「ABSENCE」 TMNT 2012

24; Spies

    "What time is it?" April asked.

    Casey quickly looked down at his phone, then tucked it away in his front pants pocket. "Seven fifteen."

    "That's it. I can't wait any longer. Let's get something to eat," she decided, grabbing Casey's hand.

    He chuckled and walked with her to a nearby food booth, where they got in line. "You never used to be this hungry before."

    "Well I never worked out as much as I have been recently. I had to make up for your absence." She bumped his arm with her shoulder.

    Casey studied the edible options on the menu above the food trailer, sighing heavily. "Yeah, yeah. You don't have to remind me."

    "Oh, c'mon." April rolled her eyes. "I was just kidding."

    "I know you were. It still makes me feel bad, though."

    "Okay, fine. I won't mention it again," she told him, crossing her arms over her chest.

Casey smiled and entangled his hand in her ponytail. In the evening light, her hair glowed a rich, orange hue, matching the sun setting over the waters. "Thanks."

The line was long and the day, nice. There was no better way to describe it. The weather was gorgeous. Fluffy clouds dotted the pink sky and the breeze from the ocean rustled each person's hair. The waters were still cold, but that didn't stop the beach from being a fantastic scene where children raced and the waves rolled up against the sand.

    But since there were still at least twelve people in front of them and their stomachs were growling, Casey and April found no pleasure in the aesthetics of their surroundings. They discussed stepping out of the line and finding a place to eat elsewhere. But the amount of hungry people gathering behind them changed their minds. They were closer now to their turn to order than they would be trying to get into nearby Taco Bell, which was most likely packed at the moment.

By the time the made it to the front, the sun had set even further in the distance. April quickly asked for a hotdog, a funnel cake, and some lemonade to wash it all down. When she received it, she dug right into the hot dog. Not only was she starving, but she could barely hold everything in her arms, so she had to get rid of something.

While she chewed and waited on Casey, April leaned up against the trailer and looked around for a place for them to sit and eat. The crowd wasn't as dense as in summer, which made April - the month, not the female - one of the more perfect times to visit Coney Island. It also provided a better view of the dark haired girl April was certain she recognized.

    Across the trampled, dirt path, a woman stood with her back turned, chatting with a tall, brunet man who looked to be in his mid twenties, as they stood in line for cotton candy. Actually, both of them looked familiar to April, though she was sure she'd never met the man before. But the girl was so recognizable that she grew frustrated trying to figure it out. The way she carried herself, her posture, her hair . . .

    Casey was taking his sweet time, so April shoved the rest of the hotdog into her mouth and crossed the path. There was a large trash bin on the other side. As she tossed the paper bowl in and turned around, she made she to get a good look at the couple on her way back over.

When she finally processed the face of the girl, her heart stopped. There, in jean shorts and a black biker jacket, stood Karai. It was difficult to tell with the outfit and how much less makeup she was wearing. But it was definitely the Foot commander herself, flesh and blood, on a date at Coney Island. And she was laughing.