laura P. O. V:

Rules of flirtationship:

1) Coming to club nights with me.

2) Getting super famous.

3) I can do anything PHYSICAL to teach you.

Sign: __________

"I don't understand!", I read his scribbled letters on a slightly crumpled ruled paper. The bold blue letters shone against the rays of cocktail hour.

Anything PHYSICAL?

Christian dumped his pulled chicken sandwich into his ungodly mouth. A drop of bittersweet savory sauce flowed slightly through the side of his mouth.

"Really! It technically had only three lines written on it!", He snatched the already crumpled paper into his saucy hands and read it loud.

"Dumbass. What's with the third rule?"

"Dumbass? I'm your relationship coach.", he snapped my head with the paper.

"Call me master.", He commanded with domination.

"Nice try, but nope.", I said as I slurped on the last churned bubbles of now-hot chocolate milkshake. The summer afternoon were unusually hot, but as we sat on the air conditioned restaurant, it didn't give us a heart stroke.

It was Christian's choice. The quietude of the cafe gave me soothing mind as we sat beside the water. The ebullient water flowed through the glass, glistening sinewy lines on the dark pebbles below. The green leaves creeped on either side of the glass, dancing to the chilled air. The honeyed essence trailed from the fresh red roses on the table.

"And also you owe me for breaking my leg.", He said.

"What? You are the stupid who tries to dance with a sprain. Are you out of your mind?"

"Who knew that would break my leg?", He demanded.

Christian pushes boundaries. Everyone in the dance club was shocked to see his left leg bruised up like a plump bun. He wasn't able to walk at all but he still limped with one leg. David gave us a two week period to get everything back on track. It is impossible to cure that fast, but he was walking on day three.

"Alright! So what is a flirtationship?", Curiosity surfaced my face as I looked at the saucy paper, letters half smudged.

"It's more than friendship. But not relationship. More of a dating expertise."

"Well, in simple words, you get to play with my heart."

"Don't worry until you fall in love with me.", He winked.

"In your dreams."

That's never going to happen.

***

After having a mid-afternoon lunch, Christian walked me to a big shopping mall. As we stood at the entrance, an upsurge of cool air invited us, the posters of glitterati hung big on both side. The ornate lights glossed on the varnished floor, as crowd walked around.

"You sure you want to do this?"

"Of course.", I answered diligently.

"I guess you don't understand the consequences of this. You won't get to stay in your own world. You will be under everyone's eyes. Criticism and jealousy will torture you. Your every move get to be a gossip. You would mostly lose yourself."

It's true. Every one is going to be looking at me. At first, they would say about me trying to fit in, avoid me and gossip me and I would be all they talk about in lunch. I was even afraid whether Charlie and Cass would accept me.

But I want David.

"Christian! I'm so tired of boys not looking at me as a girl. I want everyone to chase me. And I want David."

"Alright. You have your word. Let's go do some hunting."

He grabbed my hand, as he ran into the mall.

***

"This is a good place to start."

He entered the emporium, the mannequins fully dressed in the nines. All kinds of attires arranged in an apple pie order lustered over caramel lights radiating from the thousand crystals on the chandelier.

As soon as we entered, a business attire lady, dressed just like a mannequin walked towards us with a straight back and a clean bun.

"Hi, beautiful!", He smirked as he slouched on the reception counter.

"Good evening, sir. How may I help you?"

"You see her!", He pointed towards me,"I want the top three best casuals for her."

"This way sir,", she lead us to a big room full of vintage dress and Western attires.

"Sir, do you want to see some of specials?", She asked in the same business sweet tone.

"I guess I'm seeing one of them!", his sparkly eyes examined her all together as she blushed into a dark red cheeks, her prudish eyes looked down.

He winked coyishly.

Every single chance.

"How do I look, honey?", Both looked at me, shocked. She walked away.

He was equally shocked, as he speculated my mirror image.

I stood there in faded shorts, extending up my knee showing half of my bare sensitive skin and a black tank top.

"I always wanted to try this.", I said as I adjusted the creases on the shirt.

"You.. you look great."

"I know, right!"

Who knew I could pull this off?

