Ki heard the ding from her phone and immediately knew who it was going to be.
bitch #1 👿
KATASHI CAN I COME OVER IM SO FUCKING BORED
bitch #1 👿
OR MEET ME OUT I DONT CARE
bitch #1 👿
PLZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Ki unlocked her phone and sighed as she sat up from her bed.
delivered:
Library in 10?
read.
bitch #1 👿
nerd.
bitch #1 👿
I'm in.
Ki slid her phone into the pocket of the red leather jacket she had on as she grabbed her keys from the table beside her bed.
———————
"Okay, so what I don't understand is why you are so obsessed with space..." Acacia leaned her head over onto her hand as she blew a strand of hair away from her face.
"What do you mean? It's awesome." Ki said setting her hand down on the National Geographic magazine she was reading on black holes.
They'd only been here an hour and Acacia had managed to flip through all the manga she had checked out already. Now she was on to annoying Ki.
"Yeah, but like it's all the way up there..." She motioned her hand towards the ceiling.
"Leaves more of a mystery then, right?"
"But how can you learn about these things and like not know for sure what's out there... it would drive me crazy."
"I like it. Seems like an adventure." Ki shrugged as she looked back down into her magazine.
"You like everything dark and mysterious, Katashi." Acacia slumped back in to her chair across the table from Ki.
Ki pretended to ignore her as she flipped the page over, squinting at the tiny print next to a picture of a galaxy.
"So... do you think we'll all get swallowed by a black hole someday?"
Ki rolled her eyes as she exhaled a deep breath.
"No, Acacia."
"What about gravity? Is there a possibility it could just like not work tomorrow?"
Ki slammed her open hand onto her forehead.
"If you could be an astronaut, would you?"
Ki glared at her through the cracks between her fingers.
"What about a space pilot? Like from Star Wars! That'd be sick as shit!" Acacia said fairly loudly for the quiet room they were in.
"Yes I would be a fucking space pilot, Acacia. Now please shut the hell up." Ki smiled sarcastically.
"Do you want a coffee? You seem grumpy today." Acacia pouted her lips out.
Ki looked down at the page she was still on and motioned her left middle finger up towards her best friend.
"Put that down we're in a library..." Acacia reached over the table and grabbed her hand.
"Hasn't stopped you from talking." Ki grumbled.
"You little shit. I'm getting coffee. Do you want one or not?"
"No, I'm good. Already had three today."
"Okay, suit yourself." Acacia said pushing out her chair from the table.
Ki internally sighed a breath of relief as Acacia left, finally meaning she would get a minute of quiet.
She loved Acacia with all of her heart. Sometimes she was more of a sister to her than anyone else could've ever been, but all siblings are annoying as hell, and Acacia definitely had her days.
As she heard Acacia walk away, the front door opened bringing in a gust of air with it.
Ki hesitantly looked up to see which old lady was coming to bring her grandchildren in today, but instead she was met with a tan girl in a blue crop top walking her way in to the library with a look of confusion.
Lyra.
Ki watched intently as Lyra's wavy brown hair bounced a little with each step she took. She had it pulled back loosely into a low ponytail, but most of it was falling out and into her face.
She walked up to the counter and pulled out a paper from her back pocket. She struggled to unfold it, and as she did she bit her lip, turning the paper over.
"What can I do for you?" The nice old man behind the desk said.
Ki had known him since she moved here.
His name was Marvin. He'd been working at this library since the 80's. Ki didn't know what exactly made him stick around, but she didn't really care. He was one of the good people in this small hell hole town.
"Hi! I'm looking for like the space section I guess? I'm doing a report on the space station for my astronomy class, so where would be the best place to find stuff like that?" Lyra said, showing him her list.
"Ah, space is in the nonfiction, down on this floor." Marvin smiled, glancing over to where Ki was sitting. "See that girl with the red jacket, the aisle on her right will have what you need."
Ki felt her cheeks heating up as she realized Marvin was talking about her.
No, no, no, no!
"Oh! Great, thank you." Lyra beamed, picking up her paper from off the counter.
Fuck.
Lyra started walking towards her, and Ki made a split second decision to pretend like she hadn't seen her.
She buried her face in her magazine and leaned over onto her arm.
Ki could hear her coming closer from the way her bag swished against her jeans.
"Hey Ki. What's up?"
Ki looked up to meet Lyra's smile, and like flipping a switch Ki felt all warm inside.
What the fuck?
"Uh... I'm hanging out in the library." She responded, her brain scrambling for something to say.
"Yeah I see that." Lyra laughed. "Mind if I join you?"
Ki sat up in her chair and scooted her magazines closer to her.
"Yeah, no, go ahead..." She motioned to the seat in front of her.
"Whatcha reading?" Lyra asked, setting her bag down on the floor next to the table.
"National Geographic on black holes."
"Do you like space?" Lyra perked up.
"Yeah..."
"Me too! I'm actually here to do research for that paper in Astronomy."
"Oh really? I didn't know you were in that class..." Ki said focusing her attention towards Lyra.
"I'm in first period."
"I'm in last." Ki sighed.
"Did you hear about that DC trip in October?"
"Yeah!" Ki smiled. "Are you going?"
"I'm thinking about it yeah. I just need someone to be my roommate... I don't know anybody in my class that's going."
It didn't take long for Ki to realize she needed one too.
"I'll be your roommate!"
"Really?" Lyra sounded excited.
