03: Laura

Chapter 1 - Lost in a Day

The sun was high in the sky on a sunny Friday afternoon. The temperature was a pleasant 28 degrees Celsius, which is higher than the average for northern Europe. This caused a slow, almost euphoric bustle in the streets, which only occurs when people who are used to cold weather and lengthy winters are finally experiencing summer. It was the time of year when women wore their lightest summer dresses and men wore sleeveless shirts and shorts. They did this as part of an instinctive ritual that was marked by happy people carrying six-packs of beer and picnic blankets as they looked for a place to have a good time and drink a cold beer. Even though it was against the law, it was not unusual for young people in northern Europe to consume alcohol in public.

The loneliness of only traveling between his apartment and work for the past two weeks had finally overcome Jonas. Because of that, he ventured off the beaten path he'd been traveling for two weeks between work and his apartment to check out an art museum nearby that had an exhibit about "Sex in the 18th century" because, well, why not? However, Jonas had not wasted much time getting lost.

Jonas had planned to buy a new phone after his old one disappeared a week and a half earlier. He just hadn't done it yet because where he worked, personal phones weren't allowed during work hours and most of his friends who still lived in his hometown talked to him through voice chat, text, and messenger.

Despite the stereotype that an IT professional would be overweight and poorly groomed, Jonas Brown, 28, was 1.86 m tall, weighed 90 kg, and in reasonable shape. Jonas had a decent appearance thanks to his blue eyes, cheek stubble that was purposefully grown, reddish blonde hair, and tight jeans and t-shirts.

When people learned that he worked in IT, they had peculiar reactions. Many elderly people, who thought that because he worked in IT, he could provide any kind of IT support, suddenly needed him to fix their computers. People would not understand what he meant if he said that he was an IT security specialist because it is difficult to explain. Jonas was then left with the best choice, which was to remain silent. It was true that working in IT security was a fairly dull profession, but Jonas always maintained that the monotony was worth it for security professionals because they earned well and had flexible hours.

Thanks to his willingness to relocate to a new city, his experience, and a little bit of luck, Jonas was able to proudly say that he had joined the "Paid comfortably well" salary club. Although Jonas would never boast about his good fortune, he did feel fortunate and more than a little excited to have found a 4-bedroom apartment in the middle of a large city and still have money left over to buy just about anything a young, single man might desire.

As Jonas stopped in front of four teenagers walking practically shoulder to shoulder, or rather on top of each other on the sidewalk, he said, "Excuse me." "I'm looking for"

"What?" One of the boys asks in slurred speech, finally noticing him. Can you move, bro? " the boy said in an annoyed tone as the group of teenagers passed Jonas walking further down the street.

So much for asking for directions, Jonas thought.

"Pardon me," Jonas said as a woman with a stroller came within earshot. She glanced at Jonas for a second, then walked right past him. With confusion blooming in his mind, Jonas turned his head and looked after her. From what he had read in the travel guides before he moved here, the city was supposed to be one of the friendliest places a person could live. However, this had not seemed to be the case so far.

Maybe today wasn't his day. He thought. He stopped at a street corner after trying to talk to people for a few more minutes.

From behind Jonas, a soft voice said, "Excuse me."

It might be a good idea to get an old-fashioned map of the city, just in case I forget my phone again. He thought

"Excuse me!" a soft voice repeated behind Jonas.

As he turned around, he looked at the source of the voice, finally snapping out of his thoughts and reacting to the soft-spoken voice behind him.

His eyes landed on a young woman. At least partially Asian, she had big almond-shaped blue eyes with a slight green tint. Her slender face was sprinkled with freckles over her nose and cheeks. There was a sharp edge to her nose, which broke the symmetry a little, but somehow it enhanced her beauty. She had full lips and orange lipstick that complemented her lightly tanned skin. Her shoulder-length brown hair framed her face under a broad-brimmed straw hat.

Her thin green summer dress swayed slightly in the fresh breeze that blessedly cooled the world down a bit in the intense heat of the day. It accentuated her curves and framed her slender figure. It enthralled Jonas as he studied her form. A breeze caught hold of the woman's dress just as she was about to speak again. After struggling with it for a moment, she patted it back into place. The woman's tiny struggle with the wind further allowed Jonas to admire her beauty and notice the faint outline of a white bra underneath her dress, which hid her small bust from Jonas' scrutiny.

