The city went dark and an hour later, I was finally blindly dipping my key into the lock of my apartment. Light flooded into the pitch-black hallway and I stepped into the hot, thick air that I knew would be waiting for me, flinging off the delicate flip-flops that had amazingly managed to get me home. It felt as though I had walked the entire length of Manhattan and I could feel the beads of sweat gliding down my back and between my breasts.
I rummaged through my cabinets for some candles and a lighter and placed them around the apartment. The candles filled my studio with an amber glow and I regretted that there was no one else with me to appreciate the atmosphere. I dropped onto the couch and stared at the blank television screen. It was barely 5:30 and I didn't have a clue what to do with myself.
After a few minutes of considering my options – listening to a CD on my Discman or masturbating furiously or both at once – I was interrupted by a low knock on the door. I was caught off guard and actually a bit nervous.
"Um... who is it?" I called from halfway across the room.
"Oh, um, Daniel." And then, after a short pause, realizing I didn't have a clue who he was, "I live next door to you."
"Oh," I said a bit confused and a little relieved.
I quickly ran my fingers through my hair to make sure I didn't look like a complete mess, straightened out my tank top, pulled up the strap that had drooped off of my shoulder, and tugged on my denim mini-skirt to make sure it wasn't revealing any more than it was supposed to.
I undid the locks and waiting in the shadowy hallway was a familiar face that I could finally put a name to. I'd seen him a few times entering and leaving the building, but I hadn't even realized he actually lived here, let alone right next door. I assumed he must have a girlfriend who lived in the building. Why I assumed that I don't know since I'd never seen him with a woman. I guess I just assumed he was too adorable to be single and I didn't see him often enough to lead me to believe he lived here. What I could barely see now in the dark hallway I recalled from seeing him before in the light – his mop of dark brown waves, his warm green eyes, his thin, well-toned body, and the way his ass looked in a pair of jeans.
"Hi," I managed to spit out. I now wished I'd spent a little more time on my appearance before opening the door.
"Hi, um, sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if you happened to have an extra C battery lying around. I need one more for my flashlight." He held up the flashlight and the one battery he did have as evidence.
I was disappointed that he had come here for something so mundane as a battery and despite the fact that I knew I did not have a single battery, C or otherwise, lurking in my apartment, I told him that I might and invited him in. I rummaged though some drawers in an attempt to convince him that I actually believed there was a chance I'd discover one. After three drawers, I figured it was safe to give up the search.
"Nope, sorry," I said with an apologetic look.
"That's ok, I'll..."
And before he could finish his sentence, I added, "But I can lend you a few candles." Anything to postpone his departure.
"Oh no, that's ok. I've got a few of my own. But thanks. I really wanted a flashlight. Even with the few candles it's still pretty dark and it's kind of creepy sitting in there all by myself."
I wanted to kiss him right then and there.
"You could hang out here and keep me company." I couldn't believe the words actually came out of my mouth. I would have never been able to say such a thing in any other circumstance. I guessed that the blackout had blacked out my inhibitions as well.
I bit my lip waiting for his response.
"Really?" he asked. I detected a bit of excitement in his voice, like a little boy being offered a trip to the zoo.
"Yeah sure. I was thinking the same thing. About it being creepy and all, being here by myself." Was he actually going to agree to hang out in a complete strangers apartment? What were we going to talk about? What if he turned out to be completely boring? I could end up sitting in a puddle of sweat suffocated by an overwhelmingly uncomfortable silence with this guy who I knew nothing about.
"Um ok... yeah. Sure. I'll stay." He smiled.
Still a bit paralyzed by the awkwardness of the situation, he just stood there not knowing what to do. I reached past him to close the door and my arm accidentally (or maybe not entirely accidentally) brushed against his. "Sorry," I mumbled and pushed a stray lock of hair back behind my ear.
I went back to the couch and sat down. He followed and, after a few uncomfortable minutes of silence, we both looked up at each other and smiled, acknowledging the awkwardness in the air. He asked me how long I'd lived here. I mentioned that I'd seen him before a few times, but I didn't know he lived here. He commented on how strange it was not to know your neighbors even though you practically lived on top of one another. I complained about how thin the walls were and how you could hear almost everything. He laughed and told me about his neighbor on the other side who he always hears having sex.
"He makes the funniest grunting noises. And they're so loud! He woke me up once." Daniel smiled shyly, hoping he hadn't made a conversational faux pas in bringing up someone's loud sexual escapades with someone he just met.
I laughed and smiled back to let him know I wasn't the type to take offense over something like that.