"Rachel?" Garfield called her phone, and she picked up on the other line.

"Who is this?" her raspy voice made his ears tingle.

"Garfield."

"Oh, hey. Sorry about leaving so quickly that night. I didn't even get your full number saved."

"Don't stress it, I've got yours. You up to anything?"

"Not for now. I have to go shopping with my mom later for some stuff for the house, though."

He quizzes, "What time?"

"Later this evening."

"Right, right. So, uh, mind if we hang out for a bit this afternoon? We can talk, I'll show you around town, maybe stop for a drink… we can get to know each other better. I mean, we are neighbors after all."

"Okay… sure."

Rachel puts on a dark, graphic Nirvana t-shirt, a pair of distressed denim shorts, and black Converses. With a quick swish of cherry chapstick and mottles of dark blue eyeshadow, she leaves her house.

When she gets outside, Garfield is waiting outside of his car. He's wearing a shirt with a Japanese aesthetic, and ripped, black jeans.

"There you are."

He opens the passenger door for Rachel, closes it when she is fully seated.

When Garfield sits in the driver seat, he asks, "Any music suggestions?"

The fresh scent of car freshener and the tidiness of his car makes Rachel feel comfortable right off the bat. He winds down the windows a bit, letting the cool air gust through the car. The sun is radiant, the heat is up, and people are on the go.

"Uhh, I'm not really picky. Thank you, though."

"No problem." Garfield switches on Shorty Wanna Be a Thug by Tupac, then hits the road.

He drives smoothly down the street and around turns, seeming to slow down the essence of time.

"You're into 90's hits, I see." Rachel notes timidly.

"Yuh-huh. Tupac, Ice Cube, The Notorious B.I.G., Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, LL Cool J, to name a few. Don't get me wrong, I do love modern day artists like Chris Brown, Lil Uzi Vert, The Weeknd, Chase Atlantic. But, there is nothing like the 90's."

"Mhmmm." she quietly observes the town.

People walked on the sidewalks and crosswalks. The area wasn't bustling and squalid, but modern and charming. The colors of the town expanded as the brightness of the day strengthened. A soft wind chattered through the town, the housing and buildings were built in style. The community was free to roam, with plenty of places to enjoy.

"You mentioned wanting to go to a library, right?"

Rachel's eyes shifted to Garfield's hands, which had had a couple of metal rings, small tattoos, and a leather bracelet. He steers the wheel, and the design in his hands makes her cheeks flush.

"Rachel?"

"Hm? Yeah, mhm, a library." she snaps back into reality.

"I lost you for a second there. You alright?" he strikes her with a smug smile.

"I'm good, I'm good."

"Glad to hear it," his rich eyes cause her nerves to prickle, then they move to the window.

He points to a white, well-structured building called Book Culture.

"That right there, is a cool place. Coming from a guy that can't get his head into books that much, I highly recommend Book Culture."

"What's so good about it?"

"It's got a nice café if you want something to snack on, quiet place to study, tons of books, nice staff. I really only go there for comics and manga."

She states in her monotone, "I see, I'll check it out. Hopefully their dark fantasy and thriller sections are a five-star."

"I'm sure they are." he pulls into a spot, then parks.

Garfield and Rachel walk into Kith Treats, a place that serves ice cream, pastries, smoothies, milkshakes, and finger foods. The warm smell of different flavors waft through their noses as they enter. Within a couple of minutes, they order what they want, and sit at a table.

Rachel ordered a vanilla milkshake, topped with a fresh strawberry and whipped cream. The milkshake was served in a mason jar with a handle. For her treat, Rachel ordered a warm brownie. Garfield ordered a cookie dough, vegan milkshake and a vegan cupcake with white frosting and sprinkles.

After a few minutes of eating, Rachel silently observes that Garfield has a tongue piercing.

He had a very edgy vibe to him, and Rachel had to admit, she found a liking to it.

"What's got you being so nice to me? You're really nice. A little too nice." Rachel can't help but ask.

"What, is a guy supposed to be mean when he just meets a girl? Or mean to a girl at all?" Garfield calmly quizzes, taking a sip of his drink.

Rachel's violet eyes lose a thread of light.

She grows shy and stiff once again.

"No, not really. It just seems kinda sudden, I don't know. Maybe, it's the fact that I'm not used to this kind of stuff."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I'm kind of in a complicated relationship right now."

"Damn, alright."

Her voice weakens, "Yeah."

"I'm sorry you're going through all of that. I understand completely, my ex and I were like that." he noshes on his sweet pastry.

"It happens to the best of us. Anyway, instead of me asking why you're so nice, I should be thanking you for it. So, thank you." Rachel slowly swirls her straw around in the drink.

"It's my pleasure, Rachel." he gives her a tender smile, and she returns one back.

A silence slips between the pair for about a minute.

"Hey, Rachel," the young woman looks up at her neighbor.

"I can be your quick fix, if you want."