He looked like one of those pretty boys that wore Lacoste polos, faded baggy jeans that fit in all the right places and designer Nikes (at least one pair to match every article of clothing in his closet). His hair was short, which gave him that cutesy look but his face was slightly defined giving him a mature undertone. He walked tall and straight at least 6 feet. He was practically a god.
I played with the water droplets on the table that fell from my iced coffee. I saw him slide his wallet into his back pocket. He scooted over to the side as he waited for his drink of choice. I rolled my eyes and tapped away at the keyboard of my laptop only to have everything backspaced out again. But I couldn’t keep my eyes off of him. Once again I found myself looking up to see that the pretty boy had received his coffee and took a long drag through the straw. So he was a frappe boy, was he? He walked around the table that was full of sugar, straws, napkins and cups, and then proceeded to sit at a round table by himself opening the cover of his own apple notebook.
I forced my eyes down again to look at the blank Word Document and mentally slapped myself. This project was working a serious nerve. I sighed rubbing my eyes and leaning back in the cheap vinyl covered chair. I couldn’t help it, my eyes trailed to the pretty boy. He was staring intently at the laptop screen. Then broke into a smile. Whatever he was looking at obviously made him happy. His perfectly straight white teeth gleamed in the sun that was shining through the blinds of the coffee shop. I wonder why I even came here. This coffee shop is little and relatively unknown. No one even knows it’s here, one of those “hole in the wall” kinds of places. But the iced coffee here is incomparable. There’s none like it.
Pretty boy was still smiling. His perfectly pink colored lips curling into a heart melting smile. I shook my head. Becoming more and more aware of my stalker-like observations. I had to get some air. I closed my computer. Stuffed it into my messenger bag, and I dumped the empty coffee cup into the trash before walking out of the door.
The sticky air teased my face. I took a deep breath of freshly cut grass from the public park across the street. I sat on a bench soaking in my environment, and trying to find any snip or trace of my creativity. Writers block isn’t the word for what I was experiencing. The vibrating in my pocket interrupted me. I took out my cell phone and saw who was calling.
“Hello?” I said into the phone my rugged voice leaking into the receiver.
“Yo! Kieoni Where are you?!” asked my friend Erik.
“Searching desperately for my creativeness. Have you by any chance seen it?” I said kicking some dirt with the toe of my shoe.
“Oh cheer up lady bug, its not that bad. You’ll write your story... sooner or later” He replied laughing lightly.
“Yea yea. So what’s up?” I asked standing and walking toward the nearest train station.
“I wanted to do some bonding! We should go see a movie or something.” I wasn’t really in the mood for bonding, but this was Erik. He’s been my best friend since our diaper days in the orphanage. I sighed.
“Maybe not a movie” I sighed.
“Oh! There’s this convention downtown. There’s supposed to be a lot of actors, writers, and singers there. Maybe you could talk to one of the writers and get some inspiration!” He said cheerfully into the phone. This did cheer me up a little. Erik was right I wasn’t looking in the right places for my creativity.
“Ok Erik that sounds great, when is it?” I asked giving the train master my ticket that got me free train rides all year. Like a bus pass.
“Well, now. But I already bought us tickets so I’ll be at your house in an hour to pick you up! BYE!!” He said hastily and hung up.
I rolled my eyes. I’m used to Erik’s ways by now. With him as your best friend you had to learn to be ready for any and everything. I slid my cell phone into my pocket and stared at the scenery blurring past the window at light speed. Before I knew it the five-minute ride was over and I was unlocking the door to my crappy one bedroom studio suite, if you could call it that. I threw my keys on the counter and prepared for a shower.
I dried off my back and legs, applied lotion, and underwear. I slid into a pair of neon green leggings that stopped at my knees and a khaki cargo skirt that barely covered my butt (whatever was there anyways). I wore my favorite black tank top with neon pink, green, and yellow stars. I let my wild, curly, jet, black hair hang past my shoulders tying a bright bow in my hair. I ran to the closet to find my most prized possession. The only name brand thing I own. The single article of clothing that I take care of like I would a newborn kitten. My Filas. The feeling of my size 6 feet in those shoes felt unbelievably powerful.
After a quick makeup check in the mirror I hear a ferocious knock on my door.
“Lady bug!! Let’s go! We are already late!!” I grabbed my bag off my bed and slung it around my shoulder.
“Coming!!” I said yanking my keys off the counter, stuffing them in my bag and running toward the door.
“Finally! Let’s go. We’re gonna miss the train if we don’t hurry” I nodded. We ran down the fire escape in a flash making it to the station in record time.
“You look great by the way.” Erik said once we were safely and promptly inside the train.
“Thanks, I like what you pieced together today too”
Since Erik and I have been orphans since birth we grew up with the crappiest lives possible. The only thing good about our lives was the rich old lady that adopted us at 15. She put us through school and set us up in the neighborhood of our choice. Each month she gives us rent and money for whatever necessities, but she never really gave a care anyway. Erik and me actually like the little apartment complex. Next month though I’m asking the hag to remodel.
