The city lights shine all around me as we exit the fancy restaurant, my hand still clasped in Hunter's.

His excited eyes turn to me, "What is your favorite place in the city, Miss Rosalie?" His smile matches the bright flashing lights of the movie theater sign. What was my favorite place, here? Devin and I never really walked around very much. He always had to be at some engagement with his work and myself at the college forty minutes from here.

"I don't really know. I..um..don't really spend much time here." My nervousness was beginning to show. I was here, in the city, alone with a stranger I didn't even know. "I...I think I should call a cab, to take me home. Thank-"

"Nonsense, you came out for a night of romance and wonder, and that Miss Rosalie-" He paused. not knowing my last name,.

"Green," I tell him, "Rosalie Green."

"Miss Rosalie Green, is exactly what I intend to give you." His eyes gleam as he takes my hand once again, leading me farther into the bright commotion the city had to offer.

I take my time as I let him lead me around the bustling groups of people. It's hard not to admire the features of the man who rescued me from what could have been a horrifying outcome of a date. His dark hair appears model-ready, even with the obvious mess to it. His back is stretching out his black coat. As I continue to study him I realize that his tux matches the fitted dress I'm wearing. How ironic. While my thoughts roam to my beautiful dress that Devin has now missed out on, Hunter decides to take a sharp left heading for the neon light minigolf and go-karts place on the street ahead.

"Mini-golf?" His smile pulls me, the happiness glowing from him felt inviting. "Play... If you dare." His voice drops an octave as he teases me. He holds his mischievous smirk as we continue into the fun-filled establishment. I begin to pull out my purse to pay for my ticket, but Hunter hands the man his credit card before I get the chance.

He lowers himself to whisper in my ear, "I'm taking you out, remember Babe?" His words send tingles down my back and I find myself wishing that Devin had called me babe more often. The way Hunter says it-- my thoughts are interrupted by a golf club being pushed my way. It isn't long before Hunter and I are encompassed by the dark, the black lights causing us to have to walk blindly in the course.

"I've got you." His hand clasps onto mine, helping to lead me through the maze of neon items and darkness until we arrive at the first hole. The place is almost empty due to the fact that it's a kid's place and it's almost midnight. Hunter lines up his shot, how he can see in this darkness amazes me, but I hear the plastic hollow sound as his ball makes its mark in the hole, "Hole in one," He announces triumphantly.

I raise my eyebrow as I let the sentence flow from my mouth before continuing, "Are you sure you're not cheating with some special glasses or something?"

His fingers splayed across my hips causing me to gasp from the closeness, his breath hot on my neck, "I've played other games in the dark too."

His abrupt comment leads me unable to hit the ball in any acceptable direction and his effect on me is confirmed as I hear the familiar plop of the ball falling in a built-in pond. Hunter turns me to face him clicking his tongue, "Now at this rate you're never going to win." I pull back trying to remember this handsome man is still a stranger to me, "Maybe not every game is about winning."

I can still see the white of his smile in this darkness beconking me closer, "Oh Rosalie, the things you must learn." He uses his club to bring me closer bracing it across my back, "I can be very competitive." I am finally thankful for the lack of lights as it allows my blushed cheeks to go unnoticed, never had Devin paid such attention to me, at least not in the last two years.

"I..um..uhh." Hunter releases me from his hold pulling another green golf ball from his pocket before responding, "Had a feeling you would need more than one."

"It's because of your cheating ways I need another." I mumble the comment under my breath. Secretly, I don't mind his close contact. It's something I had been missing from my ex for a while now. Rosalie what are you doing? You barely know this man, and now you're what, flirting with him? My voice of reason brought sense to the situation before me. What would my mother think of my endeavors now? She had never really liked Devin, but she certainly would not like her youngest child running around with strangers she just met.

"I think I should go." I could sense Hunter's facade change as he looked at me with concern, I rush to explain my reasons, not wanting to hurt the feelings of the man who had just saved me from embarrassment at the restaurant only a short time ago. "I just, I don't really know you and my dorm mate Val is probably worried since my last text told her Devin wasn't showing. I just-"

"Play one game with me," His voice pleads, "Please." I look up at him, considering.

His eyes made up my mind, "Fine one game, I really don't want Val to worry."

Playing mini-golf with Hunter is one of the better times I've had with a man in the past year. He doesn't stop and walk away to answer a call like Devin would do sometimes, he didn't show up late and kiss me saying he was sorry, but he would have to leave early and that we would have to reschedule.

Hunter didn't seem to be pulled in any other direction, he was just here, with me and nowhere else. "Won't your friends be missing you?" I question, glancing at his watch and realizing we had been at the Fun Palace for almost two hours now.

"They can see me tomorrow, I want to make sure you and I have that chance as well." His words warm my cold body as the air outside the establishment became frigid with the night. I watch as Hunter lets out a whistle, calling over a yellow taxi to take me home. "Will I see you tomorrow, Rosalie?" His voice is sweet as it questions our future. Are we just two strangers together for a night? Or do I make us more? The choice is in mine to make, and I don't know what to chose, so I decide to let fate take me on its wild ride.

