• "Back off! No harm was done!" he cried as he backed away from the young woman's heel. He rubbed his throat uneasily though she had only grazed her shoe against it. She held the kick steady threateningly a few moments after he stepped away.
    "Why are you following me?" She asked with narrowed eyes, planting her foot on the ground in a ready stance, "You've been stalking me all day, so what do you want? A date? Easy cash? What?!"
    The young man sighed heavily while glaring at the blonde temp, his hair falling ever so slightly in his face. His striking green glare was attractive, she admitted to herself, but she wanted to roll her eyes at her own lack of concentration. He set his jaw without comfort and said through clenched teeth, "Does it really matter? Have you already made up your mind that I'm the lowest scum that inconvenienced you today? Forgive me for admiring you. I did not intend to make you uncomfortable, I just hadn't the courage to speak to you."
    The blonde temp was taken aback by his beautiful dialect and longing to hear more, replied immediately, "Of course it matters! If you'd spoken to me before following me after work until we were in an alley, I wouldn't have been so suspicious. Don't you think that's reasonable?" There was a mixture of exasperation and annoyance in her voice.
    The young man thought about it for a moment and nodded. In that one moment of hesitation, the temp looked over her opponent: His tall, lanky figure was blessed with the occasional curve of muscle. His complexion was sickly white but she supposed it came from the same genetics that tinged his brown hair with crimson. Under the city grunge, the temp came to realize he was absolutely gorgeous.
    "Yes, I suppose you are right in assuming I was harmful. I would like to apologize for my cowardice and understand if you do not wish to know anything more about me," he looked down and scowled at the very thought. "However, I would also like to offer a chance to prove myself otherwise. Please allow me a second chance to win you over for I promise not to do any more stalking."
    His eyes glittered when he smiled genuinely. Against her better judgment, she accepted his invitation. The temp was utterly intrigued by his enchanting mannerisms and his remarkable physique. His interest in her was flattering, but she wanted to know more about him.
    "Very well. I was on my way to dinner anyway," she returned his smile and added, "Oh, I'm Monica. And you are?"
    "Norman. Where were you planning to eat?" he asked in pleasant curiosity. He was annunciating everything that came out his mouth, much to Monica's delight. Although she knew that she could never execute it as perfectly he did, Monica mentally decided to make an effort to improve her conversational skills.
    "There is a cafe across the corner. Um, Norman, if you don't mind, may I ask how old are you?" the young temp tried to be careful with her words.
    The boy started to walk out of the alley and pointed to one side of it with a questioning glance at her. When she nodded, he answered, "Just barely nineteen. Do you mind if I ask the same?"
    She sighed in surprise, "Oh, for some reason I thought you were older... Where are you from? You can't be from anywhere near here with that accent."
    He laughed a little as they walked down the street, "No, I am very far away from home, it is true. I hail from some place most people have never heard of, a place that does not exist anymore, I'm afraid...." He trailed off slightly before he turned to look at her. "Where did you come from to have such combat skills?"
    He was halfway mocking, but she enjoyed it. They were seated at the cafe and had ordered drinks before she answered him.
    "I don't believe in being helpless. And I enjoy the martial arts immensely." She grinned and brushed blonde locks out of her face, "Perhaps I enjoy the illusion of being helpless." She shrugged.
    Norman looked at the temp carefully, a small smirk in the corner of his mouth. "Ah, the illusion is the best part of most traps, isn't it?"
    His green eyes met her blue ones pointedly and his smirk grew.