Chapter Five Feet Away

Lyric POV

Here we are, at the soup kitchen, working away to get fifty plus hungry people fed. Kinsey had made fresh batches of her famous chicken noodle soup, some rolls, chicken salad, and tuna salad sandwiches and some jello for dessert. People can pick and choose the items they want, less goes to waste that way. There is also milk, water, apple and orange juice available as well. I’m helping give anyone who wants any, some of the soup and a roll. The sandwiches previously made and wrapped, Paityn is handing out. The jello and drinks are sitting in refrigerated units for anyone to grab and keep moving.

Kinsey is greeting guests and helping anyone find seats. She introduces guests to get them to start talking when they sit together. It helps everyone make friends and keep the mood light while accommodating the lack of free space. We usually don’t have issues here unless we run out of food. Kinsey does her best to make sure that doesn’t happen, even if that means running to the store to get more food to feed the hungry.

We have already discussed having a girls night and renting a movie while we eat a variety of takeout, drink wine, and throw popcorn at each other after dinner. All three of us are excited. I just wish I could sleep off the hangover beforehand. We need this relaxing girl time with no drama or BS.

Getting low on the soup, I run to the back to grab another full pot to keep the line moving. It’s heavy and hard work with everything we have to do. It doesn’t help the heat is practically on full blast right now. Kinsey mentioned when we arrived that the thermostat, furnace or something, was broken right now, but no one can come to fix it until next week. At least it wards off the chill from outside.

I try my best to smile and be as friendly with everyone as I can. It doesn’t help the hangover still persists, like a bad hair day, since I wasn’t able to sleep it off. I tried taking medication and drinking plenty of water, but the only thing my body craves is sleep. My long, wavy, blonde hair is in a messy bun, wrapped in a hair net, with no style. My eyeliner and mascara sweated off long ago. I’m covered in sweat and looking like death warmed over, with bags under my eyes, not to mention smelling like a kitchen.

But at the moment, I don’t care because I feel even worse. At least I don’t have to worry about my apparent one night stand anymore. Before Paityn and I drove here, we stopped by the store and I bought and used the Plan B medication. I have an appointment tomorrow after working at the school to get tested, for any possible STD’s just to be safe. Paityn will have to work my short shift for me so I can go to the appointment. I’m relieved that last night is almost behind me. Though disappointed I won’t ever again experience the ecstasy that I had the night before.

As if my thoughts conjured him on its own, I feel eyes staring at me. I feel the hair on the back of my neck rise, and goosebumps spread across my body. I look up and standing to the left about five feet away was the enigmatic heartthrob of my erotic dream. Not sure if he is even real or a figment of my exhausted, sleep-deprived mind, I drop the ladle for the soup as well as my jaw, on the floor. Astounded and speechless, it can’t possibly be him. Out of no where, three also very muscular, good-looking men in black, dragged him away before I could even figure out anything to say. I watched as they disappeared out the side door, still in disbelief it’s actually the same person from my dream, but not a dream.

Once I recovered, I realized I should have said something to him. Maybe ask him his name, for starters. I should find out where he stands in this situation. Did he just decide to take advantage of a drunken woman? The more I thought about it, that seemed to be the only explanation. This is yet another reason I don’t like to drink. It makes people do things they wouldn’t ever do. I normally would not have ever even gone home with him, let alone a VIP room in the club. Call me a prude, I guess. Though, of course it wasn’t a home I woke up in, but a pitch black room. Stumbling around for my clothes so I could leave as fast as possible. After I was dressed enough to leave, and realized I still had my car with me at the club, I began my walk of shame, or drive rather. Unbelievable!

Deciding that I needed to have a word with him, because all I’m doing is working myself up over this and why he could possibly think that it’s okay to do this to someone. Shaking, I quickly went over to Paityn to let her know I’m excusing myself to get some air, after I replaced the fallen ladle, so she can take over when more people come through the line. After insisting I was fine, just needing some air, to combat all her questions and concerns, I back away before turning to rush out the side door.

Unfortunately I was met with disappointment because there was nothing there, but the delicious scent of cedar, campfire an cut grass. The scent wraps around me like a hug, making me feel home. I decided to ignore the excitement previously running through me at the thought of almost seeing that mysterious person.