Dangerous Games

SWEET SUMMER CHILD

Kali lathered herself up, humming as she enjoyed the warm shower. It was Friday. That meant she got to come home and enjoy herself without thinking about work for the next couple of days. But she wasn't in the mood to stay home. She wanted to do something else, something different, something fun.

She heard the door to one of the closest shut and she rushed out of the bathroom, grabbing the bathrobe from the rack and throwing the door open. Samuel was almost out of the room when she caught up to him.

"Samuel. Stop."

He did, turning to find her soaking their tiled floor and clutching the front of the robe with her hand. "You're wet and dripping."

"I can tell. I'll mop it up. Are you going out?"

"Just downstairs. I want to get something out of the car."

"Alright." She swiped a wet hair from her face and nervously smiled. "Are you free tonight? Or do you have any plans?"

"Plans? No. I don't."

"Do you want to go out to eat? Somewhere simple and outdoorsy, maybe?"

He grinned. "Don't feel like cooking tonight, huh?"

"No, it's not that. I am in the mood to do something different today. I only wanted to know if it's something you won't mind doing."

Kali bit her lip, counting the seconds in her mind. She waited for him to weigh his options. The draft from the open door cooled her wet skin.

"I don't see why not."

"Yeah?"

"Yes. Please finish up before you turn to ice. You are starting to shiver. I'll go get the bag from my car, and after I change, we can leave."

"Alright. I'll go dry off."

Kali wasted no time getting ready. By the time Samuel returned, she had already gotten herself into a satin wrap dress and matching sandals. He caught her eyes in the mirror, and she winked at him before he walked into the dressing room. She slapped her watch on, hooked her necklace and grabbed her purse.

"Ready?" Samuel walked out, adjusting the lapels of his sports jacket.

She spun around to show off her outfit. "Ready."

"Come on then."

Samuel drove them out of the city and towards the village area. It was surprisingly even more clustered than the city. Houses were closer together, markets lined some of the sidewalks, and the smell of barbecued meat wafted through the open window, along with the scent of freshly baked bread. Kali was enthralled. She had not been through the village area in a long time. She mostly kept to the city, but she loved the sights of the colourful lights and brightly decorated stores that stood out in the gloom of the night.

"What are you hungry for?"

"Anything." She answered, distracted by the teenage girls playing hopscotch in front of a four-storey building.

"Anything." He repeated.

"Do you come here often?"

"Not recently, but I used to." He pointed at her window. "There is a gaming centre down that road. In college, I loved to come over and play a game or ten with my friends."

"What kind of games."

"RPG."

"Are you any good?"

"I dedicated hours of my life to gaming. I am incredible."

She scoffed. "It's a wonder you had time to chase a career."

"You'd be surprised how many hours I have in my day."