by Krista Lakes
This guy was all confidence and charm. I found it rather appealing. There was nothing fake to it, nothing that said he was simply playing a part. This was just his natural charm. I could appreciate the compliment.
“Still, thank you again for saving me,” I said.
He waved his hand through the air. “It really was no trouble. I'm just glad you didn't actually fall and break your wrists. Then you wouldn't be able to play the game.”
I laughed. “I get the feeling you want me to play more.”
“Only if you want to,” he said. “But I promise that you’ll get hooked at some point if you do. It only gets better the more you play.”
“Is that so?” I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and bit my lip before I could stop myself.
“Look, it sounds like you’re pretty hesitant,” he said, rubbing at the stubble on his chin. “But if you wanted to learn more, maybe we could hang out and play some time?”
Is he asking me out? I wondered. I hoped so. He was cute and I was enjoying this. Talking with him was easy and comfortable, even if we were talking about a game. It would definitely be the first time a phone app had netted me a date.
“A Monster date?” I joked.
“I was just thinking that we could at least get you to level five,” he offered. There was that smile again. He had to know the effect it had on women. “That way you can help your brother defend this gym.”
“I’d love to play with you. I mean, play the game with you.” I blushed, as I stumbled over my words. My stomach twisted into a happy, excited knot.
“Okay, well how about tomorrow then? Same time?” he asked. His smile somehow got bigger and even more friendly. My knees threatened to go all wobbly.
Tommy chimed in. “That works for me!” I had completely forgotten that he was there.
I shot my little brother a nasty look, but he just grinned at me. I decided I could tell him on the way back home that there was no way in heck he was coming with me to meet Jacob the next day. If he came, the date really would be all about the game, and I wasn't really interested in playing that much.
“That sounds perfect,” I said, ignoring Tommy. “Should we meet here?”
“Actually, no, let’s meet over at the fountain. We can walk around the park and pick up a few monsters, and hopefully get you enough experience points so that you can level up,” he explained. “We’ll be battling for the gym together in no time.”
This game suddenly seemed like the greatest invention of all time.
“Perfect,” I said, the word coming out a little more breathless than I wanted. I didn't want to appear too eager.
We looked at each other for just a moment and I felt that tingling of excitement inside of me. Was this the beginning of something? I hoped this would lead to a real date.
Jacob’s phone vibrated and he glanced down. He pressed on his screen before turning and high-fiving Tommy.
“Looks like our team was able to defend the gym,” Jacob announced, putting the phone back in his pocket.
“I knew we could handle it,” Tommy replied. “Good job.”
“You too,” Jacob said, ruffling Tommy's hair. “We took care of business today.”
I watched their interaction and it warmed my heart. Jacob didn’t appear to see Tommy as some annoying little kid, but instead he was just another warrior in this game, just as ready and able as he was. It was nice to see and somehow made me even more excited about the little get together that was planned for the following day.
“Alright, you two, I’ve got to get back to my apartment,” Jacob said. “I'm still unpacking after a long move and this was just my break.”
“You just moved here?” I was excited. That meant he lived here. He wasn't just driving through or here for the weekend.
“Yes. Just a couple of days ago.” He placed his hand on my upper arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. “But I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yeah, yeah, definitely,” I said, nodding quickly. “Sounds great.”
Jacob walked off and I watched him leave. My eyes were locked on him the entire time as he made his way to the street corner, before disappearing from view behind the massive church that stood nearby. I nearly forgot to breathe.
“Alicia, maybe you should take a picture of him. It’ll last longer,” Tommy said, as he grabbed my wrist and tugged on it. “Come on, let’s go. The Monster Gym is no longer under attack by the blue team. We don’t have to stay around here.”
I felt frozen in place, mystified by the charming man who had just unexpectedly asked me out on a date. Or at least a semi-date.
“Come on,” Tommy pleaded, still pulling on my wrist. “I have things to do.”
“Okay, okay. First I can't get you to leave, and now I can't leave fast enough.” I shook my head at him. “You’re ridiculous.”
Finally, I got my feet to move and I followed Tommy back to the fountain. He took his place on the wall, just catching Monsters and laughing with some other kids his age who were also playing the game. I could have played with them, but didn’t. I wanted to wait until tomorrow to play with Jacob. So, instead, I walked around, exploring the park and letting my mind wander.
My interaction with Jacob had given me a burst of energy. The burned-out feeling that I had experienced that morning in my bedroom had all but vanished and was replaced with a tingling excitement. There was something new on the horizon and even if it was just a silly meet up with a cute guy, it was infinitely better than applying for jobs I’d never get.
For the first time all week, I felt hopeful. There was something tangible to look forward to. Jacob had no idea the gift he had just given me.
I led Athena into the grass a little ways away from the fountain and we walked in a giant circle around a massive old oak tree. I was giggling to myself like a little girl with an uncontrollable goofy smile plastered across my face. I’m certain if someone had seen me, they’d have thought I’d lost my mind. But what did I care? My self-esteem was through the roof. A cute guy came out of nowhere and asked me out. After the constant rejection in the job market, I was suddenly worthwhile again. I felt beautiful, even with my tangled hair and threadbare t-shirt. It didn’t matter. I had a date.
