Pathway to my Heart

Chapter 2

 I realized while I was writing that I started to call Cody, Cory!  If you find a mistake somewhere just know it's the same person.  No matter what I call him he's still Kayla's little brother.  Comment and vote!      :)

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Coral was curled up on the couch in the living room when Kayla finally dragged herself home to her apartment.  She still lived in the same town as her parents, in fact they lived just around the corner from her, but after her engagement and break up she decided it was time to move out.  She just didn’t have the heart to leave her family yet…unlike her sister Emma who moved halfway around the world from her.  Coral had moved in with her so as to keep an eye on her.  It was like she was afraid Kayla would hurt herself after Todd disappeared from her life.

“Oh good, you’re finally home.” Coral said as she stared at the TV like it was sending her messages that were slowly brainwashing the poor girl.  Coral had to have her Soap Operas.

Home was almost more boring than her empty store.  Kayla began her evening routines.  She hug up her cardigan in her bedroom and grabbed a bowl, the milk, and her favorite box of cereal, it was the only box of cereal actually.  Both Coral and Kayla had barely enough to pay the rent on the small two bedroom house they were renting.  Cereal and Macaroni and Cheese were the only things the two could afford sometimes.  Even milk was too pricy most of the time.  The half carton she was holding now felt like she was holding gold.  It was at these times, when Kayla was eating a bowl of cereal that she wondered if she should sell her store and go back to school.

‘I just love my store too much.’ Kayla thought to herself as she thought about selling it.  It would somehow feel like she was betraying it.  Her store was like her baby.

Coral let out one of her obnoxious laughs from the other room.  It was the laugh that was supposed to make Kayla inquire about what was happening on the TV but for the hundredth time Kayla ignored it.  Soap Operas only led to one thing, an empty hollow feeling that was good for nothing.  Coral claimed to watch them because it opened her eyes to how lucky she had it in the world. 

“How was work?” Coral asked as she emerged from living room and grabbed a bowl for herself.  “Get many customers?” She asked.  That was the question she always asked.

“A few.” Kayla mumbled through a mouthful of milk and soggy Cheerios.

“You need to advertise the place better…I mean, it’s on a street that gets hardly any traffic.” Coral proclaimed as if she had just thought of the idea.  The truth was, Kayla had heard those exact words from day one.

“Advertising is expensive Coral.” Kayla shot back as she pointed to the fridge that stood empty.  She hoped Coral would finally get it through her thick head that Advertising was out of the question.  She couldn’t even afford the appraisal on her new rug.

“Have Cody hold a sign down on Main Street.” She offered.

“Cody’s not going to hold a sign in the hot sun.” Kayla responded.  “Besides I’m not the only one with a dead end job.” She added.

Coral looked at Kayla with wide eyes and shrugged.  “My boss is stupid okay.  He won’t let me work my way up to management because he knows I’d do better than him.”

Coral worked for a magazine that was less popular than Kayla’s store.  Coral had gone to school and had gotten a degree in journalism.  She had been successful before she moved in with Kayla.  Coral was a good friend to give up her good job so she could watch over her best friend.  The problem with Coral’s job now, however, was that she was only paid if one of her articles ran in the magazine.  Coral didn’t work in the office; rather, she worked from home and found stories when she felt like it.  She was usually published when she turned in a story but lately she had been lazy and decided Soap Opera were more her style.