Inlayed Romance

Chapter 1

Alicia

I clicked my car doors open on my handheld keypad and heard the noise as they all simultaneously opened. I threw open the driver's door and sat down so hard I rocked my mid-size car. I slammed the door shut and pressed the button to lock myself in. Thankfully, where I had parked on the street no lights permeated the dark space I inhabited. I looked around wildly making sure no one was around my car and then let my tears loose.

I sobbed in a loud and messy way. My fingers curled in my hair creating snarls in my beachy waves hairdo I had created earlier. When I was a kid, I had sobbed in pain and anguish when I broke my wrist. This was worse. It was worse than when Jimmy in 5th grade stuck his gum into my thick hair on a dare and the kids laughed as I freaked out.

My hands were clenched in fists and I beat them on my pudgy stomach. No, not pudgy. Fat. My fat stomach. I hit myself over and over. At first I didn't feel anything. Then I finally felt some pain from the contact. I knew I was leaving bruises on myself. I didn't care. I could control that pain.

Soon I moved my hands down and began punching myself in my thick thighs. I worked from where my legs creased to my knees and back up again. The pain was more concentrated there. I knew I'd really feel it in the morning. I thought of reaching into my pocket and using my little pocket knife to slice my skin open, but I didn't.

The pain was like releasing air from an overinflated tire. It was good. On my body, it felt wholesome. It was sharp whereas inside it was like a whirling tornado of emotions.

I looked in my rearview mirror. Thank God for waterproof mascara and gel eyeliner that stayed put. My eyes still looked pretty despite being red from crying. Well, my concealer was creased a bit from the moisture, so I smoothed it out. My hair was a mess. I tried to smooth my hands down it, but with the amount of texturizing spray it didn't cooperate.

Breathing heavy, I stuck my key in the ignition and turned on my car. It whirred to life and sat quietly idling for me. Some things I can always count on. Men, not so much.

I had tried another date tonight that went horribly wrong. We had seen each other at the parking garage a block from work on Tuesday morning. I worked in IT at a large corporation and he worked as an accountant in the same building. We met for coffee on the mornings of Wednesday and Thursday in the cafeteria and then for lunch later on Thursday at a sandwich shop a short walk away.

I thought we had a lot in common. We both enjoyed conspiracy stuff like stargates and UFOs, and the more mundane things like onion rings and succulent gardening. I thought he was really cute in a boyish way, too. He asked me out to dinner and I agreed. Since I was working late on a project I had to drive myself. I met him at Antonio's, a well known Italian restaurant, where he was waiting at the bar.

It was super busy tonight, so I had to be careful when weaving myself through the people already sitting. The tables were pushed so close together that it was difficult not to bang into a woman's purse hanging off the back of the chair or a man's wayward elbow. I apologized as I moved my large frame through the room towards my date.

"Hi, Kevin, sorry I'm late. The project took longer than expected," I said over the loud acoustics of other patrons talking.

Kevin swung his head at me with a beer in his hand and gave me a half smile. "S'okay, Alicia." Uh oh. He must've been downing beers for a while because my name came out as "Leesha".

I hung my purse from the hook under the bar and heaved myself up on the bar stool. I was short enough that my toes could barely touch the brass bar that Kevin rested his feet on.

"Have you been here awhile?" I asked Kevin as I motioned to the bartender.

"Yup." He took another drink of his beer. He was a skinny guy. Not one I would normally find attractive, but he had a nice smile and I liked that we got along. I figured, if anything, we could become decent friends who grabbed a beer now and again. I didn't have any romantic aspirations towards Kevin at the moment.

"Yes, ma'am?" I looked at the bartender as he sidled up in front of me.

"I'd like a water and a white Russian, please."

"Sure thing." He walked away as I played with the coasters he had laid out in front of me.

"Are we eating here at the bar or waiting for a table inside?"

"What?" Kevin looked sideways at me.

"I said, are we eating here at the bar?" I raised my voice and leaned in closer to his ear.

"Yeah."

I was dismayed. All one word answers were never a good sign. The bartender sat my drinks in front of me and took the twenty I had laid out for him. "Go ahead and keep it," I told him.

"Thanks!" He smiled and I noticed his front tooth had a diagonal chip in it.

"You're welcome." I replied. I rarely went out, so leaving a large tip wasn't going to hurt my wallet.

