False Romance (Jasmine and Rogue)

[Rogue]

I look over at her a moment, looking so pretty in her red skirt and matching shoes, her legs tucked in front of her seat. My eyes return to the fountain and I wait for a chance to turn my BMW.

"Now that wasn't there before"

We look through Alexandria's window but the raindrops are starting to block our view. I park the car and suddenly jump out. After running to the other side, I open the passenger seat and say "Come on." She seems reluctant at first but at the same time motivated by my enthusiasm. She giggles and takes my hand, as we walk towards it. She knows I want to see it up close and can see my admiration for the structure. We sit on the edge and look at the sheets of water overflowing its basin. As my new friend positions her legs, she starts to lose her balance. Her hand is touching the water as she's falling in, but I catch her in time. I keep hold of her hand as she catches her breath, but soon sees the funny side of it.

"It's a good thing you're not a klutz today aswell", I tease her with. We giggle again as our hands stay together, and she looks at them. It feels like we know each other already, as if holding one another is right.

[Jasmine]

“No, the fountain was built about 7 years…” I stop mid-sentence since he jumped out of the car. I watch him run around to my side of the car. He’s just so cute smiling down at me as the rain soaks him. I’m not sure what he has in mind, but I go with him. I laugh as we head toward the fountain. It feels natural to be walking in the rain with him, but I am acutely aware of him. I suppose it is my preoccupation with him that causes me to lose my balance and start to tumble toward the water. He pulls me back just in time for which I am grateful and embarrassed. Fortunately, James sees the humor in it and helps me see it too. He doesn’t release my hand, I wonder what that means.

[Rogue]

I can see her curiosity as we hold hands, and I stand up, offering my other. She smiles and takes the leap of faith, but soon finds herself being whisked in another direction. I stretch out our arms so they are parallel and I let go of her hand; it is now gently placed on her hips. It amuses me as to whether she wants my grip there or to figure out what we're doing first. My eyes are on hers until I turn the side of my face to her with a grin. We begin to step forward, barely resembling the tango. Since she had no ballroom dancing tonight I thought I'd bring some to her.

We laugh the whole time, when my loafers clash with her heels, when our turning is slow.

"Ok I need a few lessons!"

As she nods in agreement, our performance ends face to face. I had considered leaning her back, but suddenly our lips were extremely close. She looks at mine, and I look at hers. The rain had gotten heavier and it was becoming more and more difficult to concentrate on anything else. Her white top is getting soaked, both our shoes standing in a collecting puddle. With our mouths only an inch apart, our cold breath meet. We smile at the same time, as if we're waiting for someone to tell us to get out of the rain. But we don't need to say anything.

[Jasmine]

I am confused by his behavior at first and then I realize that he is trying to dance with me! I am touched as we pseudo-tango and give him a brilliant smile just as he steps on my feet! I feel giddy like a school girl as the rain pours down on us. I feel my clothes sticking to my skin, my hair is wet and dripping, the rain is in my eyes as I look into his, but I don’t care! Our laughter and probably the site of two people dancing in the rain is drawing stares from the people huddled under their umbrellas.

It seems as if we are suddenly so close. I can feel his breath on my lips. My heart stops. I can’t breathe. I look from his lips to his eyes. I want him to kiss me, but I will not make the first move. It reminds me of my first kiss as my heart flutters in excitement.

[Rogue]

I tilt my head away after a moment, and look back at her once again. Every drop of rain on my head is like someone beating me until I come to my senses. The second I open my mouth I regret it.

"I'd better get you home"

I put a hand on her back as we hurry to the car, bending down a little, though it makes no difference. I feel the soaked top with my fingers. The door is quickly opened for her and she steps in. She looks like she is ready to giggle again as she's relieved to be under the roof of the car. As I'm driving, I forget for a moment that I'm not supposed to know where she lives.

"Left just here!"

We reach her place in 15 minutes. When we walk through the gate, I begin to back away, having taken the lady home as promised. But surprisingly she signals for me to follow. She smiles at me again as she unlocks the door and we go inside. I get the feeling she is looking forward to showing me something before I go. After laying her handbag and keys down on the nearest table, she's approached by a young girl. I stare at the keys a moment until I see the girl anxiously awaiting for me to return a handshake.

