by R. R. Banks
She thought back about how she and Russell had met in Sydney and how they were now going on a date for the first time. She kept thinking about how handsome he was and how he always kept a positive attitude and disposition, something that she’d never encountered with a guy. Her encounters with men were always quick and self-fulfilling as she was always looking for instant gratification. The fact that she was stressing over a date was vastly different from anything she had ever done.
Hannah shook her head in disbelief as her mind continued to dwell on her date. She walked over to her tablet and pressed a few buttons to start dialing Alexis. “I need her opinion,” she said to herself as she looked at the screen, hoping her best friend would appear on the other end to tell her that everything was going to be ok.
Within seconds, the screen changed to an image of her best friend, who was also preparing for the night. “Why is your hair down?” asked Alexis immediately, skipping any pleasantries with her greeting and abruptly noticing the changes in Hannah’s appearance.
“Is it bad?” asked Hannah as her eyes lit up in a panic. “It is, isn’t it?”
Alexis laughed. “It’s not bad,” she said politely. “It’s just…well… different.”
“Different does not mean good,” continued Hannah.
“Different does not mean bad either,” Alexis retorted. “Stop being neurotic, it’s fine.”
Hannah huffed as she looked at Alexis on the screen. “Is it?”
Alexis smiled. “Hannah, you look great,” she said earnestly. “I’m not used to seeing you all dolled up. What makes this boy so special?”
“I have no idea,” replied Hannah. “I don’t know what makes him so different but something inside me is telling me to not screw it up.”
Alexis continued to look at Hannah’s appearance as she stepped away from the tablet and showed her entire ensemble. “Are you going to prom?” joked Alexis as she chuckled. “I’ve never seen you look this put together.”
“I’m always put together,” quipped Hannah.
“No, you’re always dressed,” joked Alexis. “I can’t remember the last time I saw you in a dress with your hair down.” Alexis paused as a look of disbelief crept up on her face. “Oh my god, Hannah. Are you wearing makeup?”
Hannah blushed as she huffed slightly. “Yes, I am,” she said in a perturbed fashion.
Alexis’s eyes lit up. “You look really good,” she said solemnly. “This guy must be really special for you to be doing this.”
She nodded. “I hope so,” replied Hannah. “So, what are your plans for tonight? Am I going to be able to run into you somewhere incase this date goes south?”
“Maybe. Trisha is moving back into town tonight and I told her I would meet her at her new apartment for a few drinks and to help her unpack,” explained Alexis as she leaned back in a chair. “I can’t say I’m looking forward to unpacking boxes with her, but it will be nice to catch up with her.”
“It’s been a few months since we’ve seen her,” said Hannah. “I hope she’s been staying out of trouble.”
“She and I have texted back and forth a few times and it seems like she is,” continued Alexis. “It will be nice though for us to have someone else we can hang out with.”
Hannah looked into the camera of the tablet. “Are you saying I’m not good enough for you?” asked Hannah with an appalled look on her face.
Alexis laughed. “Well, you did find yourself a man, finally. Maybe I do need to look for your replacement?”
“Preposterous!” shouted Hannah. “You will never need to replace me as no man will ever take me from you.”
“Yeah, yeah, we’ll see about that,” continued Alexis as she reached forward and grabbed a small glass beside the tablet. “Honestly though, it will be nice to hang out with her while I wonder how you’re doing on your date. Will you at least text me during it?”
“Of course, I’m going to need several pointers on how to do this,” said Hannah. “I haven’t been on a serious date since I can remember, so I really may need your help. You’re the one who’s been in serious relationships before.”
Alexis nodded. “Yeah, I’ve been in a few,” she said as she started to think back on her other relationships and how well they went. She thought back to the man she was with for three years, Tad, and how, in the end, he wasn’t the man for her. She wanted him to be something that he couldn’t be. He refused to make Alexis a priority and never wanted to leave his comfort zone, something that Alexis adapted to. Finally, she shook free of that and dated around for a little while with Hannah as her wingman. However, once they reached Dubai, she was snared into a relationship with the billionaire playboy, Nathanial Jenkins. While that relationship was fun, it wasn’t meant to last. He was wrapped up in money, success, and was surrounded with an insatiable ego. Alexis knew she wanted a man with substance. She didn’t care about how successful he was, only that he tried his best and worked hard at it. She wanted a man who challenged her but made her a better person; something that she would work tirelessly to find.
“So, what’s going on with your hair?” asked Alexis as she looked through the screen. “I can’t remember the last time you didn’t put your hair up or restrain it somehow. What are you trying to do?”
“I’m trying to make it look pretty!” huffed Hannah with a great deal of angst. “I want to look good for him!”
“Your hair looks beautiful when you have it up, Hannah,” said Alexis in a calming manner. “Seriously, I’m jealous at how you’re always able to keep your hair looking perfect, even though you always have it tied up.”
Hannah stared into the screen as Alexis tried her best to calm her down. She breathed slowly, looking at Alexis with her steel blue eyes as she tried to be mad at her, but knowing that in the end, it wouldn’t last. “I want to do something special for this guy. I really want to show him that I want to do more for him.”
