Wes stared out the patio doors that framed the L.A. skyline like a painting. A book cover where each tiny window on each massive building kept a story locked inside. Maybe someone out there had a story as surreal as his own.
How did he even get here? One minute, he was jamming with Keaton and Drew in Huntington Beach and the next he had his own place, a fast track to fame and a life that never ceased to be anything but amazing. Crazier still, it was only the beginning and the sky —the same one stretched across the horizon—was the limit.
Drew cleared his throat. "Just watching you think that hard is giving me a headache."
Wes turned to face his friend. "You think that hard all the time."
Truth. Drew had enough profound thoughts to fill a book, maybe two.
Keaton appeared behind him, grimacing with a hand across his stomach. "C'mon bro, I'm starving," he looked at Wes. "What do you want for dinner?"
Wes shrugged. "Whatever you want is fine with me."
Drew looped his key-chain through his ring finger. “It's astonishing how useless that answer is. Keaton, let's go. You," he said to Wes, "go enjoy your damned view and get the dazed and confused out of your system."
Drew was wrong. This was a moment of absolute clarity. There was no confusion. Life was just about perfect. As for being dazed; he couldn't help the fact that the view was off the charts. It was one of the main reasons he took the place. Admittedly the massive windows, exposed beams, hot tub and larger than life master suite didn't hurt either.
Wes stepped out onto the balcony unable to quash feeling of being on top of the world and although he’d paid good money for the view from up here, he hadn't considered the one beside him that drew his eyes in.
An athletic girl stood on a yoga mat balanced on one leg, her knee drawn up beside her and her arms pointed over her head in a triangle. Her eyes were closed, her features set in fierce determination.
Wes turned back to the door that was still open behind him making sure to keep his voice low but urgent. "Drew. Keaton. There's a girl out here doing yo—" his head tilted to the side in an effort to follow the direction of her body, "god."
No response. They'd already left. A travesty of sorts because now both of her palms were pressed into the ground in addition to her feet, angling her body at 45 degrees and creating beautiful, defined lines. Her blond hair fell in loose waves and skimmed the yoga mat.
The girl was oblivious to his presence so he froze for a moment to admire her. There was no doubt about it: this view was far better than the skyline. He considered the merits of saying something but if she was anything like the girls he'd met at the gym, yoga was sacred—a ritual to be practiced with the utmost concentration and respect. He knew he could never get a second chance to make a first impression so he had no intentions of encroaching on her sun salutations and pissing her off.
As much as he wanted to stay in that spot and watch her all night, he reluctantly headed back inside to offer her some privacy.
Their dog, Sampson lay sprawled across the couch sound asleep like he'd done all the moving. Wes flopped down beside him and scrolled through his phone reading headlines, checking social media, and responding to a few text messages. He'd just clicked 'send' on the last one when Drew and Keaton returned with brown paper take out bags and a tray of soda. Keaton reached into the bag, pulled out a burger and whipped it at Wes, whose hand darted to the side and caught it while a sleepy-eyed Sampson looked up at Keaton before settling his head back on his paws.
"Extra cheese, hold the mayo," Keaton said.
Gross. Garbage with extra garbage.
Not his first choice, he preferred to keep his body as fit as possible but they'd given him the chance to be specific and he'd forfeited so the burger would have to do. He tried not to make a face as he unwrapped it, hoping that there was more than one, because as disgusting as it was, it was hardly enough to curb his appetite let alone settle the hunger completely.
Drew had a look of equal disgust on his face. "Keaton chose. You said you didn't care."
Wes took a bite and said with a mouthful, "There's a hot girl next door doing yoga."
Drew, who was about to sit down smiled then headed to the door while Keaton followed. Both returned looking disappointed.
"There's no girl there," Keaton proclaimed.
"She was just there."
"Well she's gone now."
Wes shrugged. "I don't know what else to tell you except that you missed a beautiful thing."
Drew sat down beside him and started to eat his own burger. "What was she like?"
"Like a beautiful girl in yoga pants."
They sat in silence, eating their burgers until Keaton crumpled the wrapper on his and yawned. "I'm going to bed. I'm exhausted." As he headed for his bedroom, Sampson jumped from the couch and followed like a little soldier.
Drew stood. "I gotta go too. We've been gone for months. I just want my own bed. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yeah," Wes said. "See you then."
