Masked Purpose

Chapter Five

I left his house shortly after.

My mental capability of being able to hold all the questions that stirred around aimlessly was beginning to shrink in capacity. It was like trying to drink a glass of water that constantly refilled itself. No other occurrence ever produced that feeling in my entire existence.

I was overwhelmed.

It wasn't as if the conversation on its own was intimidating. My own faculties from the discussion elevated my stress level to one that felt foreign to me. It secretly scared me to be so vulnerable to pressure, which is why I chose to leave the premises and go for a decompressing stroll along the Allegheny riverside.

Normally, a walk outdoors during the late November chills was not even a consideration, but nature often found a way to calm my mental panics. The sight of the endless rows of trees above the glistening ripples of the flowing water eased every worry in my being. Ultimate tranquility was hard to come by, especially when your brain searches for something to examine around the clock.

It was just another reason that this walk was absolutely necessary.

As the fallen leaves crunched steadily underneath my feet, I noticed someone kneeling along the riverside in the distance. The figure appeared to be a dark-skinned African-american man with distressed features around the age of 60. I pulled the folds of my coat closer to my body as the air temperature seemed to decrease suddenly with every step. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that he was homeless based off of my detailed observations.

After the visual scenery was evaluated, I took the time to keen in on the auditory perspective of his situation, still nearing him at an even pace. Words that appeared to have an African dialect were chanted almost in a musical rhythm. His actions were like that of someone beating on drums, although no instruments were present.

Odd.

My intrusion upon his 'living' area stunned him for a split second. He ceased every movement and wore a look of shock and confusion. Soon after, as if someone gave him the green light to continue, everything began again.

Also odd.

I felt uncomfortable taking on the trespasser role for as long as I did and physically removed myself from the current area. Or maybe the strange vibe that resulted afterwords brought on my worrisome attitude. Regardless, the last thing I wanted to do was threaten a complete stranger by lingering around.

Just as the downtown area materialized in my peripheral, I received a call from Stella.

"Hey."

"Kaia, guess what?!" Immediately, I recognized the joy and eagerness in her voice.

"If it's another one of your 'scientific breakthrough' moments, I don't want to hear it."

"Cut the shit K, seriously. It's actually beneficial."

"Okay, okay. What is it?" A small chuckle escaped from my lips at her offended tone.

"I've been accepted!"

"To rehab?"

"No bitch." My playful joke earned a purposeful side remark on her behalf, which I found to be extremely amusing. "I got into The Academy."

"Really? Wow. Impressive, Stel."

"Thanks. I haven't been this excited since you surprised me with Chinese takeout on my birthday." We both shared a brief moment of laughter before the tone of the conversation shifted. "But there is a downside to this."

"What's that?" I was able to surmise the words that were going to be said well in advance of Stella's statement.

"I have to move out..tomorrow."

The awkward silence that followed symbolized both of our unspoken disturbances. Losing the company of a best friend was like the equivalent losing money; always capable to get back but still painful to watch leave. Neither of us wanted to express that pain verbally, yet it didn't require that.

It was understood.

"I'll talk to you when I get home." I hung up abruptly, not giving Stella a chance to respond.

My mind implicitly made a decision in the short time period between the conversation and my journey home. I hadn't realized the issue until I analyzed Stella's excitement.

Her life was beginning to reach the infant stages of prosperity. One major dream of hers was to make it into one of the most well respected specialized schools in our city. Now that she has reached that goal, it inadvertently challenged my ability to grow and develop as a person.

And strive to better myself.

And actually have a plan for my future.

It was time to weigh my options.