Page 17 of Zen's Crash

Me: I get that you’re hesitant to meet a total stranger. I just get lonely sometimes and decided to try meeting up with some of the people I know online. You’re in Cali, right? Maybe we’re neighbors?

ChaosCrone: How do you know where I live?

Shit. I don’t want to blow it already. If a message could sound defensive, then hers did, one hundred percent.

Me: You mentioned it once, after the storm. Remember?

ChaosCrone: Right. I see where you’re going with this. I’m not sure I’m ready to meet up in person with anyone. It’s not you. It’s me. I just need to think about the safety aspect.

Me: I get that. It’s just something to think about. There’s a whole big wide world out there beyond what exists online. I don’t see any reason to keep our lives so compartmentalized that we can’t have casual friendships with the people we socialize with online.

In the end, she still didn’t budge. My invitation went nowhere. Maybe I came on too strong? She mentioned several times that I’d never flirted with her before and the first time I flirt with her, I ask her to meet up with me. This probably feels like some kind of booty call on her end.

The bottom line is I blew it and probably won’t be given another chance. Angry with myself, I get lost in World of Wonders for the rest of the evening.

Chapter 7

Lexi

The next day, I’m sitting at Cindy’s house while she curls her sister’s hair and telling them about my weird-ass conversation with Architect. “You know I intentionally use the handle ChaosCrone to make guys think I’m too old to bother with online and it usually works really well. This guy just came out of left field and wouldn’t let up.”

“That is weird, maybe he’s just socially awkward?” Cindy responds.

“Oh, I think we can bet the farm on him being socially awkward. Here’s the thing, from the way he went about it, I got the feeling that he wasn’t really into me. It felt like some kind of hard sell to meet up with me and steal my kidneys or something.”

Cindy bursts out laughing.

Kayla jerks in her seat. “Ow, watch what you’re doing with the curling iron. You just burned my scalp.”

“Sorry, baby girl,” Cindy says as she unwinds her hair.

Glancing at me, she asks incredulously, “Are you seriously trying to convince me that the only reason an internet friend might want to meet up with you in real life is to steal your organs?”

I nod, “The whole conversation was just weird. He also knew I was in California, he said I’d told him before. And maybe Idid? But it all seems a bit strange. I’ll send you screenshots. Trust me, you have to see it to believe it.”

Kayla interjects, “Forget about the creepy online person and tell me what you think of Zen.”

I try not to act as excited as I actually am to be seeing him tonight. “Zen seems really nice. I’m not really in a position to have a relationship right now so don’t think you’re setting me up. I’m just going to be your wingman, like last time.”

“Thank God,” Kayla responds. “Having a friend come along is cool. Having your older sister is embarrassing.”

Cindy looks down at her younger sister indulgently. “Yeah, I get that. I’m not trying to pry into your personal life or anything like that. My goal is to support you in ways that are helpful without crossing your boundaries.”

Kayla rolls her eyes, “I can tell you’re going to college to be a psychologist. You talk like a therapist.”

I think to myself that Kayla would know all about what therapists sound like since she’s been in therapy for most of her life. I don’t say it though, because that would be all kinds of inappropriate.

Truth be told, I love my friends but I’m kind of eager to get to the clubhouse and see Zen. Thankfully, Kayla is just as eager to see Evan and rushes us out the door the minute her hair is finished.

***

When we walk into the clubhouse, Evan is shooting pool in one of the side rooms and Zen is sitting at a nearby table,drinking a beer. The bar area is dimly lit, and the jukebox is playing country music in the background. This is a really nice place, clean, private, and everybody leaves me alone. Everyone but Zen that is.

He glances up from his drink to meet my eyes when I walk up. “You look amazing tonight,” he murmurs warmly.

“You look like trouble wrapped in leather.”

He chuckles. “You got that right, gorgeous.”

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