Alexis looked at the screen and shook her head in disbelief. “Hannah Burchfield, what are you talking about?”
“I have no idea,” replied Hannah. “I don’t know why I want to do more for Russell, but for some reason, I do.”
“That’s so weird,” said Alexis as a small smile crept over her face. “Well, talk to me. What do you think makes this guy so different than every other guy you’ve been with? What actually attracts you to him?”
Hannah placed both of her hands on the dresser and thought about that question for a few moments, looking into the screen at Alexis as she came up with her words. “Honestly, I can’t put my finger on it,” she said softly. “There’s just something about him that is different.” She paused and looked away, biting her bottom lip to come up with a better answer. “Alexis, you and I both know how men look at me. Most of the men that we know and that we associate with think of me as a piece of meat. They think of me as a great lay; the girl who will give them the best time they’ve ever had between the sheets. And honestly, I liked being regarded as that. I liked being thought of as promiscuous and kinda slutty. I didn’t want a relationship with someone but I still wanted the benefits, so it really worked out for me. I had some amazingly fantastic nights with some great guys and I wouldn’t change that for anything. Russell just looks at me differently and talks to me like I’m not that girl. I wonder more if I’m not being myself or if maybe I’ve changed.”
“Do you think that maybe you’ve grown up a little bit?” asked Alexis.
“Maybe,” she continued. “I mean, I still want to put him on my bed right now, but some part of me is telling me that I should wait and see what happens. There is a part of me that really wants this to work.”
Alexis smiled. “Hannah, you may be in love.”
“Shut up!” she shouted with an immediate scowl on her face. “You take that back!”
“I will do no such thing!” playfully shouted Alexis. “Good for you! I’m so happy for you!”
“I don’t know what you’re happy for?” a
sked Hannah sarcastically. “I’m not in love.”
Alexis chuckled. “Oh, you know you’re falling for him. Just admit it and get on with your life.” She paused while she watched Hannah fume some more. “It’s ok to allow yourself to become vulnerable. No one will think any differently of it and you’ll be able to start a new chapter in your life. You never know, maybe he’s the one. Maybe he is the man that you’re supposed to spend the rest of your life with. You never know until you allow yourself to get hurt.”
Hannah shook her head as she reached for a few hairpins on the counter. “So, I should wear my hair up?”
Alexis nodded. “Hannah, you should always wear your hair up.”
“Fine,” she said as she started to pin it up. “It would be fun to casually run into you tonight though.”
“I may be able to make that happen,” replied Alexis. “Maybe after Trish and I finish at her apartment, we can just casually find you somewhere in the city.”
Hannah smiled as she finished placing her hair where it needed to go. “That would be excellent,” she replied. “I’d love for you to get to know Russell a bit more.”
“I think that would be an amazing idea,” she replied. “It’d be great to spend time with the man who finally convinced you to change your ways.”
Hannah shook her head. “That’s enough out of you,” she said with a smile. “I’ll see you soon!”
“Text me later if things start to get weird!” shouted Alexis as Hannah ended the call and looked up at her appearance in the mirror.
“This looks more like it,” she said as she saw her hair behind her. With a smile she turned away and headed for the door, hoping to have a great time tonight.
Chapter 2
Alexis stepped out of the subway car and onto the platform, looking out toward the steps she would need to take. Though not used to this side of town, she was always well equipped to travel the subways by using various apps on her phone. If being in the profession she chose has done anything for her personally, it’s how to travel within the borders of a city without having to stop and ask for directions. On the platform, she walked toward a tile wall and pulled out her phone, standing out of the way long enough for her to get her bearings so that her walk to Trisha’s new apartment would be unabated.
This was a new experience for Alexis, as she had only recently reunited with Trisha a few months earlier. Having her move back to New York City was a great thing for her, because it’ll give her someone else to spend countless hours at bars with, as Hannah was wrapped around a boy. “Four blocks,” she said to herself as she looked up from her phone and started walking toward the staircase that led to the street above. She took a few steps and placed her hand on the railing while leaving the other grasping her phone to ensure that she was following the directions to the letter. She took the staircase up to the street to be immediately greeted by the sounds of cars rushing by, honking at one another while traversing toward their destinations. “I love this place,” she said with a smile as she placed her foot on the solid ground at the end of the stairs.
Alexis and Trish spent a great deal of time together growing up, having attended the same school as Hannah. The three were very close, though Trish had another pod of friends she hung out with while Alexis and Hannah always chose to stay together. Trish enjoyed branching out and meeting new people while Alexis was content in her own world, meeting people as she chose, but only on her terms. For the longest time, Trisha tried to encourage Hannah and Alexis to intermingle with her other circle of friends, though both were incredibly reluctant. Alexis was always polite when she declined, while Hannah told her repeatedly that she didn’t particularly care for many of the people she consorted with.