After a hot shower, Rowyn made herself a dinner of stir-fry and sat down to catch up on her favorite reality TV show. It was called 'Drop and Give Me Ten.' The premise of the show had a personal trainer move in with an individual for six weeks to assist them in losing that last measly ten pounds following an already significant weight loss. Rowyn admired both the dedication of the contestants and the determination of their trainers. She'd never admit it to another living breathing person but sometimes the show made her eyes well with tears of pride. How it must feel for the individuals and personal trainers involved. She hoped to one day have enough influence to change someone's life, to empower them.
Maybe she could start with empowering the new neighbor to keep it down. The racket going on next door earlier forced her to take her yoga mat outside. Granted it was the first of the month and the loft had been vacant so it was safe to assume that they, whoever they were, were just moving in. To be fair, it's not like picking life up, packing it in boxes and delivering it somewhere different could be done in silence. In hindsight, maybe she should thank them.
Why hadn't she practiced outside before? There was something tranquil about looking out across L.A. God knows, she'd spent enough time doing exactly that while she contemplated what life might have been like if she were anyone else's daughter.
Her fingers toyed with the locket she wore, given to her by her mother on her sixteenth birthday, three months before her death. Rowyn had practically been living on her own since then. Not that she could blame her father for his absence. She was the spitting image of her mother, a fact which no doubt played a huge part in his aversion to home. It was painful for him to look at her. She didn't resent him but sometimes—more often than she wanted to admit— life was lonely and that was something she couldn't get used to.
She finished her dinner, rinsed the plate and set it in the dishwasher before grabbing a glass of water and locking the doors. She took a blanket and a pillow from the hall closet and settled on the couch for the night. Her father had given her the master suite but something about it was cold and removed. The small space provided by the couch felt a little less empty. That was what she hoped for most.
Wes woke up the next morning more rested than he'd been in a long time. He put on a pair of sweats and headed for the kitchen where a note sat on the counter in Keaton's handwriting.
Gone to skate park.
Wow. That was brave. They could hardly set foot outside anymore without being recognized and if Keaton was going to try to relax a bit, he might be in for a rude awakening. Going out in general public was still a hit or miss. There were safe zones, where they were less likely to be recognized but unfortunately for Keaton, Wes would not include the skate park as one of them.
He rubbed sleep from his eyes as he headed to the fridge and swung the door open. He wasn't sure what he expected because he hadn't gone grocery shopping but some small part of him had hoped for more than this. His selection consisted of pre-made protein shakes from Kale Kingdom in strawberry banana or a half filled bottle of water which he'd seen Drew drinking the day before.
He opted for the shake, unscrewed the cap and headed outside to drink it. This place needed patio furniture. Much like the fridge, the selection was limited. A white chair sat alone in the corner, left behind by the lofts former occupants no doubt, and a small side table was directly to its right. Wes sat down, semi-enjoying the shake when yoga girl returned.
She busied herself rolling out her mat. She was so graceful in her movements that she mesmerized him for a moment and before he had a chance to say something, to make it known he was there, she was already in her first pose. Her legs were in a lunge position but she was twisted sideways with one hand on the ground and the other extended skyward.
He didn't need to sit there and creep on her so he shifted in the chair to stand, purposely dragging the legs on the pavement, hoping the action would not startle her.
No such luck.
She lost her footing and stumbled sideways then back, before her ass got acquainted with the mat. Wes set his shake on the table and jumped the barrier from his side to hers to offer her an outstretched hand. "Wow, I think I just broke the world record for fastest time to sweep a girl off her feet."
She didn't laugh at his joke instead staring up in stunned silence.
"I'm Wes," he said.
She took his hand and rose to her full height, which wasn't much past his chest. "Hi Wes. I'm embarrassed."
After making sure her feet were planted firmly on the ground, he smiled again. "Don't be embarrassed. It's totally my fault. I'm sorry."
Her eyes made a slow descent down his body, color creeping into her cheeks before she mirrored his grin. "Rowyn." She nodded to his shake that was abandoned next door. "Kale Kingdom shakes are good but fresh juicing is better."
"Yeah," he said. "I haven't really had time to go to the supermarket. I just moved in."
She nodded at the abandoned bottle. "Do you want a juice? Like a real one?"
Wes looked at his Kale Kingdom shake, then back at her. In reality, the girl could be asking him if he wanted deep fried butter and he probably would have said yes. "Sure, that'd be awesome. Thanks."
The incident seemingly forgotten, Rowyn turned and threw a look over her shoulder. "I'll be right back."
"I look forward to it."