Day After Day

Kayleigh Bevan: Part 1

I fiddled with the money that I found in my roommate's room. I searched through this new girl, Kayleigh's, wallet to find she only keeps credit cards and ID. I stayed in the room and listened until the person wandering around the apartment left until I wandered into her room. I found a twenty dollar bill resting against her jewelry box.

I also found a pen on top of her dresser. I wrote thirty-three Ventura on my arm before I pulled my sleeve up to cover it.

I repeated the address in my mind for the rest of the day I was Courtney. I was relieved that I remembered the number when I woke up as Kayleigh.

I waited in the line to pick up two coffees before I headed to this man's house. I tapped my foot as I waited in the long line. When I finally got to the front, I ordered two black coffees. I assumed this man could add whatever he liked to it when I got to his house.

The cold air whipped through my blonde hair as I stepped outside holding the tray of coffee. I looked down each side of the street. It looked familiar from yesterday, but I still did not know where I was. Kayleigh's phone and computer had a password, so I could not try to look up directions before I left.

People passed by me, but they all had headphones on. I reached out to touch a girl's shoulder as she walked by. She spun around and slid her headphones down around her neck. She raised her eyebrow at me.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Sorry, to bother you," I said, putting a fake smile on. "Do you know where Ventura Street is?"

The girl shook her head. "Sorry, I don't."

She slid her headphones back over her ears and kept walking. I let out a deep breath. I could just start walking in one direction, but I risk the chance of walking in the wrong direction. I would be late, and the coffee would be cold. This guy seems like he'll be more upset with the latter.

"Excuse me, Miss," I heard a voice call from behind me.

I looked over my shoulder to see a man walking up to me. His long dark hair was hidden mostly with a hat. He had a grey sweater on under a denim jacket. A coffee cup was in his hand. He gave me a smirk before he brought the cup up to his lips.

His face seemed so familiar to me. His dark green eyes, pale skin, and dimples were something that I had seen before. He must be part of my life. My actual life. He must know who I really am.

My jaw must have been hanging open because he chuckled when he lowered his coffee cup.

"I overheard that you're looking for Ventura Street," he said.

"I am," I said. "Do you know how to get there?"

"Yes, I actually live there, and I am heading home. Let me show you."

Leaving with a stranger would usually be a bad idea. It would be something that I would probably have never done in my life. Since I have been these girls, I am not really afraid of stranger danger. My biggest fear was that this was someone in Kayleigh's life that I am unaware of. I needed to get to this man's house, and I refused to wander through the cold streets all day.

"Thank you," I said. "I would like that."

I followed beside the man as he walked down the sidewalk. The plaid scarf I found in Kayleigh's room was blowing in the wind. I tried to hold it down with my free hand as we walked. I could feel the hairs blowing out of my bun that I had messily tied back.

"What is your name?" he asked.

"Kayleigh," I said. I wish I could give him the real answer. "How about you?"