We had met online two weeks ago. It wasn't an obvious match, but she had swiped right and so I swiped back thinking what the hell.
Her name was Cassie. She was a quiet and quirky academic. She could be a little awkward but it wasn't off-putting. Indeed, her awkwardness was like she was playing at it, creating a persona. But it was a persona I was learning to like. I figured she might turn out to be one of those cuddler girlfriends, physical but not freaky. She was fun and she made me look forward to seeing her. She was really pretty, about 5' 6", red hair, thin but with a bust that grabbed your eyes because of how it contrasted with her petite frame. She wore huge nerdy glasses, and her attire was not provocative but still sexy. She left you with that feeling there was something super-secret-sexy under that veneer. Given our last date, which was our third, that secret-sexy feeling emanated in no small part from a wild 10 minutes of alcohol-fueled kissing in a city park, a session she had abruptly ended with her slapping me playfully across the face, calling me a bad boy and walking off without ever looking back. But she texted me shortly thereafter, so I knew she was still interested.
We had kept texting and now it was our fourth date. We had plans for a show in a small club, to hear music I liked. About an hour before we were to meet, Cassie texted. "Change of plans? Drinks at my place instead?" Curious, but interesting. I texted back and agreed. Five minutes later, she texted, "Maybe tonight we really get to know each other? xoxoxo" You can guess what I hoped that meant. Five minutes later, another text. "Don't be late. Not even one minute." I texted back, "Don't worry! LOL" Keep it light, I thought. "Great!" she responded, and a moment later added, "But I'm serious, don't be late."
I found Cassie's apartment building. It was on the third floor of an 19th-Century clunker in Salem. The city with witches and history and who cares. Cassie buzzed me in. I ascended to her door, which was at the point of a small landing on the top floor. There was loud music on the first floor and I could hear a TV when I passed the second. At the top, I knocked. In response, my phone buzzed with a text. It was Cassie. "You're on time. Good."
Um, ok, but whatever right? I knocked again.
Buzz. "Time for quick decisions," she said. "If you want to leave, no worries, just go home. If you stay, be quick and decisive."
She had not seemed like the kind of girl who liked to play games, but then again what did I know about girls really? She was pretty, she could kiss, and she was inviting me to her place for drinks. Pretty simple formula. "I'm in," I texted back.
My phone buzzed. "Good. I'm going to open the door and step outside. You must not move. I mean be still like a statue. Except your lips."
Weird, but fascinating. "OK," I replied.
The door opened, and there she was. She was wearing a short black shirt, a black tank top and heels. "Hey babe," I said. I wouldn't say she looked slutty, not exactly, but let's just say her outfit gave me a lot of hope for the rest of the night.