The Unexpected You

by Emily N. Kay

  I’ve been here countless of times with my mom. Especially on Saturdays, where we’d have a lazy brunch at our favorite café in Dumbo. And when we’re so stuffed that we couldn’t eat anymore, we’d walk across the bridge, and then we’d get some ice cream treats from the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory when we’re hungry again. My mom and I love how touristy it feels striding along the bridge, taking pictures, pretending that we are new to the City. And in a way, it does feel like it. Living in New York City never gets old. At least not to us.

  “What’s your most favorite thing about NYC?” Jacob asks.

  We are a good amount of distance behind Leo and Zoe, who are walking ahead, hand in hand, looking obnoxiously happy.

  Tourists are scattered everywhere. Most stop walking mid-way just to take photos. I almost bump into some of them a couple of times. But I’m not complaining because the weather is perfect, and I’m in a really good mood.

  “Hmm…” I think and answer, “I don’t know. I love everything about it. Everything is just so… new and fresh. I feel like in my lifetime, I could never see it all here. Like, there will always be places and things I have yet to see.” I smile, feeling all warm and cozy just from taking in the view of the City. “Even this Bridge––I’ve been here so many times––but it never bores me.”

  Jacob rests his gaze on me for a second. “I feel the same. It makes me feel like I’m not alone, you know. And the people…” He snorts out a laugh. “Some of them can be so weird.”

  “I know! And it can get too much sometimes,” I add with a smile, thinking back to when I was on the subway, and there was one guy wearing a spandex who shouted “don’t get married!” to every couple passing by. “But they kind of make me feel like I’m not that weird after all.”

  Jacob glances me. “I don’t find you weird at all.”

  I chuckle. Tell that to Mr. Chase. “That’s because you don’t know me well enough.”

  “Yeah, I guess I don’t…”

  And then we are quiet.

  “Were you born here?” I ask.

  “Oh, no.” He shakes his head, and I give him a surprised look. “My family actually moved here from Richmond when I was seven.”

  I turn to look at him. “I didn’t know that!”

  “Yeah.” Jacob lowers his gaze. “We really don’t talk much, huh?”

  “I guess not…” I chew my lip. “I say we should talk more often.” Then I realize that I don’t mean it in a romantic way or anything, but I don’t dare say anything. I can only hope he won’t get the wrong idea.

  Jacob smiles. “We should, starting now.”

  “Oh, okay. Any siblings?”

  “One older sister. You?”

  “An only child,” I answer. “Pets?”

  “No pets.”

  “Me too. You should also know that I’m scared of every kind of animal. Even puppies,” I reveal, pinching myself for blurting that out. Now he’s really going to think that I’m weird.

  “No way! Puppies?” He gapes at me. “Alice, I don’t think we can be friends. How are you scared of puppies?”

  “I don’t know! But my mom said when I was little I was chased by a Chihuahua. So I guess it’s kind of a PTSD thing.”

  Jacob throws his head back, laughing. “A Chihuahua wounded you for life? God, I wish I could meet that destroyer.”

  I laugh. “It’s weird, I know. Most people have fears of spiders, or snakes. My greatest fear of all is Chihuahua.” I look at him. “What is your biggest fear?”

  “Close spaces.”

  “Claustrophobia?”

  He nods. “Unlike you, I don’t know where it came from.”

  “Is it serious? Like, can you get on an elevator at least?” I ask with real concern.

  “It’s mild. I can be in an elevator, but only for a short period. Otherwise I’ll start to panic and I won’t be able to breathe.”

  “Oh…”

  In front of us, a couple is making out in a middle of the bridge, like a scene from a cheesy rom-com. I stare at them, and I can feel Jacob goes rigid beside me.

  What do I say in this situation? Suddenly it all feels very awkward to be witnessing this with him.

  “Aren’t they cute?” I bring myself to speak, turning to look at him.

  He’s smiling tightly at the sight. “Yeah, I don’t––I don’t know…”

  I raise my brow at him.

  He huffs. “I mean, romance isn’t really my thing. I never watch the Notebook or Sleepless in Seattle or anything like that.”

