Shadows in the Concrete Jungle Book One: The Grey

Chapter Fourteen

Kendra's eyes popped open from the vibrating of her phone.

She sat up so fast she could feel her back straining, her legs numb from her knees down from hanging off the side of her bed, lightheadedness taking over for just a moment. She scrambled for her phone, turning the screen on seeing unread emails, useless notifications, and then...

NOAH: My door code is 1130.

Eight hours ago. Eight fucking hours ago.

"Oh God!" Kendra shrieked, flying off her bed so fast her head spun and her numb legs buckled to keep her upright. She hadn't even gotten undressed before sitting on her bed. Her fucking boots were still on for fucks sake!

She stumbled from her bedroom, past the small living room and kitchen, only to turn back around and swipe a mini toothbrush from the counter top. Then she was out the front door, scrubbing at her teeth with the little doohickey, and went straight to Noah's door. She tapped the numbers in and the door unlocked.

FUCK! Oh God oh God oh God!

Kendra ran right in, dropped the mini toothbrush, aiming for the closet and the portal she knew was still there. She didn't even hesitate as she barreled into the portal, and popped out into the boys' kitchen, tripping over her partially untied boots and tingling legs, and crashing into the island.

"JESUS!" Barked Nick, a water bottle bursting in his hands and splashing over himself and the kitchen as his clawed fingertips punctured the bottle in surprise.

"Nick, I fucked up!" Kendra yelled, righting herself using the countertop across from him. "Where is Noah!?"

"He went out for a run," Nick replied sharply, pulling a towel from a drawer to start mopping up the spilled water.

"Was he mad? Angry? Upset? Sad?" Kendra pleaded.

"I don't think so," Nick replied, sighing. He looked up at Kendra then cringed, his nose wrinkling. He gestured to his own face. "You should, uh... use the bathroom mirror."

Kendra scowled, and ran to the pocket bathroom in the hallway, and shrieked in horror. Her makeup had smeared all the way down her face, black streaks of eyeliner and mascara down to down to her mouth where the 24-hour lip stain had smudged to hell, making her look like a clown. Hurriedly, she turned the hot tap water on and used the lemongrass hand soap to scrub her face.

Eyes burning, and tears leaking from the corners because of the soap, Kendra was in the process of running back to the kitchen when she ran smack into a sweaty, shirtless, and utterly stupid hot Noah, who was stepping into the house and kicking off his shoes while fiddling with his phone with his earbuds in.

"Fuck!" She yelled.

"Christ!" Noah shouted, jumping back, dropping an earbud.

"COULD YOU GUYS KINDLY SHUT THE FUCK UP?!"

It was the booming voice of Nicholas all throughout the house. The walls flexed, dust raining from the ceiling as everything creaked. Kendra squeaked, Noah flinched, and Nick yelped from the kitchen.

"I'm fucking leaving!" Hollered Nick, and then the front door slammed, announcing his swift exit from all the screaming. He was clearly moody from the full moon being that night.

Then all was silent. Noah looked Kendra up and down, and smirked. Kendra watched through watery, stinging eyes as a trail of sweat slid down from Noah's hairline, down his neck, and then onto his tattooed chest.

"Have a nice night by yourself?" He whispered as he knelt and swiped up his fallen earbud though his eyes remained on her. She knew he definitely was taking in her slept in dress, tights, boots, and leftover makeup. "I can't believe you chose sleeping alone instead of with me. Though your makeup would have still looked the same."