"Sure." Ki shrugged her shoulders.
"Awesome. Now I won't be stuck with a stranger."
"Yeah, right. That happened to me on the Spain trip."
"You went to Spain?"
"Yeah at my old school I took Spanish, and on the last week of class before Christmas we went to Spain. I was stuck with some girl I barely knew, who come to find out, hated me."
"That sucks, but also cool!"
"Yeah overall it was alright. Really great food."
"Yesssss. I bet."
Ki was so lost in conversation she didn't even recognize that Acacia had come back from the coffee shop next door, with what seemed to be the largest cup possible in her hand.
"Oh hey, Acacia's back!" Ki's eyes darted up to her.
"Oh!" Lyra turned around. "I'm sorry if I'm in your seat, I'll move! I didn't know you were here."
"I uh... left for a minute, but you're cool. Just stay there." Acacia said a little quieter than her normal self.
She pulled a chair from the table behind Ki, and scooted it right next to her side.
"So Acacia, are you going on the astronomy trip?" Lyra asked her.
"Nah. I'm not in that class."
"Ah. Okay."
"So what are you here for?" Acacia said, raising her cup to her lips.
"Researching the international space station."
"Oh... Ki's a space nerd she can help you with that." Acacia said with a playful smile as she took a drink.
"So I can tell..." Lyra raised her eyebrows towards Ki.
"What? I have my hobbies okay?" Ki found herself laughing a little.
"I'm not judging you." Lyra smiled, shaking her head.
Beside her, Ki heard a buzz.
Acacia picked her phone up off the table.
"Shit." She mumbled.
"What?"
"Sorry Ki I gotta go."
"You okay?" Ki turned her head towards Acacia.
"Yeah, my fucking cat got stuck in the tree again. Jack can't get her down." She slid her phone down into her backpack and picked it up off the floor.
Ki laughed remembering the last time this happened and she had to stand below the tree to make sure Acacia didn't fall out and break an arm.
"Have fun."
"Thanks shithead." Acacia rolled her eyes at Ki.
"Call me if you get stuck." Ki stuck out her tongue as she started to walk away.
"Fuck off Katashi."
Ki smiled, knowing she succeeded in her mission to piss Acacia off.
"So uh... do you have an idea for what you're looking for?" Ki turned back to Lyra.
"Hmm? Oh... the research! Duh..."
"Well we need five sources, no encyclopedias and only one can be an internet source, so uh... point me in the right way. I've never been here before."
"Well... end of the aisle right here you'll find stuff on the first space station and there's some pretty cool stuff about the Russians too..." Ki said nodding towards the aisle right beside her.
"How do you know this?" Lyra laughed.
"I worked here last summer." Ki sighed. "Oh and I've skimmed through most of them."
"Wow okay, impressive. When did you find the time to do that?"
"Mostly on the clock honestly." Ki laughed.
Then Ki heard buzzing again. This time it was her phone that was lit up on the table and vibrating.
Shori the Whori
Ki picked up her phone and read her brother's name with a sigh.
"Hey, whats up?" She answered the phone.
"Will you take me to the store? Andi's got a class until 5 and I can't get the bike to start." Her brother sighed.
"Why did you think going to the store on the bike would be a good idea anyways?" She retorted, a smile spreading to her face as she so desperately wanted to make fun of him.
"Because it's the only vehicle left in the driveway..."
"Well I'm busy. Wait until Andi gets home."
"You liar, you're just at the library reading anime with Acacia."
"Okay, first of all, its manga. Second of all, I don't read it she does." Ki counted out the points on her fingers.
"But you're still there, so come pick me up."
"Seriously? Right now?"
"Yes, Ki. Unless you want to wipe your ass with your hand."
"You used all the toilet paper again?!" Ki grumbled.
This got a laugh out of Lyra.
"It was Andi I swear."
"Whatever. I'll be there in 15. I hate you."
"Love you." Shori's voice teased as the line crackled.
Ki hung up the phone and closed her eyes.
Why?!
"Sorry Lyra, I have to go. My brother's being a dumb shit." She shook her head.
"It's cool, I've had my fair share of dumb shit siblings as well."
"Yeah well unfortunately, mine is older."
Lyra laughed.
"That's unfortunate. Most of mine are younger."
"Must be fun... it's just me and Shori... and Andi, but Andi doesn't count yet." Ki said, throwing her things in to her bag.
"Yet?"
"Yeah they're getting married this winter."
"You're brother's getting married? That's awesome tell him congrats."
"Will do." Ki laughed, slinging her backpack over her shoulder. "Good luck with the rest of your research... sorry I couldn't help anymore."
"It's fine! Have fun with your brother."
"Doubt it." Ki sighed, shifting her weight.
"Wait..." Lyra looked up at Ki.
"What?"
"Can I have your number? You know, in case I have any questions..."
A totally logical thing to do. Trade numbers, of course, they're classmates. But for some reason Ki got anxious at the thought that she just asked her for her number.
"Uh... uh yeah here I'll type it in." She held out her hand.
Lyra handed her her unlocked phone and pressed on the new contact icon.
She typed in Ki, and then followed it with her number.
"There you go."
"Thanks Ki! I'll uh talk to you later?" Lyra said taking her phone back.
"Yeah... uh yeah sure."
"Awesome." Lyra smiled, pushing some of the hair that was in her face back behind her ear.
"Bye." Ki awkwardly waved, as she started to walk forward.
"Bye, Ki."