I was beginning to get nervous that he wouldn’t show when the door opened. The windows of the shop were tinted, so in the open doorway he was surrounded by a halo of bright light that darkened his features. As he stepped through the door, I saw his crystal eyes and wide smile, all directed at me. Of course that was also the moment that I reached the front of the line. I had completely missed that the barista asked what I’d like, and she was staring at me like if I were an alien for not responding immediately. Well, maybe she wasn’t, but that’s how I felt since I was completely self-conscious in his presence.
He walked over and said, “Hey!” I said “hey” back. Then he helped me come back to reality by asking if I could order him black coffee as he handed me a couple dollar bills. “S-sure,” I stuttered. I turned to the woman behind the counter and ordered. She smiled and gave me my change. Maybe she realized that I had been stunned by the beautiful man in front of me.
We walked toward the other side of the counter to pick up our coffee. “Don’t tell me you’ve lost your tongue again, I thought we got over that last night,” he teased.
“I’m sorry. I’m still a bit in shock. I wasn’t completely sure you’d show up,” I told him, again regretting my comments the moment they’d left my mouth.
He laughed. “I’m the one who invited you, remember?”
I nodded and smiled a bit. We grabbed our coffee and headed toward one of the tables by the corner of the shop. I was happy when I made it to the table without tripping or doing something else embarrassing.
“I see you found the place OK. Any trouble?” I asked because it was the only thing I could think of to say.
“Not at all, this is a pretty popular street,” he said. “I take it you know the area well. You’ve lived in Miami all of your life, right?”
I nodded.
“So any recommendations? Where should I go while I’m here?” he asked.
“Depends on what you like. Right now we’re not far from some of the nice tourist spots. There’s the tropical gardens to the south, or the science museum to the north. Then there’s the really busy places like the aquarium on Key Biscayne; we’re maybe twenty minutes from there,” I explained. “Have you gone any place already? You’ve been here a few days, right?” I asked.
“I’ve been here for four days, but I had to take care of that business for my dad, so I haven’t had a chance to go any place touristy yet. You want to go somewhere?” he asked.
“You sure you don’t want to at least wait until we finish our coffee before asking to see me again? I mean, for all you know I'm a total bore when I'm not at a party,” I teased.
“I doubt that. And I actually meant now. Or you know, when we finish our coffee. I’m pretty sure this shop is going to close before I get tired of being with you,” he replied.
I knew I must be blushing again, so I looked down and took the lid off my coffee to add some sugar. “Well, it’s a bit late for some of the tourist places I mentioned. I know for sure that the zoo closes its gates at 4 p.m. I’d guess the others do something similar. We could try though. It would have to be someplace that won’t take too long to get through.”
I stirred my coffee for a moment trying to think. “How about Vizcaya? Do you like old, beautiful mansions? It would be better to have more time, but I think we could see a good part of the house in an hour. Probably can’t take the tour, though.”
“That sounds great,” he said. “My car or yours?”
“Actually, why don’t we take the metro? It’s right across the street, and it’ll drop us in front of the estate,” I suggested. I was remembering Nana’s advice to stay in public.
The trains were running a bit slower than usual since it was a holiday, but luckily we got there just as one was pulling into the station. It didn’t take long to get to the Vizcaya stop. This was actually one of the few places where the metro was useful. The Miami metro isn’t like that of other large cities, the system doesn’t really go to many places.
As we moved past the entrance of the estate Ben said, “If you dropped me in here after having been blindfolded on the trip, I wouldn’t guess that we were in Miami.”
“Well, I’m pretty sure it was based on European architecture, but they did incorporate Florida into the structure. I think the house is built to take advantage of the breezes that come in from the bay,” I told him. I wasn’t an architecture expert, but I thought I remembered hearing that when I had gone there many years before.
“Yes, this courtyard is amazing,” he replied. We were walking toward the east section of the house. The view of the bay through the doorways was magnificent. I was standing just a bit in front of Ben, looking out at the water. When I turned he was staring toward the boat docks, lost in thought. I wondered what he was thinking.
“We should probably keep moving if we want to see the rest of the house before they kick us out,” I said, and his eyes refocused. He nodded, and we continued to walk around.
“So you like historic buildings?” he asked.
“Yes, not that I’ve seen many. I guess that’s why I like this place. I haven’t been to Europe, and Vizcaya is meant to look Italian. It’s the closest I’ve come,” I said.
“You ever been outside of Florida?” he asked.
“I went to D.C. with my school when I was younger. That was great. So many historical buildings to see, museums. It’s the farthest I’ve ever been from here.”
“I can’t imagine what it would be like to stay just in one place most of my life,” he responded.
“I bet.”
“So you plan on going anywhere before you finish college? It’s the best time you know. Most people with jobs can’t get enough vacation days to go far.”
“I know, but they also need those jobs to pay for the trip, right?” I pointed out.
“I guess so,” he said and laughed.
“I’ll figure it out. I hadn’t really thought about traveling much. I’ve mostly focused on school. But you’re right. Maybe if I get a job now I can save enough to go on a big trip after I graduate.”
“Maybe you could come visit me,” he said.
