Can You Stake My Heart

It wasn't that he was overly weird or anything. Truthfully, she really didn't know what it was, couldn't put her finger on what just didn't seem right about him. Scratch that. Everything seemed right about him. That was the problem.

He called her a few days after he showed up at her apartment, like he said he would, and they'd quickly made a habit of long phone conversations. She had eagerly awaited the night at the end of the week when they had made plans to "do something". He hadn't said what, just that he promised she'd have a good time. And she should dress warmly.

As she checked herself over in the mirror, she couldn't help but feel the anticipatory butterflies, that had lain dormant for so long, flapping their wings against her stomach, urging her to either vomit or scream with excitement. She couldn't believe how much she had worked herself up about this so-called "date". If that was even what it was.

She heard a knock at the door, and jumped a little, even though she knew he was coming. She looked back in the mirror one more time, nodding her head to herself in approval, and went to answer the door.

She opened it to see Gerard's childlike grin firmly in place. She smiled along with him.

"Hi," she said, a little shyly, waving a quick hand in the air. "Do you want to come in for a minute? I'm almost ready."

"Yeah, sure." He moved in through the door and sat down in the living room.

"I'll only be two seconds, I just have to find my coat and my bag."

Oh God, I hope I look okay...maybe I shouldn't have worn this shirt? Is it too plain? Should I have worn something a little more...

"Take your time. We're not in a hurry."

You look great
"What?" she called back towards the living room.

"Oh, nothing."

She grabbed her bag and jacket off of the back of her "dressing chair" as she liked to call it - the chair in her room that she dumped everything on at the end of the day - and walked into the kitchen for her keys.

"So where are we going anyway?" she called as she stuffed her keys into her purse, and struggled her arms through her jacket.

His answer came from right behind her, and she jumped a bit when he spoke. "Somewhere." He grabbed the back of her coat, holding it for her to get into properly.

"Care to be a bit more vague?" She teased as she buttoned up the front. "Thanks."

"No, I think I've been just vague enough." He smiled that contagious smile of his again, and she couldn't help but smile back. She slid her feet into her black Mary Janes, and motioned towards the door.

"Shall we?"

"Always after you." He let her go first, and then closed the door, locking it from behind.