A body shook mine early in the morning. Then the curtains opened. The sun rays entered the bedroom burning my skin.
"Ahh!" I pulled the covers over my head.
"Oh come on Lerato wake up." That voice was definitely not Cara's. I peaked from under the covers.
"Lisa?" I called out groggily. My morning voice was the epitome of scratchy and dry. It sounded like a dying whale or maybe a much more disturbing sound than that.
"In the flesh." She said, pulling on my covers.
"What are you doing here early in the morning?" I asked, sitting up and rubbing my eyes awake.
"Can't I visit my little sister and her best friend who happens to be my colleague?" She crossed her arms and pouted.
"I guess you can." I got up and stretched. I absentmindedly made my way to the bathroom. I did my hygiene routine and came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around my body and hair.
Lisa was laying on my bed busy with her phone. As I walked further into the room she looked up from her phone. She gaped at me and did a couple of wolf whistles. I rolled my eyes at her behavior.
"Damn girl, you sure you not into vaginas?" She looked my body up and down.
"I'm sure. Now get out."
"Oh come on I have what you have." She reasoned and a raised an eyebrow at her.
"Cara tell your perverted sister to get out of my room!" I yelled out.
"Ugh Lisa stop creeping out my friend and get out!" Cara shouted and Lisa left the room muttering how she is older than Cara and Cara should stop sounding like their mom.
I let out a laugh when I heard them arguing. I missed Naledi so much. We would also argue but it was usually because I was explaining something and she thought it was either impossible or crazy.
I smiled as I got out my grey basketball shorts and a matching grey crop top. I braided my hair into dutch braids and shrugged when it didn't come out as perfect as I hoped it would. Its not like I was going anywhere. I exited my bedroom and headed for the kitchen.
"So what are you girls doing today?" Lisa asked and I shrugged grabbing a slice of Lisa's toast with my favourite apricot jam spread on it. I took a bite and took my seat next to her.
"I'm staying in." Cara said and smiled at a bunch of flowers. I didn't notice them there.
"Who are the flowers from, eh?" I wiggled my eyebrows and she blushed.
"Tristan." She said shyly and I squealed. Her and Tristan seemed to be getting closer with every passing day.
"You should've seen her face when she got them. It was like Christmas came early." Lisa cooed and Cara blushed further.
"Oh stop embarrassing Cara," I told her and Cara gave me a grateful look, "she can't help it she's in love!" I sang out. Cara slapped my arm and rolled her eyes playfully. Someone knocked on the door and Cara stood up to go get it.
"Aww looks like Romeo is already missing his Juliet." Lisa cooed as Cara walked to the door.
"Cara and Tristan sitting on a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First came love then came—" Lisa stopped singing.
"What comes after that?" Lisa quipped and I laughed. Lisa joined in my laughter. We were laughing so hard that Lisa fell out of her chair.
"Oh my God!" I laughed, clutching onto my stomach. "Are you okay?" I asked, getting out of my chair and helping her get off the floor.
"Yeah." She laughed.
"Lerato." I looked up at Cara and my laughter died down. "That doesn't look like Cara's Romeo." Lisa muttered. That's because he isn't, I wanted to say but I couldn't.
There standing next to Cara was Justin. He was dressed in casual blue jeans and a dress shirt. A few buttons of his shirt were left undone leaving chest on display and he had his sleeves rolled up showing off his bulging arms. Sweet Lord.
"Uh hi." I said awkwardly. Cara looked like she was about to burst out in laughter. Karma is a bitch.
"Good morning." Justin said with a smirk on his face. I cleared my throat, "Justin this is Lisa. She will be working on your feature. And you already know Cara, she's my roommate and Lisa's younger sister." I introduced.
"Nice to meet you ladies." He said.
"Likewise." They both said at the same time. "Well we were just heading out." Cara said grabbing Lisa and dragging her out.
"I thought we were staying in—"
"No I need something, bye Lerato–and Justin." Then the door closed with a thud.
