Saturday morning, I woke up earlier than I'd planned. I tried to get back to sleep, but my mind was too occupied with thoughts of what I needed to do to get ready for my trip to Javier's. And of what might happen when I got there.
I got up and spent some time doing housework before I settled in at my computer with a cup of coffee. I would wait to shower and shave until just before I left; that way I'd be fresh and clean. Mostly clean, anyway, since the drive would take over three hours. But it would be worth it to see Javier again. It had only been a week since the night we'd met at a party thrown by some friends from an adult chat site we belonged to, but it felt like longer than that since I'd seen him. And it felt like I'd known him far longer.
Once my computer started up, I went to a driving directions site to find out how to get to Javier's. Given my history of getting lost every time I left the state I lived in, I figured I'd better have very good directions. I wasn't too worried about finding his apartment building once I got to the western Massachusetts city where he lived; I'd be able to call him for directions then. It was just a matter of finding my way to that city.
I compared two map sites and chose the directions that seemed most logical to me. The ones that didn't say it would take me four hours to make a trip that by my math should take only three. The other directions were slightly more encouraging, giving me a three and a half hour travel time, which I knew I could cut shorter. The directions were straightforward; even I should be able to get to Javier's with no problem.
I printed the directions, then went to the chat room. There wasn't much point in doing anything else; my mind was racing far too fast to concentrate. In just a few hours, I'd see Javier again. Feel his arms around me again. The night we'd met had been completely intense; our connection had been immediate and strong, and I'd said and done things I'd never imagined saying or doing. I'd come home the day after the party amazed that Javier had even been interested in me. But for whatever reason, he had been, and we'd spoken off and on all week. And he'd invited me to visit him.
In the chat room, several people were discussing that night's proposed bowling trip. My friend Hannah had organized it, and Javier and I were planning to go. "(((Curiosity)))," Hannah typed as soon as I got into the room. "Are you and Truetouch coming tonight?"
"We'll be there," I replied.
"Good, I can't wait to see you guys!"
"Are Curiosity and Truetouch a couple?" someone typed.
"I think they are," typed my friend Deirdre, who was also in the room. She was one of many who'd seen Javier and me at the party the week before.
"No, we're not," I typed. "Just going on a date tonight."
"Hey, Curiosity?" another friend typed.
"What?"
"Told ya so."
I laughed. The week before, in the several days leading up to the party, I'd said repeatedly that I was just going to see friends and have fun, and that I wouldn't meet any guys. Not any that would be interested in me, anyway. Past experience had given me good reason to think that, but Javier had proven me wrong. Some of my friends had told me before the party that they were sure I would meet someone, and now apparently they had to remind me that they'd been right. "Yes, you told me," I typed.
"Curiosity, bowling starts at eight," Hannah typed. "Some of us are meeting at my house and driving over together, because most people know where I live and the bowling alley's a little harder to find. You and Truetouch can meet us here if you want."
"Thanks, I'll tell him. I've never been to your house, though. Has he?"
"No, he hasn't. I have his IM. I'll send him my address so you guys can find the place."
"Okay."
As if on cue, an instant message from Javier popped up. "Good morning, Adrienne."
"Good morning," I replied.
"Are you ready for your trip?"
"Yes. I'm in the chat room right now; Hannah just said bowling starts at eight and people are meeting at her house first."
"Yes, she just IMed me to tell me that. I'll look up how to get to her house after I'm done talking to you. You should shoot for getting to my house around five, then. We'll have to leave before seven to get to Hannah's, and I want to have some time with you before we go."
"I want that too," I typed.
"Are you going to wear that dress you had on last week?"
"Hardly. I don't think that would be good for bowling."
"You wouldn't want to bend over in it?"
"I don't think anyone else would want me to."
"Stop that. You're putting yourself down again. I don't like that."
"Sorry." It was second nature for me to insult myself. I'd done it all my life, echoing the insults I'd gotten from other people. But if it bothered Javier that much, I would try not to do it, at least when I was talking to him.
"It's okay. Just don't say things like that."
"I did look good in that dress," I typed, trying to counteract the put-down. I still wasn't sure I really had looked good in the black spaghetti-strap minidress I'd worn to the party, but obviously I'd looked good enough to attract Javier's attention. Which was saying something, given how gorgeous he was.
"Yes, you did. You looked incredible in it. And out of it."
I blushed, thankful that he couldn't see my reaction. "Thank you," I typed.
"You're welcome. But you don't think you should wear it bowling, huh?"
"No, I think I'll stick with shorts, thanks."
My name flowing past in the chat room text caught my eye, and I went back to that window to see who was saying what. I smiled when I saw Towguy7's handle. I'd met him the night I'd met Javier, at exactly the same moment in fact, and I'd liked him instantly. The male half of one of the couples that belonged to the chat group, he was humorous and friendly, and had provided a calm counterpoint to the nervousness I'd felt at meeting Javier. "Curiosity, what are you up to today?" he asked.
"Are you in chat?" Javier asked on IM.
"Yes," I typed to him. "Towguy just came in."
"I'll go in, then. Maybe there you'll pay attention to me. LOL."
"I wasn't ignoring you."
"I'm teasing."