I came to a slow jog as I arrived back at my apartment. I turned of the iPod and slipped the buds out of my ears. I unlocked the door and walked into my living room. I tossed the keys onto the coffee table pressed the ‘play’ button on the answering machine. I listened as I slipped off my tank. The new message was from my friend Kat, who was the bartender at Spin, where I had been lucky enough to have Aiden to comfort me in the ways that the alcohol couldn’t.
"Hey Ash, it’s me, Kat, just makin’ sure you got home alright last night. You weren’t around when I closed up so I figured you got a ride home but I was just checkin’ in! Call me!" I smiled as I deleted the message. Kat and I were more acquaintances than friends, she was probably ten years older than me, but she always had some good advice, and good drinks to share if I ever called or dropped by the club. I walked into the bathroom and slipped off my sweats, tossing them and my tank into the dirty clothes bin. I turned on the shower and checked the water as I finished getting undressed, slipping off my boyshorts and sportsbra. I checked the water once more, and got in. The water was soothing, steam filled the entire room. I was completely relaxed, for the first time since everything had happened. I just let the water run over me and I stood there, my mind wandering in an out of consciousness. I turned off the water and got out, grabbing a towel to scrunch my sopping wet hair. The curls slowly came back to life as I soaked most of the water out with the towel. I wrapped the damp towel around me and looked into the mirror. Totally refreshed, I gave my teeth a quick brush and traded the towel for a tank and some panties. I walked over to my computer and flipped it open. I thought for a second and went to the dirty clothes hamper, rummaging through until I found the jeans from last night. I picked through the pockets until I found the slip of paper Spencer had given me earlier. I walked back over to my computer and signed onto AIM. I opened a new window and typed in her screenname: ohio_qte. I laughed to myself as the window opened. She was online. And for some odd reason, I was glad. But then again, it wasn’t for no reason. It wasn’t everyday that you met a kind stranger in L.A.