i'm such a fool for sacrifice

Kara was bored. And not the good kind of bored where you feel like you've watched everything on Netflix, or you eat a whole bag of chips without noticing, or you just can't find something to do. Kara surpassed that bored ages ago, now she is the kind of bored where you are a shit disturber and you want to mess with someone, or do something reckless and stupid. And the reckless and stupid she wanted to do, was one floor below her. Bryce, older guy, lots of tattoos and a grin that gave Kara a little shock, like plugging something in in the dark. A little zap was all she needed to get an idea. She wanted to be reckless and stupid with Bryce.

Kara pulled on a pair of shorts and untied her hair. She didn't want to look done up, that was for guys you date, not guys you do. Kara grabbed her cigarettes and lighter and climbed out her window, down the fire escape one floor. Her legs dangled off the edge as she lit a cigarette and waited. She knew he was home, she had seen him when she climbed up the fire escape only an hour ago, after she ditched her last class. Now it was a waiting game, but that was all apart of the fun.

Bryce stepped out of the shower, drying himself off before he put on a pair of sweatpants that hung low on his hips. He walked out of the bathroom, using the towel to dry his short hair. He threw the towel into the hamper in his bedroom, then made his way to the living room. He sighed when he seen the very familiar legs of his upstairs neighbor. The girl was trouble and she seemed to like to get his attention. She knew that he sat on his window ledge to smoke all the time and she always seemed to appear then. It was like clock work.

Bryce walked to the window, grabbing his cigarettes and lighter. Bryce opened the window before he lit a cigarette and leaned against the window frame. "Shouldn't you be doing homework or whatever it is kids do nowadays?" He mumbled with the cigarette between his lips. He lit the cigarette before exhaling the smoke. He looked at her as her eyes met his. He hated to admit that she was very attractive and he knew she was too young for him.

@ werifesteria

"Homework? Do I look like the kind of girl who stays up all night doing physics? Do I look like the kind of girl who even takes physics?" Kara teased, leaning towards Bryce. She took a long drag of her cigarette and then looked up at Bryce, shooting him a grin that she learned drove all the boys and girls mad at her school. She fiddled with the necklace that hung low between her tits. "Besides, I love these little moments we share, Bryce. I love all the moments we share. My friends are a bore unless their drinking, and no one starts drinking until at least eight,"

Kara moved across the grated fire escape, taking a seat just a little closer to the older man. Just enough that she could play it off like she was getting more comfortable. Though, sitting on a grated surface wasn't the most comfortable to begin with. Which is why on her landing, she put out a large dog bed and some pillows and blankets. Their view was a lot nicer than you would expect. They were private enough that people weren't watching from the adjacent building all the time, but the skyline at night was miraculous.

@ xxKitanaxx

Bryce looked at her, "Well maybe you should be the person who does physics." He teased her as he looked at the city lights. "Also i don't think your mother would like to find out that you are spending all your time with the asshole neighbor." He said, smirking. Everyone seemed to think he was a dick because he didn't talk to anyone. Honestly, he just preferred to play his guitar and keep to himself. Sometimes he would meet up with friends at the bar, but other than that Kara was his only human contact he had. Bryce was treated shitty his whole life by people, so he lost the need to try to spend time with them. "How was your day?" He asked her. He liked to make small talk with the girl. He was well aware of the crush she had on him and he liked that she took an interest in him.

@ werifesteria

Secretly, she was the kind of girl who did physics. In fact, Kara was in four AP classes and preparing to go to University. But she didn't like to tell people. She hated being wrong, hated failing and hated when people pitied her. 'Aim low, avoid disappointment' was her motto. Usually she used it around her friends for relationship garbage, but she figured the less people knew about her actual goals, the real Kara, the less it would hurt if she ever failed. "My mother doesn't give a shit who I hang out with. She is home maybe twice a week. Plus I think she's screwing her boss." Kara chuckled, biting her lip. A small part of her hated her mother, but it was small enough that she didn't feel too guilty about it. "How was my day? Well, I sat through three boring classes, had a terrible lunch, and then say through another two terrible classes. And then I decided to skip the last one because what am I ever going to need Art History for in my life?" Kara felt a snap in her voice, which she shook off, taking a breath. "Sorry, what I meant to say was it was a shit day, how about you?" this time she was genuine. Sometime she forgot that she didn't need the snark and the façade around Bryce.

@ xxKitanaxx

Bryce looked at her as she talked, then inhaled from his cigarette. He exhaled the smoke before he spoke, "Eh, It was alright. Just went to work and here i am." He said. Bryce worked for a record company. He wasn't a very important person, but he made decent money. Bryce looked at her for a moment, taking in how attractive she really was. "You know if you want you can come in my apartment instead of sitting out here." He suggested. He instantly regretted asking her. What if her mom caught her there? Then, he would really be in trouble and he would probably go to jail. Suddenly, the risk just seemed like a good idea.

@ werifesteria

Kara inhaled a long drag and then chipped her cigarette on the rail, watching the embers tumble to the ground below them. She chucked the chipper in her pack and then the pack in her back pocket. "Oh, that's a first. Exciting. Finally letting me see what's behind the mystery curtain." Kara giggled, moving her hair back behind her shoulder. She had never been in Bryce's apartment, but she had always wanted to. She had heard music, smelt food while he cooks and imagined it more than once or twice, but never had a chance to actually go inside. "I'm down, the grating is starting to leave an impression on my ass, I am pretty sure. You should really deck your escape out, like I did." she teased, pointing up to her own landing.

