Alix & Valerie

by Ingrid Diaz

  I kept my face as serious as possible. “Who said I was flirting?”

  She laughed. “Guess I’ll just have to resign myself to the ‘just okay’ status.”

  I nodded. “Better to have someone tell you the truth now before you went the rest of your life with a high self-esteem or something.”

  “I appreciate your honesty.”

  “Any time.”

  We walked for about fifteen minutes before we finally reached the pool hall Valerie had been talking about. It was fairly empty, so we had no trouble getting a table, and we made our way to the one on the far right.

  Valerie racked the balls, and I did my best to look clueless.

  “You’re holding the cue stick wrong,” Valerie informed me.

  And so I was. “Oops.”

  She smiled. “Guess I’ll break then.”

  “Break what?”

  Her eyes narrowed. My clueless routine was on dangerous ground.

  So I smiled as innocently as possible and said, “Kidding.”

  Valerie turned to the table and got ready to break, so I moved over in order to see the shot. A second later, there was an explosion of color across the table as the white ball broke through the triangle formation and sent solids and stripes in all directions. Not bad, I thought, watching a couple of solids fall nicely into the pockets.

  “You’re stripes,” Valerie told me.

  “Those would be the ones with the stripes across them, right?”

  “Smartass.”

  I smiled to myself and leaned back against the table next to ours. I held my cue stick in front of me and watched as Valerie took her shot. I loved the way her blonde hair cascaded over the side of her face as she leaned over the table.

  I was too busy looking at her to notice if she made the shot or not, but the way she retreated from the table and looked at me expectantly gave me a small hint. I spent a minute trying to decide my next course of action. To miss or not to miss, that was the question. In the end, I decided to leave it up to chance.

  Ten minutes later, I’d cleared the table, and Valerie was staring at me, mouth agape. “Well, it’s a good thing I didn’t think to play you for money,” she joked.

  “Well, I was going to hustle you, but then I remembered you paid for dinner and everything . . .”

  “Well, thanks a lot.”

  We played for a little over two hours, and Valerie even beat me in one game. She kept insisting that I let her win, though in all honesty, I’d been too busy thinking of other things to remember how to shoot pool properly.

  Somehow we ended up back at her apartment, on her bed . . . No, just kidding. Getting a little ahead of myself there.

  We did end up in her apartment though.

  “You know, I think I’m getting used to taking the stairs instead of the elevator,” Valerie announced, as we walked through the door.

  I laughed. “Very funny. Just for that, I’m going to get you a nice big feathery bird for your birthday.”

  “You don’t know when my birthday is.”

  “June first.”

  Valerie seemed surprised. “You remembered?”

  I took a seat on her couch and looked up at her. “Yeah. I mean, we had a nice little conversation on the importance of birthdays. Why wouldn’t I remember?”

  She smiled. “Would you like a drink of any kind? I don’t have Dr. Pepper, sorry, but I’ve got Pepsi, and I could pretty much fix you any alcoholic beverage you like.”

  “Nah, I’m fine.”

  “Do you not drink? Alcohol, I mean.”

  “Occasionally, when I want to get really drunk. I don’t have very high tolerance for alcohol and I have to drive home tonight so drinking would probably not be a good idea.”

  “You could always spend the night.”

  I looked straight at her, I’m sure my surprise was clearly showing on my face.

  “Kidding,” she responded, taking a seat next to me. “Well, I guess I was half-joking.”

  I had no idea what to say. Flirting problem, again. I wondered if they had a Flirting for Dummies manual.

  “Would you like to watch a movie?” Valerie asked.

  I snapped out of it. “Uh, yeah. Sure. What do you have?”

  “Labyrinth, Dark Crystal, The Neverending Story, Scream, Scream II, Teaching Mrs. Tingle—”

  “How about I just go up there and look?” I suggested.

  “Or you could do that.” She sat back, putting her feet on the coffee table and folding her hands across her chest.

