I walked out into the living room as confidently as I knew how. I kept my head high and tried my best not to trip under the pressure. I could feel eyes on me, and I tried to not let them get under my skin, but I knew I was failing and my confidence was dissipating.
"Look down more, you're coming off as arrogant," Alexis instructed.
She stepped up in front of me, and with the heels on I was almost eye level. She placed her manicured fingernails on my chin and moved my head into a better position. Then, she took a step back to observe her work.
"You're giving me puppy dog eyes. Try to have more intensity," Alexis said, her voice as smooth as silk.
I let my eyebrows drop slightly. My entire body was tense under her gaze and I knew she was going to correct that next so I tried to relax as best as I could. My shoulders dropped a full two inches as I calmed.
"Not bad actually." Alexis smiled, "You learn quickly. Thank god."
I felt myself laughing, probably from the stress being lifted slightly. Alexis took my hand and led me to sit on an empty couch. She sat by me, sinking into the leather like it only existed to conform to her body.
"When you're trying to flirt, you control the room. This is what you want and you're getting it. Pick a partner and let me observe you trying to flirt," Alexis said.
I looked hesitantly around the room. I had more eyes on me than the time I was trying to pry Hannah off a karaoke stage after she refused to stop. Each pair of male eyes made me want to curl up in bed and stay there for a few days.
"Hannah!" I said abruptly.
"Alright. Hannah, go over there," Alexis said.
Hannah got up and walked confidently to the other side of the room as she was told to do. I took a few deep breaths. I didn't expect that to go over as easily as it did.
"Try to entice her," Alexis instructed. "If she doesn't get off her ass and come to you then you're doing it wrong."
I leaned back in the seat and tried to mimic the level of comfort Alexis had. My hands trembled slightly and I figured it would be best to hide them, so I put them behind me and leaned on them in my best attempt to get them to still. Crossing my legs, I gave Hannah my best flirty eyes.
"Not good enough," Alexis said in a bored tone.
I remembered something I had seen in a movie once and slowly uncrossed my legs to cross them the opposite way. I attempted flipping my hair over my shoulder, which left a few strands tickling my face.
"Vince, honey, as my best pupil I'm going to ask you to do a demonstration," Alexis demanded.
Vince seemed to change before my eyes. He no longer held the relaxed posture he had and instead adopted a new pose which was showing off his well toned arms. Throwing one arm behind Kaleb who had been sitting next to him, he acted like he was in conversation.
I could hear them speaking about nothing important, but Vince kept his eyes locked in my direction. His eyes scanned over my exposed legs and trailed upward until he was able to hold my eyes. I was unable to shake his eyes from my own and I tried looking away, as if I could possibly play hard to get.
Vince stood from his seat and made his way over to where I was sitting, "Would you be interested in a drink?"
"Would you be interested in going away?" I asked as calmly as I could.
"Well, without a drink I may get dehydrated," Vince said dramatically, "I think I need to sit down."
He sat just close enough to make our thighs touch. Breathing him in made me relax slightly.
"I've spent a lot of my life traveling and, in my opinion, you're the most stunning woman I've ever laid eyes on," Vince said, his eyes sincere.
"Well, then you haven't been traveling to the right places." I said in a matter-of-fact fashion.
"I came here, didn't I?" Vince said.
He has stumped me with that reply. I wasn't sure where else to lead the conversation so I decided just to ignore him. I had been playing on the defensive side and it wasn't how I wanted to flirt, so I stood up and walked away from Vince.
"May I sit?" I asked Kaleb.
"My lap is free." Kaleb gave me a gleeful smile.
I ignored him and took the seat next to him. He gazed at me like I was prey which made me more uncomfortable than he probably intended. I had absolutely no idea what to do after this point.
"I love your glasses," Kaleb commented.
"Thanks," I said, feeling slightly awkward.
"Can you see far away or close?" Kaleb asked.
"I'm nearsighted," I said.
"Perfect, then you won't need these to see me," Kaleb said, grabbing my glasses off my face.
I reached for my glasses, but they were held out of my reach. I pout, probably reacting like a small child because Kaleb was acting like one too. I bat my eyelashes in his direction, hoping he would give in to me.
"You'll get these back when you seduce me." Kaleb waved the glasses in front of my face.
"Handsome, can I have them back," I gave him my best pouty mouth, "Please."
"I am not seduced," Kaleb said.
"I know this is practice, but I'm not comfortable flirting with anyone but my boyfriend." I threw my hands in the air from my frustration.
A collective groan sounded from the guys in the room. All but Alexis seemed annoyed with my change in mood.
"If you went home right now and told your boyfriend you had the opportunity to learn from masters on how to seduce him and felt uncomfortable and didn't, would he be happy?" Alexis asked.
"I don't know," I mumbled.
"This will benefit him, and if you ever break up, it will benefit you too," Alexis said.
"Fine," I groaned, "I'll continue."
I sat back in my seat, searching for a nonexistent form of comfort. The room felt hotter and I was worried I would start to sweat under the pressure. I absolutely sucked at flirting and it was more than obvious to these so called experts.
I placed my hand on Kaleb's lower thigh, "I prefer not to ask more than once, but can I have my glasses back?"
"Why do you need them?"
"I came over here because I thought you were attractive and now you're stealing my ability to see you." I tried to purr.
Kaleb handed the glasses back, and I greedily took them. However, with them on, it was clear that I had no other game plan than to get them back on my face. I hated being required to think on my feet, usually stumbling in the process.
"This is too fucking hard." I slouched in my chair like gravity had become too heavy for me to handle.
"That's because you don't want to. You've been acting like this is a chore instead of something you actually want. It's no surprise you suck," Vince said, no malice in his voice.
"I don't want this. I don't want to have to seduce a man I'm already with. I don't want to flirt with other men to somehow improve my relationship. I just want him to focus on me," I complained.
Vince stood up, extending his hand to lift me to my feet. I allowed him to do so, believing we were done with this exercise and I could finally get into my own clothes. Instead, he stopped me as I rose to my feet.
The shadow from his body hung over mine, "I don't think he's right for you if you have to fight for his attention."
His eyes looked deep into mine, forming a connection I wasn't ready to make. Eyes locked together like magnets, he continued, "Anyone would be an idiot to ignore you, especially with how stubborn you are."
"I am not stubborn, I just believe what I believe," I mumbled, just trying to fill the silence.
"I think you're gorgeous and it would be hell to keep my eyes off of you." Vince adjusted the glasses on my face.
I simply nodded, not able to form any counter argument. I had been trying too hard, and maybe it was best I didn't try at all. It was freeing to allow myself relief from all the overbearing activities I used to partake in.
Nick was a grown man, and he didn't need me to explain to him how to be in a relationship. It had always been sink or swim, and I was sure both options seemed like a losing game. To sink was to lose the man I cared for, and to swim was to get stuck somewhere I wasn't sure I wanted to be.
In the back of my head, I knew I wanted Nick to swim, and so the waiting game would ensue.