Kiss me

I waited, my heart pounding a frantic rhythm against my ribs. Hours passed, and still, Chris didn't appear. My stomach churned with a mix of disappointment and frustration. I had staked my hopes on this plan, this calculated encounter, and it seemed to have backfired.

Just as I was about to abandon my post, a feeling of unease settled over me. Something felt off. I started walking towards the back of the mansion, my eyes scanning the overgrown bushes that bordered the property.

Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows, his presence startling me, making me jump back in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" a deep voice boomed, his words sending a jolt of adrenaline through my veins.

I turned to face him, my heart pounding in my chest. It was Chris.

"You scared me," I managed to say, my voice barely a whisper. "This is the backyard of my house, so I can be here...anything."

"What are you doing here?" he repeated, his voice laced with an undercurrent of suspicion. "This is not the backyard of your house, last time I checked."

"It's not the backyard of your house either," I retorted, a wave of defiance washing over me. "This is private property. You're the one trespassing."

He scoffed, his eyes narrowing. "Cram," he mumbled, a look of annoyance crossing his face. "I don't like to be disturbed."

"Disturbed with what?" I questioned, my curiosity piqued. "You're the one disturbing me."

"Fine, I'll leave," he muttered, turning to walk away.

"Wait!" I called out, my voice laced with a mixture of desperation and apprehension. "Emmm...I was just...taking a walk...and I lost my way. Can you help me out of the bush?"

Shame washed over me. The entire encounter had been so contrived, so fake, so clearly a stalker's ploy. Yet, here I was, pleading for his help, trying to salvage the situation.

He stopped, his back to me, his stance hesitant. "Okay," he said, a glint of amusement flickering in his eyes. "But on one condition."

"What's that?" I asked, my heart pounding with anticipation.

"You kiss me," he replied, a smirk playing on his lips.

My jaw dropped. I could barely believe my ears. "Did you just...say kiss you?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

"You heard me," he said, his gaze turning back to meet mine. "If you kiss me, I'll help you out of the bush."

"But...does that mean...you have feelings for me?" I asked, my voice trembling. "Or are you just...joking around?"

"No feelings attached," he said, his voice a low murmur. "Can't you reward me with just that? It's really a minor thing compare to walking you home

It's too much for just walking you home?" Plus no feelings attached to it. I said

"I'll do it," I said, taking a deep breath, a wave of determination washing over me. "But only if you agree you like me, and we get to go on a date."

He turned to walk away, his shoulders slumped in defeat. "Forget it then," he muttered.

"Okay, okay, I'll kiss you!" I shouted, my voice filled with a desperation I couldn't contain.

"You'll do it now," he said, his voice firm, his gaze fixed on mine. "Because I don't trust you. You might run off after I finish rendering my help."

"Okay," I said, my heart pounding against my ribs, a wave of nervous energy washing over me.

I pushed my lips forward, closing my eyes, pausing for a moment, waiting for him to take the lead.

"Lol," he chuckled, his voice a warm rumble that sent shivers down my spine. "Open your eyes."

I opened my eyes, confusion and frustration welling up inside me. "I was... F**king with you, I don't need it," he said.

Damn!! I said. my voice laced with a mixture of embarrassment and anger.

He shook his head, a smile spreading across his face. "Follow me," he said, his voice a playful command.

"That was really rude," I thought to myself, a surge of annoyance bubbling up inside me.

"I will get you for this, I swear," I muttered under my breath, my voice laced with a mixture of anger and indignation. I quickened my pace, determined to leave him behind, to show him that I wasn't one to be easily dismissed.

"Don't get lost," he called out, his voice laced with a hint of amusement, a touch of mockery. "I won't find you."

The air around us suddenly shifted, the sky darkening with a sudden ferocity. The wind picked up, rustling the leaves and sending a shiver down my spine. I could feel the first drops of rain splatter on my skin, the ominous rumble of thunder echoing in the distance.

"Okay, I have to go," he said, turning back, his voice a curt statement. He moved quickly, his long strides carrying him away from me, disappearing into the shadows of the overgrown bushes.

I stood there for a moment, watching him go, a mix of emotions swirling within me. Frustration, anger, humiliation, and a strange sense of disappointment all tangled together, forming a knot in my stomach.

"Yeah, run," I called out, my voice laced with a mixture of sarcasm and bitterness. "Since you're so scared of the rain."

I turned and ran towards my house, the rain now coming down in earnest, soaking my clothes and sending a chill through my body. I couldn't believe what had just happened. I had been so determined to make an impression, to turn my stalker's strategy into a romantic encounter.

And what had I gotten? A rude, demanding, and ultimately, cowardly, kiss.

My heart pounded in my chest, a mixture of anger and frustration bubbling up inside me. How could he be so callous? How could he leave me stranded in the pouring rain, knowing full well I was lost?

Though me getting lost was just an excuse to talk him, I was very familiar of the road and know exactly were I was going to

"Maybe I deserved what he did," I mumbled to Emily, my voice barely a whisper as I stared at the rain lashing against my window. I was on a video call with her, the warm glow of the screen illuminating my face.

"After all," I continued, my voice filled with a strange mix of self-deprecation and defiance. "I was lying to him too."

Emily, ever the pragmatist, didn't hesitate to offer her opinion.

"Yeah, maybe you do," she said, her voice laced with a hint of amusement. "At least now you can allow me to breathe and give other guys a chance in your life. He's not worth it."

I shook my head, my frustration bubbling to the surface.

"Nope," I replied, my voice firm. "Even if I do deserve it, what he did was wrong. And I'm going to get back at him for this."

"You know what?" Emily said, her voice laced with a mixture of concern and amusement. "Just have a good night's sleep. The rain must have messed with your head."

I could practically hear her shaking her head as she spoke. It was the kind of advice my best friend always gave, the kind of advice that was both practical and comforting. But tonight, I wasn't ready for comfort.

I ended the call, the quiet hum of my phone filling the space left by her voice. The rain was still pouring outside, the wind howling against my windowpanes. It was the kind of storm that promised a sleepless night, a night filled with restless tossing and turning, with memories of Chris and his callous behavior replaying in my mind.

I knew, however, that sleep was the best thing for me. It was the only way to clear my head, to regain some semblance of control, to find a way to move forward. But my heart, still pounding with a mixture of anger and frustration, refused to cooperate.

I walked to my bedroom, the sound of the rain drumming against the roof a constant reminder of the storm raging both outside and within me. I pulled the covers up to my chin, my eyes closing, my body yearning for rest. But sleep remained elusive, a phantom that teased me with its promise of oblivion, only to slip away just as I was about to surrender to its embrace.

I heard my dad's footsteps approaching my room, a familiar sound that usually signified a late-night conversation, a shared moment before bed. But tonight, I wasn't in the mood for conversation. I just wanted to be left alone, to be enveloped by the darkness, to escape the weight of my thoughts.

"Dad?" I called out, my voice a croaky whisper. "Don't disturb me. I'm about to have a good night's sleep."

It was a flimsy excuse, but I needed to create some space, some distance, from the rest of the world.

He didn't respond. I knew, in that moment, that he was already back in his room, perhaps reading, perhaps lost in his own thoughts. He was a man of few words, my dad. He always seemed to have his head in a book, or buried in his work, and he rarely had the time for idle chatter.

I lay there, the rain still drumming against my roof, my heart still pounding in my chest. Sleep, however, was a distant dream. The night stretched before me, an endless expanse of darkness filled with the echoes of Chris's words, the sting of his actions, the burning desire to get back at him.

It was going to be a long night.