A Thing for Passion

Chapter 1

"Flight 97 is now boarding through Gate 7; Flight 97 is now boarding through Gate 7." Kori Anders grabbed what bags she could carry on the plane and went through Terminal B. She was finally glad to be leaving Steel City. For the last few years, she had been nothing but miserable in that town. Her problems seemed to never end. Her house was foreclosed on; she was being stalked by her ex-fiancé, and she got into 3 car accidents, all of which put a major strain on her back. The only good thing that seemed to be happening was the sudden announcement that her job was moving to a different location.

She saw this as a new beginning and an opportunity to regain and bring her life back under control. Her work place, a big company that consisted on therapeutic treatment on all kinds, was moving from Steel to Jump City, California. Some big company bought their land and they bought some land in Jump City.

Maybe this is my turn of events she thought as she boarded the plane. As she took her seat by the window, she thought about how she can start fresh. She was excited about the coincidence of her job moving to a far out location. If she were to stay with the company throughout all of the renovations, she would be provided with a place to stay for about six months. She wanting freedom from her current troublesome life, she accepted the offer.

Kori worked for a company called Relentless. She worked as one of the higher-ups specializing in psychotherapy like: Systemic, Cognitive, Behavioral, and Existential

therapy. But she occasionally did regular counseling and family and marriage counseling.

After getting comfortable in her seat, she took out her a journal from her oversizedtraveling purse and started jotting down a poem. For years she had been fascinated with the art of poetry. Not long after that she started a book of poems she personally called Expressions. To Kori, writing a poem came as natural as mother-nature. She wrote one almost 3 days or whenever she gets an idea or a chance. This poem was called "Suffocate."

Hollow, empty, unfulfilled, and angry.

What do you say?

What do you do?

How do I feel?

What do I conclude?

The tape has ended,

The image pulled tight, stretching,

Not reaching the other side,

The image is frayed . . . torn,

Unfixable.

Damaged beyond repair.

Pulling, pulling . . . no relief,

Shouting, yelling, looking for a retreat.

Pushing, punching,

Missing, swinging,

Losing the game,

Increasing the fear.

Turn up the volume,

Listen to the screams,

The screams of pain, suffering, torture,

The screams that dies from suffocation.

Lack of air,

Empty lungs,

A singer tear,

Oh . . . it falls for fear.

Falling, falling,

Quick! Grab hold,

Grab a branch,

A twig,

A vine,

Hold on fast to the quickly spun lies.

Take a breath,

You have the time . . .

Lay your head to rest,

You've had quite a ride,

Close your eyes . . .

Let it fade with time.

Kori looked over her work before closing the journal and placing it on her lap. This was her best so far. Fatigue weighed her as the night passed by and the plane soar through the dark clouded sky. It was nearly 12:00 a.m. when she finally surrendered to her exhaustion. The flight would be about 15 to 20 hours so she had plenty of time to get a full nights rest before it lands in Long Beach.

Wouldn't hurt to get some rest before I start new tomorrow. I wonder what awaits me there.

And something did await her there, big time.


Richard Grayson hung up the phone just as his secretary came and placed more papers on his desk atop the ones already there. He groaned and ran his hand through his think jet black hair.

Great, more paperwork to look over.

For the past few weeks, he had been more restless than ever. Every day was the same thing, work, work, work. He was seriously getting real tired of it. He needed some excitement in his life and surprisingly his own fiancé wasn't bringing it. He was quite disappointed that she didn't mean much to him like she used to. He was

growing less and less fond of her and the relationship seeing as how it was going anywhere.

In reality, his mind was made up. He was going to be alone forever. No one seemed to complete him enough anymore. At least not since her. It seemed like it was just yesterday the incident that night occurred, still fresh in his mind.

Flashback

8 years ago

Richard and his girlfriend were sitting in her apartment living room watching one of her favorite romantic movies. They were on a weekend break from their college classes and they intended to enjoy it by themselves. The movie was now getting to the climax of the story and an intimate scene was soon to come. Being next to his girlfriend while watching such a scene would naturally bring certain thoughts to mind. As the scene progressed, he grew more and more uncomfortable. He also questioned his relationship as he watched. When were they going to do stuff like that?

