‹ Prequel: Did My Art Teacher Just Flirt With Me?
And Then He Kissed Me On MTV
His Name Is "Keli", Not "Kelly"
****
Blame it on the weather
But I'm a mess
I miss Feburary darkness has me
Hating everyone
-Silverstein "Karma"
****
I sat at the bottom stair well of my new home. An old complex built in the early nineteen hundred's, that was supposedly great with an alright rent. My dad wanted me go somewhere nicer but I didn't want him to pay for me. I can't live off him forever right?
"Room ready." An asian women said with a smile. Her accent thick. Welcome to New York, home of the many immigrants and various cultures. My favorite city in the world. "My name Ms. Kim."
She was a few years older than me but she looked like a highschool freshman. Asian's are so lucky. Their youth lasts way longer than most people. I smiled as Ms. Kim and took the keys. "Thanks."
"If you need anything, I'm Room 405." She added.
"Alright, I'll see you around Ms. Kim."
****
Heading upstairs I sighed. The elevators were under maintenance so I had to take the stairs. The loong, winding steps had me breathing in short tired breaths as I lugged my large (broken zipper) duffle bag upstairs with me. The rest of my furniture (That my dad insisted on getting new ones for me despite my constant "no's") was already taken upstairs by the mover's last week.
Opening the door with a big "Eight" on it, I slid through, leaning against the hallway walls for a break. The carpet smelled faintly of cigarette ash's and peppermint. I could tell people on this floor smoked. Yick.
After a few minutes had passed I finally had the strength to move again. I picked up my duffle bag and stood straight. The door behind me opened knocking me aside. I fell backwards from the sudden shock.
"Sh*it" a male voice muttered.
Standing before me was one of the inhabitants of level eight. He wore a black jacket, and some straight leg jeans. His jet black hair hung loosely over his face and he had the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen. He bent down to help me up, picking up my duffle bag along with me. The zipper fell off discarding some of my private clothes on the floor.
He looked down and blushed. I looked up and prayed to god this wasn't happening.
"Er, um, sorry." He quickly said before shoving everything quickly in my bag. "I, well, here."
I took the bag and sighed. "It's... alright."
"Oh okay..." he said nervously with a quick smile.
"Yea... bye." I quickly said before shuffling towards my room.
After a few seconds though, the guy ran up to me with an excited expression. "Hey, um, if you don't mind me asking, is your name Rachael?"
Dumbfounded I looked up at him shocked he knew my name. "Hey, just to let you know, I'm not carrying just underwear in here." I said in a low tone. "I've got peppermint just to let you know."
The guy laughed, nice. Very, very nice. I paused smacking myself mentally. Think. Alex.
"Okay, I'm sorry if that freaked you out but I'm asking because I was at the show last week, if you don't remember, I was one of the band members that Stacey interviewed. My name is Keli by the way, not 'Kelly'" His face fell slightly, I don't think he likes his name.
Unusual but cute.
"Um, nice to meet you." I said awkwardly.
He smiled as we continued to walk. He started talking about how he was a fan of Alex's work. He liked his vocals and the guitar work was great. Kelly was just getting signed as an official band. I think he called it "Emily Lies".
"Emily Lies?" I asked, "That's pretty cool, how'd you come up with the name?"
He shrugged. "I didn't haha, it was my friend Nel that came up with it, he's the vocalist, I'm backup vocals and bass guitar"
I smiled. This guy was pretty cool to talk to. And he was pretty interesting too but dear gawd, he's an awful reminder of the MTV kiss. Not that I hated it but... I don't want to fell conceited. Yick. I wonder if Alex liked it.
"He came out of no where and auditioned for our band a few months ago, ever since then, he's been like family." I opened my door and offered him inside which we would've proabably entered whether I said it was okay or not. He came in setting my bag in the hallway as he kicked off his shoes. I did the same and we appraoched the living room.
The floor was hardwood, nice and shiny. A black leather couch sat in the middle in front of a 24X48 inch television screen. A glass video case for my movies and CD's. A coffee table set right in front of the couch. To the far right there was a computer desk in the corner, a book shelf placed right next to it. Then a door, which was my bedroom, and then to the other side of that wall was the bathroom door.
The kitchen was small but it stood near the entrance of the apartment. It was marble everywhere with a small coffee machine, a stove, a microwave, dishwasher, and a fridge. Cabinets hung from the ceiling and also they were built into the counters.
"Nice place." Keli said as he took a seat on my couch. "Smells all new and clean."
"Well of course, I just moved in." I chuckled. "Thanks for um, the talk."
