I woke up the next morning to my brother's obnoxious siren alarm. He uses it because literally nothing else will wake him up. Guess the city noises really trained him well. Me, I hear almost everything and use a nice, soothing alarm to wake me up. This stupid thing shot me right out of a dream.

Shockingly enough, the noise still wouldn't wake Jeff up. I turned toward him expecting him to turn it off, instead he had rolled over and continued snoring. Unbelievable.

I got myself up and jumped right on top of his bed, "WAKE UP!!" I shouted as I continued to jump around him on his bed.

He finally rolled over and laughed as he pulled on my ankles knocking me off balance. I laughed as I performed a neat tuck jump to avoid his hands and flipped onto the ground next to the bed.

He simply looked at me, dumbstruck. "Dang, Alexis," he laughed. "I always forget you did gymnastics for so long."

I beamed at him. I actually surprised even myself, it'd been years since I've done a flip like that. My mother got me started on gymnastics when I was in 4th grade and I continued all the way up through high school. I stopped when I went away to college, though I still kept up with workouts.

"Just turn off that ridiculous alarm, would ya? I can't believe that doesn't even really wake you up." I said to him before turning to use the bathroom.

I turned on the light in the bathroom before examining myself in the mirror. My dirty blonde hair went a little past my shoulders and my light blue eyes were bloodshot. My olive skin was a little red around my cheeks, most likely because I'd just done a flip. Doing gymnastics for so long kept me thin, but I was never a stick figure. I liked to think I had what people called an Athletic body; I was strong, not necessarily skinny. Still, my definition had died down in my arms and legs since high school and my six pack abs were long gone. I sighed before continuing my morning routine.

Once we were in the car, my mother and I sat in the back seat examining a winery tour brochure we'd picked up at the airport. The tour went to two wineries and ended at 4pm for a selection of cheeses. The tour started about 10 minutes from the town we were now staying in.

The tour itself was better than any of us expected, even Jeff enjoyed it. Only thing was, it didn't end at 4pm. We climbed in the car afterwards, ravenous as we argued over a place to eat before finally deciding on one.

We sat down in the restaurant and I looked at the menu immediately, clearly ready to eat. The waitress came by soon after and we all ordered by pointing at what we wanted when we learned English wasn't enough. It was starting to become a joke how we couldn't seem to order food correctly, which then started one of our chatty dinner conversations.

When it was time to go, we took the long way back to the hotel so we could see more of the town. On the outer side of the town was a river, which I specifically wanted to see at night. While the rest of my family talked eagerly with each other behind me, I walked a little faster looking around me. Tonight I would notice the scenery.

The shops were becoming scarcer as were the people the closer we got. It darkened slightly here as I tried to differentiate between the sidewalk and cobblestone road. The stone bridge was just ahead of me as I picked up my pace even more. At this time of night, it was perfectly lit up with lights underneath its arches reflecting onto the dark evening water. Torches held up on mossy stone columns led the way to the bridge.

Then boom. I'd run right into someone, I'd been so engulfed in my surroundings. My reflexes had me grabbing onto the mystery person to apologize as I looked up into dark green eyes contrasted with thick eyebrows and dark brown stubble.

"OMG I am so sorry, Sir," I said to mystery man as I pulled my hands off of him and stepped away. I hadn't realized until that moment that my hands had somehow ended up on his chest. Disappointingly enough, I hadn't had long enough to tell how muscular they were. Dang, I had to stop checking him out.

He laughed as he smiled warmly back at me, "S'ok Miss, no problem at all. So, you be American. Yes?" He raised his eyebrows at me.

"Uhh," I stuttered. What was I going to say to him? "Uh, yes, I am from America. My name is Alexis," I said to him as I offered my hand.

He shook it immediately, "My name is Thomas. Pleased to meet you," His smile faded slightly as he looked me up and down. Then more to himself, "such a beautiful American at that." He looked back into my eyes and flashed a bright smile once more. "How much longer are you in the area?"

For some reason, I turned back to my family. Maybe I was hoping they would be able to find their words better than I was. I lazily pointed to them before answering him, "I'm actually here on vacation with my family. But this is our first night here. We leave tomorrow after our tour."

