She was late and I was early. I haven’t been out much since the nightmares and I had never been on a blind date, so I didn’t know what the fashionable etiquette was. I had gotten her a grocery store rose, arrived ten minutes early and I had waxed myself pit to pinky toe just in case it went that direction.

I was already walking to the little cafe she’d chosen in a khaki button up dress before I realized I should have checked the weather. It was heat-warning hot and I should have worn something less sweat-inducing.

The cafe was cute and pretentious- the type with mix-matched tables and paintings by local artists. I had stood at the entrance for about twenty minutes, leaning on the brick with my hands in my pockets. If I was going to be the poor girl being stood up outside the cafe, I wanted to look cool and unphased about it.

However, it was hard to look cool on a day where the sun had chosen violence. Once my hands had dampened the insides of my pockets and I could feel the sweat stain growing on my back, I gave up and got myself a table inside. I should have just marched myself back home, but I couldn’t do it. Without even meeting, she already had some sick power over me.

I allowed myself to order a black coffee. I deserved that much for waiting, but I figured it would be rude to get anything more than that before she arrived. As I took the grainy last sip, I felt a violent chill down my spine.

"Hi! I’m so sorry I’m late," she floated into the seat across from me, picking up the rose, "Oh is this for me? You’re so sweet. A lady passed out on the street so I had to call an ambulance and all that. Thanks for waiting, how are you?"

She was so beautiful. Not a single bead of sweat on her forehead. As I stared at her longer, something felt familiar.

"Hello?" she said.

"I’m okay, thanks. How are you?"

"Really good, actually. I had a nice week"

I stared at her while she explained why her week was so nice. Every time we made eye-contact, I felt a prick in my neck. She stopped mid sentence.

"How are you, really?" she said.

I had forgotten to look like I was paying attention. I said I was fine, just tired and she said "good thing we’re in a coffee shop!" before ordering mint tea and a jelly donut. I ordered another black coffee.

She got me talking about my week as she sipped her tea. My heartbeat quickened when she took hold of the donut. It was like watching a cat sink its teeth into chubby little mouse. Thick red jelly stuck to corner of her mouth.

"What?" she giggled.

I recognized her then. I recognized the prick in my neck. The nightmares— me helpless like a chubby little mouse.