Don't Leave Me Alone
Seven
I opened my eyes, still foggy from last night. I don't know why I let Jordan talk me into these things. I heard a noise and then someone swear under their breath. It was female.
And then I remembered. Lauren.
I sat up and she was slipping her tank top on, only in her underwear. I caught a glimpse of a tattoo on her lower back, but only part of it, it went from the right side of her back and around her hip. The words were too small to read from my spot on the bed.
"Lauren"
She turned around and quickly grabbed her skirt, her face flushed, "Oh shit, I'm sorry. I was trying not to wake you up, I--"
"It's okay. You're going to sneak out on me?"
"Oh, I...oh"
I laughed, "Did you want coffee? Or breakfast?"
She finally slipped her skirt on, "I really should get home"
I sighed. I felt awful that it started this way. Getting drunk, sleeping together, it's not my idea of getting to know each other. Although, it's not like I didn't like it.
"James, maybe we should see this as it is"
"You said you liked me"
"I do"
"Then why don't we have dinner, tonight"
"You said last night that you had a game tomorrow, you've got to focus on that"
I blame the alcohol.
"It's just dinner. No drinking, no coming over"
"You told me to come in last night"
I ran a hand through my hair, "I know, but I was very drunk, and you grabbed me in the cab and I couldn't help myself" I played innocent, and gave her a smirk. She seemed to fall for it.
"Dinner, 7. You pick me up at 630. Dinner only"
"Good"
"You seem to be pretty anxious for a guy who just broke up with his girlfriend"
She was right. Last night was wild, and a lot of it I don't remember, but I do remember her and I still know that I want to know her. The overwhelming need to know her is at the forefront of my mind and I just have to see that she's as great a girl that I sensed last night. Sober. And clothed.
"It's just dinner"
"And last night was just sex"
"So that's all it is. Dinner and sex"
"Sex and dinner" she corrected.
I sighed, "Do you want coffee?"
"No, I need a cab. I need to get home. And shower"
"You can shower here"
"Another chance for you to see me naked? Not a chance sir" she smirked a little and then laughed, "I need a shower and my own clothes. Can you please call me a cab?" She got a little whiny, and even pouted a little.
"Okay" I shrugged. I grabbed my phone and called a cab to the house, "About twenty minutes" I said hanging up.
I put on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt and met her in the living room, "You sure you don't want a coffee?"
She sighed, "Fine, I suppose it will help. And I will be waiting a while"
I started the coffee and grabbed two mugs. She leaned up against the counter and looked around, "You have a great house" she said, "But too big for one person"
I shrugged, "Yah, I know. I honestly don't know why. Maybe I was hoping Sarah would be here too" I didn't mean to say her name, I guess I just forgot who I was talking to.
"The ex?"
I nodded, "Yah sorry"
She shrugged, "It's fine, shit happens"
The conversation stopped after that and as the pot stopped, I poured her a mug and handed it to her, "Milk and cream is in the fridge. Sugar on the counter next to it"
She found her way and took a sip, instant relief on her face, "I needed that more than I thought" she laughed.
"I figured" I replied.
She took a deep breath, "Do you remember last night?"
There was a long pause before I answered, "Most of it. Not much at the bar...but a lot after...here..." I avoided eye contact and stared down at my coffee.
"Yah, same"
"It was good"
"Awesome"
"Fantastic"
There was a nervous silence for a good five minutes. The longest five minutes of my life. There was relief when I heard a car horn and saw the taxi outside, "I'll see you tonight" she said setting the mug down and picking up her shoes by the door.
"Yah, okay" before I could say anything else, she was out the door and my entire body relaxed. I didn't even realize I was that tense.
Lauren was having not only emotional effects, but physical ones too. I didn't understand how in such a short time this could happen. It hasn't even been twenty-four hours and I'm already hung up on her. I just don't think she's as hung up on me.
And then I remembered. Lauren.
I sat up and she was slipping her tank top on, only in her underwear. I caught a glimpse of a tattoo on her lower back, but only part of it, it went from the right side of her back and around her hip. The words were too small to read from my spot on the bed.
"Lauren"
She turned around and quickly grabbed her skirt, her face flushed, "Oh shit, I'm sorry. I was trying not to wake you up, I--"
"It's okay. You're going to sneak out on me?"
"Oh, I...oh"
I laughed, "Did you want coffee? Or breakfast?"
She finally slipped her skirt on, "I really should get home"
I sighed. I felt awful that it started this way. Getting drunk, sleeping together, it's not my idea of getting to know each other. Although, it's not like I didn't like it.
"James, maybe we should see this as it is"
"You said you liked me"
"I do"
"Then why don't we have dinner, tonight"
"You said last night that you had a game tomorrow, you've got to focus on that"
I blame the alcohol.
"It's just dinner. No drinking, no coming over"
"You told me to come in last night"
I ran a hand through my hair, "I know, but I was very drunk, and you grabbed me in the cab and I couldn't help myself" I played innocent, and gave her a smirk. She seemed to fall for it.
"Dinner, 7. You pick me up at 630. Dinner only"
"Good"
"You seem to be pretty anxious for a guy who just broke up with his girlfriend"
She was right. Last night was wild, and a lot of it I don't remember, but I do remember her and I still know that I want to know her. The overwhelming need to know her is at the forefront of my mind and I just have to see that she's as great a girl that I sensed last night. Sober. And clothed.
"It's just dinner"
"And last night was just sex"
"So that's all it is. Dinner and sex"
"Sex and dinner" she corrected.
I sighed, "Do you want coffee?"
"No, I need a cab. I need to get home. And shower"
"You can shower here"
"Another chance for you to see me naked? Not a chance sir" she smirked a little and then laughed, "I need a shower and my own clothes. Can you please call me a cab?" She got a little whiny, and even pouted a little.
"Okay" I shrugged. I grabbed my phone and called a cab to the house, "About twenty minutes" I said hanging up.
I put on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt and met her in the living room, "You sure you don't want a coffee?"
She sighed, "Fine, I suppose it will help. And I will be waiting a while"
I started the coffee and grabbed two mugs. She leaned up against the counter and looked around, "You have a great house" she said, "But too big for one person"
I shrugged, "Yah, I know. I honestly don't know why. Maybe I was hoping Sarah would be here too" I didn't mean to say her name, I guess I just forgot who I was talking to.
"The ex?"
I nodded, "Yah sorry"
She shrugged, "It's fine, shit happens"
The conversation stopped after that and as the pot stopped, I poured her a mug and handed it to her, "Milk and cream is in the fridge. Sugar on the counter next to it"
She found her way and took a sip, instant relief on her face, "I needed that more than I thought" she laughed.
"I figured" I replied.
She took a deep breath, "Do you remember last night?"
There was a long pause before I answered, "Most of it. Not much at the bar...but a lot after...here..." I avoided eye contact and stared down at my coffee.
"Yah, same"
"It was good"
"Awesome"
"Fantastic"
There was a nervous silence for a good five minutes. The longest five minutes of my life. There was relief when I heard a car horn and saw the taxi outside, "I'll see you tonight" she said setting the mug down and picking up her shoes by the door.
"Yah, okay" before I could say anything else, she was out the door and my entire body relaxed. I didn't even realize I was that tense.
Lauren was having not only emotional effects, but physical ones too. I didn't understand how in such a short time this could happen. It hasn't even been twenty-four hours and I'm already hung up on her. I just don't think she's as hung up on me.