"Ahh I see, we'll maybe since I am familiar with this area better, I can take you to a nice place for food tomorrow night?" He said to me.

My god, is he asking me out? "Wow, that's so nice," I said more to myself than him. I continued on a whim. "Dinner sounds nice, thanks." What the hell, right?

He beamed at me, "Great! I will meet you at 7 at the church on the main street?"

Then my family caught up to me, Jeff spoke up first. "This what I think it is?"

Out of the corner of my eye I watched as my mother hit him on the arm, "Shh," she said to him. "Honey, if it's OK, I'd like to walk you there with your father, just in case." She had apologetic eyes but I knew what she was doing, looking out for my safety, of course.

I turned my attention back to him, "Great, can't wait Thomas. So nice meeting you. Sorry I ran into you like that."

"Oh no, please, I am glad you did!" he said as he turned on his heels and waved.

I watched him walk away trying to catch up with what had just happened. I'd just agreed to a date in a foreign country. I couldn't even do that at home.

My brother decided he should point this out to me, "So Alex, I guess that's what it takes then, huh?" he elbowed me, "you have to be in a foreign country to get a date, or a boyfriend."

"Shut up. I could get as many dates as I wanted back home," I said as I turned away from him frowning and looking at the ground. "The difference is that I never agreed to them, that's all."

~ * ~

Fun. It'll be fun they said. Psh.

I had worn a figure hugging black skirt with a white shirt that gathered at the bottom. While I had been putting on makeup, my mother insisted on curling my hair, so I felt way overdone. Especially for someone I'd met on a bridge. My mother liked my outfit because she not only picked it out, but had claimed it "highlighted my curves". . Even my brother had commented on how nice I looked. It was weird for me because I was never used to dressing up. I was always more into sportier looks, not butch, just some looser shirts and longer shorts. Now I was walking ahead of them by about 10 yards to the clock tower we were meeting at.

The clock tower chimed ahead of me as I looked up to admire it. It's faded ivory head was lit up by a spot light directed at it. The tower itself was made of what looked like brown stones aged by time and patterned with moss hugging its lower sides.

"Excuse me, but you look beautiful, Miss Alexis." Thomas pulled me out of my momentary daydream of the tower. I looked at him, "I thought we could walk to this bistro around the corner."

I thanked him and turned around to wave goodbye to my parents and Jeff. I knew they'd be choosing a restaurant close by.

"So, Thomas, you live here?" I asked him. Omg what a stupid question, of course he does. I mentally shook myself.

"Yes, I, ahem", he cleared his throat before continuing, "I am staying in the area now since I left my family. But I am familiar with it, yes."

I frowned. Weird way to answer a question, I wonder what happened to his family. "Well I'm sorry to hear that about your family, but at least this is a place you can be familiar with. Be comfortable with."

Something I'd said struck a chord with him as he looked at me momentarily before looking back down at the ground. I wasn't even sure he knew I'd noticed his expression just then. "It's not as bad as it sounds. We weren't very close. Anyways, enough about me. I want to hear more about you, and your life in America!"

Jeez. He'd said it like it was the golden land or something. Or maybe he was just eager to change the subject. "Well, what do you want to know? I just graduated from school, and I'm here celebrating that. And also I'm starting my job soon," I was rambling here a little. "But that's not for a while, do you work?"

"Yes I deliver goods from the outer farmlands to the town shops and restaurants here." He then surprised me by placing his hand on the small of my back as he led me past the front of the bistro. I hadn't realized we had even arrived.

Workers nodded at him as we walked by while we made our way through the kitchen and out the back door. A curtain was pulled from my right, and a private table set up was revealed. Under candlelight and with expensive looking wine sitting in a cooler. Slick move with the wine, buddy.

He then pulled out a chair for me to sit. I situated myself in my skirt and looked up to him sitting down. A waiter came up out of nowhere and began to pour me a glass of wine. I smiled at him and thanked him before taking a sip. Wow this is good. Thank you France. Thomas cleared his throat. I looked at him, confused.

What did he expect me to do? "Oh, thank you," I used my hands to point out everything around me. "This set up here, it's very nice."