"James, this is my niece Carla"

[Jasmine]

The moment passes and reality comes crashing in with the downpour. We run to the car now feeling every drop. He opens my car door despite the rain and I look at him when he finally gets into the car. I try to suppress a giggle as the water drips down his face.

I realize then that I must look much worse. Oh god, I wonder if I have mascara running down my face. I try to wipe the mascara from beneath my eyes as we drive and almost let him drive past the road to turn.

I don’t want him to go, so I tell him to come in and dry off. Carla comes in as we enter the house. I introduce my niece to him and as I go to the bathroom to grab us some towels. I bring one back for James to dry off with as much as possible. “I’ll make us some coffee.” I take Carla’s hand and take her with me.

Once in the kitchen, Carla notices the flush in my cheeks. She tells me he is “so cute” and that I have to ask him. “Hush, Carla. He’ll hear you.”

[Rogue]

I meet another attractive member of Alexandria's family in Carla. She is a bubbly blonde in a pink top and jeans. "Nice to meet you", I reply with a smile, but I try not look too long, and my eyes soon fall to the floor near her flats. She reminds me too much of......HER......

When she returns with the towels, the girls go into the kitchen while I try to dry off. I'm then greeted by the man of the house, their dog. He sniffs my shoes for a few seconds and then starts barking at me. While Carla peeps in to check on us I use the opportunity to ask if I can go the bathroom. She says of course, and I climb the stairs, eagerly followed by this mutt. There is a basket near the landing, with a pair of sandals lying on top. I start bending one with my hands and then lean it against the wall, crushing it inwards. After collecting some dirt from a plant, it is rubbed into the sole. I shove it between the dog's teeth, purposely irritatating him so he wants to bite it. He runs downstairs with it as I also return to the living room.

"It's only Katie's house, I'll just take a key", says Carla looking over her shoulder.

"And you'll lose it like the last one! We're probably going to bed early, you know where it'll be", her aunt replies, coming out of the kitchen with coffee.

[Jasmine]

“Carla, go get Charlie!” I tell her and watch as the almost 20 year old bounds out of the room like a 14 year old! I shake my head and smile as she goes. It’s good to have her here. She certainly has loosened me up some! I finish up the coffee and carry it into the living room on a tray as I see Charlie bounding down the steps with one of Lacie's sandals in his mouth. Carla jumps up from the yelling “Charlie!” and takes the shoe from his mouth.

Putting the tray down on the coffee table, I tell Charlie my best reprimanding voice, "Your mom won't like this. You're sleeping in the shed tonight mister!"

I reach my hand out for Carla to give me her mother’s shoe. I examine it and determine that my sister is going to go ballistic when she see’s that shoe. I frown and see James looking back and forth between Charlie, Carla and me. I give him a smile, “sorry, my sister loves her shoes! I guess it runs in the family!”

Taking a cup from the tray, I offer James his coffee. Carla sits down on the sofa next to James and reaches for her cup. “You forgot the sugar Aunt Lexie.” She gives me that look that I can’t resist and I head to the kitchen to get the sugar for her. On my way back, I see the tickets. I pause; pick them up as I try to decide what to do. I transfer them from hand to hand and turn them over until I determine that I have nothing to lose. I slip them into the waist of my skirt.

Handing Carla the sugar, I reach back and pull them out but keep my hands behind my back as I look at the two of them on the sofa and wonder if I can really ask a man out and not just any man, James. Carla sees the tickets in my hand, “ask him Aunt Lexie!” I summon the courage to ask but I feel myself starting to blush. It’s now or never. I take a breath and open my mouth to ask just as there is a knock at the door.

[Rogue]

The terrier is told his punishment, but I doubt he understands it just yet. Carla urges me to sit down next to her, she is always smiling. I look up at Alexandria when I notice she is still standing and clearly with something on her mind. Her niece tells her to say it and a couple of breaths and nervous smiles come first. But then, there is someone at the door. I haven't gotten started on my coffee yet, it's still a bit too hot. She looks hesistant to even answer but reluctantly she does after the second knock.

"Glenn.....what are....you doing here....." I hear from the door. I suspect my new friend is too polite to stop him from wandering inside and stating his business. She walks after him, her hands fidgeting. The man with a long brown coat approaches our couch and sees me.

