Atlas!

I typed into my laptop. In a spilt second I was welcomed with a reply.

Amber! Good news? I'm guessing.

I couldn't help but smile as I typed in the next words.

I am now officially employed as a nurse at Lenox Hill.

I watched in anticipation waiting for his next words to come up.

Manhattan is over twelve miles away from Brooklyn. Not to mention to get to that hospital would be another three. Overall, an hour and a quarter long drive.

The fact that he knew where I lived struck me for a moment.  For a second, I had almost forgotten that I told him where I resided...

So? I replied.

So and I quote "I despise long rides on public transportation".  How are you supposed to get there, Butterfly?

I couldn't help but smile at his nickname for me. You tell someone once that you spent your childhood running from butterflies and they never let it go.

Why don't you drive me?

This time it took several moments before he could reply. Ugh. Why did you say that? Are you seriously going to be the first one to get clingy?

I sat back on my grey comforted divan in my mundane apartment that accompanied a hard wood floor. There wasn't a bedroom just a step higher to where my double bed was placed. To the right was a bathroom that housed a shower and any other necessities. Below the step of my supposed bedroom was my sitting room. It housed a grey sofa along with a decent sized television and a grey shag rug. Lastly, the dark marble countered kitchen stood beside the living area. It was small but it was what I could afford and I made it liveable.

I know what you're saying right now. Shut up woman! Tell us who Atlas is!

Well, Atlas is a guy that I've been dating online for the past month. Cue gasps. I know that serial killers, psychopaths and just creeps practically live on online dating sites. Nevertheless, I was desperate. At 22 I was the only one of my friends at work that wasn't in a relationship. It wasn't even like I wanted one either. I was fine with doing the same thing I've done for a year: taking care of my patients. It was constant and safe, nothing could shatter that. This was literally  forced upon. So, I went for something that didn't call for commitment.

A month later here I am, Amber Falls, giggling and smiling for a guy who could look like the end of the Brooklyn subway for all I knew.

His profile picture could be of some random Greek god appearing model, with his dark wavy luscious locks that he had swept out of his amazing face,  that was highlighted with cheekbones that could cut diamonds, along with his icy cerulean eyes. As if that wasn't enough he had a devilish leer on his cerease lips. It was if he was sinfully delicious. It should've been illegal to look at someone so satisfactory. At least I got to look at that picture every time I was talking to this so called Atlas. While on the topic the man in the picture did look somewhat familiar...

Nonetheless, he made me laugh. He listened and he was just someone who I loved to kill time with.

I popped in a piece of strawberry gum to combat my slowly increasing anxiety. I'm addicted. At long last a reply came in.

Seems like someone wants to see me?

Before I could reply another message hit the screen of my laptop.

Because the feeling is mutual.

My heart skipped a beat and at the same time I wanted to puke. 

Are you asking me out, Atlas?

I think I am, Amber.

Before long there was a place followed by a time. Both picked by him. He was free for next Saturday at 8 P.M sharp. Thankfully, I was free as well. I only had half days of work on Saturday.

It was Sunday night. Almost a week before I came face to face with the man I've been communicating with. We were going to meet at Louie's, a cozy Italian bistro in the upper Brooklyn district that had pizza so good that you would kill for it. Atlas's words not mine. Nevertheless, I was a sucker for Pizza.

It was odd that I had never heard of the place since I practically lived on Italian food. What was stranger was how he knew about it since he lived on the upper east side. Probably a lie. I laughed somewhat nervously to myself.

Butterflies began fluttering so frantically in my stomach that I thought I wasn't going to be able to sleep that night. Seems like the nickname works in more ways than one.

Nevertheless, it seemed that the butterflies weren't only nervous but were scared.

_|_

Saturday came before I could catch it. Working from 8 to 6 from Monday to Friday and half of Saturday kept me busy. I rummaged through the metallic clothing rack that held my clothes. I pulled out a white three quarter sleeve chiffon dress, a long sleeve black dress with a ballerina like bottom with a laced bodice and an open back sleeveless red dress. I looked down at them sprawled out on the bed.

Atlas did say he likes red. But, then that would be trying too hard. Ugh...are they too slutty? What if he thinks I'm slutty?  What if he isn't hot?

The thought made me stop in my  slippers. Stop! I sat on the bed pulling the black dress up to my body. I looked to the full length mirror to my right. I did love black almost as much as I loved grey. But, it seems too formal. Maybe the three quarter would be better? I couldn't decide.

"Ugh!" I screamed infuriated, grabbing my dresses. I stood up walking to my door and out of my apartment to the dark egress across the hall. I started striking
on the door with the number 24 furiously.

"Dane! I need you! Nowwwww!" I banged and banged waiting for an answer. I had no time to lose. The date was in less than an hour.

"For the love of God, Amber!" I heard a familiar baritone voice shout from inside. The door swung inward revealing a 6 foot tall twenty three year old with wavy dark coffee hair that was almost at his shoulders. His skin was sun-kissed from all the summers he spent in LA. He always had a sexy smile on his pink lips. His eyes were light hazel and he had a body that made any girl swoon.

