Chapter 2: South Tokyo Blues
Does this dreary earth sky look the same no matter where or how I look at it? I thought as I stared at the blue suburban sky from my classroom. It's only been twenty minutes and I already want to die; The teacher just keeps drowning us in a sea of letters and numbers that nobody really gives a shit about except for the those kids that want to become the sailors of those oceans. I look to my right and see perky Ilana standing up and answering all the questions like a little lapdog and Newton as well. Lance on the other hand seems to be quite bored of himself not that I blame him…
The bell rings...A grateful sound indeed but first something else…I stand up and bump Lance yet again leaving another note. I smile again a smile that's not mine...Or hasn't been mine in a long time. He looks side to side startled, looking for the writer of the note. His eyes are on my back, I can feel them. But I just keep walking, feeling my body heavier with each step. I reach the cafeteria in no time at all, and sit down in a seat close to the trio. Women are flocking Lance side to side, asking him vain questions and frivolities about his hair and such. Man what a bunch of air heads; I stood up and threw some mashed potato into the face of one of the girls. I chuckled as they potato dripped from her hair to her fancy top. She angrily looked side to side for the culprit.
"All right whose the asshole that dared to throw potatoes AT ME!?"
I stood up and walked toward her, she backed off and swallowed.
"I did and what are you going to do about it?" I said as I smirked at her. The rest of the girls hid behind her as she trembled.
"Beat it" I said not even looking at them but I could still hear their feet scurrying like rodents. I heard their whispers of revenge but I thought nothing of them. I felt the wind pass thru my hair softly; I looked at Lance and saw tiny glints of both admiration and curiosity on his eyes, the same for Ilana and Newton.
"Sorry, I hate to see them gang up on you guys like that, dumb broads, my names kind a mouthful so everybody here just calls me Leo. Nice to meet you" I said smiling softly, Ilana smiled brightly at me and offered me a seat on the table…
"Nah, I was about to leave anyway got some Shakespeare to catch up on. Nice to meet you guys though" I said as I turned away from them and started going toward my table. I picked up my bag and then my tray. I left the tray on top of the wastebasket and left thru the exit…All the while I could still feel that intense stare on my back. I felt my cellphone vibrate on my coat pocket and I immediately knew who it was…I decided to ignore it…I'm retired.
Finally sunset no more dreary blue…Finally something that's just like home or something that used to be like home; On the TV there it was the Titan fighting yet another mutraddi and destroying it. My phone has been ringing non-stop...I decided to pick it up.
"Leo speaking"
"Leo, it's me…We need to talk …"
"I'm retired, that's all you need to know"
"We need your help"
"We've talked about this; I'm not going back…"
"Leo, you were our best agent"
"I don't care"
"Not even if I told you that we have the latest information on the situation in Galaluna"
"I already know what's going on and I don't need G3 to tell me either"
"…"
"So if this was the only thing you wanted to tell me, I'm going to hang up"
"Leo…I miss you"
"…"
"I miss you, your touch still lingers in my heart…my bed is so empty without you beside me"
"Sol…We've talked about this… You had your chance, and you choose G3 and left me with a broken heart"
" So there's no chance whatsoever?"
"Who knows? Maybe in the future…But until then, I'm returning neither to G3 nor to your arms"
"Fine… but remember…We'll be watching you and your galalunan friends closely"
"Go eat a dick Sol"
I turned off my phone not wanting any more distractions, I looked at my TV yet again…It was showing reruns of the Titan's battle with the creature. I sighed and walked toward my bed room, suddenly sleep completely left me. Well, there's no use staying here and after that damn phone conversation, I need a drink. So I opened up my closet and pulled out a white V-neck t-shirt, a pair of black jeans and my black booties with gray heels; I grabbed my purse and let down my hair, I turned off all the lights in my house.
I cruised throughout the city in my black motorcycle, the city lights shining like beacons guiding me towards nirvana. The Thespians Passage was my haven, it was a place where I could hear good earth music, drink, eat and listen to aspiring poets and playwrights plus the barista that made the coffee was pretty cute too. I parked my motorcycle in my usual place, and walked toward the entrance, once I was inside I felt at home… Joey handed me my usual Frappuccino with whip cream and caramel and threw a wink at me as well. I smirked maybe I'm not going home alone today.
As I sat down on my usual table, I saw Lance walking or better sulking around the city street; I looked at my drink and thought…Maybe I could use some company.
~South Tokyo Blues Remix: The Ballad of the Lonely Samurai~
Its almost 10 and I can't sleep…My head keeps tossing and turning. We've been in this planet for what seems like years but in reality it's been only months. The house is completely quiet except for the sounds of Illana's breathing and the slow humming of Octus charging his batteries; I leap out of bed and open my window as I breathe in the night air, I decide that maybe a walk around the city will clear my head. I grab some pants, a hoodie and my boots and jump from my window; I run and run and run until my legs can't anymore, so I have no choice but to start walking. As I walk I observe the different restaurants and stores…The people and their children…And finally I observe the moon. How can everything be so similar but so different from everything I've ever known? I lower my head as raindrops start falling.