"Oh....you have company. Well I won't keep you long, your sister told me about the tickets to the play tomorrow and I'd be delighted to go with you."

As I put my cup down on its saucer, Carla is cringing beside me. There is an awkward silence in the room for a moment. I sit up and walk to Glenn, towards the front door. I turn back to smile at Alexandria.

"Well I think should be leaving.....thank you for the coffee Alexandria.....nice meeting you Carla."

"James no, stay!" is the voice I hear chasing me. She is apologetic as I step outside and wave one last time, asking me to wait but I continue the short walk to my car.

[Jasmine]

Carla smiles at James, I wonder about that. Is she flirting? I shake that thought off. No, she wouldn’t. I just don’t know if he knows that she is not flirting.

I am visibly perturbed by the knock on the door and my footfall is heavy as I rush to get rid of whoever it is. I am taken aback to see Glenn standing there. He just comes into the house like he belongs there.

When he announces that he is going to the play with me, I am incensed but I don’t let it show. I look at James as he walks toward the door. I try to stop him, but he is out the door so quickly. I don’t even say “excuse me” to Glenn as I bolt for the door.

I catch up to him and ask him to stay, but he keeps walking to his car. I am furious with my sister now and with Glenn.

Returning to the house, I must have said the right things because Glenn leaves and tells me that he will see me for the play. “Wow, Aunt Lexie, you let him call you Alexandria!” Carla teases. The look I give her stops further conversation. Once I get rid of Glenn, I go to my room. I don’t want Carla to be around me for a while. I am so disappointed. I wanted to go with James. I pace back and forth. Carla calls to me from downstairs and says she is going to her friend’s house.

I hear my sister come home and fly down the stairs. Before she has a chance to put down her things I attack. “What were you thinking?! Making a date for me! I told you that I didn’t want to go out with Glenn! I was just about to ask James when Glenn arrives and announces he is going to the play with me! James left. I can’t call him! I have no way to contact him. I liked him and you and Glenn have ruined it! You didn’t listen to anything I said about him. Did you hear the bus stop story? ” I tell her without taking a breath and pacing in front of her.

Her response is, “He was here? In our house? You don’t know him! What did Charlie think of him? That’s the litmus test you know?” She asks. “Yeah, well I don’t care about what Charlie thought, but it seems he hates your shoes. I reach for her shoe and thrust it into her hand.

I turn and run up the stairs wondering if I will hear from James and dreading the date with Glenn.

[Rogue]

I only parked my car around the corner of the street, and stood waiting by the wall of someone's front garden. Glenn's car wasn't outside Alexandria's house so I guessed it was around here somewhere. I watch him cross the road and walk towards the shops, and I follow him inside one. I pretend to be reading a newspaper as he pays for cigarettes.

"I wouldn't bother if I were you my friend"

His head turns until he finds my voice. "Oh, it's you....what are you talking about?"

"Let's just say her idea of intimacy isn't exactly the norm", I reply. He asks how the hell would I know, so I tell him we used to date. He collects his change and smirks at me, saying "whatever you say mister."

After he leaves, Carla soon arrives in the store. She purchases some bottles of alcopop and almost sees me, before I exit the door in time. With college in the morning, I suspect she'll be home before midnight at least.

I return to the area a few hours later, and a quick check of my watch tells me it's fast approaching 11 o' clock. I'm standing directly across from the sisters' house, my eyes fixed on the top window. I know it isn't Alexandria's room, but I can see some shadows moving around, and the living room lights are switched off.

[Jasmine]

I have fumed and tried to work through how to find James and get out of this date with Glenn. I haven’t spoken to her since this afternoon, so I wander into her bedroom. My sister is getting ready for bed and has the radio on. I try to talk to her, but she is listening to something about the police are looking for witnesses to the accountant's death on Sunday. In frustration at her ignoring me, I switch it off and stare at her, still annoyed.

"Lexie" she starts and then gives me a look, that big sister look that is intended to make me do what she wants. She says that it's not like Charlie to chew her shoes, and asks if I’m sure that's what happened. “I don’t know, maybe James chewed the shoe and Charlie took it from him and swatted James with a newspaper before bringing the shoe downstairs in his mouth!”

