Without turning on the lights he entered the room. He didn’t need any illumination to guide his way, he knew every inch of the room even in the confusion of darkness. Before he even took off his jacket, he went to the bottle of Jack Daniels standing on the desk by the window and poured himself a drink. He always needed to prepare before he went in there, she made him nervous but he wasn’t telling her that. Walking into his bedroom, he shucked off his jacket and hung it over the chair, wearing a suit to lay around like that for so many hours was uncomfortable, so he crossed to the small wardrobe and removed a pair of plaid pyjama bottoms and an old grey T-shirt. Within minutes he was back in the living room and turning the computer on. It had become sort of a ritual for the two of them to meet every night at 11. He had found himself rushing home more and more to make sure he was there to talk to her.

Anticipation flared in his stomach along side the alcohol, as he watched the little green characters flash onto the screen. As usual she had gotten there before him, a broad grin appeared on his face as he waited to see how she greeted him tonight. A grin also flashed on her face, revealing even white teeth. She rushed over to him and hugged him tight before planting a kiss onto his forehead.

Michelle: I didn’t think you’d make it tonight. When I read the mail and you told me that you had to go for a drink with the boss after work, I feared the worse.

Rick: I wouldn’t miss our meeting, where else would I find some ego-fodder.

Michelle: Hmmmm, maybe you should have stayed later with the boss, your ego’s way too big as it is.

Rick: You know you love it, he said as he flashed her one of what he hoped were his most charming smiles.

She’d always loved the way his ego seemed to take up the whole room, in usual situations he would have just sat in the corner and watched everyone else take centre stage but being with Michelle just seemed to bring out his charming side. She was a natural flirt and always seemed to be happy to see him. She greeted him so warmly, not like any of the women in his office, they were catty little women that just looked for men with big wallets and even bigger cars. All they cared about was status, something which Rick didn’t have alot of, but he wasn’t bothered, there was only one woman for him. It didn’t matter if they’d never been able to really touch each other, or that he had never even seen a photo of her, he was in love with the mystery and raw beauty that he read on screen every night. This was a realm where he could bring out the side of him that no one usually got to see, his shyness acted like a barrier around it, preventing him from opening up to anyone, but Michelle had managed to break down that barrier within minutes of them meeting.

Michelle: So, how was your boss tonight?

Rick: As usual, he drunk too much and went on about how his wife had been cheating on him for about four hours solid. I take pity on him, when a womans with a man and loved him enough to marry him in the first place then she should be faithful to him. Otherwise she’s not being fair to either of them.

Michelle: It sounds like you’re talking from bitter experience tonight. He looked out of the window, should he tell her about his past relationship, the only serious relationship he’d ever had, the one that ended with his heart and soul torn to shreds by a woman he’d given his life to. No, it’d be safer to keep his mouth shut for now, maybe in the future, when he was in a less melancholy mood, he give her all the gory details but tonight the pain was too close to the surface, too likely to make the bitter, acid tears prick the back of his eyes. He wouldn’t cry to her, he was too strong for that now and he wouldn’t let any else shoulder his problems.

Rick: No, thats just the drink talking, women have always fallen for me hard. I’d never hurt any of them though, women are too precious for that, treat them nice and you end up with friends for life, that hold a shoulder for you to cry on. Trash them out and it’ll only end up with pain for you, normally via the fists of their new strong arm lovers.

She found herself smiling at the screen again. Rick was always a perfecty gentleman, the other men that she’d met online had only been interester in one thing but that was something she saved for a real life man who treated her with the care and affection she deserved.

Michelle: Charming as hell, hey Rick, just like usual. You know a girl could fall for you when you talk like that.

He raked his fingers through his hair. If only she would tell him that in real life, then he would be truly happy for eternity. Rick had spent many nights, staring at the ceiling in the early hours after one of their chats, thinking about one day asking to meet her, just for a coffee, nothing serious, but so far he hadn’t had the courage to do it.

From below her window, she heard a bike pulling up, someone in her building had ordered take out again. She bit her lip and wondered who. Nearly every night some form of take-out arrived at her apartment building, always for the same person who occupied the apartment just to the left of hers. She heard the doorbell ring, the mumble of voices, the main door slam and the bike roar off before the silence again invaded the empty stair wells and hallways.

Rick: Well I better go, dinner’s sitting on the side waiting to be eaten. Michelle: Same time tomorrow night I take it? Rick: Same time, same place, same beautiful enigmatic woman.

Even though Michelle was alone in her apartment, she blushed at the screen, compliments like that always embarassed her but he was a real sweety.

Michelle: I’ll be waiting for you. Take care at work tomorrow and watch out for your boss.

She gave him a quick hug and a peck on the lips, before leaving the room and switching off the machine.

For a few seconds after the little green characters informed him that she’d gone, he just sat and starred at the screen but then he pulled himself together, switched his own PC off, leaned back in the leather swing chair and took a bite out of the carton of chow mein that the delivery boy had just dropped off. One day they’d meet, one day he’d be able to deliver that compliment in person. From the flat next door he heard the soft strains of the blues being played by the young lady that lived there. A few times he’d noticed her in the lobby, checking the mail in the pigeon holes and was breath taken at her beauty but he was way too shy to pluck up the courage to talk to a woman like that. Sighing he switched on the TV and sat down. Tomorrow night, he’d see the woman he’d fallen for again and the other woman would just be a pleasant memory.