Her Dirty Little Secret

"We should have gone to the bar bathroom. "I'm afraid this walk to your house will zap the joy from our systems."Mario was right. Leaving the warmth of the bar and feeling the cool evening breeze caressing my hair has brought me back to my senses. But not completely. I was still lusting after this man who towered over me, and I could not get over the scent of his perfume, which smelled far too good for my liking. I could tell he was a very tidy person. I winced at the thought of my apartment, which was still in disarray."In any case, it's probably filthy." His deep voice pierced my thoughts and drew me back to him.“Huh?”"The bar's restroom."I responded by nodding. It's a good thing none of us thought to go to the bathroom because things would have turned out differently. Mario paused to exchange pleasantries with a man halfway on his knees in reverence. "Why do you let these people worship you like that?""I did not ask for it.""You're basking in the glory."We walked silently,

It’s been a week, and I’m still avoiding Mario Princeton like the plague. I kept telling myself that it was for my good. I couldn’t bear the thought of a fad ruining my new life in this town. Yes, I’d describe my feelings for him as mere infatuation. Keep saying it until you believe it, right?I can’t pretend that avoiding him isn’t a chore, but I’ve tried to distract myself by reading and journaling. My mother kept a journal, and I always thought the whole “Dear Diary” thing was a waste of time, but now that I had the opportunity for a fresh start, I decided to indulge my mother, who always tried to make me write as well, and it turns out it isn’t so bad. Especially since I spend my evenings writing under a tree near the stream. I tell my journal about everyone in town who has yet to warm up to me.“It is difficult for these people to accept someone new. Especially with your involvement with everyone’s sweetheart.” By ‘sweetheart,’ Bolu was referring to Princeton. I gasped when he me

“Nina, are you picking a fight right now so you don’t have to attend my mother’s birthday dinner?” Mario was upset, and I was glad he was not in front of me. I can’t resist that sweet face even if I tried. I wanted to be good. Dress up like the lovely nursery school teacher I was and impress all the fine people who will be interested in knowing me since I will be poised beside Mario as his “friend.” laugh at their not-so-funny jokes and maybe come up with a project or talk about real estate or some business stuff because rich people like to be sure that you are not a predator. I know how the evening would go because I have been the arm candy countless times at events like this. Even though this might be a bit different, I can tell Mario likes me. But being there did not seem right to me, so I picked a fight. It was easy. I told him my being at his mother’s birthday would “complicate things.” It started as a witty remark about me being the perfect wife material, and his family would h

My eyes fluttered open to a strange room, and I started to heave. The panic doubled, and the room went completely dark. I could not recall how I ended up in this unfamiliar bed or whose bed it was. My head pounded as I tried to remember how I ended up here. “How are you doing, Nina?” I heard a deep voice say. It was Mario calling, and I was relieved to recognise his voice even though it sounded like he was calling from a distance. I was breathing more rapidly because I had trouble controlling my breathing and responding to Mario’s call. “Nina?” Mario touched me, and I flinched. He kissed my sweaty cheeks tenderly and asked, “What’s wrong?” “You seem uneasy? I nodded and muttered, “I need to get ready for work.” Mario pulled the incredibly plush sheets over me. “I’ll head to the doctor. It looks like you’re having a panic attack. I’ll be back soon. I needed Mario’s kindness and figured there was no point in protesting. I could hear the birds singing freely in the trees while I w