Chapter 3
The sun shone brightly and birds chirped as I walked Athena towards the park. I had made sure I looked good today, so my confidence was high. I could do this. It wasn't really a date. It was just meeting a cute guy.
A really cute guy.
My initial confidence faded as I stepped onto the path that led into the park. First dates, even if they weren't really dates, were not my forte. I always managed to say something far too nerdy. I liked computers and science, and I had more than one date never call me back because I started talking about programming or computer languages better than they did.
I ran my fingers through my hair and then over my summer dress, making sure that everything was in order. It was too late to make a different first impression with Jacob, but I figured I could polish up my third impression the best I could. My heart beat quickly, and I drew in a slow breath to calm myself down.
Nearing the fountain, I noticed that there were a handful of people standing around it, just like the day before. They were all looking at their phones and swiping their screens, obviously playing the game. My eyes scanned over the small crowd and landed on the man I was there to meet. He was seated on the edge of the fountain, with the water behind him. His elbows were on his knees and his fingers were interlocked. He was wearing a white button-down shirt with gray slacks and dark brown shoes. It was nerdy, but attractive nerdy. As soon as he noticed me, his face brightened with a smile.
Okay, Alicia. Don’t act weird, just relax and have fun, I told myself as I approached him.
“Hi there,” he said, standing up to give me a casual hug.
I wrapped my arms around him, and the intoxicating scent of his cologne entered my nose. It was clean and crisp and reminded me of summer evenings.
“How are you
?” I asked, as I released him from the hug and took a step back.
“Fantastic,” he replied. He pulled off his sunglasses and slipped one of the earpieces into the neck of his shirt. His light blue eyes locked with mine, causing my knees to go weak. There were depths to those eyes that I knew I could get lost in, if I let myself.
Athena leaned in and sniffed him, and this time seemed genuinely excited to see him.
“This is a pleasant surprise. I honestly wasn’t sure if you were going to come meet me this morning.” He ran a hand through his short hair and for a moment I wondered if he was as nervous as I was.
I cocked my head to the side and flashed a playful smile. “What do you mean?”
“You obviously aren’t too into playing Monster GO.” Jacob shrugged. “Yesterday, it seemed pretty clear that your brother is the one who really likes to play.”
“You’re right about that,” I agreed slowly. I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “But maybe playing the game wasn’t the only reason I wanted to show up today.”
His smile grew wide. “Maybe playing the game wasn’t the only reason I invited you.”
A thrill went through me from scalp to pinkie toes. He liked me. And I was already head over heels for him, almost literally. He had caught me once before, but this time I was looking forward to the fall, especially if it was falling with him.
“How about we hang out and get you to level five while we get to know each other?” he asked, motioning to the park behind him. “Unless you’d rather not play Monster GO at all. We could just walk around the park.”
“No, let’s play. It sounds fun,” I insisted. “Plus, if you teach me how to play then I can finally get Tommy off of my back about it.”
Jacob chuckled. “I’m an only child, so I wouldn’t know what it’s like to have to deal with a younger sibling. But Tommy actually seems like a pretty cool kid. I’ve met some young ones that drive me nuts and he definitely wasn’t one of them.”
“You’re just being nice because you two happen to be on the same team,” I replied with a laugh.
“I’m not saying one way or the other. It’s possible that’s why I got along with him, though,” he said, with a playful wink. “Now come on, let’s get you leveled up.”
We both pulled out our phones and opened up the app. Jacob quickly explained more of the game play, pointing to his phone and showing me how to get the most out of the game. It made so much more sense when he explained it and I could see more of the appeal of the game.
Together we walked slowly around the fountain, waiting for a monster to show up so that we could catch it. Athena followed dutifully behind us, her blond shaggy tail wagging slowly as we went.
“What got you into playing?” I asked as we made our second circle around. “You seem to know a lot about it.”
“Not really,” he said with a shrug.
“You aren't secretly one of the developers or something?” I teased.
Jacob tripped on the sidewalk and managed to catch himself just in time.
“Are you okay?” I asked, putting my hand on his arm to make sure he was steady. I wasn't ready for the thrill that went through my body at touching him.
“I'm fine,” he assured me. “Just tripped over my own feet. You know as well as I do how easy it is.”
He gave me a wide smile. His cheeks were bright with color that I could only assume came from nearly falling. I looked back and couldn't see what he had tripped on, but I knew that it could have been anything.
“So, what are you doing in town?” he asked, changing the subject.
“Um...” I smiled nervously. I wanted to impress him, but my reason for being here wasn't exactly glamorous. I decided to just go for the truth. “I just graduated and I'm living with my parents while I look for a job.”
“Here?” Jacob asked, looking around as if there were available jobs around the park.
“Anywhere, really.” I shrugged, trying my best to stay nonchalant and positive. “I need the free rent while I look.”
“I can understand that.” Jacob nodded. “What’s your degree in?”
