Chapter 3 - A (NON)Date at a Winery

About three weeks later, none of us had seen Crowley around so we figured the walk encounter was a huge coincidence.

Since we didn't have a case and couldn't find anything new, we decided to go to the mall. Faith and Kevin went elsewhere and I just walked around by myself. Luckily, it wasn't very crowded.

As I wandered around, pretty bored out of my mind, I stopped in front of a store that I was trying to decide whether I wanted to go in or not.

"Hello, Lexi." Crowley said, putting a hand on my back.

"Hi." I replied, turning to him, not jumping this time since I saw him coming through the window reflection.

"Alone again?" Crowley asked.

"Nah." I shook my head. "My two friends are around here somewhere."

"Ah. Well, how have you been?" Crowley asked, curiously.

"Pretty alright. And you?" I asked.

"Okay." Crowley replied then smiled. "I've just been having a hard time getting you out of my head."

'Funny. I've been having the same problem with you.' I thought to myself.

"That's funny….don't usually do that to people…" I replied, looking away.

"Well, happened to me." Crowley replied, genuinely surprised. "Not much of a people person, are you? I know you said you hated crowds."

"I have severe social anxiety. Not to mention was and always will be socially awkward. So you can imagine I don't talk to guys very often."

"Their loss." Crowley said.

"Yeah." I shook my head. "Now I know you're screwing with me."

"I'm not. I really think it's their loss. I'm sure with your social anxiety that you don't like talking very much, right?" He asked, frowning as I nodded as a answer. "Sounds like you have a slight speech impairment too. But despite that, you seem like a great listener."

"I suppose I am." I looked back to him.

"Well, that's a great quality right there." Crowley said and I nodded again, in agreement.

"Why do you feel the need to talk to me of all people? Especially at the most random times at random places?" I questioned.

"Why not, love? See, I don't have any of your problems per say, but I don't have very many…friends…so, I figured we both could use a new one, yes?"

"I guess." I said after a moment to think about it.

"Plus we can keep each other company when the few friends that we have ditches us for some reason or another." Crowley said, still making a pretty great point.

"I guess." I said again. "You're making some good points." I chuckled and gave a small smile. "Did someone ever tell you that you do that?"

"Not recently, no." Crowley smiled again. "Feeling better about yourself, darling?"

"I am." I replied.

It wasn't a lie, he did make me feel better about myself. But than again, he could just be a sweet talker, trying to get me to trust him before he does something bad.

Then there was how he could be monster, floating in the back of my mind.

'Yah know what? Screw it, I have my weapons on me if something happens.' I thought to myself, wanting to have some fun. 'Plus no guy has ever given me this much attention before. A shit ton older or not.'

Since I'm no longer feeling too worried about him now, I decided why not spend some time with him? I mean, I'm bored, have no idea where Faith and Kevin went, and he's right, I could use someone when they are elsewhere and I'm alone.

"How do you feel about wine?" I asked, suddenly, breaking the few moments of silence.

"I'm more into whiskey, though I wouldn't turn it down. Do you want to have some fun?" He asked, practically reading my thoughts.

"I do actually. While I'm normally more reserved and like being alone in solitude, I wouldn't mind having some fun while I'm out." I replied.

"What did you have in mind?" Crowley asked, in the mood for a drink.

"There's a small winery on the other side of the mall. We could go there and hangout since I'm sure my friends wouldn't want me leaving the mall itself. Maybe we'll run into them." I said.

"Sounds like fun." Crowley nodded. "Lead the way."

I nodded back and started walking in the direction of the winery.

Due to it being a fairly small mall, we reached the winery quickly. The lack of crowds helped too.

"So many stores seem to be closed." Crowley said as we were a few feet away from it.

"Yeah that's been happening a lot over the years. Damn shame too. It used to be a great mall. Now there's barely anything left." I said. "I will always like shopping in person more than online. Especially when it comes to clothes. Though give me a t-shirt or flannel anyway."

"Pft." Crowley made a sound. "You sound like someone I know with your love of flannel."

"Yeah I know someone that likes it too." I replied with a chuckle as we reached the doors. "Here we are."

"Let me." Crowley said, opening the door for me.

"Thanks." I smiled.

"You're welcome, Lexi." He replied, following me inside.

After going over to the bar, we decided to sit down and try out a few different wines.

"Were you planning on buying anything? Can't help but notice you don't have any bags." Crowley asked as we got our first wine.

"Not really. I was just looking today." I replied. "What were you doing here today of all days?"

'Stalking me, I hope.' My mind laughed.

"Same as you, just looking." Crowley lied but of course, I didn't know it.

"Well, if we're going to keep meeting up like this, you might as well just have my number." I joked.

"…Would you give it me?" Crowley asked after a second.

"…I don't know." I said with a serious face. "…Do you want it?"

"Why not. After all, I have a feeling this won't be the last time we have a random run in with each other." Crowley replied and I felt myself nod in agreement since I felt that too.

"Okay." I replied, thinking about it for a moment or two as he took his phone out. Once I knew he was ready, I gave it to him and told him to text me to give me his.

As I sipped some of my wine, I questioned if what I did was a smart thing. In the end, I decided that it was, as my phone buzzed. Glancing down to it, I saw I got a new text message.

