Lachlan

"I still can't believe I got one," I said, staring at the fresh tattoo on my arm.

"I still can't believe Mikey spelled 'happy' wrong," Kali said shaking her head.

"Wait, what?" I examined it closely. Kali started laughing and I glared at her, giving her a playful shove. "Oh fuck off." I couldn't help but smile.

"Don't push the driver! I'm trying to get you home in one piece." She was still laughing from my gullibility.

"Yea, well luckily we're here," I said, pointing to my complex. "Um, you can drop me off at the leasing office. I don't want to make you drive all the way to the back." She nodded and cautiously turned left into the gated community. As we pulled closer, I felt my stomach sink. I didn't want the night to end. "Um, actually, did you want a snack or something before heading home?"

Kali looked at me quizzingly. "It's kind of late. I don't want to keep you up past your bedtime. It's already passed midnight."

"Well, my sleep schedule is kind of fucked. I slept the whole way here so I'll be up until late anyway. I understand if you can't though." I really didn't want to be alone mere thought of it made me feel sick. I started unbuckling my seatbelt when I felt a hand on my arm.

Kali was biting her lip. "Well, I don't have work until eleven, I guess I can stay for a snack." She looked a little nervous. I gave her a smile to try to calm her just a bit.

I navigated us through the community and we eventually made it to my little driveway. I got out of the car and motioned for Kali to follow me, her face still showing skepticism. Without thinking, I walked towards her and held her in my arms. I felt her tense up next to me, but then she relaxed, placing her arms around my waist. "Thank you for everything you've done for me today. You made moving suck just a little bit less."

"It's no problem, young mentee of mine. Plus, the day isn't over just yet. Let's get that snack you promised me." She let go of me. And reluctantly, I let go of her too.

I motioned towards the door and she followed me in. I turned on the lights and walked into the living room. "Welcome to my humble abode! Please excuse the lack of personality here, I'm still unpacking the decor." I guided Kali to the living room and slipped of my hoodie, my t-shirt catching onto it just a bit. There was a slight blush on her face, causing me to give her a knowing smirk. "Do you want me to take your jacket?" She nodded and slipped off the light jacket she was wearing over her shirt. I hadn't noticed before, but the oatmeal color of her sweater complimented her olive skin, especially the exposed skin on her shoulder. I think she saw me staring because her blush got brighter and she nervously started adjusting her top.

I bit my lip and took both of our jackets to my bedroom and quickly reappeared to find Kali awkwardly looking around my living room. "Your home is lovely, Lachlan," she softly said when she realized I had returned.

"Well, I can give you a quick tour after we eat? My mom had bought some cookie dough the last time we came here so I was thinking milk and cookies. And maybe I could convince you to stay for a movie?" I gave her a pleading look, hoping it came off as playful even though I honestly didn't want her to leave soon.

She smiled and shook her head at me. "We'll see how I'm feeling after the milk and cookies." She nudged me towards the kitchen and I pulled the package of cookie dough from the pantry. "Yes! Chocolate chip is my favorite. It bakes at 375 degrees right?"

I read the the directions and nodded. "Yup! Good guess," I said pulling out the baking sheet from my cupboards.

"Not a guess, just an avid baker. Strictly boxes, of course. I don't have the patience to try to make it from scratch," she said as she took the box from me and read the ingredients on the back. "Do you mind?" she asked, motioning towards the fridge.

"Do as you please. This is probably my second time baking anything and I'm truly glad I was blessed with a professional baker." She laughed at me as she pulled out the eggs, butter, and milk from the fridge. "I didn't quite have you pegged as a baker, though." I pulled out the measuring cups and a big mixing bowl, sending a telepathic thank you to my mom for making sure I had all of this.

"Well, there's a lot you don't know about me," Kali said as she began to put the ingredients in the bowl. "Did you plan on helping or just watching me do all the work?" she asked with a playful smirk.

"Oh, of course! What do you need?" She passed me the bowl, the whisk sticking stiffly from the mixture. "Got it," I said as I began to mix the thick concoction. "And you're right, I don't know much about you. I'd like to learn more if you'd let me."

