Steal My Soul

I stared down at the little slip of paper in my hand for what felt like eternity. What was this supposed to be? What in the hell was it supposed to MEAN? I didn’t quite understand. It felt like a flirtatious note saying I was his soul mate, but if that were the case….why was my body trembling with slight fear?

“What’s that?” Natalie suddenly asked in my ear snatching the paper from my hands.

I jumped, startled, at the sudden sound of her voice.

“Don’t do that!” I snapped trying to calm my rapid heartbeat.

“Do what? Be a ninja? It’s not my fault you’re deaf and didn’t hear me say your name. TWICE,” she shrugged nonchalantly. Her eyes scanned back and forth over the short poem written on the paper. She quirked a dark blonde brow once she finished reading the paper.

“What is this supposed to be? Some sort of cutesy pickup line?” she scoffed. Tossing the paper back at me.

I reached out and caught it while it floated in the air. I folded it back up and placed it back inside the locket. He wanted me to wear this necklace and that gaudy bracelet tomorrow at our date? The necklace, maybe, but the bracelet? I was not wearing that on a date. He could just get over it.

I shook my head at Natalie’s questions. “I’m not sure. He said he bought them for me. Like he had known I was going to be here.”

“Whoa….stalker much?” She said as we began walking towards Barnes & Noble.

“I don’t know. Possibly. But if that is the case, I don’t know whether to be flattered that a man such as himself is stalking me or creeped out because, well, he’s stalking me,” I answered with a slight shiver.

“So what did you two talk about?”

“We’re going on a date tomorrow at eight. We’re meeting at Olive Garden,” I sighed.

“You don’t sound very pleased by this fact,” she chuckled.

“It’s not that…it’s just…what am I going to wear?” I whined. Natalie slid me a dull glare.

“THAT’S what you’re worried about?” she sighed shaking her head.

I nodded. “Yes, it is. Should I be concerned about something else?” I huffed.

“Let’s begin with the first bullet shall we? You just met this guy yesterday for a whole five minutes. Didn’t learn a damn thing about him. Not even his name. Moving on to bullet point number two,” she said now holding up two fingers like a peace sign. “You STILL haven’t learned anything about him—”

“Not true! I learned his name,” I interrupted.

“—except for the fact that he is a possible stalker,” she continued on ignoring my outburst. “But that’s ok because if he is that’s what I have mace in my purse for. Lastly, bullet point number three…what in the fuck is that poem? I mean seriously? Worst poem to seduce a woman EVER. He may look pretty and suave, but when it comes to the imagination and use of words, well, let’s admit it. He has absolutely no creativity,” she pointed out.

“Let’s also not forget the fact that the poem or whatever it is he wrote you,” she added on after a momentary pause, “is really fucking creepy. ‘Say no more prayers, your screams are for not’? I’m thinking you have a stalker slash kidnapper on your hands there, Leighra. It kind of makes him sound like he’s…I don’t know…a demon. ‘I have you ensnared, the soul I have sought’? Yeah. Total Satan right there,” she chuckled.

“So what’s his name?” she asked.

“Luc,” I answered quietly. My mind was reeling from the conversation he and I had just had. Not only that, but Natalie had a point about the little poem. It was pretty creepy and kidnapper sounding. Was he really stalking me?

“Luke?” she repeated.

I nodded. “Yeah, something like that.”

Natalie laughed making a few passers-by turn to stare at her. She shot them a glare.

“Well, that makes what I said even better,” she smiled.

“What do you mean?” I asked not following her train of thought.

“I mentioned that the poem made him sound like he was a demon. Like he was Satan. And then you tell me his name is Luke? If you think about it, Luke could be short for Lucifer,” she pointed out.

“But then wouldn’t it sound more like loose?” I questioned as we reached B&N.

Natalie narrowed her eyes in thought before shrugging. “Not necessarily. Plus that sounds like it would be short for Lucy, but who knows? Maybe he likes stuff like that.”

“Maybe,” I mumbled as we stepped inside the store.

“Anyways, once we get home will you help me find something to wear for tomorrow?” I asked.

Natalie turned back to look at me. “Do I LOOK like your mother?” she retorted.

“No, but you look like somebody who is willing to help me out in my desperate time of need just in case he happens to have a super gorgeous brother or twin who is single,” I sang song.

Natalie narrowed her eyes at me. “Only this ONCE,” she snapped.

