Your best friend Franny challenged you to spend 30 minutes in her twin brother, Cash’s, room. Easy money, you thought, and you needed it.

You’d never met Cash personally, only heard things about him from Franny and her parents. A smart guy that preferred to be alone in his room listening to his records.

Sounded easy enough, you imagined. Only 30 minutes, just make conversation.

You opened the door to a dark room. So, naturally, you stepped further into the room. You whipped around as the door shut and a light turned on. There stood Cash, a snake wrapping around your feet. He looked unamused.

Christ he was attractive.

Tall, muscular, gorgeous eyes, and he had great biceps. Maybe that was off track, especially with how odd his room was.

A simple lamp next to a large tank, assumedly for the snake wrapped around your ankles, with a dead mouse in it, a water bowl, a small tree with leaves, and rocks. Well, the snake lived well.

His bed was big, his closet small with a record player in it connected to speakers around the room. His walls had shelves with books on them, collecting dust.

”Franny sent you, hm?” He said calmly, his eyes assessing. He hadn’t met you personally, but Frank droned on about you from time to time. You fit the part.

”Yes? She told you I was coming?” You said curiously.

”I listen,” he said curtly.

This was going to be great.

You looked down, a settling feeling of panic creeping down into your gut as the snake began to wrap around your calf. “Can you get this snake off me?” You said hesitantly.

He looked down at the snake, a flicker of amusement passing in his eyes as he took out his contacts. “Coyote doesn’t bite… usually.” He grinned to himself, as if he was amused by his own joke.

”That’s not funny. I’m serious,” you said a bit more firmly.

He rolled his eyes, “you’ll be fine.” His eyes tracked to your leg as the snake began to wrap around your knee. You had great legs, he had to admit.

He stepped forward and closed his curtains behind you. “Now, do you have something you’d rather talk about before Coyote squeezes your muscles?” He raised an eyebrow.

It was odd to have someone in his room. Franny usually did this. Send a friend to your weird brother’s room and get them to run out and never talk to him again. Great, another way to alienate a guy with passions for other things.

He hoped, deep down, you’d be the first one to stay 30 minutes.