When Stuff Happens

Chapter Four

Amor really needed to stop letting in moonlight right before bed because the bright, glaring sun mocked her for sleeping in. She groaned as every muscle moved sorely from the awkward position, she slept in. She stretched trying to recall what she needed to do today.

Class? No, it was Friday so technically her weekend has started.

'Huh I wonder what everyone is doing on their weekends.' Her mind wondered to her high school classmates who were probably enjoying their weekend with their sorority or fraternity or whatever people do in dorms in fabulous universities on the weekends. Meanwhile she was here living with an aunt who judged her as a biblical whore, sleeping in her mother's childhood bedroom and studying in a city college known for their hotel hospitality degree. Seriously, colleges jumped on the chance of making bank of this booming business.

She rubbed her temples trying to relax her mind away from hotels, fraternities and universities as a pity party was not going to land her a career any time soon. She needs a clear and refreshed body, so she decided to yank herself out of the covers and onto the cold hard wooden floors. As she peered herself in the bathroom mirror, she realized what she needed to do run. As Elle Woods once said exercise releases endorphins which makes you happy and right now, she could use happiness. So, she tied her hair in the messiest bun possible, slipped on one of her father's company shirts (he was a gardener) and a juicy couture sweat pants that seen better days (tragic 90's fashion her cousin passed on to her).

She slowly made her way downstairs to scoop out if her tia was still home, but she was in luck. She scavenged the kitchen for something to fuel her body for the run finding only a ripped banana and more wine. Seriously, did her tia have a problem?

Without further contemplating if her tia needed to join AA she decided to hit the pavement for some endorphins. The moment she opened the door a breezy cool summer morning welcomed her. She locked the door and started jugging. She hadn't been running for a while, so she decided to ease her body back into the grove. She was always an avid runner back home in fact some mornings she would wake up early with her pa and go to the schoolyard to run a few laps. She had never done it for sports, despite her parents' protest. Her parents were always on her to join cross country, so she had the opportunity to use her hobby to help her get accepted on an athletic scholarship. Unfortunately, when she did try out, she didn't make the cut, her mother was sure the coach couldn't see athletic talent.

Amor made it to the end of her block across from the college campus, so she decided to explore this neighborhood by turning the corning and running towards the nearest stores and restaurants. She managed to stay on the sidewalk away from traffic to keep her stride going. Once, she reached the small strip of buildings she spotted she stopped walking around the place to see what was there. There was an old beat up thrift store with a good selection of crap inside, unfortunately closed, a Gas Strip, sushi bar, a Mexican restaurant and a doughnut shop that lucky for her was open. She stepped in the shop taking in the smell and warmth of cooked dough, ordering a bagel sandwich and black coffee. Despite being broke now she always carried a twenty inside her phone case for emergencies and going possibly three days straight without a decent meal counted as one. When her order was ready, she decided to walk slowly back home, nibbling now and then on her warm sandwich. It was a good breakfast warm with cheese, egg, bacon smothered inside a cream-cheese filled bagel.

As she rounded the corner her phone buzzed with a message but balancing coffee and bagel in each hand made her ignore it until she heard someone screaming her name.

"Hey Amor, over here!" The voice called her attention, so she turned around to its direction. Standing on the opposite side of the street on the campus lawn was Ezra wearing another painfully colorful ensemble. He wore a sky-blue top, with light yellow cargo pants and red shoes. What the hell did no one teach him how to dress in his home?