She bit the inside of her chick, thinking about my question. "Well, what would you like to know?"

"Do you have a last name?" I said with a smile.

She gave me a death glare. "It's Diaz, you idiot." She dipped her finger into the cookie batter and sighed with satisfied approval. "You?"

"It's Irwin, I'm related to the Crocodile Hunter." I tried to give her the most serious look I could fake, but she just stared at me blankly. "It's Power." She still gave me the same blank stare. "I'm serious this time!" I said throwing my hands up in defense.

"Lachlan Power," she said, her voice trailing off just a bit. My name sounded foreign coming from her mouth, but I had never heard it sound so beautiful. A smile slipped across her face. "It sounds like a cult chant." She imitated someone who was possessed and kept canting 'Lachlan Power' in a robotic voice.

"Don't be an ass about it. It's not exactly something I can change. Plus, it's be the coolest cult out there with a chant like that." I took some of the batter and taster in myself. It was delicious, better than anything I could have made myself. "I think the oven is ready for these babies. We worked together to make sure the scoops were as even as possible onto the pan. The cookies had the potential to be perfect. "So, do you have any siblings? I have three myself."

Kali nodded slowly, making sure the last dollop of cookie dough fit perfectly on the baking sheet. "Yes, a brother and a sister. I'm the oldest, can't you tell?" Her eyes remained focused on the clumps of dough before sliding it into the oven.

"Actually, no. You strike me more as a younger child."

"I get that a lot."

"I myself am a middle child. Can't you tell?" I said in a mocking tone.

"Actually, yes. You have that forgettable nature to you," she said as she licked some leftover batter from the whisk. She lifted it towards me, offering up a big glob with tons of chocolate chip on me.

"You're kind of a jerk," I said with a smile. "It's important that my friends have strong jerk tendencies."

"I'm happy I fit your qualifications, Mr. Power," she said with a faux curtsey. "I do believe it is time for the tour. After you?" she said, motioning me to enter my own living room.

I chuckled and linked her arm with my own, guiding her through the living room. "This here is the living room. You will see that there is a very comfortable couch that is perfect for naps as well as a television that is great for watching movies. The two complement each other beautifully. "She giggled at my terrible impersonation of those museum tour guides, but if I could keep hearing her laugh like she was, I wasn't going to stop any time soon. I opened the door to the master bedroom that hung right off of the living room. I didn't have much in there except my furniture. My walls were still bare but I had some pictures placed in my bookshelf. "This here is where the magic would happen if I had a proper social life, but until that picks up, this is where I will probably spend most of my days bumming about."

"I like the vibe your room is giving off. My room actually has about the same theme. Dark brown furniture, black accents and white everything else. It looks so clean and fresh to me. It reminds me of-"

"Winter.," I said, finishing her statement. "She nodded slowly, almost astonished that I knew she was thinking. "Yea, I love the snow. It's so calming."

"Yea, exactly." She bit her lip nervously. I felt the butterflies rile up in my stomach again. We looked at each other for a moment before I finally broke our gaze.

"Um, moving on with the tour we have the master bath equipped with both a standing shower and jacuzzi style tub, as well as a double sink. You will also find a walk in closet on either side of the entrance because obviously one isn't suitable for lone human being. Pressing on to the guest rooms!"

I showed her one of the guest rooms and paused at my office. I considered whether or not I wanted to let her see it. I never really took girls to my home when I lived with my parents so it was rare that anyone aside from my friends would see that space. I felt I could trust her, but i part of me didn't want her to see me differently because of that part of my life. I didn't consider myself famous or a celebrity in the least bit, but I have been fucked over in the past because people wanted to get their 15 minutes of attention and I just don't think I want to risk it. "Um, this is just an office. Right now I just have a bunch of crap stored in there but when it's ready, I'll be glad to show you."

She gave me an understanding smile, obviously noticing my hesitation. She looked like she was about to say something and just at that moment we heard a ding from the kitchen. "The cookies are ready," she said as she lead me into the kitchen. I grabbed my baking gloves and pulled out the hot pan and placed it on the counter. "They look and smell delicious," Kali gushed.