"Well, hey, Alicia," Kevin swiveled in his chair. His tall glass of beer had been refilled and sloshed over the rim a little onto my skirt. "Oh, sorry 'bout that."

"No worries." I patted at the wet spot with a cocktail napkin. The napkin had a Dita Von Teese character in a martini glass holding onto a giant olive like a beachball. I liked the design.

"The thing is," Kevin burped quietly and hissed the air out through his teeth. I smelled the beer and wrinkled my nose. "The thing is that I'm not here to meet you."

Come again? I looked at him. I didn't know what to say at that moment, so I grabbed my white russian and took a couple long sips through the small straw.

I cleared my throat. Kevin had turned back around to the bar and remained steadily drinking.

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

"I'm not here, uhm, it's a bet."

I didn't get it at first then it sank in. He took a bet to get me here? Was that right?

"Kevin."

He didn't look at me. I was growing pissed off, so I took my ice cold water and dumped it on his lap.

He yelped and jumped. His beer spilled.

"Go fuck yourself." I said loud enough for people around us to hear and stomped out.

Once I stepped outside, I began sprinting for my car. Soon as the doors shut my hot tears came.

Chapter 2

Alicia

When I was 23, I was finishing up a project in the computer lab at my university. I had been crushing hard on a guy in my Systems Development class I had every Monday morning. I would go to class for three hours, then spend the rest of the day in the lab working on stuff for my other classes. Monday was the only day I didn't have to go to work.

He was a sandy blonde guy with dark brown eyes, like doe eyes. He was super cute in a geeky, young man sort of way including a faint dusting of facial hair on his upper lip. I sat two rows behind him. He never paid attention to me until one day at the computer lab he plopped in the seat next to me. I jumped because I had been listening to my Echoes of Bluemars music podcast and was completely zoned out to what was around me as I wrote a paper for my Philosophy class.

I ripped the earbuds from my ears and looked at him. "What do you want?"

Surprised at my tone of voice, he shrugged and mumbled, "Sorry." He turned to the computer in front of him and logged in.

I frowned at myself, but I ignored him as I put my earbuds back in. I didn't have time to entertain anything more than a crush. I was too intent on graduating with my double Master's in IT and Finance.

I felt a light tapping on my shoulder and noticed it was the crush object.

I removed my earbuds and he said, "Sorry about bothering you earlier. I wanted to know if you needed a break and wanted coffee or something."

I smiled and said, "Sure. I've been at this long enough."

I wrapped things up before logging off. I grabbed my messenger bag and purse. He let me walk ahead of him then we walked side by side once we were outside on the wide sidewalk. It meandered through a small wooded area where other students were studying on the cement benches and tables provided.

We made small talk and I found out his name was Camden. He just started at Franklin University as a transfer student. I was surprised to learn this. "You transferred in the middle of the semester. What happened?"

"My family moved and I wasn't able to stay and finish the semester. Dad pulled some strings and managed to get everything switched over mid-semester and here I am." He smiled. I had a weird preoccupation with teeth because my dad was a dental surgeon, and noticed his canines were more yellow than his front teeth. I lightly ran my tongue over my teeth when he wasn't looking to make sure I couldn't feel anything stuck in them.

We made it to the small coffee shop and ice cream parlor that was a popular spot with students and teachers. Thankfully, it was Monday evening, so it wasn't very busy. We sat down with fresh coffee in our hands.

"I'm sorry to have bothered you in the lab." Camden said as he held onto his dark roast coffee sans sugar and cream.

"Oh, it was no bother." I sipped my hot chocolate. "I was really into what I was writing and you surprised the hell out of me." I laughed politely. "I'm trying to finish up my semester with good grades and I've only got two more months to go 'til graduation. I'm sorry for coming off as incredibly rude."

"You don't look old enough to be a senior." Camden took another sip of his coffee.

"No, I'm not a senior. I started college part time when I was in highschool then doubled up classes. I'm in the Master's program, so I'll graduate with my Master's degree soon as the semester is over."

Camden's jaw hit the ground. "So, you're, like, really smart." It was more of a statement than a question.

I gave him a lopsided grin. "I am, thanks, but I knew what I wanted to do and went for it. I got a load of scholarships, so I never actually had to get a job to pay for incendiaries until this semester." I took a small sip of my hot chocolate and held it on my tongue to help cool it down before swallowing.

