Photographs | Dallas Winston

8

   "Alright, queenie."

    Lord of the Flies was thrown in front of me, sliding slightly on the desktop.

    I looked up, a small smirk beginning to climb up my lips.

    "Enjoy it?" I drawled. "I'm sure you did."

     Dallas looked around, as if saying he liked the book would get him thrown out of the country.

    "Yeah, it was alright..." He started, shrugging uncomfortably. "Yeah, I liked it. There, ya happy?"

     I had gone from a smirk to practically beaming at the sound of those words.

    "Who was the main character?" I quizzed him.

    "Ralph." He answered, calling the character a swear word under his breath. "And then there was Jack."

    "Where did the story take place?" I continued.

    "On some island, man. I don't know..." He shoved his hands into his coat pockets, rocking back and forth on his heels. "Quit askin' me questions."

    "Three days." I flipped through the pages of the book. "That might just be a record, Mr. Winston."

    "Quit callin' me that. I mean it." He rolled his eyes, looking around. "Now tell me where you want to go, blondie."

   "I'm not sure you can get me to where I want to go." I smiled. "I want to go to the city. New York. A skyline of wonders. A constant inspiration." I held his gaze. "I want to go there."

    "You know what I meant." He leaned up against the desk. "What do you like."

    I shrugged.

    "I'll need more than that, dolly." Dallas cocked an eyebrow. "I didn't just read a whole book for nothin', man. Nah, that's not how that works."

    I laughed, finally beginning to wrap my head around this idea of a date.

    "Well," I began, concocting a few suggestions. "I like chocolate. Flowers, but not just any. I like flowers you find on the random, and they make you think of me. That's when I like flowers." I tapped my finger to my chin. "I love music, books, and coffee. Summertime is my favorite. Traveling, exploring, stargazing on a cool night. Writing stories. Baking cupcakes..."

     He just stared at me like I had three heads.

    "Oh, and sunsets." I added. "I love sunsets."

    "You know how to make it easy for a man, don't you..." He muttered, sarcastically. "How long will it take you to get all prettied up, eh? How about five-thirty I come pick you up."

    "Five-thirty it is."

     He nodded charmingly, giving me a onceover.

     "Aren't you forgetting something..." I waved an index card in between my fingers. "Here's my address. Don't act a fool."

    "Can't promise much." He winked, popping a toothpick in his mouth and taking the card from my hand. "Can't promise anything, queenie."

    He grinned his signature, devilish grin, and then turned to leave.

    I watched as he skulked out of the library, looking completely out of place in his leather and chains. 

    A sore thumb of bright red, in a world strictly black and white.

    Out of place he was, and as I watched the library doors closed behind him...

    I realized I probably needed to get used to that out of place feeling.