Page 1 of Spark

Chapter One

Mia's phone dinged, the unfamiliar chime sound alerting her to a new notification. Groggily, her fingers stretched towards the phone, snatching it off the charging stand. Her hands, lazy with sleep, fumbled to hold it as she pulled it close to her open eye. Sighing, she placed the device back on her nightstand. It was useless to try and make sense of anything without her glasses.

With another forceful exhale, Mia lifted her head to peer at the window. Her eyes protested the sudden light beginning to brighten outside. Stretching, her body twisted on the queen bed until the blankets fell to the floor. Her back arched as she sat up, and her knuckles cracked as she raised her interlocked fingers above her head. Running a hand over her face, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes before brushing back her long hair.

A yawn slipped from her full lips as she debated getting up. It was a day off from both school and work, which was a rare occurrence, but she had schoolwork to finish. Her post graduate degree was so close to being completed; she couldn't slack off now. Plus, she had put off plenty of chores the last couple of days in favor of a long soak in her tub with a beer… or four. Regretfully, Mia reopened her eyes to see light filtering into her apartment from the rising sun.

Her phone dinged again to re-announce the unread notification. Mia's eyes rolled back as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed, allowing her bare toes to touch the cold floor. Her simple T-shirt and underwear were not much in the cold morning, and her nipples hardened against the thin fabric. Another yawn slipped out as she pushed off the bed.

She reached for her glasses on the nightstand and placed the simple black frames on her face. The world instantly became sharper. As Mia bent over to pick up her fallen blanket, she picked up her phone and swiped open the notification. Her interest was immediately piqued by the chipper font.

“NEW MATCH!”

The app she had downloaded the previous night after a couple of lonely drinks had found her a compatible suitor. Mia let out a little laugh at herself and the cheeriness of the notification as she looked at the match in question. A large, muscular man stared at her through the screen with a smiling face. Mia started to get lost for a moment as she was immediately drawn into his mahogany eyes. The color was like no other she had ever seen, flecks of gold spread across a deep brown. They seemed to shine through the photo, glinting with a hint of mischief. His black hair was clipped short on the sides, leaving the top long enough to fall across his forehead.

Her hands were frozen as she stared at the man in the photo. Had she swiped right on him, too? Is that how this worked? Was he staring at a photo of her now as well? What photo had she even used?

Before she could spiral, she sighed and looked up. She was unsure whether she wanted to start a conversation at that moment, in her PJs, with morning breath and a hunger in her belly. Without looking at him again, Mia clicked the lock screenbutton, and the phone went black. Giving her head a shake, she decided to give her mind and body a minute to fully wake up. She needed a clear head to decide how to proceed with matters in dating.

Her little loft wasn't much, but it was enough for her. Living in California was expensive, and it's what she could afford without having roommates. But now, in her later 20’s, having a roommate felt a little juvenile. The space was decently sized, and the front door was a large barn-style that slid open. Mia loved the uniqueness of it; she used the inside of the door like a vision board, covering it in photos of places she wanted to see, things she wanted to own, and things that reminded her of her family. She often stopped to look at it before leaving the loft, reminding herself of what she was working so hard for.

Mia walked to the island that separated the small, open kitchen from the living area. The surface was covered in books and half-written papers, including her dissertation. The lengthy essay was coming along, and the psychology degree she was pursuing was closer than ever. Only a few more months and she would finally be graduating for the last time.

Her living room, separated from her bedroom space by only a sheer curtain, consisted of a couch and a chair. The other side of the kitchen was the only closed room, the bathroom. Considering the overall size of the loft itself, it was larger than one would imagine. Mia found it to be worth the price she paid, especially with the installment of the full, claw-foot tub she had found on Craigslist. She even had a decent-sized shower and a vanity, cluttered with makeup and hair things, next to the sink. The beautiful bathtub was her true happy space; a bubble bath at the end of a long shift or day full of classes was everything. It made her feel safe, comfortable, and relaxed, like all her troubles just melted away down the drain.

Mia's hand grazed the bathroom's cool brass knob as she rethought having her phone with her. She turned and retrieved it, swiping the screen awake again. The app was still open. She paused, standing in her living room as she gazed at the picture again. She tapped the man's profile. He really was very handsome in a rugged, muscular way. He was obviously a biker based on the helmet under his arm and the black leather jacket he was sporting. Mia's eyes roamed the photo, spotting tattoos on his neck that disappeared beneath the simple onyx T-shirt he wore. Her gaze caught on that smile again, and her own smile stretched across her face. She sighed, moving her finger across the screen, but instead of closing the app as intended, she swiped right, matching them. Her smile fell as the screen flashed a bright font that screamed, “MATCHED!”

“What? Shit,” Mia muttered, realizing what she had done. She had not swiped on him after all; he had swiped on her. Her head fell back, eyes closed as she breathed in deep.

“Well, no choice now, I guess.” She clicked the phone off once more, setting it on the vanity.

Mia forced herself to look away. It was early; maybe the guy was still sleeping and wouldn't message for a while. Forcing herself through her morning routine, she used the toilet, washed her heart-shaped face, brushed her teeth, and critically eyed her reflection as she looked for any imperfections she could focus on. The same soft ding from earlier made her heart pound in her chest.

“Calm down, Mia,” she scolded with toothpaste foam clinging to her lips. She closed her eyes and breathed, willing her heart rate to slow. “It's been a while, but it's just a conversation.” Her dark brown eyes were wide as she gave herself the pep talk. “Okay, here we go.” Standing upright to her full five and a half feet, she steadied her nerves before turning the phone back on.

“New Message.” She clicked open the app.

She surveyed his profile quickly as her feet carried her to the living room. “Aurelio? Seriously?” Rolling her eyes, a smile pulled at her lips as she plopped down on the simple black couch, feet tucked under her.

Aurelio:Hey. I knew you would swipe right!

Mia smirked. He was a little overconfident, huh? Well, she would see about that. Before typing a reply, she read his full profile under the photo she had ogled.

Aurelio Valen

Twenty-seven, Scorpio

Destiny is ours to choose; no one can control your fate.

If you swipe right, buckle up. I don't know any speed other than fast.

She let out a little scoff at his message before typing a response.

Mia:What if it was an accident?

Aurelio:Well, here we are either way.

Mia:So…

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