The Shadows of Memory Lane (Book 2) [Gxg]

Chapter 7

The person who stood before me was definitely not my roommate. She'd passed college a long time ago. The person who stood before me was someone that had supposedly died. The person who stood before me was Kira. Kira Moores. Once Haley died, and Jordan came to terms with the fact that he was a primary cause, he'd agreed to get help to improve his mental stability. Kira had come back into his life, and she'd been helping him. Haley's death was a major shock to Juan so he decided not to press the issue of his mother's death, though it was still an open wound, and seeing Kira for him was like adding salt to it. Nick had disappeared after Haley's death... probably sulking somewhere.

Why was this woman here now? I had no idea but all I wanted to do was push her out. The last time I'd seen her was in Haley's funeral. I never wanted to see any of those people ever again, except Juan of course, because we were in the same art class. But here she was. Ruining my moment of happiness all over agin with her presence. Haley was fine without her. I'd fixed her. And then she came and messed everything up.

Jimena saw my shoulders tense. She placed a hand on them, in attempts to calm me. But it didn't help. She wasn't Haley. Nobody was Haley.

"WHY ARE U HERE?" I growled.

Kira seemed to be shocked. Idiot.

"Linda... I just wanted to..."

"Wanted to what? RUIN MY HAPPINESS AGAIN? GET OUT! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOUR FACE EVER AGAIN."

"I just dropped by to see how you were... your mum said after Hale..."

"DON'T SAY HER NAME! JUST GET OUT!"

Jimena looked at me, expressionless. But I couldn't focus on her. I couldn't focus on anyone. I shoved Kira out of my dorm and slammed the door. I walked back to the kitchen to see Jimena cooking calmly. She didn't say anything. She just cooked. And once she was done. She dragged me to the sofa, sat me down and sat next to me. She looked at me, her eyes softening a bit. She stroked my arms and let out a small smile.

"I'm pretty sure that woman sh*t her pants," she reassured.

I shook my head and smiled. I smiled! This girl made me smile, after that encounter. Wow.

"Serves her right."

"Don't expect me to ask a question, because I know you won't answer. I met you today, I don't need to know your life story... everyone has their secrets."

This girl understood. She wasn't curious. Unlike me. Unlike Haley.

"Thank you."

"No problem. Let's eat?"

"I'm starving," I said licking my lips.

"Haha, hope you like it."

She sashayed towards the kitchen. I smiled, involuntarily. Haley. She wouldn't have been able to sashay if her life depended on it.

I smacked my head. Idiot. Forget. Forget.

"Oh My Gods," Gods, " What is that?"

I asked as the aroma of the food reached my nose. I tried to hold back the drool forming in my mouth as she answered.

"Fajitas," she said, grinning.

She placed it on the coffee table and went back to grab plates. I gazed in wonder at the beautiful spread before me. She walked... no... sashayed back. Damn she's hot. She dimmed the lights a bit. I had that cool, brightness-adjustable light fixtures. Woah. The golden light played with her hair. And her eyes kept transforming. Light blue. Dark blue. She bit her lip. Nervous? I smiled. No I smirked. I got up and took her hand. I played music, Ed Sheeran (DUHHHH). I twirled her once, twice, pulled her to me, and pulled her own on the sofa with me. We ditched the movie idea. We decided that singing along to Ed Sheeran was much more enjoyable. When New Man came on we both got up, forgot about our plates and danced around like crazy idiots. Dinner was amaziing. The food was delicious. Scrumptious. And all the other good adjectives that you can use to describe food. Once we'd eaten, sung and danced till our throats and legs were sore, we flopped down on the sofa, completely exhausted. We'd both had goofy grins on our faces, now they'd dimmed to satisfied smiles. We stared at the wall in front of us. It was blank. Unlike my room walls, which had dozens of paintings, posters, quotes and... photographs. She let her head rest on my shoulder, and as usual, I pulled her closer by her waist. I entwined the fingers of our other hand and we just lay there. The tranquility of silence leading us into a complete bliss that had been beyond my imagination before. Because silence brought thought. Thoughts brought memories. Memories brought nostalgia. And nostalgia brought an addictive, and lethal, pain.

Jimena suddenly moved, no repositioned herself, so that she was facing me. She turned me around so I was now facing her too. And she looked at my eyes.

"I'm not a artist, but I want to paint your eyes. I'm not a writer but I can think of a thousand adjectives that I'm struggling to express. Your eyes are beautiful Linda," she said, with her cute Spanish accent.

I looked at her, a little taken aback by her compliment, yet grateful.

"Thank you Jime."

The moment was perfect. Soft music. Dim lights. Comfortable. Cozy. She held both my hands and gazed into my eyes with a sort of intensity behind her own.

"Your eyes hold a thousand secrets, yet I shall ask you to reveal none, for I feel you have a past to forget and me, I have a future to forget."

She understood. She understood that I didn't want to talk about it. All I could do was express it through art. My broken heart.

"I shall not ask about your future or the million secrets of your soul. All I want from you are moments. Moments of the present. No more memories of the past, I have plenty of those."

The corners of her lips turned up, gently. And with the same gentleness, her lips sought mine. And I could feel the heat of her uneven breath on my lips when the door shot open. But she didn't care. She wanted to complete the moment. She knew. She understood. She kissed my smiling lips with her own. A gentle kiss, that ended too soon. For we had to face the person who'd walked in on us. (I really have to lock the door.)

We looked at the person before us. And this time... it was my roommate. And she was at the door, shocked. I didn't know what exactly for. Me being lesbian? Or ME being HER roommate?

Reminder after reminder of my past. My Haley. Making me remember everything I forget. But they've made me wonder... why was Kira here in the first place... she's not someone who'd just 'drop by'.

Memory #7: Haley would fall asleep on Linda's lap while they watched a movie and Linda would reposition herself, to sleep next to her. And they'd sleep, engulfed in each other's arms.