Chrissy sat in AJ’s car and fidgeted with her coat.

    “So, Alex, do you have a last name?”

     “It’s McLean.  What about you?” he said.

     “It’s ummm…Melendes,” she said hesitantly.  AJ stared at her for a second and then smiled.

     “Are you Latin?” he said.

     “Yeah, my dad is part Spanish, so yeah, I guess you could say I was,” she said quietly.

 They arrived at Chrissy’s apartment complex and sat in AJ’s car for a few minutes.

     “Thanks for the ride,” Chrissy said.  Her eyes were shifty and moved all over the car and past AJ.  He smiled.

     “With the offer you proposed, how could I dream of saying no?”  Chrissy smiled a little.

     “Sorry, sometimes I can come off a little forward,” she said.  AJ just shrugged and smiled.

     “Eh, it’s all good,” he said with a smile.  Chrissy smiled again.

     “Hey, since you drove all this way, you wanna come up for a few? Want a drink or something?” Chrissy asked hopefully.

     “Sure, why not?!” AJ said as he began opening his car door.

    “Sorry about the mess.” Chrissy opened up the door to her apartment.  AJ smiled at her and walked in.

     “It’s not that bad,” he said with a smirk.  Chrissy closed the door and surveyed her place.

     “Well, it’s not a toxic waste dump, if that’s what you mean,” she said. Chrissy surveyed the room and found herself getting red with embarrassment.  ‘Why are you such a damn slob Chris? she wondered to herself.   She plopped down on the couch and patted the seat next to her for AJ.

     “Cop a squat man,” she said.  He took the hint and sat down.  They both sat quietly on the couch and avoided each other’s eye contact.  Both were deep in their own thoughts of avoidance until Chrissy sneezed.

     “Bless you.”

     “Thanks.” Then, there was another long pause. Chrissy began biting the inside of her lip, something she did every time she was nervous. Why am I nervous? she asked herself.   AJ looked around the apartment again.  Chrissy had lots of magazines in piles all over floor.  She had clothes thrown everywhere, yet somehow, the mess made sense.  He smiled and looked at her.

     “Well, I’d better get goin’,” he said.  He started to get up off the couch when Chrissy grabbed his arm.

     “Wait, you just got here.”  She looked at AJ with pleading eyes.

     “Yeah, well, it’s late, and I’ve got a lot to do tomorrow,” he said.  AJ began to get up from the couch again.

     “Well, you could always sleep here,” Chrissy said with a hint of expectance in her voice.  AJ looked at her with a shocked expression.

     “Excuse me?”

 Chrissy looked down in embarrassment.  “Sorry, my mouth getting ahead of my brain again.  It’s that whole forward thing again,” she said.  Chrissy edged over to a spot on her couch and kind of curled her legs up under herself after she kicked her shoes off.

     “Well, maybe I can stay a little while longer,” AJ muttered.  He sat back down on the couch and began to twiddle his thumbs as he tried to think of something to say.  He sighed loudly.

     “So,” he said with a shrug as Chrissy’s head shot up to look him in the eyes.  “Are you from around here?”

     “No, I’m originally from Michigan, but I moved down here when I was like seventeen,” Chrissy said.  She began biting her lip again.

     “Are you from here?” she asked.

     “Yeah, I’ve lived here all my life,” AJ said.  They both stared at each other for a few seconds and once again, conversation was stalled.  Chrissy began looking around her apartment and tried to think of something to say.  She sneezed again.

     “Bless you,” AJ said.

     “Thanks…again,” she said with a smile.

     “You got allergies?  AJ asked.

     “I didn’t think I did, maybe I’ve just got a lot of dust floating around,” Chrissy said with a shrug as she nervously began surveying her apartment once again.  AJ saw something in Chrissy’s eyes that looked sad.  Her green eyes were clouded over and showed a hint of embarrassment in them.

     “So, why’d you move to Orlando?” he asked trying to break the silence.  Chrissy looked at him with a stunned expression.

