He’s obviously not taking any more prayers from me.
Meredith’s next class wasn’t until high noon. It was 9:50 when she got out of her computer technology class that she desperately dreaded. Meredith and Keliah headed to the nearby coffee house; Meredith riding her long board, Keliah riding her bike. They parked their transportation in the necessary place and headed inside to grab their tea and latte and sit at their favorite booth in the back. Keliah stirred the straw in her latte, parting her lips to speak before quickly shutting them. She tried again and this time words came out.
***
“So um, have you been watching the news?”
Keliah began watching Meredith carefully. She shifted in her seat and clenched her jaw.
“If that's your way of asking me if I saw that Gabrielle is back in America, then yes.”
Keliah dragged her teeth across her lips and took a nervous sip of her drink.
"Are you okay?"
"It's not like she's attending school here. Probably won't even see her."
"What makes you say that?"
Meredith laughed humorlessly.
"Keli, Gabrielle dropped us like a sack of potatoes. I highly doubt the first thing on her list to do on her return to American is to reunite the three amigas."
"She could. We were her only friends."
"Well now she has an entire country that wants to be her friend. We're nothing but the people in her past."
"She could still come see us."
"It's hard for a leopard to change its spots."
"Okay, enough with the idioms. I get it. Gabrielle is a bitch."
Keliah used the awkward silence between her and Meredith to sip her latte and stare out the window. She understood why Meredith acted so bitter whenever the mentioning of Gabrielle came up but Meredith was starting to adopt that mood as her personality and it was beginning to bring Keliah down as well. Meredith lost her girlfriend in the most tragic way possible but at the same time, Keliah had lost both of her best friends. It was hard on Keliah, to pretend like she was okay so she could take care of Meredith who was in her darkest hour but she also needed to mourn as well.
"On a happier note, we have the fitness test today. You're gonna kick ass, right?"
Meredith scoffed in disgust and wrinkled her forehead. Soccer didn't equate happiness. It only served as a constant reminder that Gabrielle had betrayed her. Going to practice felt more like a chore than something Meredith would normally enjoy. Meredith sipped her tea and stared out the window and sighed, wishing her life was as simple as the multi-colored leaves that fell carelessly from the trees only to wither away into nothingness.
Meredith, sweet Meredith,
It kills me that I have to tell you this wish I could’ve told you this in person but I couldn’t bear to see you so upset so I decided to write it. Sonde recruited me. In my contract, I can't have any ties as far as my relationship status. My agent feels it would be the best for both of us if I am seen as a heterosexual player. I leave for Sweden tonight. Don't bother trying to come and stop me. I wish you the best in college and your journalism career. I am positive that you will be the best. I hope you will come to realize that I am only following my dreams. I never meant to hurt you and I’m sorry it had to end like this, I really am. My flight is leaving at eight tonight. Don’t bother trying to come and stop me.
I will always love you,
Gaby
CHAPTER TWO
Keliah's high ponytail sashayed from side to side as she walked briskly to her favorite class. She knocked on the door using one hand while she held a hot cup of coffee in the other.
"It's open!"
She heard a faint voice call from inside. Keliah twisted the door and walked in to find the one and only, Professor Kerouac resting her elbow on the podium while reading some novel that Keliah probably wouldn't give the time or day but she would read it front to back twice if it meant a future conversation with Georgia Kerouac.
"Good Morning."
Georgia could see Keliah out of her peripheral but chose not to acknowledge the young woman; hoping her silence would tell Keliah everything she didn't feel like saying. After Keliah stood there dumbly and silently with what Georgia assumed was another cup of coffee for her, she finally gave up and decided to respond.
"Mornings aren't ever good, Miss Nelson. Please take a seat."
"Well yes. Yes they are. Good comes from the German word of Tagwerk which means a good day's work. The sunrise would stand for the ox who plowed for the day and never gave out of breath."
Georgia glanced up from her book to raise her eyebrows at Keliah before glancing back to her page. Keliah stepped forward, leaning over to see what Georgia was reading.
"Kerouac? Pretty dark for you."
"Dark is my style."
Georgia raised an eyebrow as she continued to read wondering why she chose to engage in any conversation with Keliah. She placed her bookmark on her current page and closed