“In Australia? Now that would be a big trip!”
“It’s only a day away,” he said.
“It sounds so easy when you say it like that, but a day of traveling, that’s a big deal. Not to mention how much it must cost.”
“Well, if you start looking at details, you’ll never get anywhere. Still, I’d love it if you came.” He looked serious as he said it. I couldn’t imagine it was possible he could be that into me.
“That would be nice.” I wasn’t sure if I meant that just the trip would be nice or if I was telling him it would be nice to visit him.
We continued walking around the mansion, looking at the details, talking about which antiques we liked the best. Eventually, we realized it was getting late and headed back to the metro.
“Can I see you tomorrow?” he asked when we got back to the shop where we’d left our cars.
“Sure. I’m still on winter break,” I told him. “Is there something in particular you’d like to do?”
He let out a small laugh at that, I wasn’t sure why. Smiling, he said, “Anything you want. You’re the tour guide, right? What do you think we should do?”
“Can you ride a bike?” I asked.
At that he laughed a bit longer. “Of course. What do you have in mind?”
“Well, if you’re not scared of alligators crossing your path, we could ride around Shark Valley. It’s awesome there in this weather.”
“Sounds good. Can I get a bike there? I didn’t pack one in my luggage this time.”
“Yup, they rent them. I’ll rent one too, so we don’t have to lug mine around.”
The next morning I picked him up at his hotel, and we were at Shark Valley by nine. It was a gorgeous day. The sky was so clear that it reminded me of that awful nightmare I’d had before the first panic attack. Was I going to start hating perfect weather? I hoped n
ot. Luckily, Ben was a great distraction from scary dreams.
“So you come here a lot?” he asked as we started riding the trail.
“Not really. I’ve come a few times, but as you could tell by the drive, it’s a bit far for coming too often. I’ve always enjoyed it here though. I’d rather ride around alligators than traffic any day.”
“Yeah, I’d guess they’re not as aggressive as Miami drivers,” he said, smiling.
“You kidding? They seem like bunnies in comparison. I can’t ride in traffic at all. If I go anywhere on my bike, it’s all around back streets or just around my neighborhood. Here I feel more comfortable, it’s clear path for the most part. The gators and other animals tend to stay in the swamp. Sometimes you’ll see one on the path, but it’s not a big deal as long as you don’t mess with them.”
We rode slowly, enjoying the scenery. Occasionally we’d see a gator popping its head out of the water. There were lots of birds fishing in the swamp and plenty of trees and shrubs to look at. We stopped at the observation tower and climbed up.
“Wow, this place is green for miles,” Ben commented.
“Yup, nothing but swamp all around. It’s beautiful though.”
“Yes, it is.”
The path was clear as we finished the loop and got back to the beginning of the trail. It was almost noon, so I suggested stopping for lunch at a barbecue place nearby. He was brave and tried the gator appetizer I ordered.
“It’s a bit spicy,” he observed.
“Yup, otherwise it’s just like chicken,” I said with a laugh.
After lunch I took him back to his hotel. I told him Nana was probably going to get worried if I stayed out all day. Actually I just wanted to go home for a shower. I didn’t want to hang out all day with him smelling like I’d biked the Everglades. It was OK for the morning, but I wasn’t about to go to dinner looking like I did. He asked if I wanted to go see a movie later, and I agreed. I’d had enough exercise for one day.
After resting and getting ready, I went back to pick him up. We had dinner and walked toward the movie theater across the mall from the restaurant. The scene as we approached reminded me that the latest paranormal film was opening that night. The line was filled with teens dressed in dark outfits and odd makeup. I let out a small laugh as we got closer and Ben looked at me and lifted both eyebrows.
“I guess everyone takes their movies seriously around here,” he commented.
“Yeah, and I guess a lot of the kids like to play pretend,” I replied quietly.
“You afraid they’ll hear you?” he asked, grinning.
“Hey, I don’t need to get cursed by a teenage witch wannabe. You never know.”
At that he laughed. “Sounds like you’re superstitious.”
“A little bit, maybe.” I smiled.
“But you don’t take stock in scary stories?”
“I try not to, but I have a vivid imagination and sometimes it gets away from me,” I said, blushing.
“So you’ve watched some of them?” he asked, with one brow slightly arched.
“A couple, but I prefer the book versions. There are some things that don’t translate well to film.”
“You prefer to imagine things for yourself.” He said it as a statement.
“Yes. I prefer reading. I can really connect to the emotions of the characters. Watching an actor try to portray that on film doesn’t give me the same feeling of being in a fantasy world. It’s nice to escape like that sometimes, even when I know the story can’t be true. Especially when I know it can’t be true, actually.”
“What makes you so sure it can’t be?” he asked.
I just looked at him with squinted brows and a smirk on my face. “Come on, spell-casting teenagers and immortal beings who go around sucking people’s blood? Those stories are based on the fears of ancient villagers who had yet to discover science. They thought bats would drain their children and condors would fly off with them. Condors can’t hold anything heavy with their feet and most bats eat fruit and bugs.”