"I'll let fate decide. Thank you for the night, Hunter-" What did he say his last name was?

"I'll tell you if you agree to a second date." I can only smile at his words, but for once, I'm not going to choose the wrong decision. I'm a lot of things, but I'm not a cheater. No matter how mad I am at Devin, I would never betray him. I've never had this much fun before, but I can't hurt Devin like this. Whatever happens this time, I'm able to blame it on life.

"Thank you for the night." And with my final words I step into the taxi, letting it take me away from the unforgettable night and to my dorm where I know I'm going to have to answer millions of questions.

I don't even have time to insert my key into the dorm room before Val throws it open, her eyes scanning over my figure, "He didn't show?" I shake my head, pushing through my -- now angry -- best friend. "That weasel! When I see him, I'm going to-"

"I'm done," Her rant ceases as she looks to me for for more explanation, "I'm done with him. I kept lying to myself, saying he cares, but he's just busy. That he wants to be with me, but his career is really important right now, but it's all bullshit!" I can feel the anger I had been subduing finally boiling over, "He doesn't care and neither should I!"

But I still do, a tiny part of me still loves the Devin I knew, the one who had taken me out and paid attention to the little things. The one who was never late and made our relationship more of a priority. But I haven't seen that Devin in years, and it's time to lose hope of him ever returning. Hunter had helped me see that tonight. Pulling out my phone, I send a curt note to Devin, too tired to write out a long paragraph about how our relationship just isn't working anymore.

"Oh, Honey, are you okay?" Val had killed her anger with the shock of mine. I don't get angry a lot, and I guess for Val it came as a shock when I finally let it out.

"He didn't show, but instead... I met this guy." Her eyebrows perk up with my confession, "Val, I don't think Devin cares anymore and I can't lie to myself about it any longer."

"Oh, Baby I know. I know." Her arms wrap around me, thinking I need comfort. Right now, I think what I really need is sleep. The alarm clock on my bedside reads 3:15 am and I groan internally. Heading to my closet, I quickly slip the dress onto a hanger, changing into my pajamas before heading to the bathroom as I listen to my friend interrogate me about my night.

"Was he hot? Did you get his number? Does Devin know? Do you want me to tell him?" I almost choke on my toothpaste at her last question.

"No!" Calming my nerves I repeat myself in a quieter voice, "No, I don't want him to think I cheated or anything. We broke up because of different priorities and I don't want him to assume it was anything else, Val."

I know Devin, if word got around that I had seen someone else, he would go ballistic and I would never be known as anything else but a cheater. I don't want that. "So, are you going to see him again?" Her question is the same one I have on my mind. Will I ever see Hunter again, or will this be one of the magical memories I hold dear? but that's all it was a memory.

"I don't know. I'm letting fate decide." As I finish the sentence, let the last word sound , a hairbrush flies past me, clattering in the bathroom sink. Val's voice is closer now as she leans in the doorway, "Fate stinks! It never does anything right!"

I can only roll my eyes at the eccentric girl before me, "I'm tired of making bad decisions, now it's fate's turn to make a choice. It's all got to work out in the end right?" This time she grabs a pillow from my bed, throwing it at my head, luckily I catch it before it hits me.the floor.

"Wrong!"

Chucking it back at her, I head to my bed.I felt tired out and I knew I wasn't ready for the lecture in the morning. "Well, we will have to wait and see." She only huffs at my response before throwing herself into the bed beside mine.

"Was he at least hot?" Knowing she will never give up, I give her something to fall asleep to.

"Yeah, it seemed like his eyes were glowing." As I began to plug my phone in, the buzz caught me off guard. Who would be contacting me at this hour?

Looking at Opening the phone screen, I saw the contact name pop up as "Your next date, babe." How had he gotten his contact in my phone? That sneak must have grabbed it while we were in the darkness of the mini-golf place! I scroll to my messages, reading what he had sent me. Let's take fate into our own hands, shall we? Meet me at 10pm on the bridge this Friday? Deciding not to reply at the moment, I close the phone, knowing I have three days to chose whether this will be more than a one-time thing.

Hunter had other plans as I my phone began to buzz again. A picture of his shirtless body lights up in my messages. My phone dropped to the floor as I realized how defined his abs were. Something for my contact photo, Babe. His words are followed by a winking emoji. I can feel his playfulness seeping through the phone. I quickly save his photo to his contact and type out a reply, See you on the bridge, I'll be the one in red. I guess fate had decided to give us a shot. My face flushes as I re-read the already sent message. Am I really going to just jump into whatever this may be?

I can't wait.

And with that I turn over, silencing my thoughts with much needed sleep.

Written by; andienichols  

Edited by; ForeverFic & CreativeOblivion & _BeautifulRose_