Almost Lovers Read online

"No," I said, "It all happened so quickly, too quickly,"

  "I'm sorry he won't be brought to justice," he said.

  "Thank you for saving me," I said, "He was completely mad. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't been here,"

  The man came closer and I was surprised to find that even in the shadows he was handsome. I couldn't make out all of his face but his lips were soft, his eyes steely and beautiful, and his cheekbones high.

  "I'm Prussia," I said.

  "I know," he said.

  "How do you know my name?" I asked.

  "Because," he said, "You already introduced yourself once,"

  "Oh," I said, "Funny, I didn't catch your name,"

  "I didn't give it," he said.

  He looked at me and after a moment I felt awkward.

  "Okay...I'll just call you stranger, I guess," I giggled in my nervousness.

  "Sebastian," said the man, "My name is Sebastian,"

  He extended a hand and I let him help me off the ground. I swatted at the grass that was all over me. I must have looked a disheveled mess.

  "Can I walk you home?" asked Sebastian.

  "I can manage," I said, shrugging, "But thank you,"

  He looked at me long and hard, "I think I'll walk you home all the same," he said, "I have no idea where that man went and he did seem particularly insane,"

  "I really don't need-" I started to say.

  "It's for my peace of mind really," said Sebastian, "I would just hate myself if I open the morning paper to find you were murdered just after I saved you. A waste of a perfectly good heroic act,"

  I smiled and shook my head, "Well, as long as it’s for your peace of mind and not because you think I’m a frail creature that needs protecting."

  "If we're being completely honest-," he said.

  "But we're not," I interrupted, "We're just strangers in the park walking the same direction..."

  "Except I know your name," said Sebastian, "And I saved you so I don't think that makes us complete strangers,"

  "What would that be then?" I asked.

  "Linked by fate," he said with a stern face.

  My smile began to drop as I tried to decide if he was someone I should worry about after all.

  "Just kidding..." Sebastian smiled at me.

  He had a sick sense of humor. I tried to chuckle, "You got me!" I said, "That was extra creepy at 1 am in the middle of a park,"

  "It's close to 2 am," he said, "You should get your watch checked,"

  "I'm not wearing a watch," I informed him.

  "Okay well, read the time from the moon better next time," said Sebastian.

  I looked up at the moon, "Is that a thing? Can people do that?" I asked.

  He looked at me as if I needed to be kept at a safe distance and started down the walking path. I looked after him a moment until he turned back to see if I followed. I jogged to catch up to him and smiled. He was handsome. And I was fortunate that he had come to my rescue. I felt better as we walked through the park together. I kept looking out in the bushes, waiting to see if my attacker would strike again.

  We made it back to my apartment and I was relieved. I thought he would leave me at the front of my building but insisted on walking me to my apartment door. He asked which floor and pressed the elevator buttons. I was surprised by how big his hands were. They matched the rest of him.

  I secretly hoped that Robert would be back in our apartment when we got to my floor and that maybe Lydia would get curious and come out of her apartment but no such luck. We walked by her apartment and the music was still loud. I couldn't hear them in all the noise which means they had either passed out or were doing other things. I tried not to think of it. I looked at the floor as Sebastian walked me to my door.

  "Prussia," he said, waiting as I tried to find the key for my door, "Promise me you won't go running in the park in the middle of the night again,"

  I was surprised. We were little more than strangers. It was odd that he would ask me for a promise.

  "I suppose that's not unreasonable," I said, "A little strange, but not unreasonable,"

  "Common sense, really," said Sebastian, "But you did do it once. I would be sad to find out you were murdered doing something so ridiculous,"

  "As opposed to… what?" I asked, "A car accident?"

  "Right," he said, "Perhaps don't drive for a while too then, just to be on the safe side,"

  He smiled at me after a second and I smiled back at him.

  "Thank you for walking me," I said, "It was unnecessary but I appreciate it. It did make me feel better,"

  "It was absolutely necessary," he said, "I would like to… call on you later,"

  "I will be fine, I promise," I said. I jiggled the key in the doorknob to my apartment and realized I had picked the wrong key somehow.

  "I know," said Sebastian, "I was just hoping I could use it as an excuse to see you again,"

  "Oh," I said. I looked up at him and his eyes looked kind and hopeful.

  Sebastian licked his lips, nervous perhaps, "As friends or maybe the promise of more than friendship in the future. You are very beautiful, Prussia," he said.

  "I think coffee," I said, "Coffee would be okay. It's the least after what you did for me tonight,"

  "No," said Sebastian.

  "Okay," I said. I thought coffee was a perfectly safe and reasonable activity.

