Because the Night

I'm completely disoriented when I wake up the next morning. I'm in a huge bed in a room with gray walls and cream carpet. The windows are big with breezy white curtains. I can see straight across from the bed is a door, which I assume is to the bathroom.

I look over at Nicole. Shes laying on her stomach with her arm thrown over my chest. The sun is just rising, casting a purple gray light through the room. I kind of wish Kyle was here for a moment to take a picture of this lighting. I can smell our sex in the air. It makes me want to take a shower and fuck again at the same time. I could really use a cigarette.

An alarm clock pulls me from my thoughts and almost scares the shit out of me as I jump in bed a little. Nicole wakes instantly and rolls over, shutting the obnoxious thing up. She rolls back to me and gives me an apologetic smile.

"Sorry. I forgot about my alarm." She says.

"You seriously get up this early?" She smiles again.

"Mm, yes."

"Why?"

"So I can do everything I like to do before I have to be in the city at nine." I mull this over for a minute.

"What would you like to do this morning?" I ask. She laughs, then puts her hand on my chest and kisses me...

When we're done, she crawls out of bed

And goes into the bathroom.

"I'm going to take a shower. Make yourself at home, Travis." She says.

It seems like a strange thing to say to a one night stand, but I don't say anything. I hear her turn the shower on and the click of a glass shower door. I pull myself out of bed and locate my boxers on the floor, pull them on, then grab my jeans and pull my pack of cigarettes out of the pocket and carry them downstairs. I find a lightswitch and turn on the hall light, which casts enough light to see the whole downstairs clearly. I step into the kitchen, which is well lit anyways because its full of windows and a set of french doors. I open one of the doors and step out onto a large back patio. The back yard isnt so much a yard as it is a garden, full of flowers and green plants and bushes. There is a stone pathway that loops through the various plants and a wooden swing in the middle of it all. I lean against the rail of the patio and light a cigarette. I can't imagine her taking care of this garden. She must have a landscaper come in.

I look out over the privacy fence in back. Theres a large bush growing behind it, then another townhouse. Beyond the townhouses is central Los Angeles. The city is coming alive and I imagine in a few hours the traffic will be jammed along the highways. Good thing I live in the opposite direction.

I finish my cigarette, then go back inside. I quietly come back in the bedroom to see her wrapped in a towel emerging from the bathroom. She looks surprised for a moment, then smiles.

"You surprised me. I wasnt expecting you to still be here."

"Oh, I'm sorry... I can go. I'll just be a minute-" I start grabbing for the rest of my clothes, suddenly feeling anxious and embarassed. She holds up her hands, stopping me.

"No, no, thats not what I meant... I'm glad you're still here."

"You are?"

"Yes... this may sound silly, but the whole time I was in the shower I was hoping you'd still be here."

"Its not."

"It is. I mean, this is... was... supposed to just be a one night thing... and here I am, wishing you would stay... or at least come back. God, I feel dumb. I shouldnt have said anything. Please, don't feel like you need to say anything back." I hold my hand up to stop her now.

"You want me to come back?" I ask.

"Please, don't feel like you have to say yes. I feel like such an idiot."

"Is tonight too soon?" She looks at me for a second as if she doesnt understand the question, then shakes her head.

"I'll see you tonight after I get out of work then. Probably six." I say, sounding way more sure of myself than I actually am.

"Ok, I'll get takeout." She says, regaining her momentum. I start pulling my jeans on then.

"I should get out of here though, let you do what you need to do." I say.

We dress around each other, me in my clothes from last night, and her in light gray dress pants and a white tee shirt sweater thing and heels. Her almost black hair is dried and flat ironed and her lipstick is the color of berries. Her simple diamond earrings probably cost more than anything I've ever owned.

She walks me to the front door and before I leave, I run my finger over the hem of her sweater, brushing my lips over hers.

"I'll see you tonight, unless you change your mind." She says. I move my hand to her chin, brushing it with the tip of my thumb.

"I'm not backing out." I tell her.

"Well if you do, I wouldnt hold it against you, and I had a really good time last night... and this morning." She adds with a giggle. I smile too, then open the front door and walk out. I light a cigarette as I walk down her sidewalk and walk with my back to the rising sun away from her townhouse.

I walk until I reach the famililarity of Shay's neighborhood. Usually I would walk by, but I can see her in front of the window, sitting in the large window bay in a white kimono with her tanned leg sticking out and a cup of coffee. I turn and walk up her sidewalk and see her dissapear from the window. She throws open the door before I can knock and gives me a soft smile.

"Hey, you just missed Lily." She says.

"Where did she go so early?" I ask, stepping inside.

"Oh, she had a modeling gig."

"How was your slumber party?"

"Fun. How was yours?" I give her a little smirk and don't say anything, instead I go into her tiny kitchen and pour myself a cup of coffee.

"Well at least tell me you were safe." I smirk again at Shay making sure I'm having safe sex.

"Yes, Shay, I'm always safe."

"Good. So what are you doing here so early?"

"She had to go to work so I split."

"Is she pretty?" She pushes herself up on the counter and pulls her foot up in front of her.

"Yeah... she invited me to come over again tonight." Her eyes light up.

"Oh really? What did you say?"

"I said I would."

"So are you?" I burst out laughing.

"God, Shay, you're more of a player than I am. Yeah, I'm going to." She smacks my shoulder.

"Oh stop it, Travis. You know I don't get any action."

"You could if you wanted to." She shrugs.

"Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. So, back to you. Do you think you're going to try dating this chick, or just fuck her?"

"I honestly havent thought that far ahead, Shay."

"Maybe this will be good for you, like a rebound."

"Aw, shit, I hate that word. I hate the theory that a person can get over a failed relationship by sleeping with another person."

"Don't think of it like trying to rebound from the relationship, looking at it like trying to rebound from old fears and negative emotions of the past." She says.

"Well when you put it that way..." I say sarcastically.

"Do you always have to be a smart ass punk when I try to get philosophical with you?"

"I indulge you sometimes. I just don't think I'm as deep as you think I am."

"Yes you are. Everyone is. Some are just better at feeling it than others." I grin.

"Will you give me a ride to work?" She gives a big, fake sigh, throwing her head back.

"Oh, I guess." She says dramatically. I walk over and kiss her forehead.

"Thank you, Shay-la."

"You're welcome, honey. What time do you have to be there?"

"Ten thirty."

"Perfect, I have plenty of time to get ready." She runs off to her room then, leaving me in the kitchen.

I move into her living room. Janis Joplin is wailing mournfully about her loneliness feeling like a ball and chain. Shay's favorite singer. I sit down on the leopard print love seat under the picture of Steven Tyler and smoke a cigarette, knowing that I'll probably be waiting a while.