  I made my way to the wall unit and looked over the row of movies. There was a nice balance of fantasy and horror with a few random comedies and action flicks thrown in for variety. There weren’t any I didn’t feel like watching. “Tough decision. I love most of these movies.”

  A second later, Valerie was beside me. “How about I go down the row and you can tell me yes, no or maybe?”

  I laughed. “That’ll take forever. What do you feel like watching?”

  “I love them all.”

  “Well, you’re no help. How about Labyrinth?”

  Valerie smiled. “I was hoping you’d pick that one.”

  I returned to the couch, while Valerie set up the movie. She turned off the lights and sat next to me. On the TV screen, the movie flickered to life. Meanwhile, I was growing increasingly aware of Valerie’s warmth beside me. I wanted to touch her—somewhere, anywhere. I glanced up at her. Wasn’t she nervous at all?

  Valerie simply mouthed the words along with the movie. “‘Give me the child. Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City . . .’”

  I had to smile. “Seen it much?”

  “Just a couple of times,” she responded, with a sly grin.

  I turned my attention to the film, attempting to concentrate, but not quite succeeding. Warm breath on my ear again, followed by the words, “Would you like some popcorn?” Her lips graze my skin. I jumped off the couch and landed on the floor with a loud thump.

  “Sorry,” Valerie said. “Man, you’re jumpy. You can come back to the couch. I won’t bite, I promise.”

  I gathered what was left of my pride and used it to lift myself up onto the couch. I didn’t dare look at Valerie. I was mortified.

  “Hey, look at me,” Valerie said.

  I took a deep breath and forced myself to meet her gaze. She appeared concerned. “I’m an idiot. I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m so jumpy.”

  She smiled. “It’s kind of cute, actually. Anyway, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have done that.”

  Okay so we both felt like fools, only she was better at hiding it than I was. I begged my mind to think of something to say to take the tension off the situation. “I’d love some popcorn,” was what it came up with.

  “Butter or no butter?”

  “No butter,” I replied.

  “No butter? What’s wrong with you?” She stood up and walked to the kitchen. “The only other person I know who doesn’t like butter on their popcorn is my mother.” She turned on the kitchen lights, and the living room was flooded with a faint yellow hue.

  “Then maybe I should be dating her instead.”

  I heard Valerie laugh but couldn’t quite see her. “I doubt you’re her type.”

  “Well, damn. Unbuttered popcorn is the key to my heart.”

  “I’ll try to remember that.”

  A few minutes later, the lights were off again, and Valerie was handing me a can of Pepsi and a bowl of unbuttered popcorn. “Thanks.”

  “Any time,” she said, sitting down.

  “Do you live alone?” I asked, unsure of where the question had come from.

  “Nope. My girlfriend’s away for the weekend.”

  I glanced up at her. “I hope you’re joking or this bowl of popcorn is going on your head, followed by the entire can of Pepsi.”

  Valerie smiled, meeting my gaze. “I live alone.”

  I was silently relieved. “Goo
d. I would’ve hated to waste the food.”

  We managed to get through the rest of the movie without any catastrophes. When Valerie turned on the lights, I glanced at my watch. It was nearly three and I had a class at eight. I had to get going or I’d never wake up.

  “I better go,” I said, rising to my feet. “Class tomorrow.”

  Valerie nodded. “Yeah, me too. Where are you parked?”

  “Next to the club.”

  “Would you like me to walk you back?”

  “Nah, I can find my way.” I paused, smiling up at her. “Thanks though.”

  She shrugged slightly, and we stood there staring awkwardly at each other for a few seconds.

  “Did you come up with the factors for kissing yet?” she asked suddenly.

  I was both surprised and excited by the question. Seize the moment, I thought. “Yes, actually,” I answered, though I hadn’t really thought about it.

  Valerie’s eyebrows rose. “Oh?”

  “Yeah, but there’s really only one,” I said, and our gazes met. I drowned in her eyes, losing all train of thought.

