He was a good conversationalist and easy on the eyes too: a combination hard to find these days. He was tall, had brilliant blue eyes and a messy mop of blonde hair along with a jaw-line that could slice through…well, anything. Moreover, they shared the same taste in music, books and movies too. It all seemed like the perfect coincidence. Maybe coming to the party wasn't a bad idea after all. She made a note to herself to thank her best friend later who had dragged her along, ignoring all her protests. She begrudgingly admitted to herself that it was actually quite pleasant. Plus, it took her mind off other things and everyone knew how much she needed that. It was an exquisite night with stars twinkling overhead and a perfect crescent-shaped moon. Smiling to herself, she took another sip of her c***tail and zoned in to the conversation again.
"You're a beautiful, beautiful woman, you know?" he was saying as they held hands casually, "We should stay in touch after tonight too. They don't make many of your kind anymore."
"I guess that's the fun part then, don't you think so?" she smiled back flirtatiously.
"It sure is." he muttered, giving her a once over approvingly, “I’m already pretty much smitten by you, damn it.”
The two stared at each other for a few moments as the muffled music from the party inside somehow died down further. Both of them were drunk, single and had the same thing on their minds.
Slowly, he inched forward, aiming for her lips. She reciprocated hesitantly, her mind slightly fazed. Inebriated thoughts clouded her head. As the two got closer, their breaths softly clashing, she shut her eyes involuntarily.
Suddenly, her heart stopped for a second as sepia-colored images flashed in front of her, taking her to the cafe where she had had her first kiss a month back, give or take a few days. She remembered the deserted corner. She remembered the smell of coffee beans wafting all around her. She remembered him-the supposed love of her life who was now making fresh promises of forever to some other girl. She remembered how their lips had collided in that moment of wild, passionate lust. And then the scene rudely changed. She saw his furious eyes as he cursed her for being a 'prude'. His words echoed inside her head, bouncing off the walls of her skull. She had never wanted to be the heartbroken girl whose boyfriend had dumped her because she refused to have sex with him. That was one label she never wanted to have and yet, here she was, drinking away her sorrow and about to kiss a stranger she probably wouldn’t ever see again.
She couldn't take it. Her eyes popped open as she jerked her head away. The thought of intimacy made her sick. What if she wasn't good enough? What if he left her later? The pain would be fatal. The kiss wasn't worth it, even under the influence of alcohol. She wasn’t strong enough to face rejection once again.
"Why can't you just trust me?" he complained, offended, as she breathed heavily.
A bitter smile adorned her face. Once bitten, forever shy.