A grin broke out over my face as she stomped off like she was mad. I shook my head knowing exactly how she was feeling. She wasn’t as annoyed about helping me as she made it look. If anything, she’s finally happy to be able to take over my choice of clothing for once since she complains about my style half the time anyways saying that it never matches or whatnot. Like I care.

I opened up my hand and ran my thumb along the cool, metal locket.

Why could I not shake this feeling that I was about to get into something way deeper than I signed up for?

**********************************************************************

The next night

6:43 PM

“There, all done,” Natalie smiled with satisfaction as she stood up straight after doing my hair. It took all I had in me (and my wallet) to convince her to do my hair so I didn’t have to spend a ridiculous amount of time myself trying to be a perfectionist with it.

“I’m not helping you anymore. You’re on your own now to get dressed,” she huffed turning to leave my room.

“Wait, Natalie!” I called out. She stopped in the doorway and glanced back at me over her shoulder.

“Um…thanks. For doing my hair and, you know, helping me choose a decent outfit,” I thanked her.

She cocked a single brow at me. “At least I know he won’t think you dressed yourself in the dark for this date. That’s all the thanks I need,” she answered leaving the room.

I smiled. Typical Natalie. Brushing aside any thanks, or kindness at all, she gets from me.

I leaned forward and checked out my hair. It wasn’t anything overly special or fancy. My dark, curly hair had been pulled back into a high ponytail with a few chunks of my hair wrapped around the hair tie and pinned into place. She had made sure a few tendrils of hair had been left out so they could frame my round face and accentuate my delicate facial structure. Then she had squirted some mousse into her hand and applied it to my ponytail to make the curls even bouncier and shinier. Natalie had then promptly sprayed glitter hairspray in my hair to make it sparkle. Even though I had vehemently opposed it.

Overall, it looked good. Something I probably never would have been able to do.

I sighed and stood up from my vanity stool to close the door and walk over to my bed where we had laid out my outfit for the night. Even though Luc had said to dress seductively (whatever he meant by that), Natalie and I had both agreed upon dressing sensible, yet sexy, instead considering we would be eating at Olive Garden. I quickly took off my work clothes, careful not to ruin my hair or else Natalie would kill me. I slipped my legs into my low rider, dark blue jeans and slipped my sleek black belt through the loops to buckle it in place around my hips. Then I wiggled my way into my black off the shoulder top that left both my shoulders exposed and hugged my body like a second skin. I sat on the edge of my bed and clad my feet with my black Montclair studded strappy heels.

I once more stood up and checked myself out in the full length mirror hanging on the back of my bedroom door. I appeared tall and slim. The heels made my legs look longer than they actually were and I was completely ok with that. The only thing that concerned me a bit was the inch and a half slice of sunkissed skin that was exposed starting from the bottom of my top and ending at the top of my low rider jeans. I shrugged and remembered how Luc said he wanted me to dress seductively. Well, I hope he was happy with that. Satisfied with my appearance, I headed back to my vanity and lined my honey brown eyes with eyeliner. I applied a nude color of eyeshadow to my eyelids then glossed my lips with a clear color to give them a plump, shiny appearance. I stared at my reflection in the mirror.

I kept telling myself over and over that I was ready for this date, but the longer I sat there staring at myself the more self-conscious I became over everything.

Just then Natalie knocked making me pull myself out of my dark thoughts.

“Come in,” I called out. Natalie swung the door open and leaned against the doorjamb nodding.

“Not too bad,” she complimented. “Just make sure to not forget the locket.”

I thanked her for reminding me and fastened it around my neck.

“So…are you ready? It’s about 7:30,” she informed me.

I nodded and took a deep calming breath. “I think I’m ready.”

Natalie stretched out her hand and dangled the car keys from her finger.

“Tell me how it goes.”

I stood up and strode over to her to take the keys from her hand. Before I could pull them away, her grip tightened around them. I met her stormy blue eyes.

“And so help me, if you get even one small scratch on my car from your psychotic driving, I will rip out your heart and feed it to my dogs. Got it?” she threatened.

I smiled down at her. It felt weird being taller than her now that I was in heels. “Awh, how sweet,” I cooed. “You think I have a heart.”

Natalie scoffed. “I only said that for threatening purposes. I’m still not convinced you have one. I believe you only live and breathe because of the innocent souls you feed upon to keep you halfway functioning.”

“I promise,” I assured her referring back to her threat about the car.

Her eyes narrowed into dark blue slits. “Good.”

I still was unable to shake the growing unease that had settled in the pit of my stomach. Was I making the wrong choice by agreeing to this date?

I would find out soon enough.