“Kieoni!!!” Erik yelled in my ear. He startled me. “Geez. C’mon! We are here.” I coughed out a ‘sorry’ and followed him off the train. We walked about a block to this big conference center where a huge line of people immediately stopped us.
“Erik, this line is ridiculously long.” I said crossing my arms.
“I know. Which is why I bought express tickets. We can skip this line.” He said yanking my arm toward a sideline that was exponentially smaller.
“How much did these tickets cost? Why did you buy them so early? What’s going on?” I asked him. He winked at me and smiled.
“Don’t worry about it lady bug. This trip’s on me” He said as the line lunged forward.
“Way to avoid my question. Throw a free trip in my face.” I said sarcastically. He smiled. We were at the front of the line now. A girl at the door stood taking tickets, she was dressed similar to me. The sad part was that I normally dressed like this; she was just some chick at a convention. I rolled my eyes as she checked out Erik from behind.
“Okay. The artists are this way. The singers are this way and the writers are that way. The part I came for, which is the anime convention is upstairs. I’m sure you wouldn’t mind skipping that part. So let’s meet on the fourth floor in three hours. They have a “market” which I heard is scary accurate to the expensive ones downtown with a cheaper price.” He was extremely long winded. When he was finished we went our separate ways.
I went to wait in the line of an author I knew. While waiting I felt something snag my skirt.
“Eomma.” Said a little voice. I looked down and saw an adorable little girl who had to be at the most two years old. She had two pigtails in her hair that was parted almost perfectly. She had on a t-shirt that said “Will Hug For Candy” with little sticky finger designs all over it. She wore jean capris that fit her little butt flawlessly. Her jelly sandals had flowers on the side buckles and her face held that permanent blush of innocence. This kid looked like she just stepped out of a GAP catalogue.
“Um. I’m not your eomma. Can you say eonni? I’m your eonni” I said slowly. She nodded her head.
“Eonni” She repeated with ease. “I have to go to the bathroom. Can you take me?” She asked earnestly. The little girl acted as if she had known me all her life. I just couldn’t leave her there. She would pee on herself. I looked around first so I could see if her real mother was around. But couldn’t.
“OK. Can you tell me your name?” I asked her as I quickly slipped out of my place in line and walked her to the bathroom.
“Yes. My name is Haeli” she said sweetly. She grabbed my hand and held it tight. I squeezed back so she wouldn’t get lost again. We approached the doors of the bathroom and I pushed it open with my arm. It took us a minute to find an empty stall but she held her pee well. When she finally reached one, all hell practically broke loose. Good lord this child could pee. In ten minutes she was finished hands washed and all.
“Ok, Haeli. Who did you come with?” She looked up to me and smiled.
“I came with oppa.” She said.
“Oh your brother? Where is he now” I asked. She shrugged. This wasn’t going to be easy. Now that I had possession of this little girl I had responsibility. I couldn’t just leave her here. I grabbed her hand. “Ok. Listen. Stay close to eonni okay? We’ll find your brother.”
Two hours had passed and there was no sign of Haeli’s brother. We looked up and down the first floor. Followed the same process with the second. This place was too big to search each floor extensively. And I was getting hungry. We passed a booth where a lady was selling CD’s and little charms for cell phones. I bought two and put both of them on my phone. Haeli saw a hello kitty bracelet that was 2.50 she eyed it with a glossy wistful look patting her pockets as if money would appear. I picked up the bracelet and paid for it without her knowing. Smiling to myself I slipped it in my bag.
“Haeli. You hungry? Would you like some ice cream?” I asked her. She looked up at me as if I had asked her if she wanted a castle instead of a 3.00 ice cream.
“Can I have chocolate?” she asked hugging my leg with strength that a young child shouldn’t have. When we got to the counter I heard some one yell my name. Faint at first then louder.
“Kieoni! Kieoni!” I turned around careful not to let my ice cream fall. I saw Erik running toward me with a armful of things and a bag. I ran and met him halfway with Haeli tagging along by my feet.
“Who’s the kid?” he asked as I relieved him of some of his things.
“She’s lost. And I can’t find her brother. We’ve searched everywhere.” I said placing the things I grabbed on the table.
“Oh. Okay. Did you find your inspiration?” he said sitting down licking my ice cream cone before I could. I looked over to haeli who was happily eating her ice cream with a blissful look. I turned to Erik.
“Yea, I think I did.” I said licking my ice cream. When we were finished, I sighed heavily.
“Ok Erik. I’m going to have to take her home with me. I cant just leave her here I feel responsible” he rolled his eyes and shrugged.
“Ok c’mon Haeli.” I said.
“Oh great. Once you name them you grow attached.” I hit him in the head with my bag.
“Shut up you jerk. We‘ll come back tomorrow so we can find her brother” I grabbed Haeli’s hand and we headed out into the night.
