"How do you know?"
"Because if I wanted to hurt you, I wouldn't have let you leave safely last night."
Long silence. Then: "What do you want?"
I stared at that question for a long time. She was giving me an opening to be honest. But I didn't want to scare her. Not yet.
"I want to see you." I finally replied.
"When?"
Her directness caught me off guard. I'd expected more convincing.
"Today."
"??? Today?" Three question marks showing her shock.
"You realize it's past midnight, right?"
"God... but..."
But what? I waited patiently. Another long silence.
"I don't know if this is a good idea." she finally said.
"Most things worth doing aren't good ideas."
"Like what?"
"Like a reporter photographing a strange man. Liketexting a dangerous person at midnight. Like... trusting someone you should fear."
"You're convincing me to do something stupid."
"I'm giving you a choice," I corrected. "Choose safety, or choose truth."
This time she was quiet for five full minutes. I started worrying I'd pushed too hard. Just as I prepared to send something gentler, her reply came.
"What if I said yes?"
My heart raced.
"Good girl." I controlled my impulse. "Tonight at eight. I'll send you the address early."
"Make sure you clear your whole evening," I added wickedly.
"God..."
"What?"
"What if... hypothetically, I chickened out?"
"You'd regret it, since I'm a 'dangerous' person."
"..."
I smiled. "Sweet dreams, Anna. See you today."
She didn't reply again.