"Your friends seem nice." Justin commented and I nodded. I gestured for him to take a seat next to the kitchen counter.
"Would you like something to drink?"
"Water is fine." I poured him a glass and handed the glass to him. I watched as he drank the water. His Adam's apple bobbing up and down. A single stray of water dripped down his chin. It looked like he was on a TV commercial.
I went over to his side. He put the glass down and turned to look at me. There was still a wet trail on his chin. My thumb raised upwards and touched his chin. I could feel his eyes on me as my thumb wiped off the wet trail on his chin. Instead of pulling back my thumb traced his razor sharp jaw. "Candy." Justin warned and I pulled away.
"Sorry you had water on your chin." I stepped away from him.
"And on my jaw?" He arched an eyebrow in question.
"Yeah on your jaw too." I said and Justin chuckled. "So what are you doing here?"
"Friends visit each other, do they not?" He asked and I nodded. Friends.
"I thought we should take a tour of the city, I'm guessing you haven't?"
"Not yet." I answered truthfully. Its been five months since I moved here and all I have been doing is work and school, nothing else. In my mind I still had a few more years to explore The Big Apple.
"Let's go then."
• • •
"The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France to the USA. It was created by the French sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi out of hammered copper sheets. Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel, the man behind the Eiffel tower, made the steel framework of the statue. The statue stands at 305 feet/ 93 meters tall. On 28 October 1886 President Grover Cleveland dedicated the Statue of Liberty in front of thousands of spectators. Today the statue of liberty is a symbol of freedom and democracy." The tourist guide said.
"Take a picture." I handed Justin my phone and took off my sunglasses. I did a couple of poses in front of the statue. Then I beckoned Justin over and took a few pictures with him completely against his will. But I was having fun and Justin was great company.
We had visited numerous tourist attractions earlier today.
We visited Central Park. The park is huge and I couldn't believe that it wasn't the largest park in the city. There were people jogging and a few kids playing in the park. I asked a jogger to take a picture of us at the park and before the camera clicked Justin picked me up. The picture is my favourite. My eyes were closed and my mouth was open as laughter escaped my lips. Justin was just looking at me laugh with a full blown smile on his handsome face. In that picture we looked like anything but friends.
We also visited a few museums. We visited the museum of Modern Art. Justin kept explaining the art to me. He said Tristan had a thing for art so he had at least visited art museums a hundred times in his lifetime. We also visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History.
Before we came here we visited the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts. It is the biggest performing center in the world. It looked beautiful and magical. We were in luck as the New York City Ballet were on stage for practice or something. I squealed as I excitedly tapped on Justin's shoulder gesturing at the stage. I wanted to be a ballerina when I was younger but I wasn't a graceful dancer so sadly my career failed at aged five. Sad, I know.
It was three in the afternoon and I was feeling hungry so when Justin suggested we go for lunch I nodded eagerly. We took a walk to a nearby café. A few people were nestled inside reading books, working on their laptops and scrolling through their phones. The place smelled divine, like toasted almonds, hot chocolate and coffee.
We ordered our food and after five minutes it was ready. We sat at the furthest seats away from everyone else. Justin took off his hat and sunglasses. He said it was just to look good but I knew it was just to hide from the public eye. I respected his privacy too. I don't want to be known as Justin's friend to the public, I want to make a name for myself first.
"Thank you."
"For what?" He asked as he swallowed his sandwich. We had both ordered simple cheese and ham sandwiches. While I got white hot chocolate, Justin ordered black coffee. I don't know how anyone can stand the taste of that bitter drink. Coffee smells amazing but it tastes horrible.
"For the tour, I truly enjoyed it." I smiled at him.
"You will enjoy it more, the tour is not over yet."
"Can't wait." I said and our conversation drifted. I told him about my family. My family is very supportive. They supported Tumi when he came to New York and did the same for me. They tried to raise us all equally but I do think Naledi is a bit spoiled. I love Naledi and I will admit that I probably spoil her more than anyone else.
