In Search of Yin
Zina woke up to find Simeon lying on his side staring down at her with the biggest smile on his face she has ever seen. He watched her thought processes catch up with her. "Ow, my head. I had far too much to drink last night. What's Simeon doing with no clothes on? In my bed! What happened last night? Oh noooooooooooooo!"
Then the screaming started�
"Get out!"
"Zina�"
"Out now!" She pulled the duvet around her but realised this was further uncovering Simeon so she stopped, pulled the sheets out from under her and wrapped the duvet around herself.
"But Zee? I thought�"
"I said Get Out!"
"Okay, okay. I get the message. You sure do have a temper to match your hair. At least I know you're a true redhead now." He grinned as he pulls on his boxers.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Zina let out a yell as she threw the nearest thing she could find at Simeon, which happened to be a hairbrush.
Zina stormed off into the bathroom. Simeon collected the rest of his stuff and headed towards the door. "See you soon Zee," he shouted as he lets himself out of her apartment.
Zina sat on the edge of the bath rocking herself and repeating, "What have I done. What have I done?"
A few hours later Anamika went to visit Zina. By now the whole building knew that something happened. The shouting and door slamming made it kind of obvious.
Anamika banged on the door and shouted, "Zina! Let me in. It's Anamika and I'm on my own. I thought you might want to talk."
Zina peered through the spy hole in the door and opened the door.
"Did what I think happen actually happen last night? Geek told me Simeon's acting like the cat that got the cream."
Zina winced at sound of his name. "Yes," she sighed. "We had sex."
"You kept that one quiet, but I was starting to suspect something lately."
"Can you blame me? He has trails of bimbo's parading through the place lusting after him and then there's me. He only wants what he can't have, and anyway it's his entire fault. If it wasn't for that damn kiss I wouldn't be having this problem."
"So that's what started it then."
"I am so embarrassed though. I can't believe I did that! How am I ever going to face him?"
"Well� What was he like?"
Zina blushed crimson. "He was good, he was very good. In fact he was the best I ever had, but that's not saying a lot."
"And�"
"But I have to say he didn't take advantage of me. I know what you all are thinking. Don't be mad at him. I remember him asking me if I knew what I was doing� before it was to late and I �" Zina blushed again and rolled her eyes. "So I guess he knows I like him, but I don't want to end up another notch on his bedpost. Oh� Hell!"
"So what are you going to do?"
"I don't know. I really don't know."
Simeon, on the other hand, was bursting to tell anyone about last night. He was at his keyboards, just trying things out and swaying to the music in his mind. Geek wandered in�
"Hey that sounds really good. Different, but really good."
"I know. I'm inspired." Simeon grinned.
"OK, spill it. You know you want to, I can tell. What happened last night?"
"Zina and I slept together last night. It was amazing."
Geeks jaw dropped, "You� and Zina!"
"Yeah," he chuckled and smirked. "I saw a whole different side to her last night. When she lets her defences down, she is beautiful, sexy, and astonishing. It was mind-blowing and I want to repeat the experience as often as possible. I need to talk to her though, she threw me out."
"Now that's the Zina I know. So what are you going to do?"
"I'm not sure. I think it depends on Zina."
"Well, I'm gonna keep out of this. I value my life. All I'm going to say is 'Good Luck.' You'll need it." Geek then left.
Zina later decided to go and stock up on some supplies. She needed to get out of her apartment, and away from the scene of the memories playing in her mind. She checked the stairs for signs of life and escaped unnoticed.
On her way back into the building Simeon decided to go and talk to Zina. They ended up meeting on the landing outside her apartment.
Simeon said the first thing that occurred to him.
"Zina. About last night� How about an encore presentation?" Zina spun around and slapped him across the cheek. "Now Zina. That's not nice!"
She stormed off into her apartment leaving Simeon to nurse himself. He decided to go and assess the damage, wash his face and try again in a few minutes. "I'll camp outside her door if I have to. I need to see her again."
As soon as she got back into her apartment, Zina leant against the door and groaned. She immediately started to feel guilty for hitting Simeon. "It's not all his fault. I am responsible for this too. We can't carry on avoiding each other, we'll end up forcing everyone to take sides and that's just not fair."
As soon as she had packed her supplies away, Zina heard a knock on the door. She saw it was Simeon and steeled herself to talk to him. She took a deep breath and opened the door.
"Zina. We need to talk�"
"Yes, we do."
"Are you going to let me in?"
"No."
"Oh." Simeon tried again. "Last night�"
"Last night was a once in a lifetime, never to be repeated, drunken, stupid mistake. I need some time to get over it, but I hope we can still be friends. I don't want to make the whole building takes sides over this." Zina let everything out in a rush.
"Zina?" "What's going on?"
She met his eyes and saw the frustration, hurt and confusion Simeon was feeling. Zina lowered her head and said "Bye," quietly as she closed the door.