"Are you intimidated?" I asked Camden.

He set his drink down and looked me straight in the eye. "Nope. I wanted to talk to you for a while. I want to know if you wanted to go check out The Dollheads on Friday at The Reptile Lounge with me."

"What the hell are The Dollheads?" I asked. My taste in music was eclectic, but I didn't keep up at all on local musicians.

He smiled and laughed. "They're an experimental band, so they play anything from rock 'n roll to American standards and weird mixes of music Like a fusion band."

I took another sip of my hot chocolate and licked my lips before asking, "What time does it start?"

"They usually bring live music on at 10. I'll be right back." He stepped up to the counter and took his phone from his pocket. He typed on the keypad then paid for a biscotti. He split it in half and offered it to me.

"No, thank you. I'm doing bad enough with the hot chocolate." I smiled.

"Are you on a diet or something?" He asked as he crunched the biscotti.

"No, but I calorie count. I found that it helps me from overeating and I use a program to count my steps, too, so I can burn off anything extra. It helps me get healthier." I was very matter-of-fact about it. I knew I was a big girl, but keeping track of what I stuck in my mouth was good for me. Then I was less apt to overeat like I used to in high school.

He sat back and looked at me. I couldn't quite tell what he was thinking. Then he asked, "Can I get your number to text you? Then we can work out details about Friday."

"Sure." We exchanged numbers and said our goodbyes. We texted on and off through the week. Because of my work schedule I was going to have to drive downtown to the club to meet him.

I had brought a change of clothes with me to work and my makeup bag. Cherri, pronounced like Sherri rather than the fruit, teased me a little when she came into the ladies bathroom. "Ooh, Alicia, lookin' so fine for your date tonight." She pursed her lips at me in the mirror and laughed. I proceeded to line my eyes with my black gel liner and added the cute wings at the corners as I grinned at her teasing.

I had my dad's eyes. They were crystalline blue and I had a nice set of thick eyelashes that were long. Sometimes they looked fake when I put on the lash lengthening mascara. I leaned over the sink which meant my stomach was sitting on the vanity like it was a shelf. I finished the final touches by adding some lipstick called "Gash". It was a really nice dark Gothic red that made my white teeth even whiter. I liked how my makeup looked. I looked like a big fluffy, marshmallowy, as my friend Lydia said, Gothic girl. I had put on my black maxi skirt with a red velvet top and left my hair down.

Cherri was coming out of the stall to wash her hands when she asked, "Where is your date, girl?"

"I'm meeting Camden at The Reptile Lounge on 4th Street." I used my fingernail to help separate my lashes and keep them from clumping.

Drying her hands Cherri looked at me with her hip perched on the counter. "You look really pretty. You wear Gothic well." She patted my shoulder as she walked out. "I hope you two have a lot of fun tonight."

"Thanks, Cherri! I'll see you on Tuesday."

"Yes ma'am," I heard as the door swung closed.

I found a parking spot about three blocks away. Given the neighborhood and time of night I held my military grade mace in my hand, and kept my other hand up holding my purse strap on my shoulder.

My feet vibrated with thumping music and I smelled cigarette and pot smoke before I turned the corner to where the club was located. It was a local dive for the mostly twentysomething crowd and often featured local bands and some stand up comics. I spotted Camden standing with a group of people and shouted, "Hey, Camden," while waving my hand.

He turned and looked startled, then smiled. The two women on his left both turned too. They were incredibly skinny and beautiful, but wore too much makeup. Their facial contouring makeup was visible and their blush looked like thick streaks from an '80s music video. "Hi," I said to them and the group as I walked up.

Camden leaned down and pecked my cheek. "Glad you made it. We were just about to head inside."

"I couldn't find a parking spot, so I had to park down near the arena." I put my mace back into my purse.

"No prob, babe. Let me introduce you real quick."

He pointed to the two overly made up women and said, "This is Sharice and Jen. They're here with Keith and Kyle, no relation despite their names and looking alike." I looked at the two men and saw how they could've been brothers.

"That's pretty uncanny," I said to them and smiled.

They smiled back and nodded then walked inside with their girlfriends.

Camden pointed to a guy standing off to the side by the telephone pole who was on his phone. "That's Hunter. He's always on his phone lately, so don't take it personally. Hey," Camden shouted to Hunter. "We're headed in."