He smirked and nodded his head at me, like he wasn't surprised at all by my remark. And yet, he was the one who seemed to suggest it out of me. Well OK then...

I put my glass down as I ran through my head of what to say to break the silence. "Soo," I began, this wasn't an awkward date at all... "Where is the best wine around here?" Wow, just like me to bring that up. Think of something else! "This wine you have tonight, is really very good."

When he didn't answer me right away, I raised my eyes to his. He kept my stare while he proceeded to finish his wine. Or more like chug it, and then pour himself another glass. Cocky, or nervous?

"I like to think the best wines are in this exact town, but you wanna know something," he leaned forward acting more serious as he lowered his voice, "they really are the best here. This one tonight, it's from the surrounding vineyards." He pointed to the bottle before leaning back in his chair.

"I believe it, I had the best wine today from a local vineyard."

"Well, you really wouldn't know what good wine tastes like though, would you? You are just an American," he casually said. I watched him as he lit a cigarette and blew the smoke directly at me while waggling his eyebrows at me.

Unbelievable. Was he joking? "You have a good point there. I am American, but I thought that's what you were interested in before, that I was American." I had said it like he had earlier.

"Ha ha," he shook with laughter. "If that's what you think I like about you..." He studied me before continuing, "Well, let's just hope that's not the best thing you have going for me."

My mouth hung open. For him? Normally, I'd love this kind of talk. Quick and witty conversation kept me going, but c'mon this guy was starting to bug me he was so rude. I barely knew this guy and for him to be acting so cocky and sarcastic like this was a major turn off. Especially for the first date.

I decided to go with it. If he could keep up with me. I gulped down the rest of my glass, and began to pour another for myself as he had. I just had to continue off another subject, I was not about to acknowledge what he'd just said. "So you make this wine that everybody loves then? Oh wait, no, I guess you'd just deliver them..."

He gave me a quizzical look then, "Yes, but you had asked where the wine was best. And I'm simply giving you my humble opinion is all."

"Opinion, yes. Humble, no," I shook my head at him.

His expression darkened momentarily before he answered me, "ya know, there are some people that respect and cherish my opinion."

The glimpse of his darker expression was still in my memory as chills ran down my spine. "I'm sure there are, just," I backed up my chair as I started to get up, "ya know, not me." I made a point as I tipped my glass up and threw my napkin down.

This seemed to upset him, as was to be expected, but he proceeded to get up and forcefully push me back into my chair. I was not anticipating that. My instincts didn't kick in quick enough. He wasn't just cocky, he was beginning to legitimately scare me.

"Don't you dare leave!" Then he calmed himself, "please," he raised his arm at me, holding them up in defeat, "I just want to eat a nice dinner together, and get to know you better."

Stunned, I got up from my chair anyways. "Look, I'm sorry but I am leaving. The offer was nice, and the effort was admirable. But the execution was..." I was at a loss for words, terrible? Painful? How to put this lightly, yet forcefully... Heck, he was a jerk. "It wasn't good. I have to go."

I turned swiftly on my heels and made a beeline for the door. I stopped short once he caught up with me stepping in front of me before making it out. Giving him as stern of a look as I could muster, I shot my right arm out intending to push him aside. He was stronger than I estimated as he easily grabbed my arm and placed it back at my side. He was way too calm as a smirk slid across his arrogant face.

"My god, just let me go!" I was practically screaming, incredulous. "It's just a date, I'm sure you've had plenty."

He snickered, "None like you, Lex." His eyes bored into mine, like he was looking deep within me, like he knew something way too personal. Still, he stepped aside to let me pass.

I raced past him and didn't stop until I was back in the square near the clock tower. I hadn't had time to think how he had known my nickname but once I was out of his presence and could properly breathe, I blamed it on an assumption he must've made.

I was coddled by the mother hen as she held me close on the walk back to the hotel. Jeff seemed worried about me but otherwise kept his distance because he knew I would want that, as did my dad. My mother, of course wouldn't leave me alone, even when I said I wanted space to pack. My personality was one that could be a bit ironic. I loved witty banter and stimulating conversation, I enjoyed jokes and laughter; but I also enjoyed privacy, and my own space. I wasn't really able to get that though, until the quiet ride to the next town.