  I gasp. “You what!”

  He winces. “Yup. Maybe that’s why I’m so awkward around girls. I know nothing about rom-coms. I mean, I tried. Once. I think it was How to Lose a Guy in… something. Ten minutes? Well, ten minutes in and I couldn’t take it.”

  I let out a surprised laugh. “It’s actually ten days. That’s one of my favorites! But yeah… it’s a little cringe-y,” I say. “So what kind of movies are you into? No, let me guess…” I pause and look at him thoughtfully. His eyes shine in anticipation. “Star Wars. Star Trek. One of those?”

  “Star Wars,” he admits sheepishly. “I suppose I do look fitting for the stereotypical geek.”

  I look at him amusedly. “I didn’t mean it like that.” I exactly mean it like that… He definitely does look like the type of guys who would go to Comic Con, but that would offend him. I do have some filter around Jacob after all. The same can’t be said for Nick…

  My phone is ringing. I look at it, and I see it’s my dad calling. I contemplate for a minute and I decide to ignore his call. I’ll deal with Dad later.

  “Aren’t you getting that?” Jacob nods at my phone.

  “Uh, no. It can wait.” I flash him a quick smile.

  I don’t know why I choose not to tell Jacob that it’s my dad calling. I mean, Jacob doesn’t know that part of me yet, and I’m not ready to lay it all out for him. Not when this date is going pretty great.

  Jacob glances at me, hesitant. “Alice, is it the gu––”

  “I’m hungry,” I blurt out. “Are you hungry?”

  He looks at me, confused. “We just ate… You’re hungry again?”

  “Oh, yeah. Another thing to know about me––I have a pit less stomach.”

  With that, we go off to get some ice cream, accompanied with Leo and Zoe, who are shaking heads at my eating problem. And Jacob doesn’t bring up “the guy” again for the rest of our date.

  “Tell us everything!” Zoe demands as soon as Jacob parted ways with us at the subway entrance.

  We are now waiting for the train to go back to Central Park for Leo’s car.

  “What did you guys talk about when we weren’t there?” she adds impatiently.

  “We just talked, nothing more.” I kind of lied… I don’t want to tell them about the boner incident. Mostly because Leo is here. Guys can be brutal about these sorts of things. Jacob would be so embarrassed if Leo tells everyone on his team, and he would never forgive me.

  “Ugh! You’re no fun.” Zoe grunts, and I smile to myself. Wait till I tell her…

  “But it was alright, yeah? You two seemed to get along,” says Leo.

  “Yeah, I had a good time. Jacob was nice, like, inhumanly nice,” I tell them, not able to come up with anything else to say. Because there is nothing else to say.

  And I can’t help but ask myself––is that all there is? That Jacob is a nice guy? How is one supposed to feel after the first date anyway? Shouldn’t I feel some sort of sparks or something like that? Like in the movies where the girl literally can’t stop thinking about meeting the guy again after their first meeting. I mean, I would love to see Jacob and talk to him again––but only as friends. Does that mean that there are no romantic possibilities for us?

  “Poor Jacob,” Zoe says, pressing her lips in a tight line. “You’re friend-zoning him.”

  “Don’t make it my fault! He might not even like me anymore after today.”

  Leo scoffs. “No way. I saw
how he looked at you.”

  Zoe jumps in, “My gut says––there will be a second date.”

  Ugh, they are ganging up on me again!

  I ignore them, staring ahead at the empty track. And I decide that I won’t tell Zoe about the incident, because I don’t find it so funny anymore.

  Chapter 15

  “You dress well today,” Nick says as I sit down on the couch (aka the only place where I’m allowed to be).

  I shrug, observing myself in a plain white t-shirt with sweat pants. And that’s when I notice a tiny hole in my sweatpants. Damn it, I look like a hobo.

  “That’s because I don’t want another one of your sweaters. And also, why should I dress up prettily for you when all you want to do is talk.”

  “Right.” A dimple appears on his cheek. He sits down next to me. “But why are you still wearing makeup?”

  I stare at him blankly. “I’m not.”

  His eyebrows shoot up.

  “I’m not wearing any makeup,” I say again.