Hunter turned towards us and my breath caught in my throat. He was a husky man with a belly and a nicely trimmed beard. He wore wire rimmed glasses and was wearing a zippered Slayer jacket. I smiled at him and lifted my hand in a slight wave.

His mouth stopped moving and he stared at me. I wasn't entirely confident in myself and my weight, but I was feeling good tonight and let myself believe he was staring at me because I was so gorgeous. A goddamn gorgeous Goth chick, I thought to myself as Camden led me inside the Reptile Lounge.

My ears were assaulted with the most insane music I've ever heard. It was like a mash up between hip hop, electronica, classical, and opera. It was weird and not entirely pleasant. This was the experimental music of The Dollheads I figured. I bought a bottle of water and stood off the side of the dance floor sipping it. Camden and his friends, minus Hunter, were head banging and going on like a mosh pit with each other. I was a young lady, but their behavior and this music made me feel like an old schoolmarm who should've been home knitting.

Someone touched my elbow and when I turned around I saw Hunter. He leaned down and shouted, "Do you want to go outside and talk?"

"Yes!" I yelled and frantically began walking to the front door.

We stepped out into the cool night air. I took a deep breath and exhaled letting my breath curl up in opaque tendrils. I stepped to the side away from the door and sat on a bench covered in band stickers. Hunter sat next to me. "I'm glad you're here," he said. "I don't like this crap music and you looked like you were going to be sick from that noise, too. Gives me someone to hang out with."

I laughed. "Yeah, it sucked. I, uh, guess I'm too old for this stuff or something."

I took a sip of water and watched Hunter out of the corner of my eye. He was reaching into his jacket pocket and palmed his phone. He slipped it into his pants pocket then shrugged off his jacket. He laid it over my shoulders and said, "I noticed you shivering."

"Thank you, Hunter. That's really nice of you." I smiled at him and he beamed at me.

He patted his stomach and said, ""I've got some decent insulation, so I'm all good." He laughed. "Women usually feel the cold more than we do."

I think he was trying to explain his excuse for handing me his jacket despite my large size. "It's okay. I know I'm a big girl, but my shirt is pretty thin for the weather. I was planning on it being really hot inside."

"Yeah." He nodded.

I heard his phone ring.

"Is that a Bocelli ringtone?"

"Yeah. I really like him." Hunter hit the button and the phone stopped ringing.

"If you need to take it, please feel free. I'm going to head home here in a bit anyway. I'm kind of hoping Camden comes out, so I don't have to go back in to say goodbye. I'm not really feelin' it here or with him."

"Nah, it's okay. My sister just broke up with her boyfriend when she moved here last week, so she doesn't have any friends yet. I'm the only friend she has and she probably wants me to pick her up drinks and pizza."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear about the break up. But being new in town, too, doesn't help. If you want, I can kind of be a friend for a little while. I'm moving after I graduate though."

Hunter shook his head. "She'll figure it out. Where are you moving?"

"I'm planning to go to Nashville and work for the Mikkelson Firm. I've been interning there for the last two years, so I'm a virtual shoe-in."

"Johan Mikkleson, right?" Hunter asked.

"Yeah. He started it."

"Interesting," he mumbled.

The Mikkelson Firm was a large conglomerate of international financiers and they handled cryptocurrencies only. I was interning in Finance and Accounting working on securing their customers data, and had made that my secondary degree with Information Technology.

"What's up?" I asked him. He sounded so strange.

"Nothing." He stood up quickly like he was nervous when the door to the club opened. I stood up next to him and finally took a good look. I had a crush on Camden, but Hunter, whew...I took a deep breath. I liked him a lot. More than Camden.

He had a nicely trimmed beard that I noticed was strawberry blonde. His hair was lighter than his beard, but more blonde than red. It was hard to tell out under the streetlights that cast amber on everything. He was taller than my dad, so probably around six feet tall. I liked him in his glasses. The wire frames caught the reflection of the cars driving past. He was easy to talk to. He smelled really good, too. Like how a man is supposed to smell of woods, spice, and manliness.

I looked down at the ground and noticed he was wearing those pull on leather work boots with his jeans. I smiled as I looked up at him. He looked at me and smiled back.

"What?" he asked.

"I like how you look. Your style."