Free Meeting The Unpredictable by Riann C. Miller

anything but friendly. Therefore, I avoided her, but today my apartment officially felt lonely without Lennie breezing in and out like she has for the last couple of weeks. If someone had told me a few weeks ago I’d be waiting, almost wanting her to barge in and disrupt my day, I would have laughed in their face, but it’s true.
    The fact that she was leaving as I was coming home seemed like fate, or at least it was the kick in the ass I needed to walk over and talk to her. Now, with a beer in my hand, sitting in a bar, I’m not sure what I should say.
    “Why did you lock your door?”
    I can’t keep myself from grinning. “I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who actually asks exactly what they’re thinking.”
    “I would tell you that I haven’t met anyone who avoids answering questions before, but I’d be lying.”
    “I don’t avoid answering. Shit, I’ve told you more crap than I’ve probably told anyone since I was with Amber.”
    “Then I’ll repeat, why was your door locked?”
    Her finger starts twisting a lock of her hair while she waits for me to answer.
    My heart speeds up as I cave to her demanding stare. “I’m attracted to you. There, are you happy?”
    Her eyes thin. “You’re attracted to me and instead of allowing me in your apartment you locked me out?”
    I groan because of how crazy that sounds. “Yes.”
    Lennie starts tapping her finger on the table. “Tyler, when was the last time you had sex?”
    My mouth drops open. “What kind of question is that?” I sputter.
    “A typical one.”
    “The hell it is. You don’t just walk around and ask someone when they last had sex.”
    She shrugs. “I do. Maybe not every day, but if the question fits in the conversation, then I’ll ask.”
    “But that’s not normal.” My voice rises.
    “You know, Tyler, I don’t like that word.”
    “What word?”
    She sighs. “Normal. Why should anyone decide what’s normal or what’s not?” Something about the way she said her last comment hits me in a way I wasn’t expecting. She’s not talking about her question, and whether it’s deemed acceptable to ask something personal to someone you don’t really know, she’s talking about something on a level I don’t understand because I’ve never stood out. If anything, I’ve gone out of my way to blend in.
    “Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you.”
    The corner of her mouth turns up. “How long has it been since you’ve had sex?”
    “Annnd we’re back to that.” I shake my head and down the rest of my beer. I went a little crazy after Amber and I broke up. I slept with five different women in one month, but then I ran into Amber at my parents’ country club. She was with him, and suddenly my meaningless encounters felt dirty compared to what they had together.
    I lost my virginity to Amber. We spent over five years together, and were almost married.
    At the time, I hadn’t come to terms with the fact that I wasn’t in love with her, and seeing them together was harder than when she broke up with me. After that, I went over a year without having sex. Now, when I venture out and every now and then, I’ll find someone to spend the night with, but more times than not, I go home alone.
    “I don’t know,” I finally answer.
    “Yes, you do.”
    “Okay, know it all. When was the last time you had sex?” The second the question is out, I want to take it back. I’m starting to really enjoy these new visions I’m having of Lennie in my head, and I don’t want to ruin it by picturing her with someone else.
    “Thirty-three days ago.”
    I start doing the math in my head. “You didn’t sleep with someone the night your sister couldn’t find you?”
    Lennie rolls her eyes. “No, I didn’t. The last man I was with was Hank, my boss in New Orleans.”
    “Oh.”
    “But if we’re going to be honest, then I should admit I was going out tonight in hopes of shacking up.” She doesn’t laugh or smile. Instead, she stares at