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Delete.
Delete.
Delete.
Another message… another and another.
''Damn it! Doesn't he have something else to do with his life? Like run himself over with his car or sumthin'?''
Delete…
…Delete.
Richard…
…Again and again.
''…and if he can't run himself over, I'd be glad to do it for him.''
All ten messages left by Richard were now deleted. She only heard a 'hey' before deleting the first one. She didn't want to hear anything he had to say. But his voice had changed in two years. It became deeper and softer…
She thought of him…
A second or two…
…Maybe even a minute.
''Maybe it would work out…'' she thought out loud. She suddenly regretted deleting the messaged without even hearing what he had to say. ''What's going on?'' she said, hitting her head against the wall.
She quickly pushed that thought in the back of her mind.
She picked up the phone and dialed Xavier's phone number. She would regularly call him. They were best friends. But now, she had to do something to get Richard out of her mind. 'Hello?'
''Xavier! You've got to help me.''
'Hey Kori. Yeah I'm doin' just fine and you?' He said sarcastically. 'Thanks for asking.'
He had finally come out of prison few months ago. Since then he'd found himself a job and moved somewhere close to Jump City. The last time she saw him was the day she left her old town.
She laughed and rolled her eyes. ''I need you to help me.''
'Okay…'''It's Richard.''
'Damn.'
''Please,'' she plead. ''get him out of my mind.''
'How did he get there in the first place?'''He left me ten messages!''
'AGAIN?'''…''
'Shutting up.'
''He's become obsessed or sumthin'.''
'Look, let him be.'
''It's been two flippin' years! Doesn't he have another girl to jump in bed with?''
He gasped. 'Kori!'
She sighed.
'Maybe he just wants to talk.'
''About what? You know that I'm with Roy right?''
'Yeah. Carrot-head right?'
''X!''
Kori wasn't focused… the lady on TV just kept rambling. Everything sounded like a mess…
''bla bla bla….. bla bla…..bla… bla… bla Richard Grayson was handed over the role of president at Wayne Enterprises.''
Kori dropped the phone absent-mindedly.
'Um. Kor? Helo?'
'Wayne Enterprises was founded by Bruce Wayne, Richard Grayson's adoptive father. Tomorrow will be Richard Grayson's, Gotham's most handsome man, first day on the job. He is the youngest man to be president of any company. He is also single.'' The lady giggled.
Kori fumed with anger. ''He gets absolutely everything he wants.''
'KORI! HELLO? I'M GONNA HANG UP.'
''But he won't get me….'' She thought, looking into space.
'KORIIIIIIIIII!'
She picked up the phone. ''Gosh. Calm down. Hey did you hear that Richard got the role of president at Wayne Enterprises?''
' Lucky bastard.'
She laughed. ''He's got to be rich. No wonder why all the girls crawl at his feet.''
'But you didn't do it for the money, did you?'
She was confused. ''Do what?''
'Love him.'
''No, or course not.'' She answered sincerely. ''You know I would never do that. And to remind you, our relationship was… strong. But I knew that it wouldn't last.''
'Well I think he wanted it to last.'
''That's his problem.'' She hissed. ''Anyway, talk to you later. Bye.''
'Didn't you need my help?'
''I'll figure something out.''
She hung up and brought her hand to her chin. She walked over to the kitchen and took out some sauce and noodles. She boiled some water and poured the sauce in a pan.
Humming a song, she took out two plates and the cutlery and placed them on the small table. She poured the water on the noodles in the pot and waited for them to boil.
She kept on humming her song… silently…
Even though people told her she had a beautiful voice, the only place she would sing would be in her shower or when she was alone. And playing the guitar was a secret she had kept from years. The only one who knew was Roy…
…it's kind of difficult to hide a guitar case.
Suddenly the phone rang. She sighed and picked it up.
''Waddaya want X?'' she hissed.
Kori looked at the small screen; Bruce Wayne. Her eyes widened.
''BRUCE! Heeey.''
'I hope I'm not interrupting anything.'
''Not at all.''
She and Bruce would talk. Of course, Richard wouldn't know any of that. Richard was right about one thing… Bruce was a cool guy.
''So what can I do for ya' Bruce?''
'Well I heard that there's a big event Sunday night.'
''How did you know?''
'TV exists.'
''Touche.''
'So I'm warning you in advance that I'll be there, if you don't mind.'
She thought about it for a moment. ''You will be there right?''
'No Richard.'
Bruce was one of the rare people that would keep Richard and Kori away from each other… that's what she believed. He wouldn't mind Kori asking him not to bring Richard because he knew she was uncomfortable with the situation. But Richard on the other hand… was another story.
''You're the best Bruce!'' She smiled a true smile.
'Yeah I know. You heard that I'm not president of Wayne Enterprises hun?'
''It seems to be the news of the day. Everybody is talking about it. Every channel is covering that story. Not extremely interesting but what can I say?''
'I'm sure he'll do a good job.'
''Meh. Whatever.'' She curled a strand of hair around her finger.
'What did he do now?'
Bruce could read her like a book.
''Nothing. He's just obsessed, that's all.''
'It's been two years, maybe you just need to talk.''
''You're the second person that tells me that in one day.''
'It's a sign.' He talked like a fortuneteller.
She chuckled. ''I can imagine it now, him and me talking. It wouldn't even be a conversation, more like two barking dogs. So it wouldn't be helpful. If I just ignore him then things will settle down.'' She smelled something burning. ''Oh darn, I think something's burning. I'll call you later if I'm not dead.''
She hung up and made her way to the kitchen. The noodles had boiled and the water had over flowed everywhere.
''Pew.''