"They were made by a cult leader and a master baker, of course they were going to be perfect." I smiled at her and gave her a playful shove with my glove clad hand.

She grabbed the spatula and started placing the cookies on a plate and I grabbed two, wide cups of milk and brought them to my dining room table. I pulled out her chair for her and pushed her in and sat directly across from her.

"So, tell me more about yourself, Kali," I said, dipping my cookie into my milk and taking a huge bite out of it.

"Well, ok, so I was born and raised in New York for about 12 years until my parents decided to move down to Florida. It was a terrible point in my life but that's another story for another day. My dad is Dominican and my mom is Guatemalan, both immigrated here when they were in their teens. They really are my heroes and I owe everything I have to them. They were the perfect role models of what it means to be hardworking." She smiled to herself and chuckled. "I'm not sure what they were into but when they had me, they had this weird fascination with mythology. They named all of us based on what they wanted us to embody while still giving us pretty bad ass names, thus, I was named Kali, Goddess of Death," she said dramatically, "of the ego. Also, of compassion, but the wow factor isn't as high."

"I feel like that fits you pretty well."

"She's honestly pretty awesome. I decided to do my own research one her and she really is amazing. The stories of Hinduism are truly remarkable."

"Sure beat how I got my name." I hung my head, trying to muster up my inner 'sad puppy'.

"Family name?"

"Nope. When my mom was pregnant, she let my older sisters pick the name. They were playing with Scrabble pieces and 'LACHLAN' was the lucky winner. It could have been worse." She stared at me, mouth agape. I laughed, nearly choking on my cookie. "Nah, I'm actually named after one of my dad's childhood buddies, but it looks like I'm not the only gullible one."

"You're the worst kind of person, you know that?" She said, a smirk spread across her lips.

We talked for hours until finally, Kali looked at the clock and realized how late it was. "Shit, I have to go!" She scurried around the living room, slipping on her shoes and looking for anything else she may have missed.

I walked into my room and handed her her jacket. "I really wish you didn't," I said, a pang of sadness accompanying my voice.

She grabbed her jacket and slid it on. "Lachlan, it'll get easier, I promise." I looked at her, confusion clear on my face. "I know you don't want to be alone. I felt the same way when I moved back her after my incident. But you know what you have that I didn't? Someone super close by that would drop anything if I needed them. I'm going to be that for you, ok? I live like 10 minutes away and I'll have my phone on loud at all times in case you need me. Don't let this fear of change and the unknown consume you."

She bit her lip and hugged me tight. I hugged her back. It amazing that this girl that I had met just hours ago could already care so much for me. I wasn't used to this feeling, but I think I could get used to it. "Thanks, Kali. I really appreciate it. Text me when you get home, yea?" She nodded and walked out the door. I watched her as she got into her car and drove away.

I walked into my room and dropped onto my bed, reflecting on the twists and turns of the past 24 hours. To think that I had just been on a plane, and now, I stumbled across such an amazing person who I feel I truly relate to. I opened my nightstand and started scribbling in my journal, trying to write as much as I possibly could about this day, hoping I would never forget it.

December 7th/8th,

Today was a bit of a rollercoaster. I was fully prepared to sulk and complain in here about how terrible today was and how much of a mistake I made. Well, I'm sorry to say that isn't gonna happen. The flight was long, the apartment is nice but still doesn't feel quite the same, group was awkward like always. Everyone seems genuine this time around, which is great but you know I'm not one to open up quickly. I did tell them I cut, which was probably obvious considering the kind of group it was. The turning point of the day, though, was when I was assigned a mentor. She's amazing, man. She's beautiful inside and out and I'm sure she's guaranteed to keep things interesting. She's kind of intense, in a good way and somehow, I ended the night with a tattoo that I never knew I needed but as I sit here looking at it, it's clear as day that it's that extra bit of self motivation that I've been missing.

Jesus, Kali really is great. I don't believe in love or destiny, but I can't help but think I needed to meet her. I'm not fully sure what the reason is, but I'm dying to find out. There's just so many levels to her and she seems to speak so openly about her experiences. I really want to gain that strength that she has. It's magnetic. It's making getting through this night a little bit more bearable, granted she's only been gone for like a half hour.

