Chapter 45: Rizz up
The next day,
After watching Katrina shoot hoops for a while, Kaiser decided to head home. The gym had become too boring for his taste.
Lewis Center’s municipal park, in the early afternoon, offered a relative haven of peace, though Kaiser didn’t have many good memories tied to the place. Century-old oaks cast dappled shadows on the green lawns, where children chased a ball and joggers weaved through pedestrians. A warm breeze carried the scent of freshly cut grass, and Kaiser, sitting on a graffiti-tagged bench, observed the scene with a detached air.
Dressed simply in a black hoodie, ripped jeans, and sneakers, he tapped an impatient rhythm against the ground. Chewing gum crushed between his teeth, phone in hand, he wore a smirk. Since their exchange at the barbecue, he and Katrina had kept messaging, and today, they’d decided to meet up. Just to pass the time, to say some bullshit before heading home.
Katrina finally arrived, her backpack slung over one shoulder. Her black hair, freed from its usual ponytail, danced in the wind. Her t-shirt bore the logo of an indie band, paired with jeans ripped at the knees. Spotting Kaiser, she raised a hand with a mischievous smile.
"Yo, junkie!" she called, sitting beside him. "You don’t look too dead, for a guy who sleeps in class."
Kaiser chuckled, tossing his gum into a nearby trash can.
"And you don’t look too nerdy, for a girl who studies on weekends."
She rolled her eyes, placing her bag between them. She pulled out a water bottle, took a sip, then fixed him with a raised eyebrow.
"So, what’s the plan? We just sit on this bench watching pigeons, or do you have something more exciting in mind?"
Kaiser shrugged, his tone apathetic.