She stared at him with her violet eyes. “Yeah, where are we going exactly?”

He took her hand and they began walking, “Finding you a temporary boyfriend.”

She looked behind her and saw that they kept getting further and further away from her car. “Um…mind telling me why we couldn’t take my car.”

He laughed, “You want guys to look at you, and they can’t when you’re hidden in the car.” Gerald went in front of her and stopped her from walking. Pedestrians cursing as they went around them. He put his fingers on the front of her blouse, and undid a couple of buttons.

“What the hell are you doing?!” She slapped his hands away from her and began doing the buttons.

Gerald chuckled and put his hands on hers to stop her, “Hey, can you please co-operate because I want to win this.” He pushed her hands away from the buttons and undid the one she did again. “Look, you can’t see anything; a little cleavage never hurt anyone,” except him. She was too beautiful for her own good.

Kim let out an exasperated sigh, and they continued walking along the sidewalk. “Okay, so do you want to expand on the knowledge you have on others, and explain the meaning of showing skin?”

“Oh Kimmy. Answer this question first, how long has it been since your last date.”

“I date!” She almost yelled.

“That’s great, congratulations, but that’s not my question. How long ago was your last one?” He repeated the question.

Kim kept silent trying to remember. She could remember her first date, it was in Junior High which ended up lasting for six months. She remembered perfectly, they went to a cheap fast food restaurant. She smiled at the distant memory, and then realized she kept him waiting for what seemed like a couple of minutes.

“That long ago, huh?” He asked.

“Can we skip that part and get to the temporary boyfriend part?” She asked when they stopped in front of a bar. “Here? This is where I’m supposed to meet him? You want to test your theories on some drunk alcoholic?”

He took her by the arm and smiled at her, “And what if I promise you I’ll protect you.” Kim pushed his arm away, “Oh come on! Where’s your sense of adventure? Have a little trust and just go take a chance.” He opened the door for her and she walked in.

“Wow, this place is classy,” she commented on the dark lighting and the smell of drunks and smoke surrounding them. “You know, I think I’m gonna suffer from second hand smoke after I leave this place?”

“Don’t you already from the smoke coming out of your ears?” That was his way of making a lame joke. “Okay, that was bad.”

Kim laughed, “That was pathetic, actually. Okay, so can we get this over with?” She took a seat at the bar and began scanning the room.

“Hey Carla,” Gerald said to the bartender.

Kim turned around and looked at the woman who was gorgeous. She had strawberry blonde hair and cheekbones of a goddess. Her lips were full of pink gloss and her eyes the colour of topaz. She smiled at Gerald, and sudden surge of jealousy hit her which made no sense because she wasn’t supposed to be feeling this way. Kim looked at Gerald and saw the huge grin on his face. She groaned in disgust. Of course he was smiling, I mean she had to be at least a D-cup, and that shirt was not keeping it a secret.

“What can I get you guys?” She said in her cheerleader voice.

“2 beers, sweetheart,” he addressed her with a wink.

“Coming right up,” she smiled wider.

Kim continued on scanning the room; she didn’t want to see him flirting with the bartender, meaning how cliché was that? She paused at one of the guys that immediately caught her gaze.

“Hell no,” Gerald spoke to her drinking from his cup.

She turned to him, “Excuse me.”

“He’s a suit!” He laughed, “No.”

“What’s wrong with a suit? It shows he’s responsible, smart; considering he did go to college. And he’s pretty cute.” She observed.

Gerald shook his head, “Are you saying that I’m not smart because I’m not wearing a suit?”

“I didn’t say that,” she defended herself. I’m just saying that since he’s wearing a suit, he must be really successful.”

“Oh, okay, so now I’m not successful?” Gerald offered smiling, knowing he was starting a fight out of nothing. But it was his way of letting her loosen up, make her even more beautiful others eyes, including his.

She rolled his, “You are very successful as a ladies man,” she smiled at him.

“Yeah yeah yeah,” he messed up her silky soft hair. It was amazing at how fast friends they became. “How about the guy at 6 o’clock?”

“Where?” She asked looking around.

“6 o’clock, by the window. He looks like a modern day hero.”

Kim looked over her shoulder. It wouldn’t have been her first choice, but he didn’t look too bad. She stared back at Gerald. “And what is he signalling out?”

