(Talia's POV)
"Get up sugar cup! It's girls day out today!"
Groaning, I rolled over and pulled the heavy cover further over my head. "Go away," I mumbled, wishing for sleep to pull me back under.
The cover was ripped off of my body, letting the sharp chill of air sweep over my body.
"Come on girl! I got more cash on my card today, time for a shopping spree followed by a mani-pedi!" She said as if that kind of things would cause me to pop out of my blissful sleep ecstatically and run out the door with her.
"I should have never gave you a key to my apartment," I groaned, slowly pushing myself into an upright position. Kimberly had been my best friend since kindergarten, always being the girl to pull me out of my hacker one-track mind and bring me back to a world of shopping and partying. Which I guess was perfectly normal for the average girl and I did enjoy being an normal girl sometimes.
We were polar opposites. Where I liked to sit on the computer all day, hacking into mainframes, causing havoc and occasionally stealing something, always watching my money and making sure I had enough for rent. Kimberly, liked to spend all day, every day, shopping and clubbing. She also had an extremely rich father that paid for whatever his little girl wanted, even if his little girl was an adult and had the capability of working and paying for the things she wanted herself.
"Get your ass moving girl! I've got a full day planned and we don't have a minute to lose!" Kimberly spoke as she dug around in my drawers and closet, pulling out clothes as she went before throwing them at me and shoving at me until I slid off the bed.
"Kim!" I screeched as I hit the floor with a thunk, a dull pain radiating from my hip.
"Well, stop laying around and get moving!" Kim said, putting a hand on her hip.
Getting up I headed to the bathroom to change and quickly brush my teeth. It's not a good idea to mess with Kim when she's in a shopping mood.
I exited the bathroom and stumbled as one thing hit me and then another. Shoes.
"Ah now see? You look hot in that outfit. Perfect, let's go!"
I glanced up at Kim with an eyebrow raised. "I'm not wearing heels to go shopping."
She huffed and stomped her foot at me. "Just do it Tal! We're not going to be coming back here later and you need to wear heels for clubbing tonight."
"Kim," I whined, really not wanting to put on the heels, they were going to kill my feet if I had to wear them all day and tonight.
"Please, please, please! I'll tell you a surprise I was going to wait until tonight to tell you," She said, a hopeful look on her face.
I grunted and pulled on my high heeled boots. "Fine, but it better be good."
"Ah it is! I'll tell you in the car. Now come on!"
Kim's idea of a car was a sleek, black, stretch limo. The first time I went shopping in her father's limo with her, I had thought it a bit much. Until she bought so much that the limo was packed full.
Sitting on the soft leather seats inside the limo now, I knew for sure that today was going to be a long day.
"So, what's the surprise?" I asked, hoping that she wasn't setting me up on another blind date with a playboy. I didn't care to go down that road again.
Kim turned towards me and gave out a little squeal of joy. "Okay, I met this guy the other day. He's so hot and so smart. He works as a professor at NYU. I would love it if he taught me a few things!" She said, giggling.
"How old is this guy?" The picture that was growing in my head was an older man with graying hair and a stern frown ingrown into his face.
"He's twenty-two, so just a couple years older. But ah my god, so hot! He's going to be my husband before he knows it."
I relaxed slightly back into the seat and listened as she went on and on about the new guy she had found, hoping he didn't turn out to be a gold-digger or a heart breaker.
* * * *
I sat outside of the dressing room, waiting for Kim to try on some dresses for tonight. Sometime during shopping today I had started randomly checking for any messages from Romeo. It was crazy, why would I care if he had messaged or not? It had to be boredom from shopping. Right?
I felt like a lovestruck schoolgirl checking for messages from him. Why not just go ahead and message him? Talking to him would pass the time. Grinning I typed a message and hit send, then stared at the screen to see if he's magically come online and reply back. Nothing.
"Tal, get your head out of that phone!" Kim huffed. "What do you think about this one?"
Now Kim stood in front of me in a skin tight, see through, black mini dress that showed off every single part of her body. Including the fact that she was braless.
"It's slutty," The good thing with shopping with Kim was that we were completely honest with each other about how clothes looked, even if the other person liked it.
"Good," Kim said, smiling devilishly. "I want to look slutty for him tonight."
"I thought we were going to the club."
"We are."
"Are you going to put something over the.. top half?"
"Nope."
I sat there for a minute, completely speechless. "Kim!"
"Tal!"
"You'll have a ton of perverts hitting on you all night. If the professor is like how you described him, then don't you think he'd like something more sensible?"
"They'll be appreciating me, Tal. And as for the hotty... He's a guy. He'll love this."
"I still think it's way to revealing for a club with a bunch of drunk guys in it."
A whistle erupted through the air in the store. "Sexy woman alert!"
I turned in my seat slightly to see who had spoke and saw a group of guys had wandered into the store and was opening gawking on Kim, shoving at each other like schoolboys.
"Thank you boys!" Kim called to them, smiling and striking a pose.
"Kim!" I stood and shoved Kim into the dressing room behind her and closed the door. "At least put a bra on underneath it if you're going to wear that!"
"What? Why? Those boys seemed to approve," Kim said with a smile as she bit her lip.
"Kim. I'm your best friend right?"
"Right."
"Don't wear that to the club tonight," I stated, hoping my stern look would persuade her.
