Her shoulders fell a little lower as the tension slowly withered away. She had found someone Dimitri was willing to take a chance with on the first try and that gave her at least a little bit of hope.
Valarie took the pink piggy bank from her dresser and began counting the change she had been stashing away for some months now. It fell a step short of four hundred dollars. This is what will have to last until she was able to pay off the bank. Food, transport, bills...There will definitely have to be some major cutbacks. She would have to salvage as much as she could from her paycheck to put towards savings and purchase only things she needed.
The ring of her phone startled her ad caused the stack of money to fall out of her hands and scatter on her bed. She scrambled to retrieve her phone and managed to answer it on the last ring.
"Hello" she answered hastily.
"Hello. This is Dimitri. Did I call in bad time?"
"Oh no. Why did you ask that?"
"You sounded a bit odd when you answered."
"Don't mind me. What do you want?"
"Rebecca and I are going on another date tonight. I will be taking her to dinner. I don't even know why I am telling you this. Anyway, will talk tomorrow."
Before she could even attempt to respond, the phone clicked and he was gone. She rolled her eyes and sighed as she bent down to pick the money up. The stillness of the room became more apparent now. She inhaled a sharp breath of cool air and pulled her pillow between her legs. It was her only source of comfort at the time and that was indeed something she could use a lot of at the time.
***
Dimitri made it five minutes before the said time they agreed upon. His black levi jeans and white long sleeved shirt, rolled neatly to his elbow fell perfectly over his body. He engaged himself in petty conversation with the valet as he awaited her arrival.
The sounds of heels clicking against the ground aired nearby. Dimitri spun around to see a slim figure approaching. A silky olive green shirt tucked neatly into a black high waited skirt gave emphasis to her features.
"You're late" he greeted trying to suppress a smile.
"No you were just early. It's 7pm" she said matter of fact.
He shook his head and smiled. Those grey eyes moved from head to toe, exploring her in full. She smirked, feeling contented with the view she implored him with.
"You are very beautiful" he commented.
"I know" she replied, a smug look on her face.
"You're not giving much room for modesty now are you?"
"I don't see the point denying the truth. Anyway are we just going to stand out here and chat or have you perhaps forgotten to make reservations?"
He snorted "Ha forget? Are you indicating that I am irresponsible?"
"Well I don't know. Are you?" she folded her arms.
His head cocked slightly to the right as his thumb finger slowly brushed across his lower lip. He chuckled and shook his head.
"Is that what the hell everyone thinks of me lately?" He questioned silently and gritted his teeth. A slow steady breath escaped him.
"No" he spat and proceeded towards the entrance.
Rebecca smirked and followed him inside. He sat her down at the table he'd picked then found his seat as well. He took it upon himself to order for them both this time. Grilled chicken salad.
"So, you seem to have it all" she tried for conversation.
"What do you mean?"
"Well for starters, your father is one of the most respected business man around. He's rich, which makes you rich as well. You have a major in both business and engineering, you're pretty hot. And all of the above makes you a chick magnet. Nothing could possibly be wrong with your perfect life."
"Perfect? Is that what you call it? Not every cover tells the full story of the book."
The waitress arrived with the food and he took it as the ultimate excuse to distract himself from the topic.
"So what are you hobbies?" he asked while scooping a bite from his plate.
"Accounting and organizing."
"Haha I didn't ask what your job is. I asked what you do for fun."
"Accounting and organizing" she responded.
Dimitri raised his thick dark eyebrows.
"Hmm that's it? Nothing outdoors? Any games?"
"Sudoku. I play Sudoku."
"Really? That's it?"
"Yes what were you expecting?"
He paused for a moment "A bit more fun."
She chuckled "Okay, okay I go to clubs occasionally."
"Better" he smiled.
"So tell me. About that guy you were talking about that you ran off with. When was the last time you've seen him?"
She choked slightly on the wine she'd just sipped.
"Um, a while. Ever since he'd left me."
"So he hadn't called or anything since?"
"I don't want to talk to him. He left me."
"Hmm. Don't you get lonely at times with no one around?"
"Yes but I have my ways of solving it."
"Is that so? I would like to know of these ways" his eyes darkened.
Rebecca took another sip of wine.
"Are we going to talk about sex?"
'I don't know. Are we?" his lips shifted up into a small smile.
"Well, if I'm dating, I only permit sexual activity on two special occasions per year with my partner between the hours of 8pm to 1am. If you miss those days and the hours, then better luck next year."
Dimitri's eyes widened and his lips parted open. His brows then creased into confusion and he stared at her.
"Wait what? Only twice a year. And what's with the timing?"
"Yes, my body needs time to recover from the disgust. I'm busy most of the day with work and I don't go to bed later than 1am. I need my beauty sleep. I won't look this good if I didn't get my rest. Besides, I find a greater deal of enjoyment pleasuring myself than having another attempt to."
He rested his fork down and ran his hand through his hair.
"Wow" he blinked frantically. What about if your partner gets in the mood more often?"
"Then he can learn to wait. The mind is quite a powerful tool. Then to the upside, delayed gratification. It's ever so much more pleasing."
