called from behind her. She turned and saw Junior following shyly.
She sighed. “Hi, Junior."
He caught up. “Can I walk you the rest of the way home?"
Resisting the grumble rising in her throat, she nodded. Junior wasn't handsome, but he wasn't ugly either. He had an ordinary face, plain with dark brown skin and little acne scars on both cheeks. About her height, he had a thin frame. Even after gaining the twenty or so pounds Francine said she had, Kiara was pretty sure, she was heavier than Junior.
"Uh, I was thinking that you might like to go to dinner with me sometime,” he offered. “We could go over to that new restaurant a mile down the road and see a movie too. Or if you don't like movies, we could go dancing at a club I know of."
She shivered when a breeze blew right through her clothing. Glancing around, she felt someone watched them. But that feeling came often, so she didn't give it much thought. The narrow lane at the side of the road didn't hide much, and past the railing was just brush and weeds. Another few yards would be a small dirt road that led to her home.
"I'm sorry, Junior. I'm just not interested in seeing anyone right now,” she explained. “I came out of a bad relationship before I got here, and I just need some serious recovery time. You can understand that, right?"
His expression fell. “Yes, I guess I can. Awhile back, I dated this girl with some serious issues. The trials she put me through would shock you."
She grinned. “Not."
They walked on together, chitchatting about this and that. Kiara thought Junior was a good guy. Maybe they could be friends. That wouldn't be so bad, as she could use someone to talk to, someone who understood what she had gone through. From what he began to tell her of his ex-girlfriend, she had been an abuser as well.
At the turn in to her street, Kiara paused. Someone had darted away from her door. Her heart pounded, and she was glad she wasn't alone, although she didn't think Junior could be of much help.
She grabbed his arm. “Junior, I think someone's down there.” The street was rather dark, the street lights being too few and far between. Her companion stopped. They stood watching her door, unmoving until her neighbor stepped into view, lighting a cigarette. She heard Junior let out the breath he was holding along with her. She laughed. “We're real brave, aren't we?"
He puffed out a scrawny chest, flared his nostrils and made a funny face. “Don't worry, I'll protect you."
Snorting in laughter, she covered her mouth. Soon they drew up to her door. Her neighbor waved and disappeared into his house in the next duplex. Her adjoined neighbor she knew had flown to California to visit her son. With the chill tonight, Kiara wished she had gone too.
"Well, this is me, Junior. Thanks for walking me home.” She squeezed his arm. “And listen, we can be friends if you like."
"Yeah. Yeah, I'd like that.” He grinned. “And a guy can hope for more later."
"Goodnight.” She realized there would be no friendship. If a man was so busy wondering when the friendship would become more, he wouldn't be a friend. She shut the door gently on him since he seemed disinclined to walk away.
Bolting the door with one hand, she hung up her keys on the hook she had drilled into the wall as soon as she moved in. Without hitting the light switch, she found the place where she had painted a country scene and gently stroked the fawn there on her way to the bedroom. Within twenty minutes, she was dressed for bed and had picked out a book to read until she fell asleep.
A sudden banging on the door sent her over the edge of the bed to the floor. Her heart slammed against her chest. She grabbed the baseball bat beside the closet and stood still listening to the hammering.
"Kiara,” came a muffled cry. She gasped. Junior? He sounded terrified. She hurried into the living room and flipped on the light. When she unbolted the door, it banged hard against the wall and
She sighed. “Hi, Junior."
He caught up. “Can I walk you the rest of the way home?"
Resisting the grumble rising in her throat, she nodded. Junior wasn't handsome, but he wasn't ugly either. He had an ordinary face, plain with dark brown skin and little acne scars on both cheeks. About her height, he had a thin frame. Even after gaining the twenty or so pounds Francine said she had, Kiara was pretty sure, she was heavier than Junior.
"Uh, I was thinking that you might like to go to dinner with me sometime,” he offered. “We could go over to that new restaurant a mile down the road and see a movie too. Or if you don't like movies, we could go dancing at a club I know of."
She shivered when a breeze blew right through her clothing. Glancing around, she felt someone watched them. But that feeling came often, so she didn't give it much thought. The narrow lane at the side of the road didn't hide much, and past the railing was just brush and weeds. Another few yards would be a small dirt road that led to her home.
"I'm sorry, Junior. I'm just not interested in seeing anyone right now,” she explained. “I came out of a bad relationship before I got here, and I just need some serious recovery time. You can understand that, right?"
His expression fell. “Yes, I guess I can. Awhile back, I dated this girl with some serious issues. The trials she put me through would shock you."
She grinned. “Not."
They walked on together, chitchatting about this and that. Kiara thought Junior was a good guy. Maybe they could be friends. That wouldn't be so bad, as she could use someone to talk to, someone who understood what she had gone through. From what he began to tell her of his ex-girlfriend, she had been an abuser as well.
At the turn in to her street, Kiara paused. Someone had darted away from her door. Her heart pounded, and she was glad she wasn't alone, although she didn't think Junior could be of much help.
She grabbed his arm. “Junior, I think someone's down there.” The street was rather dark, the street lights being too few and far between. Her companion stopped. They stood watching her door, unmoving until her neighbor stepped into view, lighting a cigarette. She heard Junior let out the breath he was holding along with her. She laughed. “We're real brave, aren't we?"
He puffed out a scrawny chest, flared his nostrils and made a funny face. “Don't worry, I'll protect you."
Snorting in laughter, she covered her mouth. Soon they drew up to her door. Her neighbor waved and disappeared into his house in the next duplex. Her adjoined neighbor she knew had flown to California to visit her son. With the chill tonight, Kiara wished she had gone too.
"Well, this is me, Junior. Thanks for walking me home.” She squeezed his arm. “And listen, we can be friends if you like."
"Yeah. Yeah, I'd like that.” He grinned. “And a guy can hope for more later."
"Goodnight.” She realized there would be no friendship. If a man was so busy wondering when the friendship would become more, he wouldn't be a friend. She shut the door gently on him since he seemed disinclined to walk away.
Bolting the door with one hand, she hung up her keys on the hook she had drilled into the wall as soon as she moved in. Without hitting the light switch, she found the place where she had painted a country scene and gently stroked the fawn there on her way to the bedroom. Within twenty minutes, she was dressed for bed and had picked out a book to read until she fell asleep.
A sudden banging on the door sent her over the edge of the bed to the floor. Her heart slammed against her chest. She grabbed the baseball bat beside the closet and stood still listening to the hammering.
"Kiara,” came a muffled cry. She gasped. Junior? He sounded terrified. She hurried into the living room and flipped on the light. When she unbolted the door, it banged hard against the wall and
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