Simeon stared at her door for a few moments, then turned around and slowly made his way back to his apartment. He was more confused than ever.
Zina sat on the sofa and hugged a cushion. The silent tears slowly started to fall. "It's such a mess. I hurt Simeon, and I'm hurting myself too but I just won't be used and tossed aside."
Simeon just couldn't figure Zina out. "Ok she could be embarrassed about it, but surely, the way she acted last night, there has to be something more. Last night was something amazing. That doesn't just happen�"
He decided to go and see the person who knew both of them well enough to maybe know what was really going on. Anamika.
Simeon walked into her apartment and found her sketching.
"Hi. Do you know what's going on?"
"Yes. I've been expecting you." Anamika placed her sketchpad on the table.
"Have you talked to Zina?"
"Yes, I talked to Zina, but before I decide whether to tell you anything I want to hear your side of it." "I want to know if you just want a fling with her or something else."
"Well it was awesome, mind-blowing, almost spiritual. It was like we had some sort of amazing connection and then, this morning she threw me out. I didn't coerce her into it or anything like that, before you start."
"I know, Zina told me."
"She did?" Simeon asked incredulously.
Anamika nodded. "So what do you want to happen now?"
He smiled at this. "I want to repeat the experience as often as possible."
She giggled and shook her head. "And have you told Zina this?"
"Yes, and she slapped me."
Anamika just started laughing at this. "You don't have a clue do you? This is not some fluffy airhead chasing after you. This is Zina. If you want to have a genuine, grown-up relationship with her, and she wouldn't let it be anything else, you are going to let her know you are serious about this. And prove it to her. Your track record speaks for itself."
"I guess so, but I've changed. I've seen the other side and I don't like it." The unspoken name of Eden hung in the air.
"Well let me know what you decide, I'll help you both the best I can. I can't believe I'm saying this but you two would probably work well together. You'd balance each other out. It think we'd need to soundproof the building though."
"I will. Thanks for your help."
"I'll warn you now though. Hurt Zina and I'll kill you."
A few hours later Zina decided to go and change the sheets on her bed. As she was doing this, Simeon's yin yang pendant fell on the floor. Zina picked it up, clasped it tightly and started thinking. "He is an unbalanced person, too many yang tendencies. He needs to calm down a little bit, relax. He is far too hyper." She hung the pendant on the wrought iron lights above the bed.
Over the next few days an uneasy air settled in the building. Zina tried to avoid Simeon and Simeon tried to see Zina at every available opportunity without actively pursuing her. They couldn't seem to break past small talk.
So Simeon arranged a delivery for Zina. Later on the same day a flower delivery guy turned up on Zina's doorstep. She buzzed him in and met him at the door. He handed her a single long stemmed rose and she signed for it. Zina opened the note with slightly trembling hands; she had never been sent a rose before. The note was simply signed Simeon, in his spidery writing. Zina carefully placed the rose in a silver vase she made years ago on the table in front of the sofa. She was really touched by the gesture.
The next day Simeon turned up on Zina's doorstep holding a bunch of orange roses and looking kind of nervous, which worried Zina.
"Hi. These are for you."
"Thank you for these and the red rose."
"Are you blushing again Zina?"
"Well what you expect, you keep embarrassing me like this. Come inside."
Simeon breathed a sigh of relief and followed her inside. "I thought the orange roses were appropriate, apparently they mean enthusiasm and desire. So the assistant told me anyway."
Zina laughed at this. "So I have something else to remind me of you."
"Well, I don't want you to forget me."
"That would never happen Simeon." Zina sighed.
"Zina, I'm being honest now. I want to have a relationship with you, but I can't see that happening without us being able to stop in the same room for longer than ten minutes. Can we at least try to be friends again?"
"I would like that very much Simeon." Zina felt a glimmer of hope spark inside her.
"So what are we going to do? Go out or just hang out here?" "Or just stay in bed?"
"I think we should just hang out here for the moment. No pressure and if it gets too tense we can just leave. But I do have a suggestion that may help us understand each other better... If you are uncomfortable with this, I won't be offended, but I would like to see how you create your music and you could do the same with my art."
"That is an amazingly insightful idea, Zee. I love it."
"But if you need to be on your own you'll let me know, and I'll do the same� without getting upset or taking offence�"
"Of course, I understand that. I sometimes need to be alone too you know."
"You do?" she sounded shocked.
"Yeah, don't be so surprised."
"So we start tomorrow. Why don't you visit me after you have breakfast as I start really early."
"It's a date Zina." Simeon chuckled.
Zina just rolled her eyes, "Now scram, I have things to do. Until tomorrow."
"I can't wait. Bye Zina." He left, and started dancing on his way out.
"Tomorrow is going to be a long day." Zina thought to herself.
Continued in Part 8.