Chasing Kiarra
Nomad
Kiarra
Sunlight streaming in through the window woke me up the next day. Everything was silent in my little apartment, but outside I could hear cars and people walking down the streets.
I reached across the bed to find my phone and looked at the clock. 1:00 p.m.
I still had a couple of hours before I had to start getting ready for work, so I had some time to go out, get some food, and have a look around the new town.
I got out of the bed and headed for the shower, getting ready for the day.
After a long, steaming hot shower that could probably have melted someone’s face off, I got dressed in a simple white T-shirt and black skinny jeans, and threw on my black leather jacket.
I never bothered too much with makeup during my time off. I usually just put on a little bit of mascara and my favorite raspberry lip balm. I saved the heavier stuff for when I had to work.
Best way to earn tips in this world was with a pretty face and a little bit of flirting. It sucked that you couldn’t just be great at your job, but that was unfortunately how it worked most days.
I grabbed my keys and phone and put them in my shoulder bag before leaving the apartment. The weather outside was amazing. The sun was shining, and the light breeze made sure I didn’t overheat.
The town was bigger than I’d realized last night in the dark. The streets were buzzing with life: families with their kids, couples strolling around hand in hand, everyone just enjoying the sun.
Of course, everyone stopped in their tracks and stared at me when I walked past them. I kept my head held high.
It wasn’t my first time being the new girl in town, though with the size of this one I would’ve thought they were more used to new people. It definitely wasn’t as small as I’d first suspected.
The streets were filled with nice boutiques, everything from shoe shops to flower stands. And it seemed to go on for miles.
As I was walking, I got stopped in my tracks when somebody engulfed me in a big hug.
“Kiarra! It’s so good to see you again!” The overly happy voice and blonde hair in my mouth told me I’d been attacked by Angela.
“Oh, wow. Hi, Angela!” I gave her a little squeeze back.
“What are you doing here? Out shopping? Oh, we can go together! I have been dying to find some new clothes!” And again, before I had a chance to answer, she had linked our arms together and dragged me into a shop filled with colorful outfits.
“Sure. It doesn’t seem like I have much of a choice anyway.” I mumbled under my breath, not intending for her to hear. Apparently, she had the hearing of a bat, because she laughed.
“No, you really don’t! I need new clothes and a good eye to help me decide, so you’ve just become my new best friend.” She was almost skipping when we entered the store, and I couldn’t help the smile that sneaked up. Her mood was contagious, I’d give her that.
“So, Kiarra, what brings you here? Why Lunar Valley, of all places?” We browsed around the store, looking at the clothes.
“Didn’t have anywhere special in mind. I fell asleep on the train, and the conductor kicked me off here. I figure it’s as good a place as any.” I gave her a smile and a little shoulder shrug while picking up a black T-shirt with a low-cut V-neck and the words “Boss Bitch” slashed in white across the top.
“Wait, what? You just jumped on a train without knowing where you were going?” Angela looked completely stunned, eyes as big as saucers, and I had to laugh a little.
“Yeah it’s kinda my thing, I guess. I don’t really stay in one place for too long. I guess you could call me a modern-day nomad.” I decided to try on the shirt, so I put it over my arm and searched through the rest of the pile.
“I guess that’s exciting. Traveling all over, seeing new places. But doesn’t it get lonely? Your family must miss you.” She looked at me like the thought hurt her, but I shook my head while looking through some of the skirts.
“Nah, I’ve always been on my own. Never had a family, I guess. I grew up in the system, jumping from place to place. I don’t think I ever stayed anywhere for more than two months. It’s just how I’ve always lived my life.” I was about to pick up a black leather skirt when I was attacked again.
I hadn’t even seen Angela move across the room before I was in a bone-crushing hug. Where did the girl get this much strength?
“Oh, I’m so sorry, Kiarra! That must’ve been horrible!” I could hear the pity in her voice, and it made me take a step back. I hated when people pitied me.
“Look, Angela, that’s sweet and all, but there’s no reason for you to be sorry. I’ve never known any other way of living. I was an infant when they found me on the steps of a fire station, so I don’t remember my family.
“I was a troublesome kid nobody could handle. I always knew it was gonna be a short visit wherever I ended up, so I never got attached. I don’t know what it feels like to be a part of a big happy family. So I don’t know what I’m missing out on.
“So stop the pity party, and just be happy that I’ve been all across the country, seeing everything there is to see. Okay?”
I gave her a smile to try and defuse the tension and make her go back to being the overly-happy, skip-in-her-steps Angela. She still looked doubtful and ready to say more, so instead I changed the subject.
“What do you think? Would this get me some good tips tonight?” I held up the black leather skirt and raised my eyebrows with a smirk.
Angela cracked a smile and seemed to get out of her head.
“Oh, honey, you wear that and you ain’t going home alone!” She laughed.
“Hmm. Well, then this’ll be it!” I winked at her and swung the skirt over my arm.
“Wait, are you actually going to wear that out in public?” Angela laughed, but somehow it seemed a little nervous.
“Yeah, why not? It’s sexy but it’s not, like, showing off my pussy to the world.” I shrugged a shoulder and continued down the store aisles.
“No no, I know. But it’s gonna make Aidan furious.” She mumbled the last part, probably not intending for me to hear.
“Excuse me?” I turned back around to face her. Why was Adonis a topic all of a sudden? The douche clearly didn’t like me, so whatever I was wearing wouldn’t be any of his business.
Angela went a little pale and began to stammer out an excuse.
“Eh, well, it’s…” She twirled her hair with her fingers, and I could practically see the wheels spinning overtime in her head as she tried to figure out what to say.
“You guys just seem to have this crazy chemistry, and that—” she gestured at the skirt “will definitely make him lose his mind.” It wasn’t the best explanation, but I decided to let it slide.
“I guess it depends on what you mean by ‘chemistry.’ I personally believe we’re one interaction away from exploding and ripping each other’s throats out.” I turned back to the shoe shelf I’d found and started looking at some high-heeled, low-cut boots.
“Don’t you mean ripping each other’s clothes off?” Angela laughed. “I mean, you guys just ooze sexual frustration.”
“Frustration, yes. Sexual? No.” I lied and kept my focus on shoes. There was no way I was going to admit to the wild fantasies that had been hounding me since that encounter last night.
“Come on, he was eye-fucking you from behind!” I heard Angela laugh, and at that comment I had to join in. The tension from a moment ago had gone, and the carefree, joking atmosphere was way better. I decided to put her weird behavior out of my mind, and just enjoy the moment.
Continue to the next chapter of Chasing Kiarra