"Hey Lunis, are you going to stay there in the rain? You're going to catch a cold"
I look up and see a woman, she's grabbing a coffee cup with one hand and leaning against a mint green wall. She has long black hair and her eyes are the shape of almonds with the color of jade, she sips on her coffee with lips as red as roses as the light dances on her tan alabaster skin. I walk toward her, eyeing her suspiciously.
"Do I know you?"
The woman laughs as she pokes at my forehead.
"It's me, Leo. We met at lunch or did you forget?"
"I thought you were a man"
Leo laughs heartily as she grabs my shoulder and invites me inside.
"You wouldn't be the first, now let's get inside. I'll buy you something"
I brush her hand away as I look away.
"I'm not interested and besides I want to be alone"
Leo rolls her eyes and scoffs at me as my eyes wander to her neck and lower…
"Don't be such a tough guy; I'm not interested in you that way. If you've noticed I also came here to be alone too..."
I looked at Leo again and I sighed…Well I don't have anything else to do and I don't want go back home…
"Fine, I'll take you up on your offer"
Leo did a half smile as she grabbed my forearm and led me inside the coffee shop as we walked I couldn't help but stare at her back and the way her hair whipped side to side as her hips moved in rhythm. As we sat down on her favorite table and just talked, I felt my eyes wander and observe details that I shouldn't have seen or remembered. Like the way her lips moved, how she laughed, that small beauty mark she has underneath her left eye or was it her right? How her chest heaved up and down with every breath, how her lips curled when she laughed or spoke but most of all how her eyes were full of fire and passion unlike I've ever seen.
With each joke and tale, I would laugh and find myself feeling lighter and lighter. It was an amazing distraction…And we hadn't even finished our third cup of coffee when the coffee shop was closing.
"I guess, I'll have to walk home then"
"Walk? At this hour? Are you looking to get mugged Lunis?" Said Leo, half smiling
"Ha! I'd like to see somebody try"
"I'll give you a lift to your house"
"No, you've already done enough for me Leo"
"Nonsense, I'll take you home and that's final"
I sighed deeply, as I followed Leo toward the parking; I started searching for her car left and right.
"Leo where's your car?"
And then I saw her climbing up on something that looked like an insect but with wheels, she threw a helmet at me.
"Come on hotshot, put that on and let's go" she said as she smirked at me, I smiled back at her as I put my helmet on and sat behind her. She turned on the vehicle and it roared like a mighty beast, she then grabbed my arms much to my embarrassment and put them on her waist.
"Leo what are you doing?"
"Well you need to hold on to me or else you'll fall" she said as she turned to me and smiled…Suddenly the helmet felt like it was on fire.
"Hold on tight hotshot"
Then we were riding, riding like the wind it was amazing, the colors and the lights of the city flashing everywhere like a bright rainbow and the stars looked like diamonds. I didn't even notice when we got to my house…
"You know Lunis if you want your hands around my waist tonight…You can always come home with me" she said as she winked at me playfully. I immediately let go of her and gave her back her helmet.
"No thanks, I think I've had enough of your company today Leo"
Leo laughed heartily like she always did, she walked towards me helmet in hand as she gave it to me once again. I grabbed it perplexed, she then grabbed a piece of paper and wrote on it and gave that to me too. I'm incredibly confused right now…
"Listen Lunis, I know you miss your hometown and you think school is the biggest piece of crap there is. I know and I don't blame you but you need something to distract you from all that, something for you to look forward too and I don't mean lifting weights all the time, sulking or being a loner."
"Get to the point Leo"
"What I'm trying to say is, that when you feel all sulky, when you feel down and shit like that. Call me up and I'll come to your house and we'll hang out. Or if you don't wanna hang out in your house we'll go somewhere else and that's where the helmet comes in; in that piece of paper is my cell phone number, so you know which number to call.
"And how do I know you don't wanna take me on a date like the rest of those girls"
Leo scoffs and rolls her eyes; she looks pretty attractive when she does that. Wait… What the hell am I thinking?
"Please Lunis, you might have a tight ass and some rock hard abs but you're still a boy and I need a man who knows how to please a woman in bed not a boy who hasn't had his first kiss yet."
My face is on fire…
"That's private information that doesn't concern you…"
Leo just smirks and giggles…
"Sure it is Lunis, whatever floats you boat but remember my offer still stands"
As she turned her back and walked towards her vehicle. I couldn't help but call her out…
"Why are you doing all of this? I mean I just met you"
"Everybody needs somebody to vent even the great Lance Lunis, I'll see you in school tomorrow hot shot"
She threw one last wink at me as she as she drove away…I climbed my bedroom window and entered, I placed the helmet on my night table and took off my clothes. I rewind the whole night in my head…Leo's bad jokes, the two Frappucinos and the half expresso I drank, the poetry I heard, the burning feeling in my throat when Leo gave me that shot of vodka and the adrenaline it gave me, The barista flirting with Leo and failing at it and when a guy fell on the floor after trying to do a table dance. I smiled and laughed internally, I looked at the paper in my hand; Leo had pretty handwriting…And I thought to myself…I guess Earth isn't so bad at all.