That was one of the reasons that Trish moved away from Hannah and Alexis. While she loved them both dearly, once she moved away, she lost touch with Alexis and Hannah but always made it a point to keep in touch with them once or twice a year. Trish made it a point to go out of her way to try and see Alexis and Hannah whenever she visited her family, always promising that she would do what she could to move back to the city one day. Though her career flourished in Chicago, New York City was always home and when the opportunity arose for her move back, she leapt at the chance.
Alexis made the short trek to her apartment building and looked up at the giant structure. “She never wanted to be somewhere small,” she said as she tilted her head forward to see a doorman standing watch. Alexis was an invited guest, so getting past the doorman wouldn’t be an issue. She took a few steps toward the door and he leaned forward, placing his hand on a golden handle and pulling the large, glass door back. “Here you go, ma’am,” said the man softly as he turned and looked at Alexis’s figure as she walked past him. “Can I ask where you’re headed?”
“I’m headed to the thirty-fourth floor. My friend just moved in,” she said as he nodded.
“Absolutely,” he said politely. “She seems like a very sweet girl. I hope to see more of the two of you.”
Alexis smiled and turned around to walk toward the elevator, shaking her head in disbelief at how creepy the doorman was. She walked over to the elevator and pressed the up button, turning back to see the doorman still staring at her. She waited for what seemed like an eternity with the doorman still looking through the glass at her and undressing her with his eyes. He was an older man with uncombed grey hair flowing from the sides of his head and a pointed nose. She didn’t want to think about him anymore as the doors to the elevator finally opened and she leapt in quickly. Without hesitation, she pressed the button to Trish’s floor and the doors closed, relieving her of the tension of being watched by the old man.
“Weird,” she said to herself as she leaned up against the wall of the elevator. “I hate awkward moments like that.”
The elevator ascended quickly to Trish’s floor and the doors opened, revealing a small hallway with only six doors. The apartment building, while older, was shaped in a manner that the floors became smaller the higher up you went. Trish lived almost halfway up the building, but was fortunate enough to have a larger living space than she required. Alexis walked down the hallway and found the door to her apartment. She placed her hand on the door knob and turned it slowly, pushing it open to find a very uniquely designed space. “Previous owner must’ve had an odd perception on things,” she thought as she stepped inside, placing her foot on some very thick, shag carpet immediately upon walking in. “Oh, this is weird,” she said as her foot sunk into the carpet. She took another step and closed the door behind her, slamming it loud enough so that Trish would know she had arrived. “Hey Trish!” she shouted as she walked awkwardly through the front foyer.
The carpet continued throughout the living space with Alexis struggling to maintain her balance with every step. She continued to move slowly while she examined the walls, which were covered in zebra printed wall paper. She walked into the living area to find the same wall paper coving the outer wall but a giraffe print covering another of the walls. “Perhaps I just entered the zoo,” she said as she stood in the center of the living room, surrounded by unplaced furniture and boxes.
“The previous tenant was a zoologist at the Central Park zoo,” announced Trish as she walked out of the bedroom and into the living room. She hadn’t changed a bit since the last time they were together. Trish was a shorter woman, barely over five feet tall and was built thick. Her hips were well-defined and her breasts were very full, yet remarkably perky. She carried around a charm that encapsulated a room and made her the center of attention. Her charm and wit made it impossible to not like her and her demeanor and respect for everyone around her made it to where they wouldn’t want to. Her hair was dark and cut short, hanging just above her shoulders and framing her face very well. Trish was an amazing friend and Alexis was very happy to have her back in her life. “They had a mild obsession with animals,” she explained with a smile, looking at Alexis and thinking how amazing she appeared. Her tan skin wa
s still one of her best features with her dark hair hanging down to the center of her shoulder blades. Her thin physique matched her personality, though she could tell that Alexis was a much stronger woman now than before.
“Mild?” asked Alexis sarcastically. “I feel like I’m walking on spongy grass.”
Trish laughed as she walked up and hugged Alexis. “It’s good to see you,” she said. “Welcome to my apartment that’s filled with spongy grass carpet.”
Alexis laughed as they embraced. “I never, in my wildest dreams, imagined I would be in a place like this.”
“It was cheap,” said Trish. “Because of the carpet and wall paper, I was able to get this place for half the price.”
“I bet you were,” said Alexis. “You’ve got a lot of work ahead of you.”
“Nah, I think I’ll keep it,” said Trish. “It gives the place a unique character.”
Alexis shook her head, shocked at what she just said. “Trish, there is zebra wall paper in the foyer.”
“Correct,” said Trish. “And I rather like it.”
Alexis chuckled. “You’re still quite odd.”
“And I will never change,” she continued. “How about your apartment? Is it boring and overly organized?”
Alexis nodded. “Absolutely,” she replied. “I wouldn’t have it any other way, though I’ve only recently been back there. I was staying in Dubai and Sydney and other places in Asia over the past few weeks.”
“Oh, that sounds fun,” quipped Trish. “I bet your job allows you to have a great time. Are you still working your way through some oil company?”