  Nick squints his eyes as he studies my face. “Huh. If you say so.”

  “I’ll take that as a compliment.” I frown, but secretly feeling a little giddy inside. “And are we seriously going to talk for two hours? Like last time?”

  “Yes, I already ordered pizza.”

  I hide my excitement at the thought of pizza. “I thought you’re a health-freak kind of guy,” I tell him truthfully, not even trying to offend him.

  Nick raises an eyebrow. “And why is that?”

  I deliberately look at his body to make a point. But Nick is still waiting on my answer. “You just need me to say it,” I say wearily.

  “Say it.” A tiny smile is dancing on his lips.

  I roll my eyes. “You have a great body, Mr. Chase. You definitely belong on the cover of GQ magazine,” I say sarcastically.

  He chuckles, leaning his face closer. “If you say so.”

  I scoff and look away.

  “So, what have you been up to?” he asks, clasping his hands together on his lap like a therapist. Damn. He even speaks like a therapist.

  “Nothing interesting…” I shrug. “On second thought, aside from going to your classes and being a very good student, I went on a date. Last week.” I wait to see his reaction.

  “Oh,” he says after a moment. “A date huh.”

  “Um hm.” I nod. “My first date, actually.”

  At that, Nick blinks at me. “Really? I find that hard to believe.”

  His words offend me more than they should. “Why? Because I’m an escort you assume that I have gone on several dates and had tons of boyfriends?”

  “No, it’s not that. It’s––” He pauses and looks at me carefully.

  “Because I’m pretty,” I say flatly, finishing for him.

  “Sure…” He chuckles. “If that’s what you think.”

  I shove down my growing annoyance. “Just so you know, I never had a boyfriend. So… there’s that.”

  Wow. I used to think that I’d be embarrassed for never having a boyfriend, but I said it very proudly to him.

  Nick nods slowly. “Okay. So, who’s the lucky guy then? This first guy you went out with.”

  I’m about to tell him, but then I think better of it. “I don’t need to tell you that. He’s not my client or anything,” I say in a clipped tone.

  A corner of his lips curves up into a grin. “You must like this guy then. I mean, you agreed to go out with him. It must have counted for something.”

  “And what if I do? What if I decide that I want to be with him and quit being an escort. Will you stop blackmailing me?”

  Before Nick could respond, there is a knock on the door. He snaps his attention away from me. “Must be the pizza,” he mumbles and gets up to the door.

  “Surprise, motherfucker!” The pizza guy shouts at the door.

  I furrow my brow and glance over the door. What kind of a pizza guy does that?

  Then I see a guy carrying a pizza box. And oh boy is he the hottest pizza guy I have ever seen. He is tall, lean, and muscular. And his face could be on Abercrombie and Fitch ads, with his black curly hair and olive skin.

  “What the hell are you doing here? And why do you have my pizza?” Nick says.

  That means… Nick knows this Abercrombie dude, who is definitely not a pizza guy.

  “Don’t worry, Chase. Already paid for.” The guy waves Nick off and strides in with a wide grin like it’s his home. Then he spots me on the couch, and he halts. “Oh… You have company.” He turns to Nick with questions blazing in his eyes.

  Nick quickly walks over to us, mortified. “Damn it,” he swears, his eyes closed.

  “What’s going on, Nick?” I ask Nick in a quiet voice.

  “Yeah, what’s going on, Nick?” the Abercrombie guy says mockingly to Nick. “You never tell me you’re seeing someone. I’m your best friend, man!”

  Don’t tell me this guy is…

  Nick ruffles his hair in frustration. “Alice, this is my friend Tyler. Tyler, this is Alice,” he reluctantly introduces us.

  Tyler? I take a good look at this ridiculously good-looking guy, who is now staring me down. This is the guy who hired me for Nick. He is the guy who’s responsible for all of this.

  “Nice to meet you.” He walks over to me with a smile that any girl would die for. “Tyler Hanson.” He puts out his hand for a handshake.

  I get up from the couch and slowly shake his hand “Hi, um, nice to meet you too,” I say, blushing a little. His hand is very rough… and very manly.

