Riches

Both Charice and Caleb had courses to attend, but Caleb gave her his phone number and offered to take her to a movie after class. It was only after they had parted ways and Charice was listening to a lecture that the shock wore off. She was going on a date with a handsome, crazy, poetic Purger. If her family found out…she shook her head a little. They need not know that he participated in the Purge. Still, how could she justify this? He had murdered people; who knew what else he had done? On the Purge, anything was legal: rape, thievery, all that you could think of and more. How did Cherry know he wasn't a lot guiltier than he claimed?

Despite all of the teen's worries, she could not help the lovely ache in her stomach when she saw Caleb's lean frame silhouetted against the afternoon sun. He was waiting in the student lot, already somewhat familiar with the campus. He opened the car door for her with a warm smile. They went to the movies without really knowing what was showing, but in the end chose a horror movie. Charice almost laughed; the fear she felt in his presence was exactly what she was addicted to. The dim lighting in the theater made her nervous, especially considering that the venue was almost empty. The movie had been showing for a few weeks already, so there were only a few other people watching.

Charice was trying to pay attention to the commercials, which she usually liked, but the feeling of Caleb's eyes made her cheeks burn. "Why are you staring at me?" she finally asked, looking over at him incredulously. People like him did not stare at people like her. The strong predator gazing after meek young prey. She knew his age now; he was about three years older, twenty-one while she was eighteen. As she questioned him he chuckled, a dark little sound she was becoming well acquainted with. "Imagine, if you were staring at a pile of gold. A bright light shines down, glistening on a few diamonds here and there creating a soft hew on the flaxen coins, two giant brown treasure chests filed with even more valuable secrets inside. Wouldn't you want to stare? I would, so I stare at you darling. You're beautiful in every way. Perfection." Charice was speechless for a moment, her cheeks pink again. "I…I'm not perfect. I mean, I don't believe in perfection. But thank you. You're so kind." Caleb looked at her bemusedly. "No such thing as perfection? I don't believe that, not when I'm looking at a princess such as yourself."

The movie started then, saving Cherry from having to embarrass herself with an answer. It was true, all her life she had been taught that nobody was perfect. Her father would remind her that no matter how amazing she was somebody would always be better. It kept her humble. She had many flaws, such as her lack of bravery. She never misbehaved, out of fear. She was average in her academic courses, and she broke under emotional pressure easily. Though she believed everyone had problems, for her, Caleb was flawless, immaculate, ideal, and incomparable. He was smart, funny, polite, gentle but also strong, slick, cool, and very good-looking. He was like a guy version of her, except he didn't mind skipping class or killing people. He was everything she needed, but nothing she would have thought to ask for. Cherry realized she had started staring at him, too. She snapped her head forward, hoping he hadn't caught her because she could never come up with an explanation as smooth as his. That, and it was embarrassing.

Caleb grinned. "Scary movies don't work on me. I've seen much worse, and I can always tell when something is about to happen." As he spoke he pulled out his phone to turn it off, but the device slipped from between his fingers. He bent to retrieve it and straightened just as something jumped out onscreen. Startled, the killer let out a squeal and started in his seat. Instantly Charice laughed, the sound pealing like a bell in the now-quiet theater. "What happened to nothing scaring you?" she giggled. He frowned but rolled his eyes. "I just didn't expect that one!"

Charice jumped every time something scary happened, grabbing Caleb's arm for protection and curling up against his side, only the armrest between them. She was sure if she did not dreaming about Caleb that night she would be having nightmares about the movie. She relaxed as the horror took a break, thinking about all the sweet things Caleb Rhys had said. He had called her beautiful, and adorable, and there was the whole flaxen coin thing. She wondered why he liked her so much, if that was how he felt. Maybe he just wanted to be friends, so he was treating her kindly. Or maybe he was just experimenting with the sweet little girl. Cherry heard a tiny voice in her head. Or maybe he was thinking about you, too. Maybe for the past two months he's been looking out of the window at 2am and wishing he knew your middle name. Maybe you guys were thinking the same things. She frowned, exhaling deeply and trying to get those silly thoughts out of her head. There was no such thing as love at first...well, love at first purge. He was just being a gentleman, and so she would have to be calm. Not too fast, not too desperate. For now, they were just friends. For always- he doesn't like you.

When the movie was over Caleb drove her back to campus, where her car was waiting. Her school was different from most colleges: dorms were rarely used. She still lived with her parents, in a house not far from the school. Caleb kissed her hand before letting her go and that kiss lingered as Cherry drove, her brain drunk with his scent and smile.

It was three-thirty in the morning when Charice woke up with shaking hands. Her dream was so vivid, so passionate and warm. What is wrong with me? Why am I dreaming of him? She rose, tugging her nightgown down around her legs and padding barefoot to her closet. Flicking on the light, she pulled out a twelve-by-twelve canvas and her case of paints. She wanted to make sure she did not forget the images in her mind. Her nights had been going this way for weeks, a sleep full of dreams and nightmares stronger than hallucinations, interrupted only when she woke to paint or sketch the scenes. It was past four when Cherry finished. She looked at the painting with a huff of relief. It showed two faces, two sets of lips viewed so closely only the mouths down to the tops of necks could be seen. They were backlit, the visible colors quite dark and hiding any detail. Only she knew whose lips they were and she both longed and feared that the image might someday come true.