Far From Home

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Nalani

I felt the wind through my long ringlets. While I was making my way across the campus the heavy wind was not agreeing with my hair so I just gave in throwing it into a messy bun. It wasn’t but a few seconds into this my ear buds felt out of my ear causing me to lose Jhene Aiko’s sweet, melodic voice to leave my ears, causing me to hear the wind and the loud sounds of honking horns of the cars stuck in morning traffic. “How amazing.” I mumble sarcastically to myself. Why did I live in this awful city?

I finished my bun and walked the rest of the way to my art class, after putting my headphones in my ears. I moved pass other kids with coffees and frappes in their hand. Many people bumping each other to just get where they need to be. I don’t understand why everyone here is unnecessarily obnoxious and impolite. I strolled into class early then usual, 10 minutes before I normally do. 

My eyes wandered my phone before I skipped to the next song to hear Trey Songz melodic voice streaming through my ear. Of course because it was Trey Songz it was very sensual but I loved how he told the story. My lips were moving to form the words but nothing came out. I was halfway through Cake when I felt someone tapping my shoulder. My head whipped around as I looked into eyes. My mind immediately said, “Gahdamn he’s fine. He is most definitely not in this class or I would’ve noticed him sooner.”

Hayden

Another cold windy day in this city with a sky that looked like would fall down on us any second. I had a McDonald’s coffee cup, which was actually filled with white-hot chocolate. I passed my friend Jenifer with the bright blue hair and emerald green eyes. She waved at me as she continued a conversation with an average looking guy. Before I could even pass her completely I heard a deep, yet light voice screaming my name.

“Hayden!” said this voice. I whipped my head around to find my best friend, Damon behind.

“Hey D, wassup?” We did our handshake and we went on with our conversation. I’ve known Damon since I was probably 12. I walked with him as he ranted about this guy who tried to flirt with his girlfriend in front of his face as we walked to my art class.

“Alright. Bruh, Imma see you later.” We walked away from each other as I waked into the room.

There was only one person in there. I’ve seen her around before. She has the dark brown tresses piled on top of her head neatly. She had her eyes closed and she was lost in her own world. I stared intently at her as her plump, light, glossy, pink lips mouthed the words to whatever song she was listening to, which had heavy bass influence which I could hear out loud. I was so intrigued and she was so beautiful so I walked up behind her and tapped her shoulder.

Her head whipped around surprised, most likely because she couldn’t hear over the heavy bass. “She had her mouth was agape and her eyes were wide before she smiled. Her small hands with velvety blue nail polish on the fingernails picked up a yellow iPhone 5C from her lap and her velvet blue finger danced across the screen. The bass stopped playing.

She looked up from her phone and her lips began to move but this time sound came out, “Aloha, shark bait. I’m Nalani, and you are?” I noticed the words. Why did she call me shark bait? What the hell does that mean? I felt my eyebrows furrow together and I thought for a couple seconds before giving up. “I’m Hayden. Nice to meet you. Do you mind telling me what shark bait means?”

Nalani giggled, “Shark Bait is a term for where I’m from, Hawaii. It means you’re really white and you would need a lot of sunscreen to prevent burning.

I snickered to myself. “Why that you Miss Nalani. May I call you Lani.”

Her head went up and down to let me know it was a yes. By this time more kids were spilling into the classroom. She motioned for me to sit. “You’re making my neck hurt sir.”

She made me crack up in realization that she was looking up at me as I was standing over her. I did as she said I sat down in the chair. We started talking about TV and how we both loved Love and Hip Hop before the conversation had to end because our teacher walked in. Mrs. Garcia gave a quick assignment to sketch the first thing that came to mind. First thing that came to my mind was Lani. “Nalani has those big plump lips, squinty eyes, and her soft looking skin would be the best thing to draw,” is exactly what my brain thought. I knew I was attracted to her and I would make a move by making her my Mona Lisa.

“Lani?” fell from my lips as I called out. Her head whipped around towards me. “Yes?” she called back not looking from her paper in which her hand was moving swiftly across to do a rough sketch. 

“You wanna be my Mona Lisa for this sketch?” I thought that would work as a pick up line. She looked down and I assumed I had failed, but my mom taught me to not assume so I looked a little longer then I realized she was blushing. “C’mon Lani. Turn toward me and say yes so I can sketch that pretty face.”

“Okay.” I started to sketch her face. This is probably the first time I’ve done my work all semester, or even shown up. It’s something about this girl.

“This is such a poho.” I raised my eyebrow at her. I never heard that word being used in my life. She moved her lips to explain “Poho, a waste of my time. I have so many memories and images from this place in my head. It’s very hard to get this done.” 

“May I ask what you’re sketching?” She smiled. “You’ll see. It’s my paradise but it’s so far from here.” I wondered what she meant but I let her be. I didn’t want it to seem so attached.

I thought about it and thought I had been here for too long. “See you next time, Nalani,” was all that I could say before I got up and walked out. I had to create mystery. According to Jen, mystery turned girls on and that was my plan.

After a long walk, I was back in my dorm and lied down on my bed. I took a couple pills so I could sleep and before I knew it, I was knocked out.

Nalani

As he made his way out the classroom, I identified one feeling, uncertainty. The class was not over, then a thought creeped into my brain that maybe the reason I never noticed him is because he never showed up to class or he always left early. 

I chose to continue this sketch while I thought about this mystery man. The class was over and yet I still couldn’t figure it out, I had to do it and wiki wiki.