  She stepped a little closer. “What is it?” she asked softly.

  “You have to kiss me,” I replied, the words leaving my mouth before I knew what I was saying.

  And before I knew it, her lips were on mine; so soft and sweet I thought I would melt into her arms. I pulled away, overwhelmed by the rush of emotions surging through me. I wanted to throw my arms around her neck and press her close to me. I wanted her so badly I thought I would explode with longing.

  Somehow, I managed to pull myself together long enough to speak. “I should give you my number,” were the first words to pass through my mouth.

  “Oh, right. I don’t have that.” Valerie excused herself for a moment as she went to find a pen and paper. I leaned against the nearest wall, trying to calm my racing heart. I’d never felt anything like this before. Maybe I was having a heart attack and didn’t realize it.

  A minute later, Valerie was back, pen and paper in hand. I scribbled down my number, and even my email address though I didn’t see a computer anywhere in the apartment.

  “Aerosmith30, huh?” Valerie said, looking down at the piece of paper.

  “I don’t know if you have a computer or anything. I just thought I’d give it to you anyway.”

  “Thanks.” She opened the door for me, and I stepped out into the hall. “I’ll call you,” she promised.

  I nodded. “Okay. Good night.”

  “Good night.”

  I smiled, and then started down the hallway, knowing she was still standing in the doorway watching me.

  Chapter 7

  “I am freaking out,” I whined, burying my face in my hands.

  Jade yawned from across the table. We were at the dining hall the following morning, eating breakfast before heading off to class. “Quit being such a wanker,” she told me, without looking up from her food.

  I sighed looking at her through my fingers. “I don’t know what to do.”

  “About what?”

  “About Valerie.”

  This time she glanced up at me. “I told you, stop being such a bloody wanker. You’ve spent the last few years lusting after Jessica. Give yourself a break. At least you have a chance with this one.”

  I knew Jade was right. I was freaking out, but it wasn’t because I didn’t know what to do about Valerie. It was something else. “I’m scared, Jay,” I admitted.

  “Of?”

  “Women. Sex. Love.” I shrugged. “It was easy being in love with Jessica because I knew I didn’t stand a chance, so it was safe. With Valerie, though, it’s something different entirely.”

  “Welcome to the world of real relationships,” Jade told me, lifting up her glass of orange juice in a mock toast. “You didn’t freak out this much when you started dating Zack.”

  I shook my head. “It was different. I was sixteen. Somehow, I was more together then.”

  “Or maybe it’s the fact that Valerie is a girl . . . ?”

  I looked at her sharply. “What do you mean?”

  Jade pushed her tray aside and regarded me seriously. “I think you’re freaked out over the fact that it’s a girl you’re dealing with.”

  I frowned, unsure of what to make of Jade’s analysis. “Are you saying you don’t think I’m gay?”

  Jade laughed. “Oh, you’re bloody queer, all right. I’m just saying you’ve never been with a girl before so you’re scared you won’t know what to do or how to act.”

  Bull’s-eye. Score one for the Brit. “Maybe I should rent some lesbian porn or something.”

  “Or something,” Jade responded, getting up. “C’mon, time for class.”

  I picked up my tray, disposed of it, and followed Jade out of the dining hall. We both had World Literature at Engelbert Hall, which was across the street from the dining commons. “Are you going out with that guy you met at the club?” I asked, taking the spotlight off of myself.

  “Tonight, in fact. Wanna double?” Jade grinned. “When do you get to see Valerie again?”

  “I don’t know. She said she’d call me.”

  “Oof. Bad sign.”

  I frowned. “Is it?”

  Jade patted me on the head. “I wouldn’t worry too much about it,” she said, pulling open the doors to the building and walking inside.

  I caught up to her quickly. “Hold on. Why is it a bad sign?”

  Jade was thoughtful for a moment. “Well, maybe it isn’t. I forget men and women live by different rules. So if she said she’d call then she probably will.”