  "Dinner," he said, "At my family home, it's a birthday party. No pressure and it's sure to be a lot of fun,"

  I thought a moment. I felt obligated in a way. He had saved me. And I started to feel guilty on top of it all. I looked towards Lydia's door and the quiet of the hall crept towards me. That sneaking anger seeped into my mind and I was reminded about why I was in the park to begin with.

  "Who is the birthday party for?" I asked.

  "My grandmother," he said.

  Not what I would call a dangerous date activity. I thought of Robert seeing me dressed up and going out with this handsome man. I looked down the hall to Lydia's door again and back to Sebastian.

  "Yes," I said, "When is it?"

  "Tomorrow evening," I said.

  "Oh," reality sunk in as I tried to think of what I could wear last minute. I thought of all my date night dresses and felt guilty wearing a dress I had bought for Robert with another man, "That's very last minute,"

  "I can pick you up at 7," said Sebastian.

  A desire to see the jealousy run rampant across Roberts face set in. Perhaps I wouldn't even need to wear the dress out. Perhaps Robert would exchange polite words with Sebastian and champion me away, asking for my hand and putting this entire Lydia mess behind us.

  "Is it casual?" I asked.

  "It is formal," said Sebastian, he glanced down the length of me and I blushed as his eyes lingered on curves, "I will send a dress,"

  "I'm sure I can find something to wear,” I said, "It's no problem,"

  "Indeed," he said, "I'll send something just in case. The more options the better,"

  He smiled and opened the door that had my keys dangling in the door knob.

  "Have a nice night, Prussia," said Sebastian, "No more midnight runs..."

  "Promise," I said, "Cross my heart,"

  Sebastian winked at me with a smile and then strolled down the hallway and around the corner towards the elevator. As soon as I was in my apartment and had closed the door I smacked my hand on my forehead.

  "Cross my heart? Idiot!" I said to my empty apartment.

  My heart fluttered. From the excitement over a handsome man paying attention to me and saving me from the dangers in the middle of the night or the prospect of seeing Robert with an actual streak of jealousy, I wasn’t sure. I settled on Robert's jealousy. I wasn't the cheating type, I reassured myself. But as I drifted to sleep, my thoughts continued to drift to Sebastian and his eyes standing out in the shadows, piercing me in so many ways.

  CHAPTER THREE - Prussia

  In the morning I woke to find Robert still had not re
turned home. I let the fuming anger in me subside when I recalled I had a plan to put in action. I felt bubbles of excitement as I sprang out of bed.

  I had to find something to wear that didn't scream desperate but was still mouth watering enough to lend Robert to a polite jealous rage. I hit every shop downtown by lunch and didn’t find a single thing suitable within my budget. After lunch I tackled two of the local malls and didn't find anything that made me look respectable and attractive. It was either respectable or sluttish but not a balanced combination of both.

  I ran out of options and eventually my feet screamed for mercy. I went home empty handed and decided I should have shopped my closet to begin with.

  I arrived home to find a note on the door. I realized immediately it couldn't be from Robert. It was in a pretty envelope and had good penmanship. My name was written in a beautiful scrawl across the front of the envelope. I took an actual note card out of the envelope.

  Please teach these roses how to be beautiful. – Sebastian.

  I looked around the hallway and saw nothing but the card. I glanced down the hall at Lydia's apartment and glared at the sound of music coming from her apartment so early in the day. What a lush.

  I pushed the door of my apartment open to find my entire living room, kitchen and entry way covered in bouquet after bouquet of red roses. They were the reddest and most gorgeous roses I had ever seen. I read the card again and blushed. Robert had never done anything like this.

  I closed the front door and leaned against it, biting my lip. I felt the flutter again and this time it wasn't for Robert, clearly. I steeled myself against my emotions, pushing my hands down in front of me as if it would stop the roses and the beautiful aroma surrounding me. I tried to remember why I was doing this. Why was I dating another man, all the while with Robert, and becoming a cheating wild woman just like Lydia, the snake herself?

  I straightened myself again. I reminded myself of my purpose as I pushed through the roses and tried to make a path toward the entry table to set down my keys. I was going out with Sebastian to make Robert jealous.

  I looked around at all of the roses again and was thrilled at how wonderful this was. It was perfect. I wouldn't even have to find a dress! Robert would come home, see all the roses and want to know what was going on. Then Sebastian would show up, Robert would tell him that I'm spoken for and that he must leave immediately. Maybe he would even pop the question, ring or no ring, in the middle of this beautiful field of roses in our apartment. I snapped out of it when I found that the entry way table had been taken over by Sebastian's generosity as well.