"Amber Falls." He growled out as he dried his wet hair. It seemed that he had been working out. His grey shirt stuck nicely to his chiseled chest and he was dressed in black sweats along with dark blue sneakers.

"Dane Black." I growled then smiled which he returned. "I need help." I said pushing past him and into his apartment. His was definitely larger than mine. It housed a spacious living room filled with dark leather furniture, a huge flat screen, a greatly sized kitchen with dark marble counters, and a door to the right led to his bedroom that was way larger than mine. Moreover, his bathroom had a shower and bath! A bath! I mean how was his apartment better than mine? He was a magazine photographer, must be that salary. I mean come on, I don't even have a bath and above that his water pressure is many times better than mine.

Anyhow, I'm getting ahead of myself. Dane was my best friend from NYU. He had majored in Photography and Imaging while mine was Nursing. He was originally from Rhode Island while I was from Georgia born and raised.  He somehow was single but only because he preferred to not settle down or anything near that until he was thirty and I couldn't blame him. Plus, he looked at super models all day. He worked for one of those magazines that had gorgeous woman sprawled out on every page . Cliche I know.

"What is it now?" He demanded shutting his door. I turned to him pulling off my shirt and sweats.
He didn't even blink. We had undressed so many times in front of each other that we could literally be married.

"Which one?" I inquired in exasperation as I pulled on the red, then white and then black.

"Black definitely." He answered giving me a one over.

"Are you sure?" I questioned spinning around. "With what shoes?"

"You're black combat boots with the..."

"...thick heels." I finished beaming. It was perfect. Dane Black was evidently one of the most fashionable straight guys I knew and let's just say that I didn't know many.

"Anything else?" He asked walking to his kitchen and preparing an energy smoothie that consisted of avocado, kale, apple, spinach, coconut water and mint leaves. I only knew because he had forced me to try it before. Let's just say one reason you will never see Dane in a white shirt is me. I gulped as he turned on the blender and the sickly green mixture filled the machine.

Here it goes. I whispered to myself. I didn't tell Dane about Atlas because I knew he would overreact. Nevertheless, he was my closest friend and he should know. Plus, if I go missing, he'll know why. Yeah I know, such a grim thought. 

"I'm...going out tonight..."

"What?" He asked over the blender. He turned off the device then poured it into a glass. "What?" He repeated taking a drink. I took in a deep breath.

"I am going out tonight with a guy I met...online." His eyes widened and he choked over his drink. The green mess went everywhere. He grabbed the towel from around his neck and wiped his mouth.

"What?" He practically screamed marching over to me. He grabbed my shoulders shaking them violently. "Are you insane? Do you have a death wish?"

"Stop exaggerating!" I growled with narrowed eyes.

"You are way too small for that. You weigh like 118 pounds. I could force myself onto you right now and you wouldn't be able to do anything!" His eyes were starting to get a bit glassy. I never knew he cared that greatly about me. 

"Dane..."

"Amber...you have no idea what goes on online these days. He could be a serial killer...."

"Dane..."

"He could be a psychopath who ends up torturing you and killing you and..."

"Dane!" I shouted stopping him. My eyes moved to the hardwood floor below us. "I'm lonely..." It was the honest truth. I didn't know how much I missed social interaction other than with my patients until I began talking to Atlas. His hazel eyes melted into hot chocolate.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He demanded lowering his hands from my arms. 

"You're so busy with your photography and your models that I didn't want to bother you..."

"Amber..." He ran his fingers through his dark hair then collapsed on his black leather chaise. I collapsed beside him. He pulled me on to his lap and positioned me so I was facing him.

"You should've told me..."

"So, what if I did? Would you go out with me?" I smiled at him. "Would you fulfill the sexual desire that I craved?" I dropped the tone of my voice lower. "The adventure I lusted for?" I whispered leaning into him. He leaned into my lips.

"You know what happens...when we have sex..." He whispered only a breath away.

The memories flashed through my mind. It was my sophomore year and his junior and we were both still virgins. We decided that having sex with your best friend was the best decision. So we had sex and then we did it again and again. So much so that we began to get addicted to having a partner to fulfill our darkest desires. We became Sex Partners, intertwined in a relationship that consisted only of sex. I know it isn't that bad. But, when the only reason you and your closest friend want to see each other is for sex then you have to stop.

Furthermore, we stopped but if we were ever in dire need of a sex buddy we would come to each other's aid. We've only had sex one other time and we couldn't bring ourselves to talk or look at each other for a month.

Yep, so there it is. I can't have sex with my bestfriend because...we get addicted.

I slid off his lap. Back to the task at hand, I continued.

"Dane...I really want to go out with this guy. What will it take for you to let me?" I puffed out my bottom lip and made my puppy dog face with pleading hands. He seemed to contemplate inwardly.