We spent 5 hours just talking, eating, goofing around and it felt so natural, so effortless. I've never had that with a girl before. I can't stop picturing her long, back length, wavy gray hair. I wish I could run my fingers through it. Her beautiful brown, almond shaped eyes that I could stare into forever. Her tanned, olive skin, so warm and smooth and it smells like vanilla. I could drown in her skin. Her bright smile, her one dimple on the right side, those perfect, full, red lips. Those lips will be the death of me.

I just wish I could help stop her pain. It's clear that she's still dealing with a lot, and I'm vowing from this moment on to be as big of a support system to her as she promised to be to me. Kali, I will do all I can for you, I promise.

Kali

I stood in front of my car, staring at his front door. Was this real life? I felt so nervous. I haven't been alone with a ft since Reese, and not saying that there are romantic intentions present here, but it made me feel a little uneasy. Lachlan walked towards me, concern on his face and then suddenly, he was embracing me. I wasn't expecting it, but I eventually did return the kind gesture. Apparently I'm a lot easier to read than I thought, though it's clear Lachlan only invited me over because his doesn't want to be left her all by himself with just his thoughts. I've been there, I get it.

"Thank you for everything you've done for me today," his voice broke me away from my thoughts. "You made moving suck just a little bit less."

I smiled into his chest. "It's no problem, young mentee of mine. Plus, the day isn't over just yet. Let's get that snack you promised me." I pulled away from Lachlan and suddenly felt a pang of emptiness which I just tried to ignore.

We walked into his apartment and it was stunned. It was gorgeous, something that I had always wished for my place to be like, but unfortunately, didn't have the budget for. "Welcome to my humble abode! Please excuse the lack of personality here, I'm still unpacking the decor." I laughed as I followed him into the living room. He said it lacked personality, but based off of what I know about him so far, I felt it screamed Lachlan. I was looking around when I turned and saw him pulling off his hoodie, exposing his lower abs slightly. I felt my face get hot and it killed me once I realized a smirk crossed his face indicating that he noticed. "Do you want me to take your jacket?" I slipped off my jacket and felt his gaze lingering on me. I could feel my face getter hotter.

I started looking around hoping he would eventually vanish so I could collect myself. While he walked into his room, I looked around at the few decorations that he did put up including some pictures of him and what looks like his family, another picture of him and some friends at a party it seems, and lastly a picture of him and the rest of The Pack, his Youtube group. I examined him in all of the pictures, his facial cues and body language and felt guilty. I couldn't come to terms with the fact that I hadn't noticed the sadness in him. I was looking at a painting hanging above his couch when he walked back into the living room. "Your home is lovely, Lachlan."

He began the tour with the living room doing some weird impersonation that I couldn't quite figure out but found hilarious. I continued to laugh, my arm in his until we entered his bedroom. "This here is where the magic would happen if I had a proper social life, but until that picks up, this is where I will probably spend most of my days bumming about."

His energy of his room calmed me. "I like the vibe your room is giving off. My room actually has about the same theme. Dark brown furniture, black accents and white everything else. It looks so clean and fresh to me. It reminds me of -"

"Winter," he said, cutting me off. "Yea, I love the snow. It's so calming."

My heart skipped a bit. No one really understood me when I explained that to them, and it was crazy to me that me and this stranger could be on the same wavelength. "Yea, exactly." I looked into his eyes, biting my lip nervously. I felt like I was caught in a trance until he finally broke eye contact.

He fidgeted awkwardly, running his fingers through his hair. "Um, moving on with the tour we have the master bath equipped with both a standing shower and jacuzzi style tub, as well as a double sink. You will also find a walk in closet on either side of the entrance because obviously one isn't suitable for lone human being. Pressing on to the guest rooms!" The guest rooms were beautiful, all with a slightly different themes but maintaining the modern look that tied into the rest of the apartment. He hesitated when he got to the last door. He looked concentrated in deep thought. "Um, this is just an office. Right now I just have a bunch of crap stored in there but when it's ready, I'll be glad to show you."

