The Secret Pt. 02

Jason got up, and with a yawn, stretched. He looked around at the clothes on the bed, the sofa, and the chairs in his messy little apartment. Then he went to the "kitchen" to refill his coffee. As he was pouring it, it occurred to him that the day was Friday.

"Weekend... I hate it!" he thought to himself.

Weekend meant work. Then again weekday meant study. It was one of the two boredoms. But Jason was mature enough to understand this by now, as well as the relaxing effect of hating something or someone. Once you hate you are prepared for the worst, so your day can get better from that point on.

And actually, his job could be quite amusing, like last week when two middle-aged women argued over a dog.

It started with one of them saying, "Excuse me, but I don't think it's appropriate to bring your dog into the supermarket. It could be unhygienic for others, don't you think?"

The other replied, "Well, my dog is well-behaved and on a leash. Besides, I've seen others bring pets here before. What's the harm?"

After that, the first lady blew up with all kinds of demeaning words. Jason smiled to himself thinking of the moment. Then his thoughts went back to his school and career.

He had another year to go with the online school, but what after that? Coders were not getting jobs as easily as before, with AI doing most of the work. His future was uncertain. To diffuse the tiresome thoughts he spent the rest of the evening surfing online.

He arrived at the supermarket next morning at 7 am. Molly, his manager was there. He liked her, she was a nice middle-aged lady on the plump side.

"Well hello there handsome," she said jokingly.

She did think him handsome but not in a flirty way. She was a responsible wife and manager. Although he was fairly new, a bit more than a year, she made him feel part of the team of senior cashiers.

He liked his team too. Mike, a middle-aged man, always made funny and sometimes sarcastic jokes.

"Ah here comes Sid the Science Kid," he said, like he had been in the last couple of months.

"Stop calling him that!" replied Rosa. "He is not Sid the Science Kid. He is Pee Wee Herman!"

She was one of those housewife-looking ladies from whom one would expect no mischief and whose words sounded innocent at first. But once one fully processed her words it was realized that she was the most sarcastic of them all.

"Pee Wee Herman, hahaha!" Mike burst into crude laughter. "Yeah, he does look like Pee Wee, hahaha."

Jason got embarrassed and a little upset. He felt politically weak toward these people, particularly Rosa. That's why he was careful not to make a mistake while she was watching, lest she rolled her eyes and shook her head at others to make them laugh at him.

Still, he didn't get mad because he knew he was there temporarily, while the others were stuck for life. They had the right to mess with him now and then.

Starter cash was retrieved from Molly, aprons were worn, counters wiped, and everything got ready for the opening. The first customer to walk in was a jogger in her 50s. Jason admired early joggers. Getting up early to run in the chill appeared so impossible to him.

Soon the traffic increased. Professionals going to work stopping for a coffee or bagel, parents picking up bread and eggs, and some retired couples coming in to get a dose of the morning hustle and bustle.

Jason liked working in this neighborhood. It was 20 mins from his apartment, yet housing was 4-5 times higher. Rich people seemed more relaxed and less irritable. Made sense. Growing up in a lower-middle-class neighborhood, he had to deal with gangs, thrash, stink, etc. Life was better without those.

Also, the women here were classy. They were fit and confident, eloquent, and composed. They did not flirt but they were friendly. He could sense when a woman found him attractive, but never did any of them openly flirt. He respected their nobility and never ventured beyond his professional demeanor.

Yet, in her presence, he found himself unable to conceal his excitement. A stunning blonde, approximately 22 years old, graced his world with an athletic physique. Her long, straight hair cascaded like a golden waterfall, framing a face that embodied perfection - a testament to the artistry of creation. A beautiful smile, capable of brightening even the darkest days, adorned her features. A small chin, bearing the gift of happiness, complemented her rosy cheeks reminiscent of delicate rose petals. But it was her celestial eyes that truly mesmerized, inviting those brave enough to delve into their depths. The positive energy emanating from her gaze had the power to make one tremble in its presence.

Her name was Sarah and she was a sophomore in business school. They had talked five times but he had noticed her before she had used his register. He was cordial at first but she kept on asking him personal questions, like if he liked that kind of cheese or not. Then they started chatting about this and that. She asked him about his hobbies, what days he was off, what music he liked etc. Every time she was on her way out he felt the urge to glance at her gorgeous figure, round buttocks, shapely legs, and fine ankles. She was a masterpiece.

