Turn Me Bad

 If the mountain view from the bar had been picturesque then being lakeside was so much more, in that way nature had of asking the question ”Why don’t you get out and appreciate me more often?”

Just as Benjamin had asked, she had directed him to a place that locals knew to be memorable. Be that as it may, she had been there many times – most often on day trips out as a child – but still thought she had never seen it looking so scenic. Maybe it was because she had always been there in the middle of the day and evening’s light gave it a different quality entirely. Or maybe she was feeling such a positive vibe that evening, meaning her eyes were capable of recognising wonders they had been closed to for a while.

Either way, it provided a great contrast to the noisy bar, and she forgot her fears that Benjamin would suddenly buzz off and find some trendier friends.

”So this is somewhere you knew growing up?” he asked.

”There was a time we used to come here every other weekend. Back when we had two dogs that enjoyed a walk.”

”I think it’s awesome,“ he said. ”Another great reason for coming here.”

Violet was hoping that by this he meant the other great reason was meeting her, but couldn’t bring herself to pry in case of disappointment. All the same, she was beginning to believe he genuinely saw something in her and that was why – even if that something was just that he wanted to get laid (it had been a while since she had enjoyed such attention).

Giddy with the possibilities of romance, for some reason Violet still felt the need to start an argument with him as they set off on their walk along the lakeshore.

”You’re not serious that you ride like that often?“ she pried. ”I mean without a helmet?”

”Not often.”

”Not often? Benjamin, not often should be never. Don’t you know all the crash statistics, they all say–“

”I know, but I’m not a speed freak compared to some.”

”It seemed pretty fast to me.”

”What I mean is I’m not in the mood to risk my life by doing unnecessary things.”

”Like not wearing a helmet.”

”Like getting into races, I mean. Not anymore, at least. I’m more of a sit back and let the road glide under you at its own pace.”

”You and I belong to different realities.”

”I’m a guy and you’re a gal; what do you expect?”

”You had been drinking too!“ she exclaimed.

”Only a couple of whiskies.”

”A couple of the strongest things you can get over the counter. Sure, why worry? I don’t know why I didn’t think of that before we set off.”

”A couple of drinks on a warm day like this hardly does anything.”

”You don’t have to try and impress me any further.”

”I’m not. Just want you to know that I wouldn’t put you in peril.”

”At least you can walk it off now, I guess.”

”I’m good and fine, Violet.”

”Forgive me for being the sensible one here.”

”We are who we are.”

Violet had wanted to say, ”And you don’t know me at all,“ but she held back then and decided to stop lecturing him about safety. The evening had come out of nowhere and, though she still didn’t know exactly what it was, she already had certain pieces of information to tease Caitlin with. She had been on the back of a motorcycle with her hands holding onto a guy so dreamy he could have just walked off a poster. Maybe she should get a selfie of them with the bike because the story would likely not be believed otherwise.

The two of them strolled around the lakeshore at a languid pace, laughing and joking together. There were a few other people who had driven out there that evening, but mostly to walk their dogs. They were the only two to look like young lovers, even if it did turn out to be a false impression. They did not have to talk for long before Violet came to appreciate that the differences they had were an advantage when it came to getting to know each other – even if the bike ride had given her the jitters. Benjamin asked her what could have been interpreted as standard questions about her work and upbringing, but, because it was all very different to his own, he managed to find humor where she had failed to notice there was any.

The whole situation of sharing a house with her brother’s annoying girlfriend, for example. Violet alluded to it as a subject that was best left unexplored (only wanting to hint that she was very much single in the process), but very soon they were in stitches because Benjamin got her to see the funny side.

”Strikes me that this Caitlin is jealous of you,“ he said.

”My friend said the same thing, but I really don’t get it. I don’t think Caitlin cares about having qualifications; she wants a man on her arm, then she wants him to work to pay a mortgage, marry her and give her kids. All of which she’ll probably rub in my face.”

”But I think she’s jealous of you because you’ll have even more than that.”

”How do you mean?”

”Well, you can have whatever you want of course. You have choice, because you have brains; that’s what she doesn’t like.”

”I strike you as having brains do I?“ Violet asked, recalling her clumsy bike helmet moment.

”Absolutely! You’ll figure out not to try and talk with your mouth full of hair eventually as well.”

”You never warned me that might happen.”

”And no one warned your brother that Caitlin might happen. We have to learn life’s lessons by ourselves usually, but luckily I was there to save you from walking headfirst into the lake.”

”There an ice cream hut up ahead that’s still open,“ Violet noticed. ”I’m going to buy us some and see if I can resist sticking it in your face.”

Someone had once pointed out to her the curious behavior that saw people being slightly mean to people they were attracted to. Violet had never understood that comment up until then, when she found herself doing exactly that. She was loving his company and feeling like a million dollars for it, yet still found herself talking like she had a misbehaving child on her hands. Her attitude was quite the opposite of how she really wanted to be with him, but for his part Benjamin did not appear to mind at all. Every time she endeavored to be strict with him, he only laughed and looked like he was enjoying the evening all the more.