were swollen and face looked gloomy. She grabbed the crate of beer, that was kept inside the fridge, sat on her couch and drank till she lost her consciousness.

Lyrical woke up with severe hangover headache the next morning. She couldn't help but whine and gulp few pills before going back to sleep again. To be honest, Lyrical wasn't drunk as much, she most definitely shaken from everything that had happened last night. 

While Melody on the other side, remained half-sleeping.  The moment she went to sleep, she had that nightmare, every single time. Her sleep was equal to not sleeping at all.

She woke up next morning and went to see a 'friend'. Melody needed to get away from even a lingering thoughts about Lyrical or she was afraid she'd go mad this time.