The current day was busier than usual, perhaps because next week was Valentine's. Pink balloons, red and gold chocolate boxes, colorful flowers, and candy bags adorned the main aisle and proximity of the registers. Upcoming spring was in the air. People were unaware of the subtle joy they displayed, which could easily be noted by psychoanalysts.

Suddenly, Jason felt his surroundings brighten, and senseless excitement took hold of him. He had sensed her presence. He looked right and left at both entrances, but did not catch a glimpse of her. Then he saw, for just a split second, the back of a white jacket and white tennis shoes with silver decorations. He immediately knew it was her and that she would eventually line up at his register with that warming, most beautiful smile on her lovely face.

He waited anxiously for ten minutes. He almost counted every second and was so absent-minded made a mistake when checking out an old man's items, drawing the standard sarcastic joke "Were you out of coffee in the morning?"

Finally, she came, but she did not stand in his line. Instead, she lined up at Mike's. Jason was watching but she was not looking at him. He was sure she saw him. And his line was shorter than Mike's. He frowned. How could she be so cold? Had he done or said something wrong?

But as she was looking away from him she started grinning. He raised one brow, sensing some prank, and sure enough five seconds later she turned to him with a laugh. He flushed red. She changed her lane to his. "You thought I was ignoring you, right?" she said with that joyful laugh of hers which made him mesmerized.

She waited until her turn came up to ask, "What's up?"

Ever since the rise of the "woke" culture, pretty girls from rich families showed a special interest in "lower-class" boys. The ones that hung out with "G-style kids" were considered the coolest. Jason was not G-material, not even close. He was highly educated and although he sucked at high-class hobbies, like golf or instrument, he was fond of reading and was highly cultured. Still, he at times consciously wondered why Sarah was so into him. It seemed like Sarah was looking for some adventure or novelty that she assumed Jason could provide. In the end, it did not matter. They enjoyed each other's company, and that was it.

"No balloons for next week?" asked Jason.

"Nope, I am waiting for someone to buy for me," she replied with an implicating blink.

They chatted about the weather and weekend plans etc. but their eyes were talking in parallel. Finally, their verbal and non-verbal conversations intersected with Sarah's question, "Have you ever been to the laser tag place at Westgate?"

"No, I have not. Is it fun?" asked Jason.

"Ohh you have no idea," replied Sarah. "Let's go there sometime. Is Friday good for you?"

After Jason affirmed and they set up a time to meet. This was going to be his first date in years and he hadn't done much in previous ones. He saw pink bubbles in the air as he watched Sarah walk out.

"Hey Romeo," he heard someone say.

He turned around and saw Molly grinning sarcastically at him. "Time to wake up," she said and nodded to the line, which Jason realized was now full of disgruntled customers.

Came Friday. Jason ran his hand on the wall to find the edge. There was none. A light flashed above. Then he saw he was halfway in the hallway; an easy target. He needed to get out of there. Then he remembered what the host said. That flash meant that the door he had just passed was now unlocked. He turned back. Just then he saw two red beams. Oh no, they were coming! He made it just in time through the door. Now it was a pitch-black chamber. There could be others hiding here. "Jason," he heard someone whisper.

"Sarah, is that you?"

"Yes, I have been hiding. There is a slide we can take to a lower level. Let's go," she whispered back.

After another 44 minutes, they were at the main gate, panting and soaked. The lights at the exit were slowly lit to have their eyes adjust. "You don't hate me do you?" asked Sarah.

"I hate you!" responded Jason jokingly.

"Don't hate the playa hate da game," laughed Sarah still out of breath.

"No, it was fun," said Jason. "Although I was really hurt when you hit me from the back."

"Come on it is not even real laser," said Sarah, apparently thinking of Star Wars lasers.

They gate opened and they walked into the lobby with several others. There was a screen with scores. "Yayyy I'm first place!" rejoiced Sarah.

"Congrats champion."

The laser tag store was in an outdoor shopping mall. They went out after getting their score cards. Sarah wanted to have a coffee. While they had sweated inside outside was around 65 Fahrenheit. Not bad for a late March midday but chilly for being in damp clothes. They decided to steam off at Starbucks.