@ xxKitanaxx

Bryce looked up at her landing, "You mean a little girls hangout. No I'm good." He said, laughing. Bryce smiled as he put his cigarette out and climbed into his apartment. He got himself a drink, then looked at her. "You want something to drink?" He asked as he held a beer out to her. He knew he shouldn't be giving that to her, but then again he was sure she had done worse.

@ werifesteria

"Hey, that is not a little girl's landing you ass. I put good money into that space. Prime real estate." Kara followed Bryce through the window and into his apartment. It was much like crawling down the rabbit hole. He was both her white rabbit and mad hatter. If she said that aloud, he would only tease her more for her age. "I would love one, thanks," Kara grabbed the beer and cracked it open, looking around the room, taking in all that was Bryce's home.

@ xxKitanaxx

Bryce opened his beer watching as she looked around his apartment. He looked around, seeing it was a pretty basic layout. He had his guitars on display and a wall that was just shelves of records. He had always liked the record player better than anything. It just sounded better to him. "Well this is it." He said, chuckling. "This is what you were missing out on." He said as he sat on his couch.

@ werifesteria

"Well, you are much cooler than I took you for, Bryce." Kara laughed. But she genuinely was amazed. The guitars were beautiful, some worn out and well loved, others shone and held shapes she would kill to play. And the amount of records was staggering. Kara beelined for a shelf and started flipping through. Some of it was too obscure for her, others were exactly what she was into. A few were most likely too old for her to appreciate. "This collection is amazing. Can we play something?"

@ xxKitanaxx

Bryce smiled as she looked through his records, "Sure go ahead and pick something." He said as he set his beer down and moved over to the record player. He took the record from her, placing the needle down on it. He looked at her as the music started, before he moved back to the couch and grabbed his beer. He took a swig of his beer and leaned back against the couch. "You sure you won't get in trouble for being here?" He asked.

@ werifesteria

"First off, trouble is my middle name, and I know that you know that. Secondly, I am dying for some trouble, I have been so fucking bored lately. And last, but certainly not least, who is going to notice I am not home? Because it's not going to be either of my parents. My father is in Bangkok for a project, and my mother comes home on Tuesdays and Sundays. Besides, since when are you so square?" Kara asked, taking a sip of her beer and then crossing the room to the couch. She sat out, one leg tucked underneath her, eyeing up Bryce.

@ xxKitanaxx

Bryce laughed, "I'm worried that your parents would be pissed that you are hanging out with an older man and get me arrested." He said laughing. "If i didn't have to worry about that then i wouldn't give a fuck if you were here everyday." He said as he watched her. "You are welcome to come here any time though." He said. He just knew he had to be careful.

@ werifesteria

Kara took a swig from her beer and then grinned, biting her lip slightly. "Sounds like someone can't get enough of me. Please Bryce, I know I am incredibly charming, hilarious and fun to look at, but I have a life too." Kara teased. She loved how comfortable she felt around him. And honestly, she spent a lot of time waiting around for her family. Or her friends, who were off busy with their families. "All kidding aside, it's kind of nice to have somewhere that isn't dead all the time. I mean, our apartment is great, but it's all to empty when it's just me hanging around." Kara shrugged, taking another gulp of her beer.

@ xxKitanaxx

Bryce smiled, "Yea it gets lonely down here too. then again i hate people so i shouldn't be complaining." He said, laughing. Bryce finished his beer before he got another one. He walked back to the couch, sitting down. "So why did you decide to turn your landing into a hangout spot. "That's a fire hazard by the way." He said, laughing.

@ werifesteria

"I wish I got paid to hate people. I like my friends enough, but I can never find anyone who is genuinely fun to be around. Who actually cares about me, who I can really connect with you know? All my friends, we connect through alcohol. My parents, purely blood." Kara shrugged, taking another swig of her beer. It was nearly empty, but she didn't mind. "I don't mind if it's a fire hazard. I mean, I know that I should, but it's my place. I eat there, smoke there, read there, hell some nights I fall asleep there. I like to be outside. I like the city lights. And it's mine to share with whomever I please. No rules on the fire escape because no one is paying rent for it." Kara shrugged, leaning back into the couch cushions.

@ xxKitanaxx

Bryce laughed softly, "You have a good point there." He said as he took a swig of his beer. "I'm glad you got your own little place to hang out in." He said as he set his beer down and looked over at the record player that was playing the music. He looked back at her, "So where do you go with her friends when you drink?" He asked her, just trying to make conversation.

@ werifesteria

Kara paused to think for a minute. She bit her lip, deep in thought, trying to piece together her thoughts to form coherent sentences. "You know, you are always free to come hang out on the landing. I could use the company. Plus, I spend so much time on your landing. Which isn't pretty. Not that I am judging you. You're an adult male, why would you need pretty. But I have green. I have this little minature herb garden growing up there, and a fern. And the cushions are comfy. I can't quite fit a record player, but I do have a little box speaker I got from a beer pack once. And I made a seriously cool ashtray in my pottery class that I painted and keep up there." She offered, feeling a blush crawl up her cheeks. Why was it so strange for her to invite him to her safe space when only minutes ago he offered his apartment up for a hang out locale? She let her words hang in the air for a moment before answering his question. "Lots of different places. The university kids in town invite us out sometimes, the rooftop of my friend Jenny's apartment. Back alley ways, whatever." She mumbled, chugging back the rest of her beer.

@ xxKitanaxx