He yearned to touch her every waking moment they spent together and even before they became a couple. Before he had even really summed up the courage to ask her out, he liked her. No, fell in love with her. Richard never really believed in love at first sight, or for that matter, love at all.

With his reputation, he could get any girl he wanted. His sexy looks and great amount of money that he would soon inherit from his multi-billionaire foster father. But all that changed one day when she came along.

They were in high school at the time of their first meeting. She didn't really like the idea that he was somewhat known as a player; but nonetheless, she accepted him as a new friend. He found that he acted quite different around her. He could relax himself around her, be himself, and show his sweeter side, something he never showed anyone, not even himself half the time.

She truly changed him for the better the more they spent time with together. She really captured his heart. One day, after almost a year of trying to summon the courage to ask her out, he did. It was a beautiful star-filled night; Richard had thrown

a party and all who were somebody attended. The party had ended several hours before and they were both cleaning up the after mess.

After the mess was cleared, they sat by the pool talking about anything and everything they could find to talk about. He had already made up his mind about asking her and he wasn't about to give up now.

Don't back down. It's now or never he told himself hoping this would give some sort of courage.

He approached the question slowly by first asking her if she would date a friend. She answered simply saying, "Yeah, I would." He knew she was getting suspicious and heart beat sped up. Then she asked the question he had dreaded to hear, "Why?"

His heart rate quickened even more as he asked, "Because . . . I-I was wondering if you wanted to . . . do something some time." He was nervous and feared that she would reject him. Gosh he hated rejections.

She stayed silent for a few moments and then turned her beautiful emerald eyes to look at him. A smirk tugged on her pink, soft lips and he was getting more nervous.

"Is Richard Grayson, the fearless player of all time and richest guy in school, asking me out on a date? And nervous at that, too?"

He started laughing. It was like she could see right through him.

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not." She nodded her head and brought her eyes back to his 8 feet pool they stuck their foot in. Silence struck the night as they just sat there watching the water entangle their bare feet.

Finally Richard made one last attempt. "So is that a yes or a no?"

She was playing with the water still but smiled. She looked at him one last time and said, "Maybe I a yes, maybe a no." And he too smiled.

That's how it all started with that one night and they hadn't separated since. Now thinking back on that day, he believed that that was the greatest thing he had ever done. He was truly in love with her. He knew it for a while now. They haven't exactly

said it too each other if she even loved him at all. He was thinking about telling her later that week in a romantic way.

Richard was thinking about a day to themselves where he takes her wherever she wanted, buy her whatever she wanted, and then have a nice dinner. He was going to propose to her during dinner in hopes that she would say yes. After, he hope to have some . . . play time. He was glad that he was going to be her first. Even the slightest thought of someone else touching her made him angry. He wanted to be hers forever more.

He had spaced out for so long he forgot everything around him, including that he was there with her watching, or supposed to be, watching a movie. Blinking back to reality, across the room he saw the credits rolling on the screen. Richard looked down and saw the most beautiful green eyes staring back at him. He smiled at her and kissed the top of her red head (his hand hands were around her and resting on the sofa)

"What were you thinking about?" she asked innocently.

"You," he replied.

He capture her lips in one of his passionate kisses, the ones he'll always love to give. Her hands slowly made its way to the back of his neck and in his thick black hair and his hands found their way to her small waste. As the minutes passed by, the deeper and more passionate their kisses became. It soon started to feel hot and heavy for the two and they couldn't seem to stand it.

His hands rose up until they were fully beneath her red overly large shirt and cupped her breast. Before he could . . . torture them, he had to remove the bra first. His hand slid to her back and unhooked it. He succeed in taking off the bra and threw it to the ground a few inches away from the sofa. Richard continued to kiss her as he massaged her beast his hands. This notion received a soft moan from her lips.

Man that's a turn on he thought.

He lips removed from hers and made its way down her jaw and along her neck. Before their reached their destination, he took the bottom of her and lifted it over her

head exposing her naked upper half. He took a moment to invade her it with his eyes before going back to work.

His mouth rested upon her nipple and let his tongue and teeth have its way with her. Careful not to let her other breast get lonesome and ignored, he used his free hand works its way to it. As Richard had his way with her, she ached. Ached to have him in her. What he was doing to her was torture, but she was enjoying it more and more. It only made her want him more she was admitting.

