Beware The Water

One Mistake

Kairi looked around the apartment at all of the girly furnishing from the coasters to the pink lemonade candles. She couldn't help but laugh. "Love what you've done with the place." She held up her fingers in the okay sign, "Really fits your style."

"Sing," Shorter looked over his shoulder, "Can you leave us?"

He held his hands up and backed away, "Sure thing, Boss." Sing wanted to so badly call Lux and say that Shorter's ex had shown up but it wasn't his business. If she got her feelings hurt because of this, it had nothing to do with him. Sing gave her the warnings but she refused to listen. She'll have to hurt just like how he did in order to learn how to survive this life and Shorter.

"Don't recognize that one." Kairi pointed once Sing had left.

"He's Lao's little brother."

"Oh! Where is good ol Lao? I always liked him."

Shorter looked down at his shoes, "He's uh- he's dead. Happened not too long ago. Sing's still kind of dealing with it."

"Oh." Kairi leaned back against the wall, "Sorry to hear that."

"What are you doing here?" Shorter's posture slumped forward. Seeing this girl, his first love, had him feeling deflated. She took everything from him when she ran off and now she showed up like nothing had ever happened. Like she didn't break his heart into a million pieces.

"I've um, I'm trying to get cleaned up. It's hard." She admitted. "I need someone."

"And that's supposed to be me?"

"I know it's not right to ask that of you. I just- I've missed you Shorter." Kairi shivered, running a hand up and down her arm to warm it up. "And I'm so sorry for leaving." she whispered, tears streaming down her face. Almost instantly, she felt Shorter's arms envelop her, drying her tears just like he used to.

"I know." He spoke softly, holding her head in his chest. "I'm here for you. Whatever you need. I'm here." He swore so easily without second guessing anything. "I'm here."

After getting settled in, Shorter had given Kairi some extra cash for clothes so she wouldn't have to wear the dingy rags from her bag. She came back with some simple things like t shirts and sweat pants to be comfortable in while she crashed at his place. She couldn't help but also notice a framed picture of a girl who looked kind of similar to her with the long black hair and tiny figure. Shorter must have had a type, she assumed.

In the picture, this mystery girl was sitting with her legs crossed on a tree stump with yellow flowers peaking up and around her. The sunlight came through the trees and accentuated the rosey blush on her cheeks and smile. There was also a gold little locket around her neck. Something told Kairi that inside the heart shape was a picture of Shorter. Kairi frowned at the thought of someone else having a hold on her Shorter.

Kairi had stepped out of the shower and used the pomegranate scented lotion that was on the sink. She held her cupped hands up to her nose and inhaled deeply, smiling at the fresh scent. She then picked up the folded clothes that she had grabbed from Lux's drawer and slipped them on. A pink, silk pajama set with a black lace trim on the spaghetti strap blouse and shorts. Kairi felt genuinely pretty for once in a long while.

The bedroom door creaked open which pulled Shorter's attention away from the tv. When he saw his ex wearing his girlfriend's clothes, his jaw had almost dropped. She looked... nice. Shorter ripped his eyes away from her and forced himself to look at the tv to avoid any temptations. "Thought I gave you money to get yourself some clothes."

"I didn't have time to go shopping today." She lied, "Plus these fit fine. Just a little tight." Kairi pulled on the fabric to stretch it some to make room for her filled out chest, purposely showing cleavage in hopes that Shorter would glance over. He didn't. She huffed and plopped down on the couch beside him, scooting close.