  “Are you a model?” asks Tyler with a grin.

  I give him a little shake of head. “No, I’m not.”

  “Well, you could totally be one.” He whistles. And I. Am. Melting.

  “Tyler,” Nick says sharply.

  “What? I’m just saying. No need to be jealous.” Tyler makes a face at Nick, then turn to me. “I can’t believe this guy. So possessive,” he says under his breath.

  I look between Tyler and Nick uncomfortably. “I’m not his––”

  “Tyler, listen,” Nick begins in a serious tone. “Alice is––” He sighs. “She’s my student.”

  Tyler’s smile freezes. He looks from me to Nick, and his face has gone pale. Then he lets out a forced laugh. “Not funny, Chase. Not funny.”

  I swallow, my throat suddenly feeling so dry. “It’s true,” I say quietly.

  “It’s not what you think,” says Nick.

  Tyler’s jaw hangs low. “Not what I think? H-how do you think I should think! You’re having an affair with your student! What the fuck, man! How old is she?” He turns to study me from head to toe. “How old are you? Don’t tell me you’re sixteen. You don’t look sixteen. What the––”

  “I’m eighteen,” I declare plainly.

  That doesn’t seem to calm Tyler down as he stares at me with his mouth still opens. “What?” he shrieks.

  “Stop.” Nick comes between me and Tyler. “I will explain everything. Just… calm down first, okay?”

  The whole time that Nick is talking, Tyler is shoving down slice after slice of pizzas, like he needs to eat in order to calm himself. I sit quietly without uttering a word, secretly enjoying the show. Tyler has to know that his friend is blackmailing me, and then he can tell Nick how fucked up he is.

  I watch the remaining slices of pizza, and I want to stop Tyler from taking them. And I can’t believe I still want pizza even in this dire situation. What is wrong with me?

  When Nick finally finishes, Tyler gulps down a full glass of water and says, “Outside, now.”

  “What did you two talk about?” I ask Nick when Tyler finally left.

  The two of them left me alone in the room to talk outside for almost an hour. I take a slice of pizza while they’re at it. I’m stress eating, nervously waiting. When they finally came back, Nick seemed annoyed. Tyler apologized to me for eating most of the pizza before he left.

  Nick sighs, rubbing his temples. “Nothing that
concerns you. Don’t worry about it.”

  “Your friend––he really freaked out,” I state my observation.

  “Yeah,” he snorts. “He wasn’t supposed to come here today. I’m sorry I had to tell him your secret.”

  “Our secret,” I correct.

  Nick looks at me with a steady gaze. We are both quiet for a long time.

  Then I start, “Nick…”

  “Yeah?”

  I move closer to look at him in the eye. “My question earlier––you still haven’t answered me.” I wait for him to say something. When he doesn’t, I continue, “You told me yourself that you would want me to quit on my own. So, if I promise you that I’ll quit Vixens, will our deal be off?”

  Nick looks at me and then away, shifting in his seat. “Of course. A deal is a deal.”

  “You’re disappointed,” I test him with a grin.

  “I’m not,” he says with an edge of irritation. “It’s just sooner than I thought is all.” He gives me an unconvincing smile. “Well then I guess this is our last appointment.”

  I smile a winning smile. “I was asking you hypothetically. I didn’t say that I will quit for sure.”

  “Oh,” he says, and it almost looks like he’s relieved.

  “You’re happy.”

  “Stop––pointing out my feelings for me,” he says, a bit annoyed. “And why would I be happy? The whole point is to get you to quit. On your own terms, that is.”

  “That’s true…” I trail off, studying his tensed-up face. “You know what? The more I think about it, the more I feel like I’m getting nothing from this deal. I mean, I’m not earning money, and it’s not like I want to be here with you, so why should this go on, you know what I mean? I can just quit right now and this will all be over.”

  Nick looks at me with unreadable expression. It takes him a full minute before he replies, “So you want to take my money after all.”

  “I don’t want your money, Nick.”

  His gaze softens, and he says, “Then just quit.”

  “No,” I say.

  “No?”

  “No,” I say with a smirk. “I want to torture you for a bit longer.”