Thinking Outside of the Box

Chap. 12

Chap. 12

Kyla and Quenton agreed on a time to meet the next day as Kyla pulled her suitcase out of his room. She was glad she hadn’t worn any of her own clothes or she’d have to wash them at a Laundromat, and she didn’t have that kind of money to waste when now food and bills came in to focus.

“I love you so much,” Quenton said leaning in to give her a kiss on the forehead.

Kyla’s eyes burned as she realized she was now truly on her own in this world. “I love you too, Q. I’ll ring you up when I get to Joe’s.”

“You sure you got enough for a cab, cause I can drive-.”

Kyla smiled at Quenton and gave him a lasting kiss on the forehead. He had no idea how much Kyla would sacrifice for him to live a happy life. She didn’t want to risk the chance of him getting in trouble by him driving her to her new place. “Positive. Bye now.”

She scurried down the steps into the pouring rain. She had forgotten to pack an umbrella in her haste. She was stuck with her Aeropostale hoodie.

She rushed to the street remembering how Quenton and her had met. It was fate. God knew this was going to happen to her. He has a plan for me, Kyla told herself continuously despite her recent lack of faith in the existence of any god. There was a plan. Some twisted good side in this horrible situation. At least he gave her a great friend like Quenton.

She waved her hand for a cab and one appeared a minute later. She slid in, told the driver where they were going then took off her hoodie so she wouldn’t be too cold. She could not afford to get sick right then.

10 minutes later they pulled into Joe’s parking lot and she handed the man the money while sliding her hoodie on. He got out to get her luggage and she thanked him. Kyla ran inside Joe’s as fast as she could and found herself shivering when she entered.

“Hey, lil’ shawty,” A man said from behind the front desk. “I’m Lorenzo, how may I be of your service today?”

He had a twinkle in his eye that made Kyla smile at him. “I’m here for a room that Joe promised for free.”

“Oh, you’re Quenton’s girl?” Lorenzo asked, fully entranced with this bit of drama. Kyla almost started to crack up, what a gossip.

“Correction. I’m his best friend,” Kyla said.

“Blah, Blah. Same thing.” Lorenzo reached in a drawer and took out a key. “Room 43b, it’s on the 3rd floor.”

Kyla excused herself and dragged her luggage toward the elevator.

“By the way, might not want to use that. Hasn’t worked in 10 years, Joe says,” Lorenzo warned.

Kyla snorted a sigh of annoyance. 3 flights of stairs? She was fit, but with a 10 pound suitcase, not really.

“Need help?”

“Pfft, no. I’m fit,” Kyla boasted dragging her suitcase up one stair, then stumbling back down and landing on her ass.

“I think you need help,” Lorenzo sang.

20 minutes later, a tired Lorenzo and Kyla stood at her door out of breath.

“I’d…love…to...stay...but,” Lorenzo gasped between breaths and hooked a thumb back towards the path they had taken upstairs, “I...have…a...shift…to...do.”

“Got...it,” Kyla breathed.

She got out her key from her pocket than shoved it into the lock, turning it until she heard the lock click open.