“He’s been staring at you for awhile now. And he looks genuine enough. At least a possible candidate for your Prince Charming,” he said taking a big sip. “And apparently I’m right since he’s coming. Good luck, pretty girl.”

Kim her lips and stared at Gerald who went to talk to Carla on the other side of the bar. Nerves hit her in an instant. It’s been at least four years since she went on her last date, but like hell she was going to admit it to Gerald; so she was a little rusty. She was clenching onto the glass in front of her and tried to relax, but was failing tremendously.

The strange man took a seat on the one Gerald’s been sitting. “Hi,” his voice was hoarse like he was coming out of a cold. “How are ya?”

Kim turned to look at him. “Hi,” she smiled reluctantly. “Good, thanks. You?” She didn’t know what to say.

“I’m Kevin. Kevin Ramirez.”

She smiled and held out her hand, “Kim Chiu.” She didn’t turn her body to face him.

“Well, Kim Chiu. You are one beautiful woman. Is it too forward if I ask you out to dinner?”

She looked passed this Kevin and saw Gerald staring at her, but Carla was still talking to him. He winked at her and then put his attention back to the girl in front of him. Kim stared back at Kevin and realized that his facial features were soft and delicate, and he looked nice and chivalrous. “I’d love to.”

“Great. Um…here’s my number,” he went into his pocket and took out a card. “I really hope I hear from you.”

She nodded. “I’m sorry, but I have to go. It was really nice meeting you.” She put a bill on the bar, and got her purse and left.

Gerald wasn’t far behind her, “Wow, that was quick. You weren’t even inside for more than ten minutes and you got yourself date.”

She stopped and shook her head, “I’m not sure. Casual dating isn’t really my thing. I don’t want to hurt him, I don’t want to use him in this little game we’re playing.”

He pulled her inside an alley and pinned her against the brick wall with his hands on each side of her face. “Listen to me Kim, I’m not exactly your typical Prince Charming and I don’t believe in that crap, and I’m trying to make you believe that it doesn’t exist because in this short time that I’ve known you, I began to like you. And I don’t want to see people I like get hurt. This Kevin guy may prove me right, or you right…but we’re never going to know if you don’t take a chance.”

His face was nearly an inch away from hers and she smelt his cologne which was absolutely hypnotizing. His body was framing hers, and his presence was powerful, yet gentle at the same time, knowing that he wouldn’t hurt her. She’s been feeling this way ever since the night before when the actually met. She couldn’t believe it, it wasn’t even twenty-four hours, yet they were in such close proximity. She usually pushed guys away at this point, but everything in her was screaming not to.

Her breath came fast and heavy, and because they were so close, at every inhale, her chest was brushing against his, arousing every sense. He was used to girls throwing themselves at him, which was what Carla was doing. But no one has ever made his senses alive like this woman. He didn’t know her a full day, yet he wanted her. Something he inherited from a playboy lifestyle.

Yes, he knew everything women wanted, he more beyond experienced. But it was this girl he wanted to fulfill each and every desire. He wanted to make her see that there wasn’t such thing as a fairy tale ending, yet you could still enjoy in the meantime.

But then he wondered what on earth he was doing. He was pushing her to go out with another guy! He moved his arm away and allowed her to breathe, though he immediately missed the feeling of her s brushing up against his chest. “Look, I won’t force you to go out with him. But you’re never going to find out what’s really out there unless you do open your mind and let yourself go.”

She cleared and fixed her hair. “Um…do you wanna come over?” She asked, walking back where others could see them. “I just don’t feel like eating out, and I want to go home.”

Her voice was all scared, almost as if she wanted to leave and not be alone with him. But then he needed to rethink it because she was asking him to go to her place. And knowing him, he was not going to let her down. He smiled and they walked to her car.

“So what makes you believe that there are fairy tale endings?” He asked her while she was driving.

“What made you not?” She challenged him. It’s what they’ve been doing lately, challenging each other. Why stop now.

He smiled, liking at how she was different and not taking his crap. “I asked you first.”

Kim nodded, he did. “My parents were the ones who started it. Put it in my head. They had this epic love story, and when they passed away, I didn’t get to ask them what it felt like. So I made it my duty to figure it out myself. I know that it might be just a little girl’s fantasy, but there’s nothing wrong with fairy tales; everyone ends up happy, right?” She shrugged.

