"7 years" by Lukas Graham
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Even after raiding my closet and finding a very pretty forest-green summer dress with a sweetheart neckline, I didn't exactly know what the proper attire was when you were going out on an unofficial date with the man you slept with one night out of depression. Still, I grabbed a light black shawl to slip onto my shoulders, and I made sure to borrow Isla's strappy pair of black high-heeled sandals to wear. The unfortunate hobbit song returned just thinking of how very short I was compared to Ajax who towered over my small and slender frame.
I applied minimal makeup simply because I did not want to come across that I tried too hard to impress him. Gloss coated my lips as I applied light eyeliner and mascara. There was no need for cover up, I never needed any.
I should not have stressed herself worrying about my appearance; Ajax seemed to wholeheartedly appreciate the dress I was wearing as his eyes raked over my body when he had led me outside to the limo waiting for him across the street of the apartment.
He seemed to have trouble not quite knowing how to touch me after his hand gently brushed my lower back to help me inside the waiting limo. Just from the brief contact, I felt a strange charging spark flutter through her; my body's way of telling me I deeply enjoyed being around him.
"Are you hungry?"
I was about to lie to his question before my stomach grumbled as if it were personally answering out of fear I would deny my body food. I neglected to eat lunch or dinner that day due to how long the meeting with Aimee took. After that, my not eating was due to all my free time calling up marine life observation stations so I could try and track down all the coral and algae wanted for the reception. I had plans to microwave a TV dinner before Ajax unexpectedly arrived on Isla's doorstep. "Good." He smiled a toothy grin before leaning forward to speak with his driver. I really had no idea where we were going as he provided his driver with directions to a specific area. Now that we were headed to a second location did I sadly remember stranger danger.
"You actually sent all those gifts to my office...?" I finally asked, finding myself puzzled. I figured it had to have been Tate; the giver of all those lovely gifts had to have spent at least two-thousand dollars on all the flowers and baskets. Now knowing Ajax was the one behind it all made me blush and yet feel incredibly embarrassed.
He winced slightly. "I am not talented at the art of wooing."
"Wooing?" I giggled, finding that I was feeling lighthearted and carefree. "Strong words, Casanova."
Ajax looked about to object to the nickname before he caught my smile and realized it was not given out as criticism. "Yes. I wish to woo you."
"And you are completely unbothered that you don't even know my last name...?"
"You have one?" he said, looking surprised. My brows furrowed at this bizarre question. He quickly recovered, looking somewhat awkward. "Some people don't," he said sheepishly.
The weird banter that went back and forth and easily showed me that the man I met only two nights ago was coming across as somewhat odd, but in a charming way. Ajax did not believe in social media, branding it all rubbish for the mind. He didn't use the internet as he claimed he did not understand it. When I asked for elaboration, he said he had tech people who could better understand it.
His last name was Pallas. Even though he was only twenty-seven, I felt he was coming across as more of an old man in disguise given how little he seemed to care about the same things that other young adults did. Ajax seemed a bit guarded over his personal life by not wanting to reveal too much of it. I didn't get to ask him too much about his own life anyhow given how many questions he was constantly firing my way. All Ajax seemed perfectly content with was getting to know me better on our makeshift date.
Upon arrival in downtown Charleston at the marina, Ajax said we needed to walk to our next destination. Before I could stage even the tiniest hint of movement against hand holding, the young man cupped my hand with his large one and proceeded to walk. There was a large walkway for hikers or bikers looking to walk along the Atlantic without going into the sand. Ajax no longer seemed nervous as he did before; he was more relaxed the longer he realized I was comfortable around him. As a cool sea-breeze rippled through the air to caress my skin, Ajax's eyes widened. "Are you cold?"
"No, I'm fine," I said, finding I enjoyed when he gently brought the back of my hand to his lips to press a chaste kiss against my knuckles.
"That's a relief. We'll be right on the water, I did not think of chilliness regarding this dinner," he admitted, gently squeezing my hand. I blushed as he smiled down at me. I couldn't find it in me to be weary of Ajax the longer we talked; I found we had quite a few things in common. Both of us were very fond of swimming while both enjoyed kayaking and as well as water skiing. Ajax found great interest in hearing all about my family's camping trips by the lake up north. He found enjoyment in the fact that families could pitch tents on campgrounds in the woods and spend the night inside of them. I simply registered this as his parents had obviously never taken him camping as a child for him to find such strong amusement at the idea
By the time Ajax started sending random questions my way regarding what's my favorite color to what age was I ranked among my siblings, I found I felt so very relaxed talking to him it felt perfectly at ease.
"So, Mia, RJ, and Skye," said Ajax, naming off me and my siblings. "You are named after your grandmother. Ramon Jr. is after your father, so, where does your sister's name work into the dynamic of being named after relatives?"
"Skye's the odd one out." I chuckled. "She was actually the only Greene child not to be named after a relative. My brother and I always share a good laugh over it. What about you, I remember you talking about being named after Ajax the Lesser...?"
