As planned, Cy picks me up to take me to dinner at Italian Café. The walls are painted in murals of grapes growing on vines, wine vineyards, and people celebrating. In the corner of the restaurant is a broken claw machine with a cheaply made plush toy dangling from its claw. No one has ever bothered to repair it. However, this establishment serves the best dishes.
He orders the lasagna and I order the spaghetti. Once our orders are placed, he reaches out and tries to take my hand, startled, I jerk it away.
"Sorry." I apologize, still shook up from last night. "Something happened last night, and I've been jumpy ever since."
Last night I had nightmares about being sold into sex trafficking, raped, drugged, and killed. Terror kept me from leaving the house until Cyrus showed up. Every time a car went down the road past our house, I'd stop breathing temporarily. Humans scare the hell out of me more than any animal.
Seeking comfort and validation, I look deep into Cy's eyes, "I'm safe with you, right?"
Cyrus looks at me in confusion. "Yes. Why?"
I tell him everything about last night.
"Why didn't you call me? I would have came and taken care of it." He says angrily.
I swallow hard. He's mad at me, and I've never known what to do when someone is mad at me. My eyes dart down at the table, and tears well up in my eyes. "I'm sorry, it just all happened so fast."
"It's hot." The waitress says, placing our food in front of us. "Do you need anything else?" She asks sweetly.
"No, thank you." I whisper.
When she sees me sniffling, she cuts a glare at Cy, probably assuming he's the reason I'm crying. If I were in her position, I'd probably assume the same thing too.
"Please don't cry sweetheart, it's just I can't handle the thought of you getting hurt." He apologizes.
"It's just, PeeWee Valley and Briarcliff, our neighboring town, has always been like two of the safest towns in Kentucky. And that, was terrifying as hell." I say, picking at my spaghetti. "We were much safer in this town when dad was alive, I promise you that."
"I don't doubt it." He replies as he takes another bite of lasagna. "Doesn't this make you worried about going on a long-distance road trip? I mean you'll be going through towns you've never been before."
"In all honesty, I've been debating that myself, but I can't be scared all my life." I need to try new things so I'm not always lagging behind everyone else anymore.
"Aren't you afraid you'll actually find a cryptid?" He asks innocently.
"I fear humans more than any creature." I answer, taking another bite of spaghetti.
"That's what I'm afraid of." He says.
Shaking off my doubt, I say, "We'll be fine, we'll take weapons." I chuckle nervously. "Anyway, there's something I've been wondering."
"Oh?" He looks at me curiously.
"What do you think about me…you know in that way?" I ask awkwardly, setting myself up to possibly getting my feelings hurt.
I've always wondered how a man's brain works. If he and I were to make love anytime soon, how would that go for me? Would he find me too hairy? What if I smelled funny? I don't want kids. I have an implant in my arm because I don't trust men to not poke holes in condoms. Honestly, I just don't trust many people anymore.
It takes Cy a moment to understand my question, before his face turns red and he gets fidgety. "Oh…well obviously you're a very attractive woman, I'd be lying if I said I never thought of certain things."
I have him squirming in his seat, it's kind of hot.
"Well, um, if you wouldn't mind, I could always stay the night with you tonight." I mumble.
A look of raw terror paints his face. "My apartment is a mess, I'm afraid for you to see that."
"Oh, but you can rearrange my room?" I tease him.
"Well, a little company over the weekend would be nice." He teases back.
"I'll need to go back home first to get a few things." I inform him.
We just skip going to movies all together.
After packing a few things and getting Stitch, Cyrus takes me to his apartment at Whispering Winds Apartment complex. It's a modest, one bedroom apartment, and Oh My Heavens, he's a heathen! Dirty clothes on the floor, near the hamper, not even in the damn hamper! A large TV mounted on the wall, with a single, beat-up leather chair sitting in front of it. How can men find this livable?
"Like I said, it's a mess in here." He chuckles nervously.
"Maybe just a little." I tease. Tension comes between us. "Well, could you show me how to use your shower? It's been a long day."
"Of course." He blushes.
I scoop up my shower supplies, follow him to the bathroom, and freeze. I thought his living room was bad. His sink is stained with tooth paste globs, a red comb, hair gel, a razor, and an almost empty bottle of hand soap sit on either side of it. His bathtub is splattered in oil residue from work. Two things are in his bathtub, shampoo, and body wash. But of course, because men don't even have to try to look good.
"So this is the cold nozzle, and this is the hot nozzle, just turn them to adjust the temperature the way you like." He shows me.
"Ok, thank you." I say.
He shuffles out of the room, and I start the shower. I take off my clothes and step into the shower. This feels weird. Am I moving our relationship too fast?
Hot water runs down my body, which feels amazing after a long day. I lather up my hair with shampoo and start singing out of habit. I start singing Gotta Be Somebody by Nickleback.
"I wonder what it feels like. To find the one in this life. The one we all dream of, but dreams just aren't enough." I get through the first chorus, convinced I probably sound like a dying seagull.
"So I'll be waiting for the real thing. I'll know it by the feeling. The moment when we're meeting, will play out like a scene straight off the silver screen." Cy's voice comes from the other side of the door. Heavens above, he can't carry a tune in a bucket. At least we have similar tastes in music.
"Honey, don't take it personally, but you sound like Scuttle the seagull from The Little Mermaid." I tease as I continue showering.
"Fuck you!" He growls playfully from the other side of the door.
"Give me the chance and I just might take it." I tease back.