  I nodded, feeling momentarily relieved. “Wait, what if she doesn’t call?”

  Jade paused to smile before opening the door to our classroom. “Then you can quit freaking out.” She smiled quickly and walked inside.

  I frowned again, not particularly liking the sound of that. I sat down in my usual seat in the back, next to Jade. We were a few minutes early, so the room was still fairly empty. Our professor was writing her office hours on the board, along with her name and contact information. It was only the second week of school, so I’d only had this particular class twice, but it seemed pretty interesting. I was a little less than thrilled about the mother load of novels we had to read, but I’d have to deal with that.

  Turning to Jade, I asked, “So how long should I wait for her call before abandoning all hope?”

  Jade glanced at me and shook her head. “Who do I look like, Sylvia Browne? I don’t know.”

  I propped my feet up on the seat in front of mine. I crossed my arms and sat back, waiting for the professor to commence.

  Relationships were definitely complicated. Every time one of my questions was answered, a new one arose in its place. How were people supposed to get anywhere in love if nothing made any sense? Perhaps on my way to getting Flirting for Dummies I’d go ahead and pick up Relationships for Dummies as well. I figured that if the book indeed existed there would have to be a men’s manual, women’s manual, lesbian’s manual, bisexual’s manual, gay’s manual, transgender’s manual, transexual’s manual . . . But then, if everyone was reading from a different manual, how was anything supposed to get accomplished? This probably explained the popularity of the Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus books. Of course, that didn’t help me at all.

  Perhaps I needed therapy.

  Ò

  “Any calls?” I asked Nicole, dropping my keys and access card on my desk as I entered. I had to shout over the stereo. I had no idea what she was listening to now.

  She lowered the volume long enough to say, “No.”

  I sat at my desk, booted up the computer, and hung my bookbag on the back of my chair. It was nearly five, and I had finally finished with classes for the day. After checking my email, I planned on taking a nice long shower. I had a hell of a time falling asleep, and two hours of sleep just wasn’t cutting it. Maybe after the shower I’d take a nap.

  The computer finished doing its thing, so
I bestowed it my full attention. Once online, I headed straight for my mailbox, hoping Jessica had written me back. No such luck. In fact, I had only one message.

  Name: DarkCrystal61@hotmail.com Subject: hi . . .

  I had no idea whom the email was from, but I double-clicked on it anyway, curiosity getting the best of me.

  Hi, Alix. I know I said I’d call you, but I was just checking my mail at the computer lab here at school before my next class and I thought I’d drop you a line to say hi. Oh, I looked into Baldwin, and you were right, they have a great art program. I just have to apply for a scholarship and maybe next semester you’ll see me around campus. Unless you’ll feel like I’m stalking you, in which case I’ll just stay where I am. Um. I’m babbling because I’m bored. I was thinking I need a dog. Maybe Thursday after my classes I’ll go buy one. Want to join me in the search for the perfect puppy? You can buy us McDonald’s afterwards. ;)

  ~Val~

  I caught myself grinning like an idiot, but I didn’t particularly care. After hitting the reply button, I straightened up in my seat and began to type.

  Subject: Re: hi . . .

  Val,

  I almost deleted your email thinking it was junk mail or porn. Lucky for you that I didn’t or you’d be pet shopping solo. Thursday I have class until 2, and then I’m free, so I’d be more than happy to accompany you in the search for Mr. Perfect Puppy. I’ll have to think on the McDonald’s .. that’s kind of pushing it. ;) Just let me know the time and place, and I’ll be there.

  I told you Baldwin had a good art program. Definitely look into the scholarship. I’d love to have you around. Feel free to stalk me, no one ever does.

  Alix

  I sent the email and sat back in the chair, feeling rather giddy. I turned around to find Nicole staring at me. “May I help you?”

  Nicole turned off the music (if you could call it that) and regarded me curiously. “You’re smiling like a loon,” she observed. “Any particular reason?”