"Oh, I was lost in thought," Jonas replied. He hoped that he had broken the silence and stopped looking at her so intently before she noticed that he was looking at her body in a way that was almost rude. Oh, but what a figure, he thought.

"I couldn't help but overhear you were looking for the museum," she said after studying Jonas' face intensely. Her face was relaxed, her body language open and friendly, her hands casually resting in front of her. "I'm heading there." I assume you mean the local art museum?" she asked.

"Yeah!" I confirm. I assume so. "I don't think I'm that lost," Jonas said with a soft chuckle, feeling slightly embarrassed to admit it out loud. "Would you like to walk with me? I'm going to meet my mom for lunch. She works there, but I can take you as far as the main entrance. " She asked

Jonas smiled at her invitation and nodded hurriedly. "That would be awesome!" Jonas replied, "I don't have a phone, so I can't look it up on a map." In truth, he was feeling a bit defensive at the moment about the fact that he was lost and wanted to make sure she knew he wasn't stupid.

Laura's face lit up with a warm smile and a welcoming glow of friendliness. In response to him accepting her offer of help.

"My name is Jonas" he said, as he stepped up to her so they could walk side by side. As they start walking, he extends his hand for a handshake.

Taking a closer look at the offered hand, Laura reached out and shook Jonas' hand. "I'm Laura." "Are you new around here?" she asked.

On their walk through town, Jonas explained that he was new in town and the challenges that came with it, along with the loneliness he had been feeling. Laura seemed to be a good listener, nodding at the right times, offering small comforting words, and generally letting Jonas vent even though they had just met.

After only a short walk, they were soon at the museum gates as they arrived at the end of their journey. She smiled at Jonas and made a big gesture, keeping her body language open and her gesture wide as she told him to look at the building in front of them and the garden behind the fence that surrounded the building's grounds.

During their walk through the city, Laura explained that her mother was the museum's landscape architect. She showed how proud she was of her mother by pointing to the gardens around the large Baroque-style building, which must have been a government or lord's mansion before it was turned into a museum.

In response to Laura's gesture, Jonas exclaimed, "This place is beautiful." The museum's ticket booth was a small lean-to right outside the gate, and Jonas had to buy a ticket before he could see the gardens. For the moment, they stood outside the museum grounds.

"I know," Laura said proudly, "my mom has been taking care of and designing the garden for almost 20 years." Do you see those flowers over there? As she pointed through the fence to the flowers, she said, "Those need to be covered in the winter." They're all imported from Asia. They don't do well here, but with love and care, she manages to make them bloom and thrive here. Laura seemed very proud of her mother's work.

During their walk toward the museum, Jonas had barely given Laura a chance to speak, and now that their walk was over, he felt bad. However, Laura seemed to appreciate having someone to brag about her mom, so maybe it all worked out.

After once more giving Jonas a friendly smile, she embraced him with open arms in a quick friendly squeeze. Before Jonas could act, she pulled away and smiled shyly at him. "I thought you needed that," she said, blushing as she looked at him expectantly, perhaps feeling embarrassed about the sudden physical contact with a virtual stranger.

That was exactly what he needed, and the satisfaction that came with it washed over him. While it had only been two weeks since Jonas left his hometown, he was feeling lonely and probably a bit homesick. He waited for Laura to leave, feeling sad that their small encounter and trip through the city were over.

"Well?" She asked

"Yeah?" Jonas replied.

She asked, another little flush forming on her cheeks, "Are you going to ask me for my phone number?"

She pointed out that "you said that you have been feeling lonely." She paused for a brief moment.

"If you take someone for a walk without asking for their phone number, you won't be able to change that." "You won't be able to change that if you take someone for a walk and don't ask for their phone number." She followed up.

It only took a few words to make Jonas feel very stupid.