“I studied software engineering, system analysis, stuff like that,” I replied slowly. This was the part where I either lost or impressed guys. “But my actual degree is in computer programming.”
“Seriously?” he asked, his eyes widening with surprise.
“Yeah, seriously.” I laughed. “Why does everyone always sound so shocked when I say that?”
“I just don’t meet a lot of pretty girls who like computers, I guess,” he replied.
My face felt hot.
“What about you?” I asked. I wanted to change the subject to take the focus off of me, and my reddened face. “Tell me your story.”
“I actually work in software development. Or, I guess, I did. Until I moved out here to get away from it all,” he said.
“You're in software development?” I asked. “That's basically my dream job.”
“It's a pretty good job,” he said. “But it's definitely not what I expected. There's a lot of things that no one can tell you about until you're actually neck deep in the business.”
“I guess that’s true,” I said. “Even so, though, I would kill for that job. Actually, I would kill for any job right now, but even more so for a decent position in something that I went to school for.”
Jacob smiled apologetically as he looked me over. “Not able to find any work, I take it?”
“No, nothing I want to do. I’ve probably sent a hundred resumes and have had no response at all.” I sighed as we rounded a corner. “If I don’t get a reply soon, I’m going to have to scoop ice cream for the summer to make some money.”
“Things will work out. I’m sure of it.” He placed his hand onto my shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. My dad had told me the same thing a thousand times, but for some reason, when Jacob said it, it seemed to truly resonate with me. It made me feel like things really would work out.
“I hope you’re right,” I said. “Because honestly, I don’t want to scoop ice cream.”
“I actually love ice cream.” He grinned at me as he put his hand on his chest like he was admitting to something important.
“But do you want to scoop it for a living?” I asked.
“No, but I'd buy it from you,” he replied with a grin. “You'd be the best tipped ice-cream scooper there.”
Another blush heated my face and I looked down, pretending to focus on my phone.
“What kind of software did you develop?” I asked, sincerely wanting to know more about him.
He hesitated, as if forming his answer carefully. He also looked around at the other people around, as if they would overhear us. Of course, they were all buried in their phones, so he turned to me and answered.
“All kinds. I started out working for a company that custom designed human resources software for corporations. I couldn’t stand working in that world, though. It felt like I was the face of the ‘the man’ and I cringed every time I stepped foot into that office.” He crinkled his nose. “The work felt so empty and meaningless. I’d say it was simply uninspiring, but that word doesn’t give it justice.”
“What did you do?” I asked, genuinely interested.
“I started working for myself, building websites and apps. Just doing whatever it took to make ends meet. I even came up with a few of my own apps,” he explained. “I can definitely say that things have worked out for the better. Leaving the corporate world and working for myself was one of the best decisions I ever made.”
“That sounds amazing,” I said with a small sigh. I was rather impressed. “I wish I knew how to start my own business. That way I wouldn’t even have to apply for a job. I could also take the day off whenever I wanted.”
“That’s true,” he said. “Except as a business owner, you never really get a day off. The work always seems to draw you back in, no matter how hard you fight it.”
“I don't know, it can't be
that bad,” I said smiling at him. “It means you get to show the unemployed how to play games.”
He grinned at me as we started another lap around the fountain. I couldn't help but smile back. Not only was he handsome and charming, but it turned out that he was also driven. I glanced around, looking for cameras hidden in the trees.
Surely, this must be some kind of reality show that I’m on because this guy can’t be real, I thought. Cute, sexy, charming, and apparently a successful business owner. Why couldn't I have met a guy like that in college?
“What is your company’s name?” I asked. I would have to look it up. Maybe they were hiring. “Are you still running it now that you’re living here?”
Before he could answer my question, our phones vibrated. We both glanced down at the same time to see the Monster GO app flashing on the screen.
“There’s a Buugybuug nearby,” he said. He put his hand on the small of my back to turn me in the right direction. “It’s not a rare monster, but you should catch it anyway. Anything you can do to get experience points will help get you leveled up.”
Talking with Jacob, I had forgotten we were playing a game. I lifted my phone, and so did at least five other strangers around us. With a swipe, I caught the little cartoon creature. The catch gave me a grand total of five monsters in my inventory.
“See, it’s easy,” Jacob said, holding up his phone. His inventory screen looked way fuller than mine did.
“I’m still shocked at how much of a worldwide craze it’s started. It’s insane.” As much as I fought it at first, I was starting to see how this game could be fun.
He laughed. “You're telling me. I never would have expected this game to become the cultural phenomenon that it has.”
“Maybe that’s all I need to do,” I said with a laugh. “If I can create an app like this, I’ll become a millionaire and not have to work ever again.”
“Sounds easy,” he replied. “I expect you on the cover of Forbes any day now.”
Our conversation was interrupted when a group of younger kids nearby screamed out in excitement. The noise was quickly followed by the familiar tune of the local ice cream truck. It turned the corner and pulled onto the frontage road that ran alongside the edge of the park. The kids all scurried away, running frantically toward the utility truck carrying their favorite treats.