I gave him a smile and nodded. He thought I didn't know who he was, which is partially my fault since I hadn't exactly told him. I didn't know how to casually tell him, 'Hey, I literally watch you all the time. You are my literal happy place,' so instead I stayed quiet. I didn't want to make him uncomfortable, and I'm glad I didn't say anything since it's evident he didn't want to broadcast it. I toyed with the idea of telling him I had recognized him from Youtube, but the loud ding from the kitchen told me it was best not to. "The cookies are ready," I started, taking the lead this time and pulling him into the kitchen. "He pulled them out of the oven and they looked heavenly. "They look and smell delicious!"

He gave me a mischievous smile and gave me a playful shove. "They were made by a cult leader and a master baker, of course they were going to be perfect."

We quietly and efficiently got our milk and cookies set out on his dining room table. Lachlan grabbed a cookie and grabbed a cookie. "So, tell me more about yourself, Kali." He studied me carefully as he dipped his cookie in the milk and took a big bite.

I swallowed the cookie in my mouth, considering what to tell him."Well, ok, so I was born and raised in New York for about 12 years until my parents decided to move down to Florida. It was a terrible point in my life but that's another story for another day," I waved my hand at the thought, picking up another cookie and taking a quick bite. "My dad is Dominican and my mom is Guatemalan, both immigrated here when they were in their teens. They really are my heroes and I owe everything I have to them. They were the perfect role models of what it means to be hardworking." I thought about my parents and felt a pang of guilt. I hadn't seen them in a while, mainly due to being so stressed with work. I hadn't realized how much I missed them and all their little quirks. I laughed when I thought of the weird things they've done and still do. "I'm not sure what they were into but when they had me, they had this weird fascination with named all of us based on what they wanted us to embody while still giving us pretty bad ass names, thus, I was named Kali, Goddess of Death," I made my voice deeper and threw my hands in the air for effect, "of the ego. Also, of compassion, but the wow factor isn't as high."

Lachlan laughed and shook his head at my foolishness. "I feel like that fits you pretty well."

"She's honestly pretty awesome. I decided to do my own research one her and she really is amazing. The stories of Hinduism are truly remarkable."

"Sure beat how I got my name." I said it with slight disappointment, peaking my interest.

"Family name?"

"Nope. When my mom was pregnant, she let my older sisters pick the name. They were playing with Scrabble pieces and 'LACHLAN' was the lucky winner. It could have been worse." I stared at him in shock. He laughed, choking on his cookie. "Nah, I'm actually named after one of my dad's childhood buddies, but it looks like I'm not the only gullible one."

I gave him a death glare. "You're the worst kind of person, you know that?" I could feel a smile crossing my face.

He looked appalled. "You hurt my soul, Kali."

"Shut the fuck up," I said rolling my eyes at him. "What about you? Tell me something about yourself, Mr. Power. Make it good."

He thought carefully about what he would say next, pursing his lips together. "I've never told anyone this,but aside from my regrets of never attending university, I really would love to be a writer and a teacher for grade school." A smile crept across his face. "I keep this journal that my last therapist suggested I write in and I've used it to write stories for fairy tales that would teach kids real lessons, not just that bull shit of Prince Charming coming to save a damsel in distress."

I smiled at him. I've seen how great he can be with children in his videos and having the desire to make an actual impact is an even greater asset. "You'd really want to make a difference in their lives, wouldn't you?"

"Of course. My best teachers were my first. They essentially made me who I am today. I loved going to school everyday until I started dealing with teachers that didn't care. It always made me mad. Like if you don't give a fuck, why should I?" He dazed out for a bit and I didn't want to pull him from his thoughts. His ice blue eyes were focused on something behind me, his pink lips pursed together. What I would do to take a look inside his mind and see what I could do to help him. "You know," he said in an almost whisper, "I was just thinking. Do you think trying to get my stories out there would help me create my happiness?"

I smiled at the thought of him using my concept in his thought process. "I think having the courage to want to put yourself out there like that is definitely a solid start." I cautiously took his hand, hoping it came off as supportive instead of as a romantic gesture. "It's hard to follow your dreams, but it's better than letting yourself wallow in self pity and doubt. You know what I got my degree on?" He shook his head sheepishly. "Finance."