"Of course I want your phone number," Jonas exclaimed excitedly. I just don't have my phone with me. Do you have anything to write on?" He asked

As Laura turned around and walked quickly to the small ticket booth, she replied, "One Moment." There was a sound of happy conversation coming from it, and moments later, Laura returned with a slip of paper that contained a phone number on it and handed it over to Jonas. "Send me a text when you get your phone, and perhaps we can meet for coffee or something?" she suggested.

"Or if you can wait a bit, I can be your guide and show you around the museum!" she suggested. "I think that would be fun," she said, sounding excited at her idea, perhaps forgetting that the current exhibit was about erotica.

"I can wait. I know where the museum is. That's what matters, "he replied.

"Great!" She replied, sounding excited but also impatient. "I've gotta go now." "See you soon," she says as she turns around and leaves Jonas standing with a slip of paper in hand. Due to his misfortune, he may have made a new friend.

Chapter 2 -

It had been one day since Jonas had met Laura. The thought of her wouldn't leave his head. He tried to act cool, but he forgot his phone in the bathroom for only a few hours before he texted her.

Jonas: Hi Laura, Now you have my phone number - It was really nice meeting you - Jonas.

Jonas kept waiting and kept himself busy with games until he finally gave up and went to bed. It's possible that she gave him a fake number or had already regretted giving him her phone number. It has happened before. It has probably happened to most people at some point.

He got the answer when he got home from work the next day.

Laura: Sorry, I don't read messages that often. It was nice to meet you.

Jonas: Oh don't worry about it. I have been busy anyway :)

Jonas: So I really want to go to that museum, but I don't want to pressure you. If you are too busy, I totally understand... I just figured now that you offered, I wanted to hear if you still wanted to go together.

After that, he had to have more self-control than he knew. He had to stop writing. Even though he replied to Laura early in the morning, he hadn't heard back by the time he got home from work in the evening. In the late evening, as he lay in bed, he was scrolling through Tinder in an attempt to break his fixation on Laura when, lo and behold, a text message from her arrived.

Laura: I totally want to show you around :) - Sorry I didn't reply. I was busy with my boyfriend.

He felt his stomach drop with disappointment. She was dating someone. Another text message arrived.

Laura: Kidding ;) I was just hanging out with my Mom.

Jonas stared at his phone for a moment before laughing, thinking, "What an evil bitch."

Jonas: Very funny! You gave me a heart attack >:(

Laura: Yeah well, don't get your hopes up just yet, mister! You seem nice and all, but me taking you on a tour is strictly friendly, at most a pre-date to see if you're sane enough to take on an actual date!

When Jonas realized that they were at least a little bit interested in each other, he let out a sigh of relief. She wouldn't be talking about dates if she hadn't returned at least some of the interest he had shown in her during their first and only hour together. Perhaps he had been more obvious than he thought.

Laura: Are you busy Saturday afternoon? If not, we could meet at the museum and I can show you around. I know it might be a bit aggressive to look at Erotica on a pre-date, but the museum is like a second home to me. I like showing people around, and there are some cool off-tour places I can show you as well! If you are not crazy!

Jonas: I'm free! See you there :) Don't bring your boyfriend... Or your mom. That would be a strange double pre-date

Laura: Ha...Ha... :P

He put his phone on the nightstand and got comfortable in his bed with a smile on his face. Things with Laura seemed to be starting out well, he thought.

It was Saturday, the temperature was still in its high twenties, and Jonas was sitting in a coffee shop across the street from the museum. Laura and he had texted a bit more since their last first meeting, but she did not seem to have much interest in lengthy text chat after they agreed on when to meet again, only replying in short sentences and emojis. They had agreed to meet at the museum's entrance at 14:00.

At 12:48, Jonas was seated in the coffee shop staring out the window at the front door of the museum. It was his nerves that had gotten the better of him, and he'd arrived at the museum far too early. He somehow convinced himself that, since he was fashionably early, there was no chance of leaving Laura waiting once she arrived, so his early arrival was a positive thing!

Twenty minutes later, Jonas noticed Laura leaving the museum grounds. Her slim figure was easy to identify as she walked over to a bench next to the lean-to structure that served as the ticket office. He figured he must not be the only one who valued being on time.

