The Kings II

8

Lena

I walked out of my apartment building and wrapped my jacket around me, beginning to walk down the sidewalk.

I usually walked to class in the morning times because it woke me up and gave me time to think. It was therapeutic to me.

There weren't many people on the sidewalk at this time in the morning because they were either at work or driving places, not walking.

I didn't enjoy tons of people in one place, ever.

I heard a loud car and I just bit down on my lip. I probably could've profiled the person driving just from the sound of their car.

A male- egotistical, attention seeking, rich.

That very loud car stopped and I just continued to walk, but I stopped in my tracks when I heard a familiar voice.

"It's freezing."

I looked over my shoulder and saw Jo, making one of the corners of my mouth quirk up into a small smile.

My eyes grazed over his car. "Nice car."

I wasn't particularly wrong in the profiling aspect.

"Why are you walking?" He asked, making me slowly but surely walk over to his car.

I shrugged. "It's right down the road."

He just smiled at me and I couldn't help my stomach from fluttering. Jo had a smile that no one could really match.

"Well, if I'm trying to impress you, I should probably offer you a ride," he said.

"I really don't-"

"Come on," he said, "it's warm in here. And I'm sure your bag is heavy, so just come on."

I bit down on my bottom lip. I wanted to try with Jo, too, but I was also keeping up my guard.

I opened his door and climbed in his car, making him smile over at me and adjust the vents. "There."

"Thank you," I said, shrugging out of my heavy jacket.

"And I got this coffee for you," he said, nodding down at the cup holder, "I was going to give it to you when I got to class, but I guess it would be wiser for you to take it now."

I just smiled and grabbed the coffee. "Thanks, Jo."

He just cleared his throat. "How are you?"

I almost choked at that question- not a lot of people asked that question anymore.

Not genuinely, at least.

But Jo sounded concerned, like he wanted to know how I was doing.

"I-I'm good," I said, nodding, "yourself?"

He smiled, holding his hand out to me.

I just looked down at his hand.

"My, uh, card," he said, nodding towards the dash.

My eyes went wide.

I'm glad you didn't actually grab his hand, Lena.

I grabbed the card on his dash and placed it in his hand, making him scan it at the gate.

"You know, to be a community college, this place is extra nice," he said, and I could tell he just wanted to make conversation.

"Well, isn't it designated for the rich kids of Seattle?" I asked, looking over at him.

He shrugged, turning into the parking lot. "I guess you could say that."