After getting the coffee they sat around a small coffee table. Sarah looked relieved. Her cheeks had flushed and become shiny. She looked even more beautiful now. She closed her eyes for a moment and then opened one to peek at Jason staring at her. She smiled. "Do I look too messy?" she asked.

"Messy and pretty," Jason replied.

Sarah smiled for a moment but as if to avoid further cringe she said, "Ohh my legs are aching. It was quite a workout too."

Then she said something that stunned Jason, "Do you mind if I took off my shoes and put my feet on the table?"

Jason blushed. "Eerrrr, naw not at all," he stuttered.

Sarah gracefully leaned forward, untied her shoes, then ungracefully leaned back to kick them off one by one and proceeded to place her white-socked slender feet onto the mahogany coffee table. Her socks were visibly damp. Jason even fancied catching a glimpse of the steam rising from them. He didn't know what to say and just stared at them.

"Ohh feels much better," said Sarah in a sultry voice.

When Jason looked up to face her she was looking at him with provocative eyes. Sarah was arousing some thoughts and feelings Jason had been suppressing. He tried to stifle the thoughts but feelings cannot be kept. His face betrayed everything. He was trembling a little.

"I hope you don't mind they stink a bit," said Sarah in a low voice, adding insult to the injury.

Like hypnotized Jason shook his head slowly. After a moment of blanking out he caught himself trying to identify some smells from the air. Then, as if to wake him up from this dream, Sarah said, "Well, I need to go back in a few minutes. My mom wants me to be on time for dinner."

She hastily put her shoes back on, which relieved Jason. They said farewell and left. Eight days passed and Jason didn't see or hear from Sarah. He was worried he messed up. However, she did finally show up. "Sorry, it was my midterms. I think I told you," she said.

"Oh right, I forgot," Jason replied.

Sarah was amused with his silliness. She could tell he was worried.

"Well, guess what, my mom would like to invite you to dinner.

"Oh wow, err, when?" replied Jason nervously.

"How about Thursday?"

"Ohh, okay."

Thursday came. At 4:45pm Jason looked at the phone and looked at the house. It was a mansion by his standard. "Really? This one?" he said to himself.

The house was of Spanish Revival style and had a semi-circle driveway that could fit two cars side to side. There was a white Cadillac Escalade parked in front of the round entrance, which looked like the lobby of resort hotels. The driveway was surrounded with tropical plants, a banana tree, three short palm trees, an orange tree, roses, lupines, poppies, sunflowers, and was decorated with beautiful cobblestone pavers.

All this luxury made Jason uneasy. He felt out of place coming out of his black Honda civic. He timidly approached the door. He probably would have liked to escape back home and listen to Creep while getting stoned. But there was no return. This had to happen. He cleared his throat and rang the bell.

He heard some talking and then approaching footsteps. The door was unlocked and the knob was turned as Jason was anxiously waiting to face the mom. The door swang inside and there appeared Sarah and her gorgeous mom who could have easily passed as her sister. She had a big smile on her face and was full of energy.

"Well hello there Jason! You are even more handsome than I thought!"

Jason blushed and thanked her. She was about same height and athletic as Sarah. She had to be around 50 years old but looked much younger, in her 30s. Still, her attitude was visibly more mature and outspoken. This made Jason both more relaxed and nervous.

They went inside. The house was majestically decorated with crystal vases, mirrors, and elegant sofas inside the spacious living room with a high ceiling and three levels. Sliding glass doors surrounded the living room and looked out to luscious green gardens.

There were three groups of sofa, the center one under a skylight. Jason could imagine a high society party thrown here. There were various trees in pots scattered around the living room. Near the back sliding door he caught a glimpse of a hot tub.

The overall luxury was impressive as well as intimidating. What made Jason relax was Sarah's mother's welcoming attitude.

"Silly me, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Lindsey," said the mom, stopping and turning towards Jason two feet away.

"Nice to meet you. I am Jason," replied Jason jokingly. They giggled together.

"Have a seat. Be comfortable. Don't worry, we are not going to interrogate you," said Lindsey.

Sarah was watching these interactions with an awkward smile and unusual quietness.

They sat at the closest sofa circle centered by a large coffee table with a glass center, each on one of the white, elegant, and smooth sofas. Lindsey sat at the edge of hers to be close to Jason.

