“Because he said yes the second Tracy asked him to be in the study.” She huffed. “You should be happy. You’re getting forty dollars’ worth of coffee. It’s basically liquid gold during finals.”
She used a dark floral scarf as a blindfold and triple checked it to make sure I couldn’t see a thing.
“Take my arm, I’ll guide you,” she said.
I linked my arm through hers and followed her into the makeshift studio. “I’m nervous.”
“You’ll be fine. Okay, step up.” She led me to a spot on the small stage where I felt a pencil on the ground. “Keep one foot on that. That’s your mark. The guy will be here in a minute.”
I heard his voice first. It was deep but soft, grounded in his chest but not husky. “Wait, where the fuck am I? Oh shit.” When I heard him trip, I started laughing.
“Hey, woman, are you laughing already? I haven’t even kissed you yet.” Everything was black but for some reason his demeanor instantly put me at ease. I could feel him standing opposite me now.
“Reach out and take each other’s hands,” said the guy behind the camera.
Ling guided our hands toward each other. His were warm and large; they swallowed mine up. “Tiny little hands,” he said.
“Ha!”
Ling started in. “Okay, we’re going to ask you a few questions and then ask you to kiss. You can take as long as you want. You don’t have to force yourselves to stop or continue, just let it happen organically.” I couldn’t imagine how that would be humanly possible.
He squeezed my hands in a way that was calming.
“So, girl number four,” Ling said, “are you nervous?”
“Uh, yes.”
“What about you, guy number four?”
“Not really.”
“Why did you agree to this?”
He spoke first, “Free coffee.”
“What about you?” Ling poked me in the shoulder.
“Um, yeah. The coffee, I guess.”
“So what do you think this experiment will give you? You go first.” She poked my arm again.
“Herpes simplex one.”
The guy chuckled. “No, I’m good,” he said.
“What about you?” Ling asked.
“I don’t know. An experience.” He didn’t seem nervous at all. “Like, what can you feel from just a kiss?” He ran his thumb over the center of my palm. It sent shivers down my spine. “Or by touch alone. I mean, I do wonder, you know... like, if it’s different, if I’ll feel nothing because I don’t know what she looks like.”
I huffed and tried to pull my hands away but he held them tight. “Where you going, lady?”
I didn’t respond.
Ling poked me again. “Tell him your name and what you like to do.”
“Penny. I’m a dancer.”
“Tiny littleT. rexdancer.”