"Are you shooing me out already?" He asked in a teasing but slightly dissapointed voice.
Smiling I rolled my eyes, gesturing my finger to the door. "Yes. Yes I am Keli."
He sighed as he hesitantly got up. Moping, he slowly made his way to the door with a fake dramatic sigh. His eyes flung at me, batting slightly as if cuteness would change my mind.
Fat chance.
"Okay..." He sighed. "If you need me... I'll be alone... in my room... with my abusive roommate/vocalist of my band who treats me like I'm invisible half the time."
"A real mouthful." I said sarcastically opening the door for him. "Now go, I'm sure you're roommate is just as nice as me."
"No he's not." He lied. "He's a monster!"
Right. "Uh huh Keli, keep telling yourself that."
"All right, all right, all right!" Keli laughed as he walked out shutting the door behind him, "But really!" He shouted through the door. "If you need me I'm next door to your right!"
"Ay'! Pipe down kid or I'll pipe you!" A man's voice boomed in the hallway.
And then I heard the quick shuffles of feet and a door slam. I laughed hysterically as I headed over to the living room switching the news on.
"Recently, a disturbance has gotten the south side of Manhattan in a panic. One hundred and sixty people have died in the slaughter that we believe was done by a group of gang members or terrorists. No survivers, but we do think that a missing girl by the name "Bianca" is still alive but held captive. Police say her brother was brutally murdered and people nearby complained about screaming last night-"
The phone rang and I quickly reached over and grabbed it. "Hello?"
"Rachael?? Oh my god, did you see the news?" Jenine.
"Yea, yea, it's pretty sick." I said thanking God I was on the northern parts of Manhattan.
"Are you like dead?" Jenine sobbed. "Please tell me you're alive!"
"Jenine if I were dead, I wouldn't be on the phone with your right now." I said bluntly.
There was a silence. "Oh, right."
"Bye Jenine, it's late and I"m tired." I said in a sweetly irritated voice.
"Okay, by the way, awesome kiss on MTV, Alex is soooo romantic!" Before I had the chance to scream she hung up quckly. Smarty.
I placed the phone down and stretched out on my couch. What a long day. First I had to pack, then I had to take the train, lug my stuff up eight flights of stairs and bump into my amazing neighbor that I should stay away from because I'm not single.
Alex, you better be worth living here.
****
Keli
Blame it on the weather
But I'm a mess
I miss Feburary darkness has me
Hating everyone
-Silverstein "Karma"
****
I sat at the bottom stair well of my new home. An old complex built in the early nineteen hundred's, that was supposedly great with an alright rent. My dad wanted me go somewhere nicer but I didn't want him to pay for me. I can't live off him forever right?
"Room ready." An asian women said with a smile. Her accent thick. Welcome to New York, home of the many immigrants and various cultures. My favorite city in the world. "My name Ms. Kim."
She was a few years older than me but she looked like a highschool freshman. Asian's are so lucky. Their youth lasts way longer than most people. I smiled as Ms. Kim and took the keys. "Thanks."
"If you need anything, I'm Room 405." She added.
"Alright, I'll see you around Ms. Kim."
****
Heading upstairs I sighed. The elevators were under maintenance so I had to take the stairs. The loong, winding steps had me breathing in short tired breaths as I lugged my large (broken zipper) duffle bag upstairs with me. The rest of my furniture (That my dad insisted on getting new ones for me despite my constant "no's") was already taken upstairs by the mover's last week.
Opening the door with a big "Eight" on it, I slid through, leaning against the hallway walls for a break. The carpet smelled faintly of cigarette ash's and peppermint. I could tell people on this floor smoked. Yick.
After a few minutes had passed I finally had the strength to move again. I picked up my duffle bag and stood straight. The door behind me opened knocking me aside. I fell backwards from the sudden shock.
"Sh*it" a male voice muttered.
Standing before me was one of the inhabitants of level eight. He wore a black jacket, and some straight leg jeans. His jet black hair hung loosely over his face and he had the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen. He bent down to help me up, picking up my duffle bag along with me. The zipper fell off discarding some of my private clothes on the floor.
He looked down and blushed. I looked up and prayed to god this wasn't happening.
"Er, um, sorry." He quickly said before shoving everything quickly in my bag. "I, well, here."
I took the bag and sighed. "It's... alright."
"Oh okay..." he said nervously with a quick smile.
"Yea... bye." I quickly said before shuffling towards my room.
After a few seconds though, the guy ran up to me with an excited expression. "Hey, um, if you don't mind me asking, is your name Rachael?"