"So, what do you do in your free time? Do you do any sports?" asked Lindsey.

Lindsey was wearing an orange blouse, blue jeans, and beige Eloise sandals. Her style reminded Jason of his beautiful aunt. She always wore those since Jason was very small. That gave him mixed feelings.

"I used to play basketball but unfortunately I don't get a chance any more." replied Jason, slightly upset because the question felt like that of an interrogation.

"Ahh I see," said Lindsey trying to sound empathetic. "I tell you what, we should all go golfing some time."

Jason blushed, "I never golfed before," he said sheepishly.

"Don't worry, it's easy; we will teach you," replied Lindsey waving her hand in the air and blinking at Sarah.

Sarah was, to Jason's confusion and quite in contrast with her usual sporty style, in a very girly dress with knee-high skirts along with blue shoes. She had the vibe of Dorothy from Wizard of Oz if any one for Jason, so much so that he preferred to ignore her and was happy that she didn't seem to care in that whatever state she was in.

The conversation went banal as such, mostly because Jason was not very talkative, although Lindsey apparently was. Sarah barely said anything, perhaps not to overwhelm Jason. For a few minutes Lindsey got up to get coffee for them and Jason praised their home to Sarah. There was a curious demeanor with her. She was acting as though they had just met but her eyes were telling him it is all just a game.

Lindsey came back with the coffees and sat in the same place with the mug in her hand and crossed her legs. Now her right foot was maybe 3 feet away from Jason and her Eloise sandal was dangling carelessly supported from her beautiful toes.

Lindsey's attitude was different after she brought the coffee. She had a condescending manner and was less polite. This alarmed Jason and made him think that he lost her favor, and was jeopardizing his relationship with Sarah. His uneasiness bordered panic.

Lindsey continued conversing, asking about his job and studies. Jason replied with as much enthusiasm as he could muster but came out as pretentious. Nevertheless Lindsey didn't seem to bother, and still made jokes, albeit with more sarcasm. Sarah, on the other hand, didn't change her attitude at all. Jason tried to comfort himself with the possibility that this way how Lindsey was once she warmed up and it wasn't that she was irritated by him.

However, there was something else that was getting into Jason's nerves, which he couldn't put a finger on. Of course, being in the presence of two gorgeous blondes in their luxury house was intimidating already, but in addition to these there was some physical stimulation that kept bugging him. What could it be?

A moment after he realized that the stimulation was not of visual or tactile nature but olfactory! There was a scent, a pungent one akin to aged cheese such as parmesan, that kept distracting him. Was it from the kitchen? But he felt that the source was much closer. He didn't look around not to give away his disturbance, so he couldn't tell the exact direction. The scent, however, made him so giddy that he became absent minded and stuttered.

"Are you okay?" asked Lindsey.

"Ahh yes I am fine, thank you. Just maybe the caffeine made me a bit dizzy."

"Oh you don't have to drink it all. We love coffee so we drink a lot. I would have brought decaf for you if I knew it."

"Oh no no it was very good, just maybe half was enough," Jason said placing the quarter-full mug on the coffee table.

"So what are your plans after school?" Lindsey asked with an implicating smile.

"Umm well I hope to get in a corporate and move my way up. I want to work on AI," replied Jason.

"Ohh AI! That is cool!" replied Lindsey and she took a sip of her coffee. She was now dangling her sandal with big swings.

Then Jason realized another thing that was distracting him: the pinkish hue of Lindsey's soles. He had an immense impulse to take a look at them. Then it clicked to him that the source of the cheesy smell was in fact her foot. That was the last drop that made him take the risk of taking a quick peek.

Her foot was slender like Sarah's and around size 6. Her skin was smooth like rose petals, her heel was round like an apple, and her toes looked more delicious than the best dessert in the world, cream color on top and pinkish at the bottom. Jason was terrorized by her foot's beauty and moved his eyes away from it as soon as he could but it was too late.

Lindsey had not even blinked and had the same smile as a second ago but then she asked, "Is there something that is bothering you?"

"No no everything is great! Thank you," replied Jason, becoming crimson and starting to perspire.

Lindsey didn't reply for a minute but continued to dangle her shoe. The scent that reached Jason's nose became more intense. He tried to maintain a good posture but his face was twitching.