"Hmm I see" he croaked.
"I'm full" she said resting her fork down on her plate.
"Desert?"
"No thanks, I'll pass."
"I figured" he responded.
Dimitri signaled the waitress for the bill and cashed in before leading her out.
"Do you want to go for a walk in the park?" he questioned.
She shifted the watch around her wrist and looked at the time.
"Yes sure, a walk will be fine."
They walked leisurely at each other's side. Dimitri gently placed his right hand on the small of her back. She paused to look at him for a moment then continued walking.
"Problem?" he asked.
"You're placing is just a bit off. Your hand is a little too low and too much to the right. Doesn't fit well with me."
She took his hand and guided it up her back until it rested where her waist line lied.
"There" she said feeling satisfied.
He smiled and shook his head.
A buff figure, a few inches short of a giant leaned against a black pickup truck and stared intently at the two. His folded arms forced his muscles to tense and press against his skin. Tattoos ran like a skin disease up his for arms to his shoulder. He grunted as he spun around and entered the truck slamming the door behind him. The vein on his neck bulged as he watch them walk into the park.
"You said you go to clubs sometimes. Do you dance?"
"Haha dancing is not really my thing."
"So what is your thing Rebecca? Tell me."
"Being confined. Keeping to myself. I don't walk around sucking in guys like a vacuum. I prefer to just stay at the bar and take a few shots and chill with the girls."
"Hmm I like that. How far beyond dating are you willing to go?"
"That depends on who the guy is" she responded.
He slowed his pace until he came to a stop and used his free hand to turn her hips around.
"And let's say that guy is me, what would you say?"
His eyes stared boldly into hers and he smirked.
"Well, I'll say..." she paused to look at her watch once more.
"You have five minutes left to take the chance I'm giving you to kiss me."
Dimitri's eyes darkened further as he slowly let them fall to her lips. He took a step forward to close in the proximity between them. He slipped his hand behind her neck and cocked his head slightly to the right. Their heads moved in sync towards each other until they felt the warmth of the other's lips on their own.
"One.Two.Three" Rebecca hummed against his lips and pulled away instantly after that.
Dimitri blinked frantically as he tried to register what just happened. It was almost as if nothing happened at all. He looked at her confusingly.
"Three seconds is all you get on first kiss" she responded to the question she knew he would ask.
He stood immovably, his muscles growing stiffer. He felt deprived, a feeling he wasn't accustomed to. Mere saliva felt like a small bolder being forced down his throat. He forced a smile that was barely seen.
"It's getting late, I better get going. Work tomorrow. Meet me for coffee at 7am?"
"Um yes sure" he tried to find his voice.
***
Valarie took the time to neaten the office as she waited for Dimitri to return from his coffee break. She turned her iPod on and blasted some music to lighten her mood. Everything was going to work out. Everything was going to be fine. She was going to find her way out of the dark tunnel soon enough. She had hope. Dimitri was actually giving it a try. Nothing else but the idea of it working out between them crossed her mind. She didn't leave room for negativity. Stress was known to be a killer and she promised herself not to fall victim to it.
Her heart almost reached in her mouth as she spun around to see Dimitri staring at her.
"Woah I didn't see you there."
"Maybe you should try being more alert" he shot back as he walked to his seat.
She gritted her teeth and slowly exhaled a silent breath.
"How did it go?"
"It was fine. I got five seconds kiss this time" he said with a smile that only lasted one second on his face.
"Well at least you got some progress there" she laughed.
"Your father asked about you earlier by the way."
He paused "What did he ask?"
"He wanted to know how things were working out. He couldn't believe that you actually made it to the third date. I guess his hopes had slid down the ladder."
His hands fisted at his sides and he clenched his teeth to a point that the pressure bordered on pain. He closed his eyes shut for three seconds before opening them again. Clearly he had a bigger point to prove and nothing would come in his way to stop him...well, so he thought.
The phone rang and he mindlessly reached over to answer it.
"Dimitri" he growled into the phone. His dark brows knitted into confusion.
"What?" he questioned.
"I'll be down" he hung up the phone.
Valarie looked at his features. Either something had happened or something was happening and her stomach churned violently for some apparent reason.
"What's wrong?" she questioned but he had already slammed the door shut behind him.
Dimitri took the elevator down and entered the lobby. One of the security personnel walked towards him, horror flickering across his face.
"What's the problem?" Dimitri asked as he approached.
"Um right outside. I don't think you are going to like this but please keep calm sir."
He followed him out the front towards the place his car was parked.
Across the full length of the left side of the car, written boldly in red bomb spray "PISS OFF! SHE IS MINE!"
Blood boiled beneath his skin and steam was already starting to hiss through his ears and nostrils.
"Who the hell did this?" he almost screamed at the guards.
"We don't know sir. He ran off before we could reach him. He also left you this" he handed him a piece of paper.
In the worse possible handwriting one could ever imagine the words were written on a piece of paper with jiggered edges.
"IF I EVER SEE YOU WITH HER AGAIN I WILL DEFACE YOU INSTEAD OF YOUR CAR!"