     “Umm, family stuff,” she said.

     “One of your parents get a job out here or somethin’?” he asked.  Chrissy looked at him with pleading eyes.

     “Ummm, not really.  Anyway, my family and I don’t get along, so let’s change the subject, okay?” she begged.  AJ nodded.  He looked at Chrissy and just wondered about her.

     “How old are you anyway?” he asked.  Chrissy looked down at her hands and noticed her rough skin and chapped fingers.

     “I’m twenty three,” she said quietly.  AJ didn’t think she looked twenty three at all.  Not that she looked old, but she looked older than that.  Her hands looked lifetimes older.

     “How old are you?” she asked.

     “Twenty two.”  Chrissy nodded.  He certainly doesn’t look twenty two.  Damn, she thought.  She smiled at him and he smiled back.  Chrissy scooted closer to AJ on the couch.

      “You know, for twenty two, I think you’re kinda cute,” she said.

     “Thanks!” he said happily.  AJ smiled at  Chrissy and she smiled back.  Their eyes locked on each other and they kept their stare for a few seconds longer than they should have.  Chrissy got as close to AJ on the couch as she possibly could.  She could feel his breath on her face.  She stared at his facial hair, which was neatly sculpted and designed with intricate care.  Chrissy reached out and traced his mustache with her index finger. It tickled AJ a little, so he smiled.

     “Find something interesting?” he said with a cocked eyebrow.

     “I like this little design,” Chrissy said.  She kept on running her finger over his mustache and then moved down to his chin and felt the hairs there. She ran her fingers down his skinny sideburns and back over to his mustache again.  AJ was enjoying this attention Chrissy was giving him.

     “I’m glad you approve,” he said.  Just then, Chrissy reached up and kissed him softly.  Her lips were pressed against AJ’s and his heart began to pound.  He pressed his lips on Chrissy for a second and then broke away suddenly.

     “What?” Chrissy asked.  AJ stared at her with a look of guilt washing over his face.

     “I, uhh…I gotta go,” he said as he jumped up off the couch.

     “Wait!”

     “I’m sure I’ll see you around,” he mumbled.

     “AJ! Wait!” Chrissy ran to the door and jumped in front of him.  “You can’t leave yet, the night’s just beginning,” she said with a look of hope in her eyes.  AJ stood stone faced in front of her.

     “Chrissy, I really gotta go.”  He stood there and waited for her to move out of his way.  They both stood their ground for what seemed like an eternity.

     “Fine,” Chrissy sighed as she moved out of AJ’s way.

     “See ya around.” AJ said as he walked out of the apartment.

Chrissy watched him walk to his car through her window.  She bit her lip as she saw him get inside his car.  What is wrong with you Chris? Don’t do it again.  Don’t scare another one away, she thought to herself.  She watched AJ’s car pull away as she muttered to herself, “Yeah, I hope I do see you around Alex.”

 AJ sat at the stoplight lost in thought.  What the hell just happened? he thought.  He sat there thinking until someone behind him honked their horn.  He was shaken out of his thoughts and pulled through the intersection.  She’s definitely beautiful, that’s for sure, he thought.  He continued to drive lost in the thoughts of Chrissy and her straightforward approach. Definitely not afraid, and that’s a plus.  He pulled up to his driveway and sat in his car a little longer.  AJ sighed loudly.  “Snap out of it McLean.  It’s too soon, and you are definitely not ready,” he said.  He nodded at his own statement and then got out of his car.  AJ shuffled up to his door and paused again thinking about Chrissy.  He smiled at the thought of her and opened his door.  AJ walked directly to his room and threw himself on the bed.  He fell asleep with all of his clothes on and dreamt dreams full of someone he missed so much it made him cry in his sleep.  Tears fell from his eyes as he dreamt of a raven haired beauty with her arms wrapped around his lanky body.  Even in his dreams, her touch could always make him shiver.