Author's note: boy this stuff is hard work, it's in my head but I have to get the words right. Keep the feedback coming, por favor. Gracias.
Breathe. And keep running. Kenya's pushed forward, with the grace of a ballet dancer yet with the quality of a seasoned runner. She did this almost everyday, like clockwork.
Running had seemed to become a part of Kenya's life when she had first come to New York to attend university. According to her roommate Andy, running was her drug. He was right, she enjoyed the aftermath, the "runners high". It helped her escape from all her troubles even if it was for a little while.
Now as she listened to the hypnotic sounds of Maroon Five running a 10k marathon probably wouldn't have decreased her current troubles, even a little.
"Fuck," she said suddenly as her mind flashed suddenly back two nights ago at Arturo's party. What had she been thinking when she had allowed Rush to have his way with her? She should have slapped the spit out of his mouth. Now she had to deal with this "situation" when she went to see Carrie later today. They were meeting at Carrie's for a study session. Chances are Adam was going to be there. Darn. She bit her bottom lip and began running back to her apartment.
Waving to one of the tenants in the five storey apartment building, Jenna, she rode the elevator to the third floor pulled out her keys and entered her apartment.
"Can you close the door any louder?" a crumpled form moaned from somewhere under the blanket which was on the couch.
"No one told you to go out drinking Andy," she said pausing in from to the large window and drawing back the heavy curtains.
"Bitch," Andy muttered darkly as he pulled the blanket closer to his body.
"Whatever vampire boy. I'm gonna take a shower, want me to fix you something for that headache? She asked sitting next to him and patting the spot where his head would be.
"A new brain would be nice. Hey wait a minute, you were running weren't you?"
"Yes I was." She continued patting Andy's head.
He flew up from the couch dragging his blanket with him.
"I don't want your sweaty fingers making anything for me! Gross Kennie," he declared dragging the blanket behind him like a cape. Kenya doubled over laughing.
"You are so gay Andy!" she laughed.
Her only answer was the door being shut loudly by her roommate and then a quiet "ouch," when the noise had subsided. Having a male as a roommate had its benefits, having a homosexual one definitely made it more interesting.
*******
The loud pounding on the apartment door was a clear indication that someone, make that an annoyed someone wanted entrance to the apartment Adam shared with Carrie. He had tried to ignore it by raising the volume on the television where he was playing the latest blood filled video game but the person just kept up with the knocking. Bloody hell why doesn't Carrie get that?
Then he remembered. She had to meet some partners for a group project unexpectedly and had told him Kenya would pass by for their weekly study session. She had tried calling her to postpone but the phone had been turned off.
Grumbling at his misfortune of having his last demon hunter destroyed by harpies, he turned off his play station 3 and headed to the door. He yanked it open and felt as though the air had been knocked out of him. Kenya was wearing a light green baby tee and kaki coloured pants that looked as though she had spent hours squeezing those luscious long legs into them. Black knee high boots and a shea butter jacket finished her out fit.
"Didn't you hear me knocking," she bellowed at him as she stepped into the room.
"Umm..." he looked at her as she looked around the room.
"Where's Carrie?" she seemed to be getting more impatient the longer he remained silent.
"I don't keep tabs on my roommate, West," he drawled.
"Aww cut the crap. You know what, I can't deal with this shit," she angrily pushed past him. He grabbed her shoulder but then drew back quickly when he glared at him.
"Something came up so she had to leave. She tried to call you but..." his voice trailed off. He watched as she dug into her pocket for her cell.
"Battery is dead," she sighed.
"She'll be back in an hour or two so..." his voice died as he watched her walk over to the couch and sat down.
"You're welcome to stay and wait." He shut the door loudly.
*******
"Isn't there anything else going on the television?" Kenya complained after she had watched a man get smashed into another as he tried to score a goal for the third time. American football, a few concussions with a side order of brain tumor.
"I believe there is West, on your television back in your apartment," was Adam's nasty response. He stressed on the "your"
Glowering, Kenya dug into her bag and pulled out her copy of Pride and Prejudice and pretended to read for the next twenty minutes. Truthfully she had begun sneaking in a few glances of Adam in-between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy's conversation. He wasn't wearing anything special, jus a pair of faded blue jeans and a black tee-shirt that had "Shakespeare Who?" written across it in bold yellow writing. His foot was propped up on the center table and he wore ragged looking blue socks to keep his feet warm. She began wondering what his feet must look like. He had very beautiful hands, strong but not overly masculine with long fingers. The nails were well cut as well, not long and encrusted with dirt as she had seen on all too many guys. Not that it was some kind of fetish she had, but gorgeous hands were something that Kenya always noticed in a guy.
She didn't have to stay and wait for Carrie. Truth was they she could have come back later or they could have studied some other day in the week, there were no upcoming exam that required it mandatory. Part of her simply wanted to remain.
"Do you need help with the book West," Adam said suddenly.
