Alfie the Minotaur: Part Two (special preview)

“I seriously can’t get this thing to work,” you said to Keery over the phone. You struggled with the wrench, trying to adjust the radiator heater in your apartment. “This worked last year.”

Keery had this certain tone to her laugh. “Why don’t you call Alfie? I’m sure he’d love to come and rescue you from that old, cold apartment.”

You pouted. “I mean, I guess I could. I just don’t know what stage of the relationship we are in. Am I able to call him to fix shit like this whenever? Or is it just a story I tell him over dinner?” You grunted, falling off the wrench and tumbling back into the wall.

Keery was chewing on something, probably her breakfast. “It’s Alfie, even if you two weren’t hanging out he’d still come fix anything you’d ask.”

“Don’t say it like that,” you huffed. “I mean, I like Alfie. I just haven’t had that convo with him yet about-”

“Being demisexual?”

“Yeah.” You took the wrench off the radiator and sat down in front of it. “Keery! I’m freezing to death!” You whined. “I don’t have big boobs like you to keep my heart warm and soft. I’ll turn evil any second.”

“Calm down you baby. Okay, I have something you can do.”

You sit up and push up the sleeves to your hoodie. “Really? What is it?”

“Call this number-” she said rattling it off.

You frowned. “That’s Alfie’s phone number.”

“Yeah, call him!” Keery then hung up.

You leaned back against the hall and stared at the radiator. “It’s not that I don’t want him here. Nor that I don’t want to talk to him about it. It’s just really hard ya know? After last time?” You motioned to the radiator. “You remember last time?”

The radiator stood in silence.

“Yeah, that guy. The one who thought three dates meant sex.” You slouched back then looked at your phone in your hands. “It’s been five dates with Alfie though.” You looked back at the radiator. “Well you call him then since you’re the one in distress!” You held your phone out then grunted loudly. “Fine, I’ll call.” You stood up and walked into the kitchen, sitting near the stove you had pre-heating just to feel some semblance of warmth.

Fall had come in like a brick that year, started off by a hellacious rainstorm that had halted work on the academy grounds, as well as brought in a bone chilling cold front. You had made due with a space heater, but now you needed the big guns and that wasn’t working.

“Hello?” Alfie yawned from the other end.

“Oh sorry. Did I wake you?”

Alfie chuckled sleepily. “No, I woke up a minute ago. Just getting coffee going. To what do I owe the honor of hearing your voice first thing?”

You squirmed in your seat, worried about asking him for help. “It’s my radiator. I’m having a hard time getting it to work.”

“Want me to come over then?”

Every hair on your body bristled. “I don’t want to bother.”

“None at all. Just let me have a cup of coffee and I’ll hop over right away. You’re probably freezing.”