A grim look spread across Ajax's handsome face. "Yes, he was branded that to distinguish him from the other Ajax in the Greek stories, Ajax the Great."
"So, you were named out of spite...? How does that work, exactly?"
Ajax winced. "My father had a rather scandalous affair, resulting in the pregnancy of his mistress." I cringed and was about to offer that he did not need to say more until he continued. "My father kept the news from my mother due to her pregnancy with me, and then by the time she discovered his indiscretion, upon my birth she named me Ajax based on my father's harsh dislike of Ajax the Lesser."
My brows furrowed. "Why does your dad have harsh dislike regarding some random guy from Greek mythology?"
I did not miss how Ajax's brows furrowed while he seemed to intentionally not answer. "There we are," he quickly said, nodding his head to the very large pier that walked out onto the ocean. Upon our walk out there, I was amazed and yet slightly disturbed how he managed to formulate a very large buffet table onto a dock as well as a cozy table for two. It wasn't just the many scrumptious options the buffet that had me amazed, it was the very large bouquets of lavender roses decorating the area as well. The lovely dock was even surrounded by soft glowing candles, easily making it the most romantic place I had ever seen let alone been to.
"This is too much," I insisted, both awed and dumbstruck by the overabundance of wealth that obviously plagued Ajax in order for him to afford all of this. It was insane how this place was more decorated than some venues I worked the last two years.
"How so?"
"You can't seriously feel this isn't incredibly too much...You don't even know me!"
"Amelia Guinevere Greene of Charleston, South Carolina. Daughter of Ramon and Vivian Greene of Columbia, elder sister of Ramon Jr. and Skye. Your namesake is your grandmother, your favorite color is a rustic orange, and your favorite animals are turtles." Ajax smiled wistfully.
"That's not fair, you just learned all of that tonight."
As Ajax leaned in closer, my teeth gently chattered out of nervousness. "Please give me a chance."
"I don't want you throwing money at me."
"Even if I want to?"
I took my hand back from him to gently pace the length of the large dock. I was thankful no one else was here to witness this exchange. "I'm not a tramp," I finally said, my eyes wide as I desperately hoped he wasn't looking at me and silently thinking I was one. "I don't want you thinking giving me nice things will get me into bed..." I trailed off awkwardly, moving to stand by the railing overlooking the dark water.
I took a moment to watch the lovely ocean quietly lapping against the large dock. Slipping beside me to press himself against the railing, Ajax looked disappointed. "Mia, I did not request for you to join me because I wished for us to repeat our actions of the other night," he said, looking disappointed I assumed the worst. "My request for you to join me was because I meant what I said earlier; the other night was the very best of my entire life."
I quietly squealed, shaking my head in dismay. "I've never...ever, picked up some guy I didn't know and went back to his place. I've never done any of that before. I've never kissed a stranger before! I don't know what happened; I want to blame all of that champagne but at the same time I can't because it was just bad decision making, and...Oh my gosh, I am a tramp," I said, covering my eyes with both hands.
I barely noticed how Ajax moved to wrap me in the gentlest of hugs. "You are not a harlot," he said kindly, softly rubbing my back with a hand. "Mia, look at me, please."
I didn't want to.
Once I finally looked at him, a disappointed expression was on his handsome face. "Mia, it has been barely two nights since we made love-"I was about to cringe at his phrasing of what we did before he chuckled, "-you have not been with any other man since that time, correct?" I gently shook my head, causing him to sigh. "Then what are you going on about, sweet girl? A harlot is someone who sleeps with anyone anytime without care."
"But I slept with you without any care..." I tried before Ajax's guffaw broke off my words.
"Those three men who tried fondling you before I intervened, do you remember them?"
I shuddered. I did and Idid not enjoy the memory. Ajax leaned in closer, causing me to feel nervous hewould try kissing me.
He didn't. All that happened was he returned the soft hug yet again. I returnedit this time, unsure of why I felt so at peace around him. I remembered that ittook weeks of being with Tate before I felt the same level of comfort in hisarms. Ajax was entirely different.
"Mia, a harlot is someone who would have been fine doing all three ofthose disgusting bloke's in a back alley," Ajax said quietly. "Youdidn't want them touching you."
"But I still slept with you."
"Yes, and we cannot go back." He nodded slowly. "But even now twonights later and void of intoxication, I know full well I would repeat my sameactions that night because I do not regret one moment that transpired betweenus."
He sounded so very genuine and trustworthy; but I gently kept my face hiddenagainst his warm chest. "Your parents really never talked to you aboutstranger danger, did they? I mean, for all you know I could be some diabolicalcon artist looking to swindle you."