The smile on her face melted his heart. She was so beautiful, it should be illegal. “Well, my parents had the exact opposite relationship. I never knew my Mom, she walked out when I was little. And my Dad came home with a different girl every week, so I guess he taught me there’s no such thing as love at first sight. Look, I’m glad your parents taught you that there’s some things out there like that kind of love, but do you really think that they would’ve been together until now?”

She smiled once again, “You know what, Gerald. I know you don’t believe in it, and I’m sorry about your parents, but I have to say yes. My parents loved each other more than anything. And you may prove that you’re right; men want and women are looking into a hopeless fantasy, but I believe with everything within me that there’s something more out there. can only satisfy for so long, and at the end of the day, I know that you will be looking for someone who you can just sit down with and talk for hours laughing abut stupid things with. There’s such thing as fairy tale love, and no matter what you end up proving, that dream of mine isn’t going away.”

He admired her determination and loyalty. “So you’re in it for the date?” He asked breaking the serious tension.

She laughed, “Yeah, I guess I am in it for the date.”

They arrived to her condo and she led the way up to her penthouse. “Wow! Nice place you got here.” He looked around seeing her set up. Her walls were painted in dark red and everything in her living room was contemporary and modern. She had pictures hanging on the walls, each one looking professionally done, but one caught his eyes first. It was of Kim wrapping her arms around herself, and only a glimpse of her face was showing because her hair was shielding her face, but he could tell she was crying. He walked up to it and looked at the other two beside it. It seemed as if it was series of photographs. The first one was her reaching out into thin air, and her hands were closed as if she was trying to reach for something. The next was her wrapping her arms around herself, but she was looking into a direction like she was searching for something. And then the last, the one she was crying in.

The pictures made her look so vulnerable, so fragile, so sad. He wondered why she put them up in the first place.

Kim went up behind him, holding out a can of beer. “Inspired?” She whispered against his skin. He jerked away and almost bumped into her lamp in the corner of the room. She laughed, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” She took a seat on her snow white sofa.

“These pictures…they’re amazing. Photographer, I bet?”

“Yeah, um…my friend is actually a photographer. He took those photos of me a couple of years ago. It would’ve been my parents’ fortieth wedding anniversary.” She took a big gulp of beer. It was weird; she never spoke about her parents, only to her sister and brother. But now she was sharing it with a guy she met the night before.

He took a seat in front of her, “So what is their story?”

“They met at an art gallery back home in the Philippines. My mother was an artist, and my father owned this huge company. I remember them saying it was love at first sight. But my grandfather – dad’s father – didn’t approve. He told my Dad that if he chose my Mom, that’s the end of his career. My Mom told him to listen to his father, she figured family was the most important thing in life. It broke her heart, but she knew it was the right thing to do. Anyways, a week later, he went to her house and woke her up demanding her to run away with him; leave everything behind and just start anew. My Mom couldn’t leave behind her old life. But when her parents said that he wasn’t good enough for her; that no one without family was good enough, she figured it was their only chance to be together. He ended up buying their plane tickets, and they ran away that night. Can you believe it? Two weeks after meeting, they fell in love and got married. They were nineteen and twenty, yet they were so in love.”

That smile returned to her face and for a moment, he almost changed his mind on love. But then he didn’t.

“That was my favourite bedtime story. They passed away when I was fourteen, car accident, dead at the scene. Ever since, I knew that one day, I’d find that love and have my part in my own great love story.”

He nodded. He took the phone and handed it to her, “Call him up. Maybe this is your chance.”

She hesitated for a second, because if she knew her feelings correctly, she was already having the chance with him. One day, and already he knew more about her than anyone else. She could bet this is how it began with her parents.

But she took the phone anyway. Maybe by doing this, she could change his mind. But also, if she played along long enough, she’d have her chance to do it herself. Anyways, she knew she was going to see a lot of him in the future.

I’M NOT EXACTLY HAPPY WITH HIS CHAPTER, SO LOOK OUT FOR ANY REVISIONS. I’LL TRY REWRITING IT TOMORROW. ANYWAYS ENJOY!