Just Call Me Kelley

2

After dinner, I close the apartment door and head back down to the lobby of the building, my eyes on my phone to check for text messages from Cassandra. 

Me:

Where r u

Cassandra:

On way 

Sighing impatiently, I walk outside into the brisk autumn chill, wrapping my light weight coat around me and thankful for my warm boots. Waiting in front of the building, I watch the blur of cars rushing in front of me. 

Out of the corner of my eye, I spot a man, dressed like any other on his way home from work, but his suit slightly rumpled and a look of terror gleaming in his eyes. It doesn't take me long to figure out why as he draws closer to me. 

Five men, all wielding weapons, one a pistol, are running after him through the streets of Chicago, car horns blaring in protest. Looking behind him at the criminals, the man nearly runs me over and I glare at him but don't stay angry for long as I catch sight of the angry men. 

"So, what did you do to piss them off?" I chuckle slightly as the man glares back at me and sets off running again but I catch him by the sleeve. 

"Eh, not so fast mister." I frown at him, "I don't quite like your odds with a crowd that big. I suggest you go inside a building, get off the streets until they leave you alone." 

"Mind your own buisness, lady." The man spits at me, before he slaps my hand away, only to grind to a halt again as one of the men grabs onto his suit coat, yanking him around and holding a rusty pistol to the man's temple. 

"Give us the money and all is forgiven." He says through battered teeth. 

"In your dreams, scumbag." 

I hear the significant sound of the bullet locking into place. 

"As much as I'd love to watch this smashing performance, honestly you both should go into acting," I smile without humor, "I don't particularly want to get blood stains on my dress, so if you could, you know, lower the gun a bit, sir." I say, sarcasm lacing my voice as I smirk at them snottily. 

 Both men simply seethe at me in response and I almost say, "Finally, something you can both agree on. Bonding over a common hatred, I would be honored to be the subject." But I don't think this is quite the right time. 

"Fine I asked nicely. You see, you might not know who I am, at least not upon first glance, but I am Kelley Greene," I say, "Ring a bell?" I laugh as their eyes widen slightly, "Oh, how good to know you've heard of me, I'm flattered.

"But you see, right now I'm not quite in the mood to watch you both shoot each other up, I'm afraid it might upset my stomach," I say, unleashing every acting lesson I've ever had onto the two poor morons. I better get a thank you for this, mister buisness suit. "But if we must have blood, know that currently surrounding me are 8 trained bodyguards, stationed strategically out of view with guns pointed straight at all of you, even Mr. Business Suit here." I say, pointing a finger at the man in the suit.

"So put the weapons down, now. All of them." The man with the gun narrows his eyes at me. I give him a sickly sweet smile, "Oh, you think I'm bluffing? Go ahead, call it and I'll have a bullet drilled between all of your eyes before you can even blink." I taunt menacingly. 

Pursing his lips, the man slowly lowers the weapon to the ground, along with all the other bums, the man in the suit actually looking thankful. You'd better be thankful, I just spewed a load of crap that could clog the Pacific. Bodyguards? Please, how pretentious do you think I am? I'm pretty average for the most part, not even that rich, most of my money from the company goes back into it or is donated to charity. I don't need it all. Plus, despite how I sounded, I'm not all high and mighty, I really DID get my money's worth at those little improve sessions! 

Smiling at the thought, I look at the mess in front of me before I realize that the doorman behind me is just staring at all of us in shock. Oh yeah, forgot about the whole in-the-middle-of-a-crowded-city thing. 

"Can you call the cops?"

"Already done, Ms. Greene." 

"Thanks Tod, and oh, just call me Kelley." 

"Of course, Ms. Kelley." 

Offering the older man a meek smile, I turn on my heel, and walk to the curb, Cassandra's red Mercedes turning the corner up ahead as I step onto the curb. 

As the car slides up in front of me, I open the door, only to hear the voice of the buisness man behind me, "Thanks, Kelley." 

I open my mouth to tell him to call me Kelley, but stop when I realize he already has. Grinning at him, I slide into the interior of the car, shutting the door behind me and sighing as Cassandra turns the automobile back onto the busy street and zooms off into the awaiting night.