Page 30 of Breathless Recruiter

“I bet,” he said. I’m pretty sure I heard him mumble, “Lucky bastard,” under his breath.

Somebody bumped into me from behind. I hissed as something poked me in the leg. Zaster refused to let go, rocking back and forth as if we were dancing.

“Oh, sorry,” came a gruff voice.

Zaster let go, and I could see a biker from outside standing behind me. He barely came up to my chest, but his shoulders were almost as wide as mine. Outside, I had assumed they were looking for a fight. Consider me surprised when he held up his hands, profusely apologizing. He tipped his head with a slight salute as he continued on to the bar.

“What a nice man.”

Zaster shook his head. “You’re none too bright, are you?”

Before I could answer, he walked past me and toward the door. I had listened to Arthur talk about his dates with Ricardo. They’d go out for dinner or attend dance parties. In the break room, he’d share stories, and each time, his face lit up. Hethought it went unnoticed, but I could hear the glee in his voice. I wanted that feeling of giddiness. Instead, I stood in a bar in Southland, deflated and wondering why anybody would subject themselves to this.

“I want to go home.” Myrealhome.

I stood in front of my apartment building. While I could have flown from the bar and made it home in under a minute, I needed time to process my horrible night out with Zaster. He had made me feel different, less than. The thought always existed, just beneath the surface, but never had somebody forced it to the surface.

I thought about calling Earth Mom. She’d have said something supportive, trying to wash away the stain he left. I loved her. She took me in when I had nobody, but I had discovered loving mothers didn’t always understand. On a planet filled with people, I was unlike anybody else. She’d claim that was my greatest gift. Right now, it left me feeling small.

I looked into the sky, past the street lamp and the buildings. They were barely visible, but somewhere amongst the twinkling lights stood home. Millions of miles separated me and a sense of belonging.

“Ahh!” I hopped into the air, fist drawn back, ready to attack. I let out a calming breath as I realized my attacker was nothing more than a vibrating phone in my pocket.

Unknown: Is he as arrogant as I imagined?

I stared at the text, trying to figure out who had gotten my number. While I might not know the texter, there was only one person in my life who personified arrogance.

Wyatt: Totally. Who is this?

Unknown: Save a guy’s life and he forgets who you are. ;)

Adding the winking emoji said everything I needed. One symbol and the icky feeling washed away like the skies unleashed a cleansing rain. The sadness retreated, sinking beneath the surface as I tried to think of something funny to write back.

Wyatt: I needed saving tonight.

Dustin: The night isn’t over.

I turned about, sitting on the steps. Going inside and drowning myself in Fudgy bars no longer seemed necessary. With a few text messages, Dustin had already taken an awful night and turned it around. What if I saw him in person? Would that make it even better?

Wyatt: What did you have in mind?

Dustin: Candy store is closed. Want to join me on the boardwalk?

A quick glance back and forth confirmed nobody had eyes on me. I shot straight up, flying above the buildings. I fumbled with my phone, almost forgetting to reply.

Wyatt: Nearby. Meet you at the fountain.

I picked up speed, zipping past buildings. After the gross exchange with Zaster, I wanted to end on an uplifting note. Dustin might be the only thing sweeter than chocolate. I flew fast enough that I came close to breaking the sound barrier. I skid to a stop, dropping downward to the fountain.

There he stood, hands in his pockets, pacing back and forth. I set down behind a tree, so I could watch my handsome security guard. He wore a brown leather jacket that hugged his body. If he ever wanted to redesign Discord’s suit, I’d vote for leather.

I jogged toward the fountain, toward redemption. I didn’t want Dustin to shoulder the responsibility for my well-being, but I needed a sign. Just as I could make out the splashing water, he waved at me. As I got closer, he threw an arm around my shoulders, patting me on the back. Adult men had a particular way of expressing intimacy with quick touches. Dustin lingered.

“You weren’t kidding.”

His cologne had hints of vanilla that tickled my nose. “Kidding?”

“That you were nearby. You must have flown here.”

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