Word of My Song - Chapter Eight

The walk to Tina's place was really short and quick, Lasara was happy to note. Her new neighborhood looked great, too. Everyone looked like they were just one big family. Kids were doing double-dutch in the street, chanting rhymes and laughing as they tripped over the quick ropes. There was an old basketball court where a bunch of cool looking people her age were stretching and posing, laughing and chatting together as they made up their new dance routine. A guy looked up and smiled at her as she passed. She grinned back, her earlier tiredness gone. She was cheerful and happy again, just like that.

Further on, there was a group of kids playing catch in cute little league outfits. Then, just a few meters from them, was a group of pretty girls, all lounging about on their phones and chatting. They had a little portable stereo from which was blasting Neo's new song, Miss Independent. Lasara loved this song - it was currently the first on her mp3. She grinned at the girls as she passed. All of them smiled back and some even called hi out. Lasara felt like she was on cloud nine.

All too quickly, she was at Tina's house. She knocked on the door and was surprised when it was opened by triplets. Three small, impassive faces looked up at her. They were absolutely adorable, with big lips and chocolaty eyes, curly hair in little dreadlocks.

"Hello." One of the girls said. (Two girls, one boy.)

"Are you Ina's friend?" The boy asked, missing the T out on Tina's name.

"Just shut up Salon, you're stupid - of course she's Tina's friend. Come in. May I ask your name?" The other girl said this, first to the boy, in an angry lisping voice, then to me, in a surprisingly polite one.

"Thank you. It's Lasara. Where is Tina?"

"Right upstairs. First door on the left. Bye now." The girl said, smiling at me then retreating to their living room. Wow. Her five-year old lingo left her speechless. She skipped up the stairs and knocked on Tina's door. It opened immediately.

"Oh, good, you're here. Don't mind the triple threat. They come with the service. Come in, then!" She ushered her in and sat her on her bed. "Now here's the nail varnish, see, I just..." The next hour passed in a bit of a blur. Lasara was caught up in the high of Tina's chattering. They were almost like best friends by the time the hour was up. Lasara knew everything about Tina, and vice versa.

"I'm hungry. You hungry?" Asked Lasara, from her place sprawled out on her back across Tina's floor. Tina was sat on the bed, her legs curled under her.

"Na. But I can get you something if you want." Tina replied, looked down at Lasara and grinning.

"Na. I'm due back at dads in an hour to eat his lethal cooking." They sat in compatible silence for a while, until they heard the doorbell ring from below.

"I better get that. Can't have the kids scaring any more guests." Lasara laughed and watched as Tina disappeared. She lay there, on her back, her legs crossed at the ankle and her hands behind her head. She already had a friend. A great one at that. She heard footsteps, heavier than Tina's but light all the same.

The door opened.

"Whoa!" a male voice said from above her. "I almost stepped on you! What're you DOING down there?" Lasara glanced up, alarmed, at the guy that had stumbled over her legs.

"Lying down." She said calmly. "What're you doing here?" It was Will. She would not lose her cool.

"I'm here to talk to Tina. Lasara, what ARE you doing down there, though?" Lasara shifted and sat up, her arms supporting her weight and her once straight, now tousled hair cascading over her shoulders.

"I'm sitting down now. I was talking to Tina, too. Where is she?" Will was laughing at her. Lasara quickly tugged her skirt down in case it was riding up. It wasn't thankfully.

"You're funny. Her mum's caught her and is making her do the dishes and the table. She'll be about half an hour." Lasara looked down. Being alone in a room with a totally hot guy alone wasn't too good for her health.

"Hey. What's up?" Will asked. He was seated on the bed, making himself totally at home. This suggested he was here more than once in a while.

"Nothing. I should be getting home, now. Tell Tina I said layters. Um, bye." Lasara stood up and grabbed her bag. She was about to leave when she felt a warm hand on her arm. She turned around and almost collided with Will's solid body, he was that close. She was overwhelmed with his smell for a moment - fresh, slightly of Hugo boss and slightly of the washing liquid his mom used. Flustered, she tried to step back but he stepped forward and caught her with a gentle, clean hand on her waist.

She looked down at his gentle grip then up at his face.

"Will, I..." her words were cut off as he brought his lips down on hers in a passion fueled kiss. Lasara didn't respond at first, shock rendering her helpless. Then she moved against him, marveling at how sweet he tasted. Warm and slow and firmly, he kissed her, their joint lips warming to their new activity. The kiss became more and more passionate before Lasara had to break off.

"Will, I'm sorry. I can't." She whispered, picking up her bag that had slid from its place on her shoulder.

"What?" Will looked like he was in a daze. Lasara reached over, touched his cheek briefly and ran from the room, her feeling all mixed up inside of her. She had liked the kiss. There was no doubt about that. But what she was feeling for Will was too much and too fast. She didn't need anything shaking up her perfect little life anytime soon.