Kori yawned. It was only 8 pm but she had a long day. Roy had come in, giving her a kiss and ran to the bathroom to take a shower. She had already poured his food in his plate and waited for him.
She also eagerly waited for the surprise.
Maybe it was roses…
Or chocolate…
…Doughnuts? How did that get in her head?
She thought of Richard.
Flashback –
Kori opened the door and starred at Richard. ''M. Grayson, you're late.''
Richard's jaw dropped. ''What? It's only five minutes past six!''
''Exactly.'' She said showing no emotion.
He stood there, looking at her with a box of doughnuts in his hand. ''Look I'm sorry. I woke up late after my nap, then I saw that my watch had the bad time. So I decided to go get some doughnuts, for you to forgive me…or incase you where hungry.''
He shoved the box towards her. ''Want some?''
''NO!'' she yelled.
''Well aren't you at least going to invite me in?'' he asked trying to get a better look of her apartment.
''NO!'' she said taking the box from his hands and throwing it out a window. ''Let me just show you apartment 32, even though you're not going to be moving in…''
''What makes you say that?'' he said raising a sexy eyebrow.
Damn…that eyebrow…
She rolled her eyes. ''Just follow me.'' She said unlocking the door of the apartment next to her.
Richard's eyes widened. ''But…but…my DOUGHNUTS!''
''I'm sure that they're in a happier place Richard…''
-end flashback-
She sighed sadly and looked at her food, pocking it a few times with her fork. She wasn't supposed to be sad like this. She wasn't supposed to care. She sniffed.
''Damnit.'' She said whipping away few tears from her eyes. It's been two years since she last cried about this. ''It's not supposed to bother me.''
''Hey Kor.'' He sat down in front of her and dimmed the lights. Kori looked around confused.
''You're dimming the lights to save electricity, to lower the amount of energy we use which will help save the planet?'' she asked. ''Or is it because this is a special occasion?'' she guessed.
He shrugged and smiled.
'That smile is worth a thousand Richards' she convinced herself. I do love Roy more than anyone… right?
''I know you have something up your sleeve… or in your pocket, whatever…'' a smile tugged the corner of her lips. She heard something hit the front door but she just ignored it.
She looked in his deep eyes and saw them sparkle. He definitely was exited and had a surprise and it wasn't doughnuts. He stood up and walked up to her. He beamed another smile and got down on one knee.
Then, he took a small box out of his pocket and opened it. Kori gasped at the sight of a simple but beautiful diamond ring. He chuckled ever so slightly and looked up at her.
''Kori will you marry me?'' he asked. He had finally popped the question. He had been practicing for days and hesitated so many times before making up his mind.
Kori's jaw dropped and took a deep breath.
''Is something interesting goin' on yet?''
''I don't think so, well Kori didn't scream yet. So no.''
''Do you even hear something?''
Karen pressed her ear against the door. ''Nah.''
Victor tapped his foot impatiently on the floor.
''Shut up. I don't hear anything.''
''You already said that!''
She sighed and tried to look in the peephole. ''Victor.''
''Hun?''
''Shut up, will ya?''
He took a step closer to her and looked at his feet. ''Ya know I love you.''
''Shhh!''
Victor rolled his eyes. Tara came running towards them, the smell of Chinese food lingering around her. Victor glared at her.
''What took you so long?''
She sighed and smiled to Victor. ''Sorry.''
Karen sniffed the air and gave Tara a death glare. ''Girl, do not tell me you're still eatin' that…stuff.''
Tara glared at her and pointed her Chinese sticks at her. ''It's called Chinese food.''
''Well get rid of it before I get rid of it for you.'' She said pressing her ear against the door once more. ''It smell like shit, ya know that? I'm sure that they can smell it way in there.'' Karen said. ''Get it out of here before they know we're here.''
Bee got down on her stomach and tried to see something beneath the door. She just saw a pair of feet moving around. She waited for something interesting to happen.
''Oh come on baby.'' He looked at what Tara was eating and grabbed a piece of whatever was in there. He swallowed the bite whole. ''Ooh. Chicken.'' He took another piece. ''It doesn't smell that bad.''
Karen was still focused. She gasped and they both looked at her. ''The lights dimmed! Oh my gawd! This is it.'' Karen quickly stood up and snatched the Chinese food from Tara's hands.
''HEY!''
Karen hit Victor hard in the back of the head.
''Ow woman!''
He hit her arm playfully but she fell back and hit the door creating a loud 'thud'. Karen's eyes widened and quickly got off the door. ''Look what you made me do!'' she whispered. Tara took her food back and continued eating.
''Now we wait for the flippin' signal.''
Kori looked at the ring the back at Roy. She was left speechless.
''Will you marry me?''
She cleared her throat and wiggled in her seat. ''I don't know what to say…''
''Say you will.''
She thought for a moment. She did love Roy… And maybe marrying Roy would prove to Richard that it is seriously over between the two of them. He would have no choice but to leave her alone. Everything would turn out fine…
… right?
''I will!'' she screamed joyfully. She jumped on him and gave him a hug. He held her tight, just like when they first saw each other in the airport. Then the door swung open and three people came running in, screaming and laughing. The smell of Chinese food invaded the apartment. She knew Tara had to be there. She smiled.
This was what she needed to get Richard completely out of her life. He didn't have a chance.
Roy pressed his lips against hers and she responded. But it wasn't like when she kissed Richard… it wasn't as strong. Something was missing, but she just ignored it.
Cliffy? Mweahahaha! Like it? Hate it? Wonder what'll happen? Have any suggestions? Please review!! I'll try not to make you wait for the next chapter.
Cryingdove, xoxo