"You must tell me the restaurant, leave your GPS on so I can track you, keep your phone with you at all times, answer the phone when I call you every thirty minutes, don't go anywhere alone with him, be back in your apartment by 10 PM,  take your pepperspray and you CAN'T kiss him." He ended with. I remained silent going over his conditions. If I only knew that I was going to break a majority of them in one terrifying night.  

"Deal." I sighed at long last.

His eyes flashed with surprise that I agreed so quickly. Well, when you want something really badly, you take it anyway you can get it.

"Well, then go get'em girl." He grinned widely.

Half an hour later I was in a taxi heading to this Louie's. Luckily, the taxi driver knew the place. I was anxious and couldn't stop twiddling my thumbs. I popped in a piece of my strawberry blast chewing gum trying to ease the anxiety.

I stared at my trembling phone in my hands. It read 7:40.

What if he doesn't think I'm pretty? What if the dress is too much? What if he's a pyschopath?

I began to play with my ponytail. You're acting like a teenager. I scolded myself.

"Louie's aye?" The middle aged Italian man smiled in the rear view mirror. "It has the best pizza in Brooklyn."

"So I've heard." I grinned at the man. Fifteen minutes later the taxi stopped outside of a small bistro like restaurant. The outer side of the structure was made from red bricks. Louie's was in dark green cursive letters on a large white sign over the building. A huge glass window revealed the diners on the inside eating at the oregano green cloth covered tables. They were smiling and talking while waiters zipped by ready to serve.

"Here we are." He announced. I jumped out of the taxi welcoming the cool air of uptown Brooklyn. "That will be 15 dollars, Bella."

I leaned into the window giving him the money and blowing a quick thank you. As I crossed the street to the Italian eatery.  My eyes caught site of man in his mid twenties in the latest. He walked out of the restaurant with the demeanor of a person who owned it.

Sinister superiority radiated off of him. He was dressed in a long dark jacket, a very expensive looking black dress shirt with a black scarf hanging carelessly from his neck. He was also attired in dark jeans and black combat boots. He looked sharp to say the least. His thick dark hair was styled to the back in a carefree while wickedly hot manner.  He met my gaze. His malicious ice blue eyes pierced right through me.

Oh my God. He's the guy from the picture. Do I even look good? Does he know what I look like? Of course he does.

My profile picture was of me in a grey over sized sweater and black leggings, criss crossed while drinking hot chocolate. Dane had taken the picture when I wasn't paying attention and to be honest it grew on me.

"Amber!" The guy yelled smiling with his arms wide. He made a few passerbys jump at the loud resonance of his voice.

"Atlas...?" I asked lowly, unsure of him. Before I knew it he was wrapping his arms around me and spinning me. His scent of winter mint sliced at my senses. To others it looked like long lost lovers reuniting after a long while apart. If they only knew that we were strangers who had never met in person before. I tried to calm my rushing heart as he lowered me to the sidewalk.

"Um..." I was at a loss for words as I gave him a one over. He looked better in real life than he did in his pictures. It was as if he was even more sinfully delicious and his devil's leer was even more wicked.

"Cat's got your tongue, butterfly?" The nickname was what brought me out of my paralysis. I almost thought I was on a new edition of PUNK'D. 

"No, shall we?" I asked him walking toward Louie's.

"We shall...not." He beamed.

"Huh?" I asked as he interlocked his arm with mine and continued down another unfamiliar street. I was already in an foreign part of town and the unease was beginning to stitch into my skin.

"We are heading to St.Romano's. Louie's is OUT OF PEPPERONI!" He screamed in the direction of the restaurant drawing more attention toward us. He was clearly extremely outgoing.

"A-are you sure?" I asked looking behind me with anxiety in my steps. 

"It's okay, love. It's only a mile away." He grinned back at me as we crossed the street.

"Atlas...I can't." I said lightly and stopped in my tracks. He turned back toward me with an unwavering beam.

"The reason being?" He demanded leering. I hated to be a buzz kill on a first date. But, I was already in a strange part of the city and going somewhere else was...dangerous.

"I'm..."

"Scared." He finished with a mischievous smirk on his pretty face. I nodded. He stepped through the obscurity. The street lamps, passing cars and illuminations from windows were our lights.

"Let me lead the way tonight and I will, one; pay for everything and two..." He took my cold hand in his heated one and brought it up to his lips and placed a kiss. "...I'll take you home."

"That seems too good to be true." I said incredulously.

"Ah. Ah." He beamed slyly waving his pointer finger in front of me. "You must give me your undivided attention for the entire night."  I remained silent, contemplating.

"Do you agree to my terms and conditions?" He inquired.

That was a really good deal but I had to call Dane every thirty minutes...I did want interaction though and this definitely was it... In a leap of faith filled adrenaline I gave him a nod. What could go wrong? I asked myself as I stared into his chaotic blue eyes and took his hand.

If only I had known not to trust those icy sinister eyes.

*****
Tell me what you guys think.  I've actually been wanting to write write a novel like this for a while. So, here it is.

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