By now they were both spread out on the sofa with Richard on top kissing her all over the upper part of her body. She felt kind of bad about having him do all the work, so she decided have a little fun of her own.

She slowly leaned up from the couch pillows that rested under her head, place her arm on Richard's chest, and slightly pushed him off her ending his array of kisses. He stared at her perplexedly and wondered if she wanted him to stop. He opened his mouth to talk but was silenced by her finger she placed on it. She zeroed in on his shirt and pulled it over his head and throwing it on the floor. She pushed him to the other side of the couch and started to get up off the couch.

"What are you doing?"

She didn't answer. Instead she tore off her shorts and panties then climbed back on the couch, atop him and in matter of seconds she was working his pant zipper. Before she could finish her work, he stopped her by grabbing her wrist.

"Are you sure you want this?" he asked trying to make sure that she really did want to do it. He didn't want her to later on think that what they did was a mistake.

"Yeah I do. If I want to do it with anyone, I want it to be with you."

That was all the answer he needed. He let her wrist go and within moments he was inside her and moans and groans could be heard within the apartment.

He would never forget that night be able to couple with her on the couch and later in the bedroom. Too bad it would be the last night he'd spend with her.

End Flashback

For the next couple of days, Richard hadn't heard from her. He was constantly worried and wondering what had happened to his precious girl. She didn't attend class, she didn't return his calls, and nobody saw her. She just seemed to disappear into thin-air.

As days grew into months and then years, he'd given up looking for his long lost love. He missed her so much and he didn't care to show it either. As the minutes passed he grew worse with his mental condition. He couldn't eat for days, he couldn't focus on his work at school, and he also isolated from everyone on the "outside world" as he called it. Not even his best friends could come through to him for a while.

That was the hardest thing he could have dealt with in his life. And he would never forget the only woman to he had ever let fell in love with and still loves to this day. He still carries the engagement ring that he was going to give her the next day, as he decided the night they spent together, on his gold pendent less chain.

Richard was so busy with his thoughts that he had completely forgot about the work put before his desk. He also didn't realize that one tear had fallen out of his eye during the gathering to his thoughts.

"Mr. Grayson, are you alright? Can I get you anything?" His secretary asked as she leaned down in front of him showing a great deal of cleavage.

What a way to take advantage of the moment he thought wiping the one tear away from his right eye.

"Actually, you can. Can you close the door for me please?" He asked. Might as well give her what she wants. She's bugging me all week. At least this would get me to take my mind off of her.

"And don't forget the lock it." She did as she was told. Tonight was his time to havefun. In fact, for now on, he was going to stop living in the shadows. It's time to stop weighing on the past. From now on, he was going to live.


The next day

The plane had landed two hours ago and Kori was already on her way to the hotel resort her job was paying for the next six months (the flight was about 15 hours and it was around noon now). By then she should have gotten her own apartment and settled down. She wondered if Mari would like this place. She once did, but that was a long time ago. But it would be a memory she would never forget.

The cab rolled up by the Hotel's entrance and started to unpack her things. Thankfully, the cab driver was much of a gentleman he help her inside with her belongings. The bellhop brought over a golden cart (don't know what it's called sorry) and took her luggage to her room. After about an hour of unpacking and getting settled, she heard a loud "growl." Kori looked down and realized it was her stomach being angry at her for not feeding it on time. The airline food wasn't all that great and her stomach had refused o take it.

Deciding it was best to get something to eat before her stomach got really mad with her; she walked out of her room and into the lobby waiting to spot a café or restaurant nearby. Surely a place this big and pretty would have one around. She soon gave up on her sights and asked the front lobby desk clerk whose name pendent read Allison.

"Excuse me, could you tell me where your closest restaurant might be?" Kori asked.

"On your left hand side through the waiting door, go down that hall. There will be an elevator there. Take it to level and when it opens, you'll find yourself surrounded by them."

"Thank you so much."

"No problem."

Kori did as she was told and was soon surrounded by cafés and eating joints. "Wow, this sure I exquisite," she said aloud to no one in particular. As she made her way to one of the many food places she was surrounded by, she thought about the great times she was going to have at this place.

Oh yeah, I really do think I could get used to this. This really is a fresh start to my new life.