I am so angry that I can’t see straight so I storm from her room, back into mine and slam the door.

[Rogue]

I wait for 10 minutes after the lights go out and cross the street. I walk beside the car in the garden and look under 2 flower pots. There's nothing but a spider under one of those, and I have to lean in to check because it is dark. It has been a couple of minutes and I'm getting frustrated, but a rock by the wall catches my eye. I lift it up and there it is, the key I'm looking for.

I wipe the bit of dirt off and slowly twist it in the keyhole. I smile as I'm able to push the door in. After leaving the key back in its place and gently shutting the door behind me, the light at the top of the stairs helps me find my way around. I cross the mat and follow the green carpet to the living room. I see a phone charging on the table so I unplug it and switch it on. It lights up the area around me as eventually the main screen comes on. I scroll through the phone book and find the numbers of Glenn and her sister Lacie, so it must be Alexandria's. I go into Create Message and start texting him in 5 minute intervals, none of which receive a reply.

"Glenn, are you awake?"

"What are you up to?"

"I think about you, taking me with just my shoes on"

"I can lick them for you if you want, the stiletto will go all the way in my mouth"

"Would you put it in my pussy?"

"I want to watch you fuck my high heels Glenn, and cum in them"

I've been relaxing on the couch, a re run of some crap TV show is on. The ceiling has creaked a couple of times in the last minute and then some footsteps startle me. I switch off the TV and just as I'm deleting what I've done in the Sent Messages folder, someone shouts down the stairs.

"Carla, is that you?"

[Jasmine]

I am too wound up to sleep. I try a bubble bath, but not even the silky bubbles soothe me. After the bath, I clean out my closet and hand wash my lingerie and stockings.

I hear something downstairs. It must be Carla coming in. I call down to her, but she doesn’t answer. I finish hanging up the last of my things. I go downstairs to see Carla and apologize for my behavior earlier. As I enter the kitchen, Carla closes the door. She is a bit startled to see me there. Carla quickly recovers and asks me not to tell her Mom that she came home so late.

[Rogue]

My heart skips a beat at the call, it sounds like Alexandria. I desperately try to think where I can hide in the little time I have, but fortunately she doesn't come down the stairs just yet. I stand in the hall and hear footsteps towards one of the rooms upstairs.

I finish deleting the last of the 6 messages and put the phone back exactly where I found it, reconnecting the phone charger. I very gently open the door, knowing she could be on her way at any moment. Once I close the door over I begin running as fast as I can, but the sight of Carla stops me in my tracks. I divert to the side of the house, crouching by the tree just before she enters the garden and when I was in view. I tried not to earlier, but I can't help but stare at her beautiful figure. She brushes her long blonde hair back as she kneels down and finds the key which I had returned under the rock. After I watch the teenager go inside, I remain seated for a few minutes, thinking and staring into the dark sky.

[Jasmine]

I tell Carla that I won’t tell her mother and we go to bed. I decide that tomorrow has to be better than today.

WEDNESDAY

I take a quick detour by the bus stop just like I did yesterday. I look down by the river but James is not there. I am disappointed. I have no one to blame, but myself. Well, actually Lacie, but I let James walk away.

Around lunch time, I get a text message from Glenn saying he has to cancel. I call my sister and tell her feel pathetic going alone. “How bad is it that the person you didn’t want to go with ditches you? I know you have plans but you owe me.” I hang up the phone and am just finishing my lunch when Lacie calls me. She called some friends in Florida to find track down James’ phone number and is waiting on them to call her back.

She is so pleased with herself. I am still angry at her, more so that I realize when I say, “you better find him by the end of the day!” I snap the phone closed.

[Rogue]

It's these awkward silences that make the busy traffic outside prominent, and no doubt causes Dr. Riley to shut his open window. His observing eyes return again, awaiting my slow answers. I think it was something about my mother he asked. He decides to change the subject, seeing my uninterested posture, elbows on my knees, chin resting in one palm. He sits with his legs crossed, relaxed with a white notepad on his lap.

"Now you mentioned a nice woman earlier, are you dating her?"

"I suppose so, we're going to a play tonight. I have it all planned out. We'll go back to her place and make love by the fireplace."

