It was a short stroll to Brent's little apartment and Mya said nothing during the walk. She was still embarrassed, a little nervous. Never before had she even had to think about what it would mean to expose her natural desires to another party. This Brent was essentially a stranger and yet, she felt as if he could hold the key to a less tormented future.
She stood back as they approached the narrow sloping ramp to what he easily described as his 'off-campus dump'. Brent kept his gloved palms on the rims to prevent straying as the effects of gravity pulled him down towards the square. Obviously constructed in the seventies, the entrances to seven apartments could only be accessed by first going down. The little courtyard, decorated with a few rubber plants and a greasy looking fountain, was also full of craggy sidewalks and chipped gravel.
Mya wondered at Brent's ability to the multiple roadblocks until she practically bumped into him. "Damn't!" He grumbled, trying effortlessly to get his front casters out of a particularly wide sidewalk craig. "Henderson was supposed to repair this yesterday-- HENDERSON!"
Certain his Streetcar-like bellow was displeasing everyone within three blocks, Mya rested her left hand on the upright of his back rest and covered her eyes with her right hand. "Brent, let me help you."
"No." He answered slapping her hand away. "HENDER-SOOON! COURTYARD!" The silence continued, aside from a distant lonely dog, probably chained in a yard half a mile away, who howled for his own version of satisfaction. Brent, cursed under his breath and resumed trying to get out of the rut.
Slightly confused, Mya backed away from him. "Brent, it's the dinner hour. Maybe he's out with his kids."
"Childless prick doesn't have any kids. Fuck! Damn it!" Brent rested his palms on his knees. He was stuck.
"Look, just get up... shit. Or let me help you at least." "If you pull me back a little I can just go around it." "Ok..."She grabbed onto the bars and easily pulled him out of the hole. "Jeez, you're uptight. I don't know if I wanna come into your place after all that."
"Aww... You know what? I'm sorry, Mya." Brent said, arranging his chair to face her. Already the public lights had come on and he looked sweet and vulnerable under the lights. Mya softened. "It's just, certain things really do irk me."
"Still," she said. "I've seen violent tempers before. I don't know why you just didn't get up."
"Yeah." Brent averted his eyes.
"I guess, you've either got anger issues or you really take your role seriously." Mya laughed. It was Brent's turn to soften. He grabbed her hand.
"Yeah. Listen, I'm sorry. Please come in. I still want to talk to you."
"Eh...nope. You're a big red flag, Brentie."
"Ha! Aww, come on,Mya. I've got a lasagne and some great coffee... or we can order in from someplace. Whatever."
Mya didn't have anywhere else to be. This night, heck, the entire day had turned into something more exciting than she had experienced in quite a while. She knew she had to go in, if only to keep from going back to the dorm. She smiled again.
"Alright, then."
"Great, you'll be happy to know my apartment is almost 70% barrier free."
To Be Continued
Index
Devguide - organized links