He considered what to do next. Should he leave her be until it was a bit closer to the time they were supposed to meet? Maybe she just needed a few moments to herself before their meeting? She might, on the other hand, notice him seated in the coffee shop. After all, he was seated directly in front of a big panorama window. As Jonas struggled to come to a decision, his mind was overflowing with possibilities. His thoughts were halted by the buzzing of his phone in his pocket.

Laura: Are you going to join me, or are you just going to continue sitting there and staring at your scone and your own reflection in the window?

Jonas' eyes widened as he raised them from his scone across the street. Laura was sitting on a bench across the street and looking at him. When she saw that he was looking back at her, she smiled and waved at him with a bemused expression.

Jonas moved quickly past the slow-moving cars on the road to get to the bench where Laura was sitting. Once again, she dazzled everyone who saw her. She was breathtaking. She was wearing sand-colored shorts with a high waist and a mid-thigh hemline, which showed off her toned thighs and slim waist.

She paired the shorts with a short-cropped white top that perfectly hugged her upper body, leaving nothing to the imagination as her small breasts were held tightly against the top. Jonas did a double take while admiring her. Now that he was close to Laura, it was clear she wasn't wearing a bra. Her shirt was slightly see-through, and with the help of the sun high in the sky, he could see the outline of her areola and nipples against the thin fabric. Jonas wondered, "How lucky can a person be?" She was small, but she had enough for a small handful, and with everything in place and her cute nipples showing through the fabric, it was a great sight. She had to be aware that her bust was on display for anyone who was close enough to notice. Did Jonas's new acquaintance have a little bit of an exhibitionist in her? Or was it just the trend of the summer? He pondered in his head.

Her hair was purposefully messy; it framed her face and hung loosely above her shoulders, curling and seemingly leading its own wild but carefully styled existence. She had neatly applied eyeliner and a peach-colored lip gloss on her lips, and a slight rose color was present on her cheeks; a light, stylish make-up, more than she had worn when Jonas first met her. He wondered if this was all done for him. He hoped it was

When Jonas came closer, she got to her feet and stared at him expectantly as they stood face-to-face. This time, he'd have a tough time covering up the fact that he was ogling her. She had unmistakably caught him, and Jonas was shocked to see her raise her arms above her head and gather her hands to perform a hasty, impromptu pirouette for him. She brought her arms down and scolded Jonas while grinning, "You really got to learn how to not stare so openly." She had caught him off guard once more. Her slender frame was truly seductive. Her already pink cheeks became even redder as she blushed. She might have just understood how much her tiny dance might have influenced her new friend's lewd thoughts.

When Jonas finally decided it was time to end her embarrassment, he said, "I know, but you're quite stunning." I can't help myself. " He grinned, admittingly.

"Oh a Silver tongue" She replies teasingly as she steps up and studies her face, standing close enough now that she has to crane her neck to look at him. When they were so close, her height of 1.58 m put her at a clear disadvantage to 1.86 m.

While they spoke, people were moving around them, but surprisingly few seemed to be heading to the museum. The low traffic for the museum was probably related to the fact that it was the middle of summer and most parents were either at home entertaining their children or, if they were lucky, on vacation, combined with the somewhat mature subject matter of the current exhibition. After all, no one would bring their children to a historical sex exhibition. Nobody sane would anyway. Jonas thought.

This meant that Jonas and Laura were able to walk straight up to the ticket booth. Jonas was about to buy a ticket when Laura held up a lanyard with an ID card on it. The ID card has a picture of her and says "Marie's daughter" right under the picture. It also has a big barcode and the logo of the museum.

She told the young woman in charge of the booth, "This fox is my date for the day." The woman looked at them, nodded, and said, with a smile, "Not bad." She said to Laura in a very loud whisper while looking at Jonas appreciatively.

Laura leaned over to fake-whisper back, "I know, but I think he's a little slow, and he keeps staring at my boobs like a man dying of thirst." They both laughed at Jonas's expense. The teasing didn't bother Jonas. She had called him her date and seemed genuinely amused rather than offended that he had been staring at her breasts. As long as things continued in the direction that Jonas believed they were going, she could tease him to her heart's content, and he would still take it with a smile.