CHAPTER 2
Laura sits through the following days' classes as per usual, but she often finds herself drifting off thinking of the woman again. She wonders who she is and how she feels in all this and those thoughts take Laura by surprise because why does she want to know so bad? She just blames her inner journalist and being bored out of her mind and hungry for interaction with someone new. Besides, it's the only interesting thing that's happened in days and she thinks maybe it'll prove to be useful for her Features and Storytelling assignment?
Which is precisely how she finds herself cautiously making her way onto the roof again. At first, Laura doesn't see anyone there but then her eyes are drawn to sudden movement near some kind of utility shed. It's there that she finds the woman perched on a ledge that's half shrouded by shade with a book in her hands. This time she's rather entranced with whatever she's reading and doesn't notice Laura standing there so she is able to get a better look. Again, she's dressed in a black top and the sunlight reflects off tight leather pants and clunky combat boots.
Laura looks down at her own outfit consisting of sweat pants and a grape soda stained t-shirt that hangs off her small frame and frowns because she suddenly feels extremely underdressed.
What kind of crazy person chooses to wear pants? Laura questions as she continues to stare. She curses herself for not bringing one of her many notepads with her and makes a mental note of her findings instead.
Just then the woman drags her fingers slowly along her scalp through dark wavy locks and tosses it over her shoulder carelessly before turning the page of the book. There's a slight crinkle between the young woman's perfectly sculpted brows and Laura thanks the heavens for being blessed with 20/20 vision because it allows her to acknowledge that this woman is absolutely stunning. Like frighteningly stunning. Like no one should be that stunning while the whole rest of the world is pretty much carb-loading and binge watching Netflix in the same pair of pajamas for the past three days.
But the glamorously grungy look of leather and studded accessories only highlight the woman's ivory skin, the prominent cheekbones and that jawline that could cut through glass.
Laura gulped and crept closer, finding herself being drawn in, hungry for more. But, despite her perfect eye sight, she was too far away to make out what the woman was reading.
I should bring binoculars next time! Laura thinks but then shakes the idea away, Wait no- that's kind of creepy. Scratch that.
Laura continues to- stare? Admire? Leer? Laura settles on observe. She's observing the woman, for an assignment at that, so not weird at all. Besides, what's the harm in people-watching? Everyone does it and at least hers is for academic reasons.
She watches the woman then tilt her chin up and roll her head to the side, revealing the pale expanse of her neck. Laura finds herself hypnotized by the movement, swallowing dryly, as her eyes rake up the slight flex of tendons and smooth skin.
She makes another mental note to bring something to drink next time too because wow these observations sure did make me thirsty!
She snaps out of it when her phone vibrates in her back pocket. It's an alarm that signals the start of her next class and she really can't be late to this one, so she gives the woman one last fleeting look before scurrying back to her room.
/
The trips to the roof become a part of her daily routine if the weather allows; choosing to spend her break between classes eating lunch and studying there instead of migrating to her living room. Most of the time the young woman is there too, either reading or wearing bulky headphones and bobbing her head to whatever she's listening to. On those days, Laura feels strangely less lonely because although they've never spoken to each other and although they're separated by a whole building, the woman's company is comforting. It reminds her that she's not completely alone in all this.
Also Laura has decided that the woman is now the official star of her journalism assignment. Not that it took much convincing; it was either her or the succulent she named Peat that she's been trying to keep alive on her window sill.
She has begun to keep a little notebook of findings as well and her new subject is proving to be quite interesting. Well, more interesting than Peat the Succulent. Most days, the woman is usually lounging on the fold out chair soaking in the sun or perched on the ledge in the shade. She's always reading, Laura notes. She must have her own personal library or something because the books Laura finds her reading change almost daily.
Some days the woman changes it up though, choosing to paint her nails and bob her head to something she listens to through the bulky, red headphones. Sometimes she looks like she's just taking a nap, book left open on her stomach, one leg propped up and the other hanging off the side of the chair. Laura notes the woman doesn't think too much about sitting like a lady. She doesn't blame her though, whatever's comfortable is the way to go!
One day Laura even watched as she devoured an entire pizza by herself in record time then plop herself down on the fold out chair looking like she was nursing a wicked hangover. Dark sunglasses shielded her eyes and her arms dangled over the arms of the chair haphazardly.
If Laura didn't watch the whole thing go down she would've thought the woman was dead or something, but she guessed she was just sinking into a serious food coma. Or maybe she really was hungover? Laura didn't judge, just logged the findings.
For some reason though the thought made Laura smile because this mysterious roof woman with consistently amazing outfits and impeccable hair was in some ways just like her: defenseless against a large pizza.
Laura applauded her for that and jot down the observation in the notebook, suddenly craving a pizza of her own.
But the biggest development yet is the occasional glances the woman tosses Laura's way and by occasional she actually means two.
It has happened twice so far and each time it has made Laura's stomach do a crazy flip. Why? Who the hell knows. Again, Laura just figures it's the lack of physical interaction and not because a pretty girl acknowledged her.
The first time it happened, Laura had been trying to feed the crusts of her sandwich to some of the seagulls gathered at the far corner of the roof. Which was all fun and games until they started chasing after her, wanting the rest of her lunch. She had shrieked and took off towards the usual end of the roof she occupied, terrified they'd carry her off into the distance. She eventually had to throw her whole sandwich at them in order to make a break for it. When they finally lost interest in her, she flipped them the bird, no pun intended.
When Laura finally felt the woman's eyes on her, she smiled awkwardly, wondering how much of that she saw.
This time the woman's shoulders bounced with a chuckle as she shook her head and smiled back before diving into the book in her hands.
Laura found herself blushing at what resembled fondness but at least this time she didn't duck out of sight and that was progress!
It was no surprise that the exchange ended up being the highlight of Laura's day, but she omitted that little detail from her notebook of findings.
/
The second time was a little more embarrassing than the first because it was the time Laura was caught red-handed in her observations.
She had just arrived on the roof when she found the woman in mid-stretch. She looked to be wearing leggings, a dark purple with black streaks, that did wonders for the curve of that ass and her wavy hair was bunched atop her head in a messy bun. She had her arms were out stretched, hands towards the sky, eyes focused somewhere off in the distance. The muscles in her forearms tensing with every flex of her fingers and as her back arched, the tank top she wore rode up just the slightest to reveal a sliver of toned stomach.
Laura didn't realize her jaw was on the floor until the woman turned to her like she had heard it fall to the ground.
She smirked slyly.
Laura felt her whole face flush. She probably would've ducked out of sight again too if she could move, but she couldn't because holy cow she's hot and also maybe if I stand perfectly still I'll turn invisible. So she remained frozen, eyes bulging in panic, jaw slammed shut.
The woman didn't seem bothered at all though. If anything, there was a hint of smugness in the way she slowly sauntered away.