He started at me for a second and laughed. "I don't mean to laugh, but you don't strike me as the type of girl who would be good with a desk job."

"I'm not, but I tried to convince myself that I was because it was stable and secure, but I hated it."

"So why did you finish? Why not go back and do something else?"

"Do you know how expensive that piece of paper is here?" I laughed, not because it was funny but because it was truly ridiculous. "I'm buried in debt and if I had tried to do something else, that would be coming out of my pocket or adding to my pile of loans. Plus, I wasn't certain about what I wanted to do, really; not until my graduating semester. I've always wanted to help people and I justified my degree by telling myself I would do the finances for a non profit organization once I was established in my field, and I was content believing that until I got involved with student based offices and saw the impact it really made, especially on minority student like myself. I got involved in peer mentoring and haven't looked back. I'm applying to grad school now and am already working on the field and I couldn't be happier career wise. Following the path laid before may be easy, but it doesn't make it worth it. Don't be afraid to veer off a little and see what's out there, Lachlan."

He stared at me, stunned. "You give great advice, you know? I've never had anyone be so real with me, as bad as that sounds, at least not about my future on this sense. My parents and siblings knew what they wanted to be at very young ages and followed through, but I was always the quitter. Yet another reason I'm sure my parents see me as a disappointment."

I swatted the idea away. "I'm sure they aren't disappointed in you, Lachlan. Look, I don't know your story, but I can tell a couple of things about you. You're kind and compassionate," I gave his hand a squeeze. "You're determined and a risk taker," I gestured towards his new ink, "and you're a go getter. You moved out here by yourself for fuck's sake! You want to make great change, not only in yourself, but for others and the future of humanity. How could that be disappointing to anyone?"

He gave me a sad smile and shook his head in defeat. "That all sounds great in theory, Kal, but you don't know my family." My body tensed for a second, more so from surprise than anything else. "Are you ok?"

"Yea, it's just, um, did you just call me Kal?" I saw a slight blush of embarrassment creep across his face. My face reddened in response.

He fidgeted nervously. "Sorry, is that weird? I heard Mikey call you that and just figured-"

"Stop." I said with a smile. "It's fine. More than fine, really. I hadn't realized we were on a nickname basis, Power." I cocked my eyebrow playfully as a wide grin covered his face. "Did we just become friends?"

"I'm not really into labels, you know," he said in a faux cool guy voice before bursting into laughter.

"I fucking hate you," I said laughing and shoving him across the table. My eyes wandered to the clock on the stove. 3:14. "Shit, I have to go!" I got up and gestured my belonging I slipped on my shows and threw on my bag, but I was still missing something.

I didn't realize he had left until he returned with my jacket in hand and sadness all over his face. "I really wish you didn't."

"Lachlan," I breathed as I quickly slipped on my jacket, "it'll get easier, I promise. I know you don't want to be alone. I felt the same way when I moved back her after my incident. But you know what you have that I didn't? Someone super close by that would drop anything if I needed them. I'm going to be that for you, ok? I live like 10 minutes away and I'll have my phone on loud at all times in case you need me. Don't let this fear of change and the unknown consume you." I wanted to comfort him in this vulnerable time, so I took him in my arms, his warm body against mine. A second later I felt his strong arms hug me back.

"Thanks, Kali. I really appreciate it. Text me when you get home, yea?"

I needed and walked out the door and to my car, letting my thought consume me until I had arrived home.I got ready for bed quickly, praying that I would get a solid six hours so I didn't feel like a complete zombie the next day. I laid down and sent Lachlan a quick text saying I had made it home safely and that I was heading to sleep. Almost immediately he responded telling me to have sweet dreams. I smiled and pulled up the Youtube app and saw that he posted a new vlog entitled 'BIG ANNOUNCEMENT' and clicked it.

"Alrighty guys, what's going on? It is Lachlan here…" his intro engrained in my memory. I closed my eyes as he proceed to announce his move to Florida until his gentle voice soothed me to sleep.