“Most,” he said and laughed. “So what do you think could actually happen? You seemed nervous one of these kids in line would curse you. What’s the limit of your belief in the supernatural?”
“I don’t know. It’s not that I truly believe I can get cursed, but I don’t like saying it’s not possible, that could jinx it.”
He laughed at me, and we kept moving up in the line. “What if the story were more scientific? For instance, vampires are supposed to suck blood out of people in order to live forever. They take their life force, their energy. What if it was just a transfer of energy? Energy can’t be created or destroyed, but it can shift. What if those immortal beings didn’t suck blood really, but just energy and transferred it to themselves?”
“So they could live forever by taking other people’s energy? I guess that could work in theory. We get our energy from food, but they could take it directly? Heck, they wouldn’t even get sick. They could just transfer more energy to appease the germs trying to suck theirs out.” I pondered his theory.
“Right. Whenever they felt tired or whatever, they just transferred someone or something else’s energy and then they would feel better again.”
“Hmm. Well, that’s a really interesting theory. You should write a book,” I said with a smirk.
“Ha, yeah. I don’t think so. I’m not really that good with words. But you’re welcome to use the idea if you want to write one.” He smiled. We were at the front of the line by then so we walked up to the window to get our tickets.
Chapter 5
When I dropped Ben off that night he suggested we should go dancing the next night. My heart fluttered a bit at that, but not in the scary way it had the previous weeks. We hadn’t really done anything particularly romantic yet. He’d let his arm brush mine on the armrest at the movies but hadn’t tried anything else. I wondered if he was thinking of this as if we were just friends or something else. Not that dancing at a club on South Beach could be thought of as romantic, but at least it could be intimate since we’d have to stay pretty close to each other to avoid getting lost in the crowd.
We ended up at a club I had never been to before. Ben said that a guy at the hotel had recommended it. Apparently it was one of the newest on the beach. New clubs were always opening and closing. I’m not sure how he did it, but Ben got us to the front of the line so we didn’t have to wait outside. I still got stamped to show I was younger than 21, but it didn’t matter since I didn’t really drink.
The entrance was a wall, the type that surrounds a big estate, with large wooden double doors. Through the doors there was a large patio covered by a pergola with linen curtains hanging in the corners. The beams above us were entwined with fuchsia bougainvillea. Several people were dancing to house music, swaying as if they were drifting in the breeze.
It was cool out, a bit warmer than New Year’s Eve, but still chilly. Behind the patio there was an indoor room, and we could see a bar at the back corner. Ben suggested we go inside until we warmed up a little. I liked the way he accented the words “warmed up,” like they reflected more than the temperature outside. I followed him in and was glad to hear the hip-hop coming through the speakers. I’m not fond of house music. I can’t anticipate its climaxes. The beat is always the same, but you don’t know when the feeling of the music will change. I enjoy dancing more if I can hear the lyrics and connect with the emotion of the music. I like knowing when it will flare and recede so I can move with it.
Ben led me toward the dance floor, and it was as I had expected—packed. We had to dance very close to each other, and I didn’t mind that at all. The music was pretty fast, and we were having fun bouncing to the beat. After a few songs we worked our way to the middle of the floor and were laughing every time we bumped into someone. I was impressed with how well Ben danced. I wasn’t sure whether I was more surprised that he could dance well to this or to the Latin music the other night. It seemed like he could move to anyth
ing, and the combination of the music, the crowd and Ben was making me feel energized and a little giddy. I probably did a couple of moves that Nana wouldn’t have thought were appropriate. Anyone who didn’t know me probably thought I had been sneaking alcohol, but the only thing I was drunk on was the way Ben’s hands brushed my waist from time to time. It felt different dancing with someone I was actually interested in, much more fun.
I was into the vibe, hands in the air, singing along as I bounced and bumped into everyone around me when I felt that weird heart flutter again. It caught me completely off guard because if it was induced by panic, why would it be happening then? I was nowhere near panic. Or at least I hadn’t been a second before when I wasn’t thinking about it. I tried to ignore it, but then it happened again. I dropped my arms and lost the beat for a moment. I took a deep breath and smiled up at Ben. I didn’t want to freak out right then.
For a second I thought that I would be OK, but then I got this strange feeling like if I was losing my energy. It was like the crash after a sugar binge. I just felt tired and shaky. My face must have shown it because Ben stopped dancing and looked at me with concern. He pointed toward the door and I nodded. He took hold of my hand and led us outside to a corner of the patio.
“Are you OK?” he asked.
“I don’t know. I feel so drained all of a sudden. I don’t know what happened. One moment I was hyper as can be and the next I felt like I needed to crash onto my bed.”
“Let’s get you a soda or something. Maybe that will make you feel better.”
He sat me down on a marble bench and went to get us drinks. I just sat with my head in my hands and berated myself for being such a freak. Way to ruin an awesome night out. Ben was quickly at my side again offering the soda.
“Drink it, maybe you need some sugar.”
I obeyed and sat there, feeling like an idiot.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened. I just suddenly felt really tired,” I apologized.
“Don’t worry about it, we’ve had a really busy week. You sure you’re all right? You almost looked like you were going to hyperventilate.”
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