Be You

Audra

Heart still pounding from our little moment of romance, I nodded.

"That sounds good. Let me get my purse."

I moved over to the counter, where my purse sat, as usual...then a thought occured to me.

"You need clothes," I recalled, snapping my fingers. "Want me to run to your dorm and get some for you?"

Alice

I smiled and wrapped the bandage around my foot and caught the bottle of asprin Bella tossed to me.

"So tell me again where you two were last night?" Bella prompted.

"Sleeping in the woods," I said bluntly but shyly.

Alice

I smiled and wrapped the bandage around my foot and caught the bottle of asprin Bella tossed to me.

"So tell me again where you two were last night?" Bella prompted.

"Sleeping in the woods," I said bluntly but shyly.

Billy

Bella nodded knowingly, "Uh-huh. 'Sleeping' in the woods."

"We really were!"

"I'm sure." Bella muttered, clearly enjoying the effect it was having on her friend. Vengeance for waking her up, I guess. But hold on, there was something different. That little voice didn't seem to be there anymore. I let out the breath I'd been subconsciously holding, leaning back on my hands.

Alice

I flopped back on my bed, the ground wasn't all that comfortable.

"Hello pillow," I muttered.

"Did you just greet your pillow?"

"Yep. It missed me."

"It's a nice thought," Kai said, "but I can get them myself. Plus, you don't know where my room is."

Audra opened her mouth, then closed it. He was right, she didn't know where his room was.

Kai found his shirt laying on the floor in the kitchen space. How it had gotten there he had no idea. After he put it on he approached Audra. He gently cupped her chin with his hand and kissed her forehead. "I'll meet you in the cafeteria for breakfast. After that we can go shopping together. OK?"

With him this close, his hand touching her face, how could she say no? She whispered, "OK."

He smiled and said, "I love you, Audra."

"I love you, too, Kai."

Kai placed one more kiss on her forehead before walking out the door.

Audra

He always did that. He always dissolved me from the inside out, leaving me trembling, excited, and happy.

I sighed as I pulled on my tennis shoes, stuck my wallet in my backpack purse, then moved out the door as well.

And yet, I wanted to run.

I had to run.

I broke into a brisk jog, my long legs carrying me farther that intended, which made me feel faster. And I wanted to go faster, still.

Before I realized it, I was bolting. People had to dive out of the way or I had to jump to keep from hitting the unexpected passerby.

I was almost there. Just around one last corner...

"Ack!" I squealed, cursing as I collided with another runner, and we both we rolling across the sidewalk, hands, knees, and elbows scraped in the process.

It took us a minute to get on our feet, check each other, and then we moved on...at a walk.

Even after I reached the cafeteria and sat down to eat the meal I'd bought, my scrapes began to sting.

Audra tried to concentrate on eating her food, but she caught herself looking at the cafeteria doors many times. She couldn't help it, even though they had spent only a few minutes apart she couldn't wait to see him again.

A few minutes later Kai walked through the entrance. He was wearing blue jeans, a black T-shirt and a blue hoody vest. He wore black fingerless gloves and ring hanging from his neck by a silver chain.

Kai caught Audra staring and smiled in her direction. She looked away, pretending like she didn't notice him. But he had noticed, and he was coming over.

Kai rubbed Audra's shoulders and leaned in to kiss her neck. "I'm going to get my food, then I'll be right back, Okay?"

"Okay."

Kai ordered his meal and returned to the table a few minutes later. When he sat down Audra had a better look at the ring hanging from his neck. It had a red jewel in the middle and said 'GANO FOUNDATION 2000' around the jewel. The word 'slave' was engraved on one side of the ring along with a heart with an arrow through it. On the other side there was an engraving of a naked woman.

"Interesting choice for a grad ring," she said.

Kai looked at his ring and smiled. "Yeah, I guess it is."

"Why'd you pick that pattern?" she asked.

"I wasn't the one who picked it," he said. "The ring was a gift."

"From who?"

"Remember when I told you I went to Japan?" She nodded. "This ring belonged to one of my classmates over there. They told me it cost about $200. I wear it around my neck to remind me of all the friends I made in Japan. As long as I have it, I'll never forget them, or their kindness. This symbol of friendship will stay with me for as long as I live."

Audra

A good reason.

"Memories are good if they're the right ones," I added.

Again, memories.

Ah, but hell! Everyone had bad memories! I had to learn to let go...even if it was hard.

Billy

"Fair enough," I said, "Speaking of pillows, though, I'm sure mine's missing me. I should probably be getting back to it now."

"Aww, but you haven't had a chance to try any Ramen yet!"

I grinned, "Alright then, I'll have some. But then I need to get a few things done."

Alice

"Oh god," Bella groaned, "you're getting out the hot plate?"

Billy looked at me warily, "what's wrong with that?"

I stifled a grin, "I have a tendency to forget its probably still hot when I put it away."

I could tell Billy was trying not to laugh when I pulled it out and plugged it into the wall.

"Why do you guys have this?"

"Ramen may not be real food," Bella explained, "but it's cheep and tastes better than school food."

(Sorry about the lack of posts. Amazing how much a cold can stunt your creativity.)

Audra reached out to touch the ring, and Kai let her. It didn't fell smooth, in fact it felt kind of rough from a buildup of grime or something. It was as if he wanted to keep it the way it had been when it was given to him. Audra envied him. He had so many good memories. The only ones she had were the bad ones.

Kai placed his hand over Audra's, pressing it against his chest. She met his eyes and saw hundreds of feelings running through them, happiness, love, admiration. Never in her life had she thought anyone would look at her the way Kai was right now.

That's when she remembered they were in a public setting. All the girls in the cafeteria were staring at them, mostly at Kai. While every girl was looking at him, jealous it couldn't be them he was looking at instead of her, Kai's eyes were all for Audra.

(I just figured out a way to put some conflict into this story. I'm not going to say how, though. It's a surprise!)

(Billy! Your turn or I shall bite you!)

Gah! Writer's block! Gimme a while, then I'll try and post.

(Ah! Don't bite me!)

Billy

I grinned, "Most things do."

Alice switched the hot plate on, taking out a packet of the soup, "Yeah, but this tastes like real food."

(Can't really think of anything else)