Underneath It All

Chapter One: There's Nothing Happening At All, Not At All

Rayna awoke with a gasp, nightmares again. The same one of her falling to the ground, but always jumping awake right before she hit the ground. She wondered why no other person appeared in her dream and would help her from falling, but no one ever did. She sighed and rubbed her eyes slowly. The first thing on her mind this morning was coffee and a cigarette. Her radio clock lightly played 'Rock & Roll' by one of her favorite bands, The Velvet Underground. At least they can provide a soundtrack to my life, she thought to herself before pulling herself up from beneath her duvet.

She promised to have breakfast with James, a guy that she suspected liking her. She wasn't the kind to pursue someone, let alone someone like James who never paid attention to any of her art that was arguably her biggest ambition. But, it's breakfast and what else did she have to do today? Rayna's life lately has been, well in her eyes, uneventful to say the least. She went to art museums as much as she could, sketched and painted that paid the bills, local parties with other up and coming artists, poetry readings, cinemas, walked the New York streets just for the hell of it. She appreciated that people appreciated her art, but she wanted something more. She was always searching for it. No matter what. Even though breakfast at 9am with James wasn't her idea of fun, she figured what the hell?

She tugged on her New York sweater, and ran her hand through her hair. She didn't care much for her appearance for this morning. I mean, it's just James why should I care? She thought as she put on some cherry chapstick after brushing her teeth. Without a stitch of makeup, she poured some milk for her cat, Billie for Billie Holiday, before walking out the door to the morning breeze that was undeniably New York. She never got sick of it, she loved the certain smell in her nostrils. No matter what troubles she was going through, she could always rely on the pavement of New York City to help her ease into the ongoing ride that was called life. She realized how unbelievably New York she looked when she passed by her reflection of the multiple street windows of boutiques, restaurants, and other apartments. Her brown jeans, along with some simple doc martens, she forgot to mention her black sunglasses that ironically looked a lot like Lou Reed's. She smirked to herself as the people passed her by, Probably on their way to their jobs, men with suits, yes men she called them, she never had an interest in them for they were uninteresting to her. She valued the people who had nothing, but made something. Who scratched and clawed, and made Something good out of something bad. Who didn't have the silver spoon, who beat the odds. That's why she decided to have breakfast this morning. Even though James could care less about her art, and more about what's underneath her clothes she knew James had worked hard for his position at the theatre. James was practically homeless when they first met, he was couch hopping, and struggling for his spot in plays. She respected the hustle.

By the time she arrived at the diner, he was already there waiting for her with a shit eating grin, arms open waiting for Rayna to walk into them. She swallowed her smart-ass words she was about to say, and obliged his request.

"Hey, Rayn" He said into her shoulder.

"Hi, James" She greeted back, tapping lightly on his back.

"Let's chow" He said rather enthusiastically letting go of their loose embrace, motioning his hand to the inside of the somewhat crowded diner that she surprisingly never had been.

"Coffee is calling my name" She mumbled as she followed behind him. 

The diner had lots of windows, red-themed with checkered floors, it was charming she thought as she tugged her sunglasses atop of her head. The chatter of couples and families rang in her ears. Is that what we look like, a couple? She thought as she gazed at James chatting with a waitress as she guided them to a booth. 

"Coffee?" The blonde waitress stated moreso than asked. I must look like I need it, I should of at least put on concealer, she facepalmed herself in head as she bit her lip, nodding politely and tugging some hair behind her ear.