Page 26 of Semblance

“I’d love to hear you play again sometime,” Shadow insisted. “Maybe you can on one of our dates.”

I smiled. “That depends on how the dates go. I don’t play just for anybody you know.”

“Right.” He shrugged, turning his attention to the outside of the bay window, peering out into the morning light. There was an unmistakable sadness hidden deep within him.

Perhaps we weren’t so different after all.

#

It was almost noon when Abraham dropped me off in front of my apartment. I was wiped.

“I shall pick you up on Saturday evening, say around five p.m.?” Abraham asked.

I nodded wearily.

“Make sure to check your bank account as well. Your payment should be there already.”

“But I never gave you guys my bank account number,” I said.

Abraham grinned and waved farewell. “I’ll see you Saturday,” he said as he rolled up the window of the limo.

I watched him drive off into the distance, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

Who the hell were these people?

I dragged my tired ass up the rotting wooden staircases of my apartment, still wearing the evening gown they gave me. It was too good for this hovel.

It took me a good minute of fumbling around for my keys before I let myself into my apartment, stumbling in wearily like an impeccably dressed zombie.

Bleary eyed, I flipped open my laptop and checked my bank account. Last night I had exactly $4.36 to my name. Now there was $11,004.36.

Not bad for two night’s work.

If I wasn’t so tired, I would have screamed to the heavens in pure ecstasy, but instead, I let out a yawn and said, “Sweet.”

I collapsed onto my bed not bothering to remove the dress. The last image I had beforedrifting off into a deep sleep was the brooding look of Shadow’s face, just before I left him alone in his study.

Who are you Shadow? What ghosts haunt your thoughts? Two intriguing questions which I hoped to unravel on our future dates.

But first, sweet precious sleep.

#

Chapter Seven

I woke to the sounds of the Muppet’sMahna Mahna, my cellphone ring tone, which normally put me in a cheerful mood. However seeing as how I slept only for an hour before it ripped me away from my sweet slumber, the song pissed me off.

No I couldn’t blame the happy tune. It was whoever was calling me that was the culprit. I reached for my phone and looked at the name on my call display.

Justin.

I put my phone on mute and tossed it back onto my night table, rolled over, and went back to sleep.

I was bailing on musical history class, and like an overprotective brother, Justin was probably trying to figure out where I was.

I’ll meet up with him later tonight and grab whatever notes I missed from class. But for now, I wanted nothing more than to be seduced by my warm duvet and Mr. Sandman’s dreams.

#

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