Ajax found great humor in this as he laughed gently. "Oh yes, you are a truevillain at heart what with your inability at accepting gifts." He snorted. Itwas his watching my heavy reluctance to look at him that caused his expressionto fall in disappointment. "I want you to forget that our first night wemet we did not know each other previously," he said softly, taking astrand of wavy hair to tuck behind my ear. "Now if this was the two of us,having dinner on a dock with having no previous time of making love..."his light hug tightened as I squirmed in embarrassment, "would you stillbe staging such a coo?"
I didn't know the answer to that. My head was still swimming with the pastmistakes of my last relationship and how I missed all the tell-tale signsshowing me things weren't right. More than anything I wanted to believe if Ajaxcasually asked me out previous to our night together that I would have saidyes. I just didn't want to feel heartbroken again.
"Be my friend," said Ajax quietly, obviously sensing my hesitation."Spend time with me, get to know me, and simply take the chance of seeingwhere things might go between us."
He suddenly looked unsure of himself as I spent a few hard moments consideringhis proposal. Finally, after a small eternity of silence, I motioned towardsthe buffet he had prepared. "Those eggrolls look pretty good."
He smiled widely.
Regardless to how we first met, I found I had the most amazing date of my entire life with Ajax. It had nothing to do with his freaky overabundance of money he had as an architect specializing in building hotels. I found I was simply enjoying the little things about him. He taught me to skip stones. He could come across as so mature regarding life and yet so carefree when we wound up skipping rocks off the large dock. We played for over an hour, ending in a fit of laughter when a dolphin jumped up in a bid to catch the stone that was skipped. We talked about our individual childhoods and even ate what we individually called strange food.
Per Ajax's request, I tried eating crab for the first time, and he, pizza. We each discovered we now liked a new food we had never tried before spending time with one another. Even though, I found it incredibly odd the guy had never had pizza before. By the time the large limo arrived back at Isla's apartment, it was near one in the morning. A light rain had started, propelling Ajax to exit the long car with me before taking me by the hand and making a light run to the building. "How chivalrous of you, Casanova." I smiled, enjoying the cheesy grimace he wore at the nickname. "Heeeyy, I'll have you know, love; this is pretty damn good for my first time ever trying to woo a woman." He nodded seriously.
I resisted snorting. "But you'll stop with all the gifts?" I tested, not sure if I believed him when he earlier promised he would stop spending a very overwhelming amount of money leaving me gifts.
He pretended to consider this as the rain started to saturate his clothing. He stood off the stoop that wasn't covered by a roof. His white shirt started to stick to his muscled torso as his blue blazer got soaked. "Will you see me again?" he challenged, his golden-flecked eyes mischievous and glinting. Upon my silence, he narrowed his eyes playfully. "Miss Greene, if you can't agree to go out with me again, I'm really not sure I can agree not to shower you with gifts..." he trailed off, arching an eyebrow.
I rolled my eyes while trying to resist smiling. "I'll think about it."
"Then I am afraid I shall have to wait out here all night unless you say yes," Ajax sighed, allowing his hair and entire body to be soaked by the now pouring rain. "Then after that, it's only going to get worse with my pampering you with presents."
"That's not funny."
"Who said I was trying to be humorous? Say yes and I shall leave."
"It's pouring rain!" I laughed. "Go back to the car!"
"Say yes," Ajax challenged softly, "and I'll go." A sweet smile was on his face.
"You're getting soaking wet!" I hissed, unsure over whether he was so very stubborn he would wait here all night long.
"Ajax..." Lightning hit before a flash of thunder followed. I grabbed his hand to pull him onto the stoop. This was perhaps the wrong thing to do; there was only so much room on the small stoop that it was barely enough room for me let alone Ajax as well. It was having him pressed against me closely that I was reminded of our night together. Ajax maneuvered the hand holding mine to gently clench our fingers together before bringing our clasped hands to hover over his heart.
"This doesn't feel very friendly," I said softly, unable to break the eye contact between us. "Please say yes?" he said, just as soft. "I don't want this to be our last time together."
I could just see the honesty radiating from that comment alone. He looked as though he would be utterly heartbroken if I said no. Ajax was leaned in so very close to me, I was no longer sure whether he was referring to going out again or kissing me once more. I found myself lustfully wanting to agree to anything that came out of his attractive mouth even though a small part of her had a bad feeling. "Yes..."
I squealed as he picked me up in a sudden hug and giving me a twirl.
"Have you been to the aquarium downtown?" I asked as he set me down.
"I have not."
"Would you like to go with me... as-my-friend," I added in hastily.
He laughed. "Of course. Are you free tomorrow?"
"I am after four, I'll meet you there."
I can't wait. Goodnight, Mia."
"Goodnight, Ajax."
I was about to head back inside the building before I caught sight of something strange. I saw a red-headed woman across the street, out of view of Ajax and his exiting limo. She was looking towards our direction with a steely gaze. It happened so very fast I needed to double take. By the time I looked back towards her, there was no one on the curb half a block down. Strangely enough, I felt certain I had just caught a glimpse of the girl whose wedding I was planning; Aura.
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