Cahtpre 2: Fragment of the Deep

He was walking from the restaurant where he had purchased the supreme pizza with extra cheese to bring back to his apartment. He hummed a familiar rock tune while he strolled along in a casual fashion, not really paying attention to where he was going. He thought back to the party thrown by a friend the night before and smiled. Never had he met someone like her…

She was walking around the corner, speaking pleasantly on the phone to her current boyfriend, whom she had just spent the afternoon with at a small and expensive coffee shop before he left for a business trip. Carrying her latté in her free hand, she tried to dig through her purse for a piece of paper, "Just a minute," she scolded, "I don't have a pen ye-"

They collided as they both rounded the street corner. His pizza went flying, her purse and cell phone landed with a thud upon the ground and her latte spilled down the front of her white tank top.

"Oh crap! I'm sorry!" He was the only one left standing, staring down at the woman he ran into, "Are you okay? Ah, I'm such a freakin' klutz!"

"No, no it's my fault," She took his offered hand in bewilderment and was pulled up roughly, "I was talking on my cell phone… not paying attention…"

He stared at her face for a moment as she looked around at the spilled contents of her purse, "Wait- you're Trish, right? Yeah! Hey, I'm Dante! We met yesterday, remember?"

She looked up at his face, "Dante… Yeah, I am Trish. Nice to see you again," she nodded and then looked at the ground in embarrassment, "Oh! I'm really sorry!" She pointed to his pizza, out in the middle of the street. A large truck rolled over it as they watched.

Dante laughed nervously and then picked up her purse and its contents, along with her phone, "It's alright, I'll just go get another one."

She took her things from him, "No, let me buy it for you, I insist! It was my fault! Please, I'll feel bad all day if I don't."

"No, it really was my fault, and don't worry about it," he put his hand on hers to keep Trish from looking for her money. He then had an idea, "Wait! I'll only let you pay for it in one way."

Trish backed away, "I'll just give you the money for it…" her eyes widened in fear.

"The only way I will accept payment for the damaged pizza is if I buy another and you eat it with me!" Dante smiled broadly at his newfound plan.

She looked around and her brain buzzed wildly, searching for an escape route, "No, I uh- I can't. Not right now, I have to go take care of my boyfriend's houseplant." This wasn't untrue, as he had asked her to water it while he would be away on a business trip.

Dante stared at her, "Boyfriend? Oh… well…" He became suddenly uncomfortable and stared at her brightly painted toenails, "Well… you must be hungry, right? And… the houseplant should be okay for a few more hours…"

"Few more hours?" Trish laughed uneasily, "Maybe just half an hour…" She said quickly, and then reprimanded herself inside her brain. What was she doing?

Dante nodded eagerly, "Half an hour it is, then! Come on!" He dragged her by the arm, not thinking of her muddled shirt. They reached the House of Pizza in no time, and before Trish knew it, she was sitting with Dante in a large booth, a supreme pizza with extra cheese between them.

"It looks… delicious…" Trish lied, becoming disgusted at the grease dripping off of the slice of pizza Dante was holding happily.

He smiled at her giddily, "Yeah, this place is awesome, since pizza is my favorite food. What's yours?"

"Salad," Trish smirked sadistically, "Or I guess… maybe sushi."

Dante's smile didn't fade, "Pizza is good for you, ya know? It's got all the food groups on it."

Trish nodded barely, "Oh, really?" She yawned and leaned back into the seat, but then thought better of it and jerked forward, "You know what, Dante, this was such a pleasant experience but-"

"Aren't you going to play the arcade games?" Dante pointed to the beaten up machines in the corner of the restaurant.

"I had better be go-" Trish started for the door.

Dante jumped up and led her to a game, "Come on, I'll teach you."

They spent the next three hours playing video games, laughing, and drinking all the soda they could. Dante walked her back to her boyfriend's apartment. They both felt lost, however.

"It was really nice… uh… yeah. I hope you had fun," Dante scuffed his feet nervously on the floor.

Trish leaned against the door, "Oh, was that a date?" She laughed, her smile reflecting back into his memory.

"Well, was it?" Dante smiled at her as well, "You tell me."

She unlocked the door, "Nah, it was fun though. See you later, maybe." She walked in and waved from the doorway as she watched him leave, "By- Oh wait! Come here!"

Dante turned in surprise and followed her in. She ran into the living room and held up a dejected and dying fern like plant.

"Ta da!" She giggled, "There really was a houseplant, I wasn't lying, if you thought I was."

"I didn't think you were lying," Dante said seriously, his eyes darkening, "I would never think you would lie."

Trish sat down on the couch with the houseplant, becoming silent. Dante sat beside her. They both stared at the plant solemnly until Dante broke the silence.

"Maybe… you should water it?" He smiled and shrugged.

Trish laughed quietly and shoved him playfully, "Well then go get the watering can, Mr. Smartpants!"

"Mr. Smartpants?" Dante laughed out loud, "I've been called many things, but never that!"

"I wonder why?" Trish said sarcastically as Dante frowned good-naturedly. He walked back to the door and Trish set the plant on the counter, "Well… bye I guess."

He leaned forward as if to kiss her, but she backed away and shut the door.