"But isn't it only the first date? Would she allow things to move that quickly?"

I look over at him, having expected a response that would annoy me. "I wouldn't expect you to understand love at first sight, doctor. As long as she doesn't say no to me, there won't be a problem. And she won't unless people like you get into her head."

"And Rebecca said no......"

This prompts me to stand up, and if it wasn't for the coffee table in front of my shins I'd have overreacted and jumped on him. He leans his head back and tries to calm me down. "Look, James, time is up but next week I'd like to discuss certain things, your appearance for example." I look down at my suit and slowly walk with him to the door before stopping and leaving him with a story. He stares curiously at my Rolex when I check it.

"I was in a bar on Sunday night, and this old geezer comes in, chatting away to the bartender like he's on top of the world. Shows him a picture of his wife - bushy hair, nose hanging off her face. Not only has he made a living pushing buttons into a calculator his whole life, but he's retiring 2 years early. He just....settled. It made me sick. When he got up to leave I wanted to kill him, right then and there", I snarl, and leave Dr. Riley's office.

[Jasmine]

“Did you even try to find him?” I ask irritably, tossing the other ticket on the kitchen table. I head to the car with Lacie, keeping a running litany going, “And, that prince you hooked me up with, well that worked out well. He just left me a message that he was ditching me. Oh, and wait, for that prize of a man, I lost touch with James.”

I don’t want to hear about how she couldn’t locate him. “If you had listened to me in the first place, I wouldn’t be going to Cinderella alone!” I say, as I exit the car at the theater.

I find my seat near the front. I realize that I left the aisle seat ticket on the table. It probably won’t matter, but I always play by the rules so I sit in the second seat from the aisle. I look at the seat as the lights go down.

[Rogue]

That night, I drive to Alexandria's house. I sit in my car staring at the house through the windscreen a moment, wondering if everything has fallen into place. I walk up to the door and to my surprise it opens before I can reach it and have a chance to knock. Carla appears and looks like she will need the smile on her face surgically removed.

"James!"

She says it's better late than never, and quickly explains that her aunt is at a play and that I had been her first choice to join her. She grabs the ticket from the table and hands it to me. The teenager sees my own smile and clasps her hands as I read the details. I suddenly lean in and give her a quick kiss on the cheek in excitement, and she laughs, waving goodbye.

"Carla, who is it?" I hear calling to her.

That stupid dog barks at my car as I put it into gear. The curtains of the front room draw back a little, Alexandria's sister watching me drive off.

It is about 9:00pm by the time I reach the theatre. I hurry inside, knowing I have missed some of the show already. One of the staff reads my ticket and points upstairs to the balcony. Some people walk down by me so I suspect it is the interval. I see the wine curtains are closed and hear the chatter of the audience. I watch my step and find the right isle, but I know it once I see her sitting one seat away from the stairs. I watch her for a few seconds. She lowers her head and plays with her fingers after a man steps out I see how dejected she feels despite how enjoyable Cinderella may be.

"Is this seat taken Miss?"

[Jasmine]

“James! You’re here!” I can’t believe that he is here. I feel like my own prince charming has come for me. I am excited and relived to see him, so I launch into a rapid fire explanation, “I know that you thought that I wanted to come with Glen, but I didn’t. That was Lacie’s plan. I was about to ask you when he arrived!” I breathe and look into his gorgeous eyes as he tells me that Carla explained what happened. “I’m just glad that you are here with me.” His smile captivates me as he takes my hand.

The lights flash signaling the end of the intermission.

“Oh, you have missed part of it. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella is my all time favorite. I grew up with it. I love the music, I know all the words!” I tell him with a grin. I realize I am gushing. “Well, all that you have missed is Cinderella and the Prince met at the market. He was dressed as a commoner. Now, his parents are pressuring him to marry. He wants to be in love. His mother tells him about the ball. He’s a little perturbed with her. Now they are getting ready for the ball. Cinderella doesn’t have a dress to wear.”

The lights go down and the curtain comes up as Cinderella’s sisters have left for the ball. She sits by the fire and sings, “In My Own Little Corner, in my own little chair, I can be whatever I want to be….”

I clutch James’ hand in mine as I am drawn into the play once again as I sit with my very own prince charming.