  A large black box sat on the entry table with a giant red bow. My mouth fell open and I’m sure I gasped a little. I was nervous as to what I would actually find in the box. After a moment I ripped open the box and decided I would simply look at it and send it back to Sebastian. I couldn't encourage him. I already felt bad technically using him, sweet as he was.

  My heart stopped as I saw the black beaded empire dress in the box. The delicate beading was intricate and reflected the light beautifully off of each gem. I was certain that they would be made of plastic but as I ran my hand over each cold stone I was convinced they were actual crystals, hand applied in painstaking detail.

  I held the dress up and hugged it to myself. It was perfect. It was gorgeous and elegant, everything a girl could want in a formal dress that screamed sophistication. I folded the dress and put it back into the box. I wanted to wear it but it felt wrong. I spent hours comparing everything in my closet to the dress Sebastian had sent me but not a single one came close. I didn't expect anything in my closet would.

  The clock kept time and reminded me with every tick that Robert wasn't yet home. It was the weekend and he did work all through the weekend but usually he at least stopped in to shower and eat. The music from down the hall continued to grate my nerves as I became more and more nervous.

  When the clock reached 5 o'clock I felt like I had waited patiently long enough. I sent Robert a text and asked him where he was. After a few exchanges I realized Robert was already at work. He said he had stayed over at a friend's house after having a few too many drinks.

  Of course he would guilt trip me. I didn’t want him to drive around drunk, did I? But of course he didn’t need to drive between our apartment and Lydia's. It was just a few quick paces and a little tap on her door. I felt the anger bubbling up in me again and all I had was my thoughts, my anger, a room full of roses and that black box.

  I stomped over to that black box at a quarter to six and lifted the dress out, letting the crystals sparkle in the living room light.

  "Two can play that game," I said.

  I stomped around getting ready. I stomped until I put my heels on and then I clicked determinedly around my kitchen, pacing. I don't know why I expected Robert to still stop in. I knew he was at work now. He wouldn't be back until nearly 3 in the morning. My anger faded into nerves as I began to watch the clock tick closer and closer to 7. I was actually going to go on this date and Robert didn’t even know to be jealous.

  Perhaps I should call the whole thing off. I fussed with my up-do and took off and reapplied my lipstick about three times. I looked at myself in the mirror.

  "You can do this Prussia," I told my reflection, "You can pluck heartstrings and get what you want. Lydia has nothing on you. You have class,"

  The knock at the door could only be Sebastian and I felt like my lunch was going to make a second appearance today. I double checked my makeup and hair one last time and shuffled to the door.

  I paused and tried to get my thoughts in order. No turning back. I was going on a date. But I was not dating Sebastian. With a great amount of regret I was about to use Sebastian to make Robert a tiny bit jealous and drive him back into my arms and away from Lydia.

  I flung open the door and took a deep breath just short of a gasp as I saw the spectacular man before me dressed in a sophisticated and well tailored suit.

  "Prussia, you look positively regal," said Sebastian, leaning in and giving me the lightest kiss on the cheek I had ever had. He lingered close to me, an intimate distance.

  I could smell what I could only imagine was his cologne though I imagine it could just have been how he smelled, divine and masculine without effort. He had a single rose and a small white box. I blushed and looked down, unable to meet his deep beautiful eyes with their full force.

  "Thank you for the roses. They are beautiful" I said, "And the dress. It's amazing,"

  "Much like you, Prussia," he murmured close to me, "I see you taught the roses well,"

  I blushed again but this time I tried my best to keep eye contact.

  "You are," I said, looking at how his hair fell in soft waves around his face, “such a smooth talker," I tried to gain a bit of my composure.

  "And you are sweeter than any," he said, "A real angel on earth,"

  Sebastian held the small white box out to me. My throat thumped with my quickened pulse. I had known this man less than 24 hours and with every lavish gift it seemed that this was the crescendo. Could it really be that a complete stranger would sooner ask me to marry him than my own Robert? Could I even still call him mine if that were true?

  I reached out for the box not wanting to see what I knew it held but needing to know if a stranger would sooner ask me to marry him than my long time boyfriend. I opened the white box with a slow and steady hand and as the cover slid off of it I breathed out a sigh of delight and relief.

  "You like it?" asked Sebastian, "I know women can be so very particular about this sort of thing but I thought perhaps you would entertain the idea?"

  I took the delicate little bottle out of the box and looked closely at it.

  "What is it?" I asked.

  "It's what every angel needs," said Sebastian, that smooth voice working me over with every syllable, "your very own Halo,"