Stepping out of the shower and into her bedroom Charmaine looked at her choices of dresses over once more.
"Juli? Could you help me pick out a dress for tonight?" Her roommate and also best friend entered her room, looking over her dresses. A black, skater dress, a lime strapless dress that hugged her figure quite nicely and a dark blue dress with one shoulder laid on her bed. Juliana, or Juli for short, looked from the bed to her friend who wore a small smile.
"Are you going on a date? Without telling me?"
"Well, it's not a date. I think. Remember the bar we went to last time?" Juli nodded.
"Go on,"
"The guy who sang?"
"Yes. Did he ask you out?"
"I don't believe he did. I heard him sing today. At the funeral home where Justin had his service, I went to the toilet and heard him sing. It sounded much better than last time."
"And? Stop tantalizing me and just tell me."
"Well I talked to him for a bit and as I was leaving he told her he'd play tonight again at 9 pm," Charmaine hadn't felt this giddy and excited in a long time. She was bouncing up and down on her heels and grinning broadly.
"Well, then wait here a second. Because none of those is any good," she smiled and disappeared again out of the room, leaving Charmaine in only her underwear.
A couple of minutes later Juliana came back carrying a beautiful neck holder dress in red.
"This Char," she placed the dress before her so that Charmaine could see herself in the mirror. "Is the perfect dress. Trust me. It suits you perfectly, he'll fall in love with you once he sees that on you," she winked at her friend.
"Thank you, Juli," she hugged her friend tightly, the dress in her hand now.
"What are friends for if not making sure that you get with your special someone,"
"He's not my special someone Juli. I don't even know him. He could be a murderer for all we know," Juli laughed but none of the girls knew the truth about the owner of the funeral home 'Shady Plots'.
Dressed in red with fitting red pumps, Charmaine made her way to the bar where he was playing. It was 10 minutes before he started playing. Sitting down at the counter she ordered a Gin and Tonic, looking towards the man she still knew nothing about. She didn't even know his name. The minutes ticked by and her stomach felt queasy. Just as the doubt started to settle in the blonde appeared on stage, sitting down at the piano. Then he started playing and the first words came out. [If anyone wants to listen to the song and just imagine him singing it: Never Never by The Assembly]
"I know just what to say
It's just a game I play
Now I'm here on my own
I'd like to be with you
I guess you always knew
Still, I'm all alone
I know the story
Got it all worked out
It never happens to me, it never happens to me" he paused and the man next to him sang in a quieter voice.
"Maybe that's the way my life was meant to be."
"It never happens to me, it never happens to me"
"Love is just the door that's locked and there's no key"
"It never happens to me..." he paused again for a small piano solo.
I know my every line
It's just a waste of time
Guess it's all such a shame
I've seen it all before
And every time I'm sure
That it ends up the same
I know the story
Got it all worked out
It never happens to me, it never happens to me"
"Maybe that's the way my life was meant to be"
"It never happens to me, it never happens to me"
"Love is just the door that's locked and there's no key"
"It never happens to me...
I know just what to say
It's just a game I play
Now I'm here on my own
I'd like to be with you
I guess you always Knew
Still, I'm left all alone
I know the history
But it all worked out
It never happens to me, it never happens to me."
"Maybe that's the way my life was meant to be"
"It never happens to me, it never happens to me"
"Love is just the door that's locked and there's no key"
"It never happens to me..." Despite the sad tune and lyrics of the song the crowd applauded him, he took a small bow and walked off the 'stage'. He looked through the crowd, scanning the room for the woman who he had met today. Somehow she had spiked his interest. He needed to find out what that woman had to make him curious about her. Spotting her drinking he sauntered over to the black-hair. Before he could even speak a word she had already interrupted him.
"That was amazing. But why that song? It sounds so sad.." she trailed off looking at him with worry in her eyes.
"It's just a song," the smile was convincing but it didn't reach his eyes. Considering that they didn't even know each other's names, Charmaine decided against pushing him to tell her. It wasn't right.
"What's your poison of choice?"
"A good wine,"
"Sir, you've heard the man. Your best wine please." She smiled at the bartender and he poured a glass of red wine and handed it to Blaine.
"To your magnificent performance..."
"Blaine."
"Blaine," she smiled and the two gave a toast.
"Since you know my name, what`s yours?"
"Charmaine. A pleasure to meet you," she grinned as did he and they drank their drinks. One gin turned to several glasses of different cocktails and drinks while on Blaine's side the wine and whiskey glasses increased.
I'll accompany you home." He extended his arm to her, both drunk and sluggish. Charmaine took it gladly and together they walked the short distance from the bar to where she lived. 20 minutes later they arrived in front of her building.
"This is where I live," she stopped walking and freed her arm from his. "It was a nice evening, thank you."
"Don't..." he trailed off as he leant towards her. His eyes were half-closed as Charmaine closed the gap between them, closing her eyes completely as their lips met. Her hands found his hair, pulling him closer towards her while his hands travelled down her spine to rest just above her bottom. The kiss deepened between them and the butterflies in her stomach turned to fireworks. A fog-like experience in her head she had no idea how they got into her bed, dress down and his shirt off. But she had principles. Standing by them she stopped herself from unbuttoning his pants and broke off their kiss.
"Wait," she breathed hotly, her face flushed. "We can't." His eyes widened and he moved away from her quickly. Hurt was evident and she was wondering if he had had bad experiences before.
"Not now, Blaine. I don't do one-night-stands or just casual flings," waiting for an answer she continued, "Before I take you to bed I'd like to get to know you beforehand, see if we work out." He breathed out, not even realizing that he had held it. What had he expected? That she suddenly knew about his past? Not even a PI could find out about his past. Only people who were in it and alive could know.
"Blaine?"
"Hm?"
"Are you okay? I'd understand if you weren't. Not many do that and the ones that do usually get turned down." He looked at her for a while. Peyton had worked for a couple of months. She didn't know any of the things he'd done. Maybe this time it could work. She was no feisty Peyton, she was far from it. It could be what he needed.
Charmaine grew anxious with every passing second that he just looked at her deep in thought. She did not know why she did what she did but something about his hurt expression made her grab his hand and squeezed it. That seemed to have brought him back. For a moment at least. She was caring and kind. The opposite of what he knew he was. He killed with no remorse.
After seconds turned into minutes of him just sitting, reliving what must have been painful memories, she pulled his hand towards her, laying him down with her onto the bed. The nurse inside her had kicked into gear. She slipped into the shirt that she had under her pillow and turned the lights off. Under the blanket, he was still staring at her in wonder. She gave him a small smile, unsure of what he'd do. However, he closed his eyes. It took some time for him to fall asleep and even longer for her to fall asleep but he had thought to himself that this time he'd do everything differently. She should never find out about what he did. She'd hate him for sure. Just like Peyton.