Dumbfounded I looked up at him shocked he knew my name. "Hey, just to let you know, I'm not carrying just underwear in here." I said in a low tone. "I've got peppermint just to let you know."
The guy laughed, nice. Very, very nice. I paused smacking myself mentally. Think. Alex.
"Okay, I'm sorry if that freaked you out but I'm asking because I was at the show last week, if you don't remember, I was one of the band members that Stacey interviewed. My name is Keli by the way, not 'Kelly'" His face fell slightly, I don't think he likes his name.
Unusual but cute.
"Um, nice to meet you." I said awkwardly.
He smiled as we continued to walk. He started talking about how he was a fan of Alex's work. He liked his vocals and the guitar work was great. Kelly was just getting signed as an official band. I think he called it "Emily Lies".
"Emily Lies?" I asked, "That's pretty cool, how'd you come up with the name?"
He shrugged. "I didn't haha, it was my friend Nel that came up with it, he's the vocalist, I'm backup vocals and bass guitar"
I smiled. This guy was pretty cool to talk to. And he was pretty interesting too but dear gawd, he's an awful reminder of the MTV kiss. Not that I hated it but... I don't want to fell conceited. Yick. I wonder if Alex liked it.
"He came out of no where and auditioned for our band a few months ago, ever since then, he's been like family." I opened my door and offered him inside which we would've proabably entered whether I said it was okay or not. He came in setting my bag in the hallway as he kicked off his shoes. I did the same and we appraoched the living room.
The floor was hardwood, nice and shiny. A black leather couch sat in the middle in front of a 24X48 inch television screen. A glass video case for my movies and CD's. A coffee table set right in front of the couch. To the far right there was a computer desk in the corner, a book shelf placed right next to it. Then a door, which was my bedroom, and then to the other side of that wall was the bathroom door.
The kitchen was small but it stood near the entrance of the apartment. It was marble everywhere with a small coffee machine, a stove, a microwave, dishwasher, and a fridge. Cabinets hung from the ceiling and also they were built into the counters.
"Nice place." Keli said as he took a seat on my couch. "Smells all new and clean."
"Well of course, I just moved in." I chuckled. "Thanks for um, the talk."
"Are you shooing me out already?" He asked in a teasing but slightly dissapointed voice.
Smiling I rolled my eyes, gesturing my finger to the door. "Yes. Yes I am Keli."
He sighed as he hesitantly got up. Moping, he slowly made his way to the door with a fake dramatic sigh. His eyes flung at me, batting slightly as if cuteness would change my mind.
Fat chance.
"Okay..." He sighed. "If you need me... I'll be alone... in my room... with my abusive roommate/vocalist of my band who treats me like I'm invisible half the time."
"A real mouthful." I said sarcastically opening the door for him. "Now go, I'm sure you're roommate is just as nice as me."
"No he's not." He lied. "He's a monster!"
Right. "Uh huh Keli, keep telling yourself that."
"All right, all right, all right!" Keli laughed as he walked out shutting the door behind him, "But really!" He shouted through the door. "If you need me I'm next door to your right!"
"Ay'! Pipe down kid or I'll pipe you!" A man's voice boomed in the hallway.
And then I heard the quick shuffles of feet and a door slam. I laughed hysterically as I headed over to the living room switching the news on.
"Recently, a disturbance has gotten the south side of Manhattan in a panic. One hundred and sixty people have died in the slaughter that we believe was done by a group of gang members or terrorists. No survivers, but we do think that a missing girl by the name "Bianca" is still alive but held captive. Police say her brother was brutally murdered and people nearby complained about screaming last night-"
The phone rang and I quickly reached over and grabbed it. "Hello?"
"Rachael?? Oh my god, did you see the news?" Jenine.
"Yea, yea, it's pretty sick." I said thanking God I was on the northern parts of Manhattan.
"Are you like dead?" Jenine sobbed. "Please tell me you're alive!"
"Jenine if I were dead, I wouldn't be on the phone with your right now." I said bluntly.
There was a silence. "Oh, right."
"Bye Jenine, it's late and I"m tired." I said in a sweetly irritated voice.
"Okay, by the way, awesome kiss on MTV, Alex is soooo romantic!" Before I had the chance to scream she hung up quckly. Smarty.
I placed the phone down and stretched out on my couch. What a long day. First I had to pack, then I had to take the train, lug my stuff up eight flights of stairs and bump into my amazing neighbor that I should stay away from because I'm not single.
Alex, you better be worth living here.
****
Keli