Kim rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. "God. Fine. I'll pick something else for tonight, but I'm still getting this one."
"Good." Thank God. I relaxed slightly and exited the dressing room so she could change again. My eyes drifting down to my phone again as I waited. Still nothing. Where was he? And more importantly, why did I care?
* * * *
His message came in while Kim and I were getting our hair done at a salon. We had already had our mani/pedi's done.
Romeo- Hello my beautiful Rose
I glanced at the time, finding it to be about the exact time that Romeo gets on everyday. Wasn't it kind of odd that he always messaged me at the same time everyday? Maybe this guy just liked his schedule?
Me- Where were you?
Romeo- What do you mean my Rose?
Me- Why didn't you reply earlier?
Romeo- Is my Rose impatient to see me? ;)
Romeo- There are some questions you can't expect me to answer.
Me- Why?
Romeo- I would like my Juliet for fall in love with me for who I am on the inside, not for whom the society sees me as.
I knew exactly what that meant.
Me- So you're either filthy rich or a bad man then. Which are you?
Romeo- The answer to that question doesn't matter when it comes to true love.
Me- It matters to me. I want to know who I'm dealing with.
Me-What if you're a stalker or some crazy pervert? Hell, you could be a psycho killer for all I know!
Romeo- I can't say that I am who you want me to be. I can only guarantee that I am not pursuing you to hurt you. Rather you decide to trust me or not is up to you.
I frowned, thinking over his words, wondering what to say back.
"Going clubbing tonight girls?" The hair stylist asked, running her fingers through my hair.
Kim answered her and I felt a bit guilty about zoning out of the conversation to go back to messaging Romeo.
Me- I need to get to know you a lot better before trust is even considered.
Romeo- Of course my Rose, those thorns are there to protect yourself and I'm happy for the chance to prove my love for you.
Me- What's your real name?
Romeo- My Rose, you have asked that before. Names make no matter to me, it is what's on the inside that counts. Try asking something important.
Me- Your name is important.
Romeo- A question I may answer another time, just not quite yet.
Me- Fine.
Me- Why did you hack my account?
Romeo- Another repeat question? I believe I've already told you the answer.
Me- Yes, but I want to know the truth. The full story?
I paused for a minute, then decided to ask a question that had been bugging me for awhile now.
Me- Do I know you in person? Have we met before?
Romeo- The world is a large place my Rose so I can not say for sure. I can however say with the utmost certainty that I have not seen your beautiful face before. That is something I would remember.
I sighed and relaxed slightly as the hairdresser put soft curls into my hair. Why did him saying that make me relieved? He could be lying, but then why do I get the feeling that he's not?
Me- Okay
Romeo- Now it is my turn for a question.
Me- I don't remember agreeing to this..
Romeo- What better way to get to know my Juliet then to ask her questions? Is that not what you're doing with me now?
Me- It's not exactly to same. You came to me, I have to make sure you're not a psycho.
Romeo- And I respect that.. I want this relationship to grow both ways, and though hacking into someone's computer is a great way to find things out about someone, it isn't a great way to really get to know someone. Don't you agree?
I frowned and sighed. Why not let the guy ask his question? If anything I could just not answer him if it was a question I wasn't comfortable answering.
Me- Ask away.
Romeo- Do you have a boyfriend?
I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face at his question. This guy never gave up did he?
Me- No
Romeo- I plan to change that.
Romeo- I must go my Rose, until tomorrow...
Romeo's account went offline and I sighed, slightly disappointed that I didn't get to talk to him more. Maybe I was just lonely and enjoyed talking to him. Or maybe I need to find a new guy to go out with. Maybe find that hot guy on the bus. Falling for a hacker who hid everything about himself from you wasn't a good idea, in fact it was guaranteed to end horribly.
Kim stood and smiled behind me and the stylist behind me finished the last touches on my hair. Maybe I would meet a guy tonight. Who knew? Anything was possible.
* * * *
I stepped out the the limo in front of an exclusive club downtown, the hum of the music inside could be heard from outside. I caught a glimpse of myself in the reflection of the window and smiled.
My hair floated around my face in wavy curls, the dark mascara around my eyes and the dark red lipstick gave me a sultry look, the dress I was wearing hugged my body tight, making my curves all the more pronounced. Kim stepped out of the limo behind me, her face bright with a huge smile.
"He's probably already inside waiting on us!" Kim said, bouncing up and down slightly. How she managed to do that in heels I had no idea. "Do I look okay?"
I looked Kim up and down and nodded. Thank God she had decided against the see through dress. Instead, she wore one that pushed her breasts almost out of the top of the dress. "You look perfect, he'll love you," I said, knowing slutty was the look she was aiming for tonight.
We made our way past the bouncer, who didn't even look at our ID's to see if we were old enough. Kim was well known at clubs and pretty ladies were always let in without a problem. Inside, the beat of the music so loud that it was hard to hear yourself think, sweaty bodies grinding against each other in a building that was packed beyond full. It took us fifteen minutes to make our way to the bar, ignoring the groping hands and another ten before Kim screamed over the noise of the club. "There he is!" Kim rushed forward through the crowd and I followed close behind, anxious to see the guy she had been talking all day long about.
We broke through the crowd and I paused as Kim strode towards a guy leaning against the bar and kissed him. When she pulled back I got a good look at the guy and froze.
It was the hot guy from the bus.