After a few minutes we took off. Justin paid the bill much to my demise. We then took a cab to heaven knows where.
"So where are we going?" I asked excitedly. My day was amazing and I doubt there was anywhere else Justin would take me to top it off.
"You'll see." He responded. I was honestly surprised that we took a cab and even went on a tour bus earlier today when he probably had more than one car. It made me respect him more because he clearly didn't look down on things or people.
Twenty minutes later we stopped at a really tall building. Justin paid like I assumed then I gave the driver a decent tip. I didn't feel comfortable with Justin spending his money like that on me. I spent the whole day trying to pay for everything until I resorted to just paying tips. It did nothing to simmer down the guilt but at least it's something.
The building looked just like it did on the internet and in the movies but there was something more satisfying by seeing it in person.
The Empire State Building.
"Wow." I gasped in aw. Justin took my hand and I looked around trailing around him. I looked like a kid on her first time to Disneyland. Not that I would know what a kid's first time in Disneyland would be like but I do plan on knowing soon.
We made it to the 86th floor and I was beyond speechless. I held my camera in my hand and took a picture of the sunsetting. It looked liked something that you would see in a fairytale.
"It is beautiful." I gushed scrolling through the pictures I just took. "Yes it is." His eyes fixated on me. I blushed looking at the floor. Ain't he smooth.
"Dominic proposed to my sister here during the sunset. It is beautiful as soon as night creeps in and the buildings light up." He said quietly.
"Your brother-in-law knows his way to a woman's heart." I joked.
"His not the only one." He said suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows as his hands fell on my shoulders.
"Yeah you're right. My brother does too." I teased and he chuckled. We looked at the view as the night surrounded the city. There buildings lit up and light filled the city. The cars were zooming below us, their headlights helping the streetlights illuminate the streets. I took a couple more pictures not realising Justin taking me pictures too. When I did I covered my face stepping close to him to block his camera. He easily removed my hand from blocking his camera. He then placed my hand in his and took a picture.
The gesture made me feel fuzzy. I had to keep reminding myself that we were friends. Friends hold hands all the time. Right?
I really don't understand what's going on here. Justin has been making sweet gestures like this throughout the entire day and every time he does, my heart skips a beat. I truly regret telling him we should be just friends because deep down I know I want more. But more could become addictive or become an unhealthy habit.
After a few more minutes we took the train to the Grand Central Terminal. The Grand Central Terminal looked magnificent. There was cars passing by at its corner. The Beaux Arts building was lit and people rushing in all directions. We took a tour and learned about it's history, its near destruction and restoration.
We then took a cab to Time Square. We walked through Times Square with a Tiramisu gateau moist vanilla sponge. It was layered with mascarpone mousse and dusted with cocoa powder. The sponge was flavoured with a hint of coffee.
I don't like coffee in fact I hate coffee but this cake tastes like heaven. It also happens to be my new favourite cake.
"Where has this been my entire life?" I mumbled as we walked through bodies rushing in every directions. Justin stopped me and his thumb grazed my lips. I gasped at the amount of electricity his touch brought me. I expected him to wipe off his thumb but he surprised by licking his thumb clean.
He then continued walking like nothing happened, like I didn't almost die of a heart attack back there. I followed him and we were illuminated by the huge electronic billboards surrounding the place.
Soon we hailed a cab and the cab drove us back to my apartment. Justin left his car at my apartment hence why we are going back together. On the way to my apartment I scrolled through the pictures I took today with Justin. He even helped me edit a few.
I looked up at him as he edited another photo. His handsome illuminated by the streetlights. His eyebrows were furrowed and he sucked in his lower lip in concentration. In that moment I knew I was doomed because no matter how much I resisted, it was only a matter of time until I gave in.
Shaking off the thoughts I took him a picture.
*****
Hey lovies!!
I'm not proud of this chapter but I had to update something :( But I do hope you enjoy the chapter either way.
Thank you so much to all my usual voters and even silent readers. I love y'all so much!
XOXO
Khanya.