"Well, you look like a cute girl at times.", He pulled his jacket away and tied it down my waist, covering most of my bare skin.

I turned around the tag to see the price.

$490? Let's make our way home.

"Relax.", Christian patted on my head.

"I got it", he placed the Platinum debit card on the counter.

"No. I can't accept it."

"Come on. Let me give it as a gift for teaching me dance"

"Also, I gave my word to make you hot."

***

"How does this look?", I looked at him, as he slouched into the soft cushion and scrolled through the news feed, so fed up with my nagging.

"God! Enough with black."

"What do you mean?"

"You have got a fetish for black.", We looked at the cart, all sort of black dress and two black stilettos.

"That's pure coincidence."

"How do these look on me?", I asked as I tried the steel black stiletto. He looked around and pointed out someone.

A tall guy, dressed in same business attire stood straight up on the side, smiled at us. His baby face with his golden hair looked cute, with his dainty smile.

"Looks like he's interested?", He urged me, pushing me towards him.

"No. Don't.", I stammered on the slippery floor with the tight heels strapped to my feet.

"Don't worry."

"Remember three rules: say his name, ask for his favor and then take skin contact."

"But.. ", he pushed me as I wobbled as the cute boy caught me into his grip. My heart raced as I broke into cold sweat.

"Hi ma'am. How can I help you?", He asked with a sugary voice.

"Hi... Um", I searched for the name batch.

"Hi, Jane."

"Actually, it's Jean. Jean Bryan. How can I help you?"

"These straps are too tight. So.. um..", I said, as I looked at Christian, signaling thumbs up.

Jean made me sat on the red cushion, as he kneeled down and took my feet into his arms, and unstrapped the heels.

"Ma'am, it's way too small for you." He looked up at me with his alluring grin.

"Let me get you a good size"

Rule three: physical contact.

"Oh! Thank you", I patted on the top of his head, my embarrassed face turned scarlet.

I looked at Christian as he face palmed himself, his expression so angry. He walked towards me as Jean went off.

"What?"

"Is he a dog?"

"He is so cute."

"Alright. Level two. Compliment him."

Jean came back and sat down. His soft hands took my foot into his and strapped down the heels.

"So, um you are cute!", I said, his puzzled face showed embarrassment.

"Not that I'm flirting. Or something... You are cute like a puppy... Have you ever look at the puppy and just want to bite the cute face?"

He looked terrified.

"Oh my God! You are so helpless.", Christian shouted from behind and grabbed my hand.

***

"Bite your face? God, is this how you flirt?", Christian rolled on the aisle as we sat near the fountain at the mall. The night sky was as always studded with millions of diamonds, the full crescent smiled.

"Stop it, please.", I dug into the waffles in our hands. We both were so dead tired, yet we were laughing.

"God! Flirt is way more tough than I thought. How can you do it so easily?"

Seriously, it takes a lot of guts to confess.

"Experience has it."

"Don't worry. I had the worst. I had been kicked in my balls.", I almost choked on the waffles, as he said it with no shame.

"So, I always wondered why you are so much into David?"

Suddenly the atmosphere turned awkward. So tense.

"He is not even hot like me. And short tempered. I don't even like his style."

"Hey! He is extremely good looking. Shut your face", I fumed.

"Tell me why?", He slurped on the carbonated soda.

"I don't know. Because he is kind and smart. I just fell for him at the first sight."

"Come on. Tell me one thing you love about him."

"I always admired the way he cared. Sometimes I used to fantasize him, us being together, dating, me running away from him while he grabs my arm, swirls me into him and inches away from each other, we would just fell back on the floor. Our lips so close that..."

"God! So cheesy.", Christian rubbed his shoulders in disgust.

"Don't tell me that you knew his favorites!", He looked at me, curiously.

"I have a big list. His favorite color is sky blue, the soft blue in aquamarine crystal. His favorite food is teriyaki chicken sandwich. I even have a love letter for him."

He ran his hands around his gleaming strands as his face turned into a genuine sympathy.

"You are really so..."

"Clingy?", I slurped on the carbonated soda.

"I don't know,... romantic."

***