New Text Message:

Number: 666

Message: Hello Darling

"Did…did your number just pop up as 666 or am I just imagining things now?" I questioned as I stared at it.

"I had it personalized." Crowley said, coming up with a random excuse. "Do you feel weird about it?" I think for a moment and shake my head with a shrug before I replied.

"Not really. I could care less about whatever the Hell you're into." I said as I unlocked my phone and added him to my contacts, making sure to put the little devil face next to his name.

As I was putting my phone away, we got a another wine to taste and I couldn't help but glance down at his phone and noticed the name he put as my contact.

Lexipup? That's….different.

"Do you always put a animal as part of someone's contact?" I found myself asking without thinking as I took my phone out, making sure he noticed the gun he probably already saw on my hip.

"Sure. I already have Moose, Squirrel, and while it's not a animal exactly, feathers too. Though I actually have Squirrel as 'Not Moose' on my phone. To be honest, I was going to do 'puppy' but I like this better."

"Yeah….I do too." I sipped some wine, feeling slightly weird now. But then again, he saw me with my dog.

"Besides, you did growl at your friend that night in the bar." Crowley said, not looking at me.

"You heard me growl at her from the other side of the bar?" I questioned, the thought of him being some sort of monster creeping back into my train of thought and staying there.

"Yes. You sounded irritated that she was asking you all sorts of questions. Like if you had a crush on me or not." Crowley replied, with a devious smile, getting the reaction he was expecting.

Meanwhile, I nearly choked when he said the last part. My cheeks also started burning up and could feel them become red. I now found it hard to look at him in the eyes.

"W-What? How could you have possibly heard us?" I questioned, feeling really nervous.

"I have my ways." Crowley shrugged and decided to push the topic. "DO you have a crush on me, darling?"

"Uh…no." I lied, looking anywhere that wasn't him.

"C'mon, Lexipup, I know you're lying." Crowley smirked.

"I don't." I responded.

"'You don't' what?" He asked.

"I don't….I-I don't have a crush on you!" I said, quickly.

'Ha…yeah right. You definitely do! Faith knows it and now he does too!' I thought to myself.

"Okay. Now look at me and say it." How much longer was he going to push this conversation?

"I….don't have a…crush on you." I said glancing at him before looking away and saying the last part quietly.

"Keep telling yourself that, darling. You know it's a lie and so does your heart." Crowley shrugged, deciding enough was enough.

'This is torture…' I thought to myself, rubbing my face with my left hand.

"Anyway, I do believe I have to go now." Crowley says as he looks at his phone and got his wallet out.

"So soon?" I faked sounding sad. This was what I was hoping for.

"Yes, yes. Seems something came out." Crowley than looked at the worker and handed her some money. "For us both."

"What?" I asked, not catching the last part since I wasn't looking in his direction.

"Have a good night, darling." He came up and whispered into my right ear, putting his right hand on my shoulder. "Oh and one more thing," He then moved to my left ear, keeping both hands on either of my shoulders, "You can tell your friends that they could've came up and joined us whenever."

I saw him wink at me before exiting the winery. Frowning and slightly confused, I looked around and sure enough, Faith and Kevin were sitting where we couldn't hear them but they could see us since our backs were to them. After a moment, I motioned them over.

As I went to pay, the same worker that Crowley paid stopped me.

"Oh the gentleman paid for you both." She said with a smile.

"Oh he did? That must've been what I didn't hear." I replied and put my wallet away in my purse.

"So…" Faith said, as I watched her sit beside me with Kevin sitting on the other side of her. "…What was all of that?" She grinned, excitedly.

"Well, where to begin?" I asked, my face still a bit red.

"Was something said that made you embarrassed?" Faith asked, noticing that I was a bit uncomfortable now.

"Yeah." I choked. "Something was definitely said."

"Well, spill the details." Faith urged.

"You really want to know?" I asked and she nodded. Sighing, I continued, starting with when we first met up and deciding to come here.

"Oooh. So in a way sort of like a first date?" She asked.

"No." I shook my head. "Just…two new friends going out for some wine."

"What happened next?" Kevin asked.

"We decided to trade numbers since we figured we were going to keep seeing each other anyway." I replied. "Then…God…" I put my face in my hands. "We somehow got to talking about the bar where we first met."

"And…?" Faith said, as I lifted my head.

"He somehow heard me growl at you." I replied.

"What?" Faith asked. "How?"

"I don't know." I shrugged. "But he did. He even….he even heard us talking about how I DON'T have a crush on him!" I put my hands in my face again before continuing. "Please just kill me." I said. "Or please let him be some sort of monster so he can kill me himself."

"That is crazy that he heard that." Faith said, feeling a little worried now.

"Of course it was after I gave him my number too." I replied, face planting the bar and putting my head on my arms.

"Did…he seem like a bad guy?" Faith decided to ask.

"No he seemed like a great guy! With a hot accent and gorgeous eyes that I keep feeling like I'm getting hypnotized with every time I look into them! And don't get me started on his beard or suit!"

Faith giggled at my response, knowing I did like him. I soon found myself growling at her yet again.

Not much of a date but oh well. There'll be a time for one later on!