First Time

31

Aiden

"Are we allowed to be in here?" Emily asks warily, lingering near the doorway.

I close the door behind us.

"It would be locked if we weren't."

She leans against the wall and admires the quaint, rustic living room décor. A little fire is flickering in the black, cast iron, Victorian fireplace at the other end of the room.

"It's nice and warm in here," she comments.

"Yeah, really cosy."

I slump onto a sofa and pat the space next to me.

"Come sit with me."

She cocks her head to the side and looks at me doubtfully.

"Come on. I promise to be good."

She wavers then gives in, dropping down next to me. I take a moment to appreciate what she is wearing. She's in a red and white nurse tunic with the first two buttons loose, some white lace tights and a nurse's cap. I sneak a peek at the curves of her perky breasts and tell myself to calm down.

"You look nice," I say, instantly wishing that I had used a better word than 'nice'.

"Thanks. So do you, though, what are you exactly?"

"Myself."

"Wow, it doesn't get any more vain than that."

"There is nothing scarier out there than me," I wink at her.

"You say that like it's a good thing."

"It is."

"You'd prefer to have people be scared of you?"

"Fuck yeah. Better than them thinking they can piss me about and walk all over me."

"What about making friends?"

"I already have friends. I don't need any more."

"That's a very lonely way of thinking."

"I guess."

After a long pause I ask, "Are you scared of me?"

"Sometimes."

"Why?"

"I don't know," she shrugs, "Just when you get angry and act out, I guess."

"Are you scared I would hit you?" I joke.

She looks at me seriously and my smile fades quickly.

"Emily, you know I would never hurt you, right? I would never put my hands on you. Not like that anyway," I assure her, taking her hand.

She doesn't reply but just stares at our hands interlocking.

"You believe me?"

She nods, tucking a handful of hair behind her ear. She still doesn't look me in the eye.

"What's wrong?"

I place a hand on her cheek and stroke her delicate skin with my thumb.

"Tell me."

I lift her head and make her look at me.

"It's nothing. I just heard some rumours."

For god's sake! Here comes some more shit.

"What rumours?"

"Something about last summer."

Well, I should have seen that one coming.