Shangri-la
Chapter One
She was more than certain that she had found the right person. Sitting in the chair with her long bare legs crossed, Lotus rested her chin in her hand as she watched the people standing on the other side of the cobblestone street. The girl was young, probably still a teenager, and the adults she hovered around were more than likely her parents. But there was no doubt in Lotus’s mind that she had found the right girl. A breeze picked up, causing Lotus’s long auburn hair to gently sway as the wind passed by to touch the girl, whipping her bobbed honey hair into her eyes. She turned, and her gaze met Lotus’s.
Lotus smiled, pushing the chair opposite from her out from underneath the table with her foot. To her surprise, the girl glanced at her parents then walked over and sat down, studying her with mild embarrassment.
“I’m Lotus,” she said, holding out her hand.
“Iris,” the girl replied, putting her cold hand in Lotus’s for a brief second before pulling away.
“How old are you, Iris?” Lotus couldn’t stop herself from smiling. The girl’s eyes were a noticeably bright green, dancing with a light that made her think about Shangri-la. Of course, she was always thinking about Shangri-la . . .
“Seventeen.”
Lotus winced. “I was hoping that you would have said at least eighteen.”
“Are you some kind of a recruiter for a brothel?” Iris asked suddenly, frowning as she studied the woman across the table from her.
“Would you have come over and sat down if you thought I was?” Lotus picked up her glass and took a sip through the straw, using the gesture to control her expression.
“No . . .”
“You can sense it to, can’t you?” Lotus lowered her voice, leaning forward as she spoke, “You and I are the same.”
“Iris!” Her father called out sharply. “We’re going now!”
“Here.” Lotus pulled out a pen and quickly scribbled on a napkin. “Take my number. Call me tonight.”
“Okay.” Iris looked down at the napkin and bit her lip. “Goodbye.”
“Goodbye.” Lotus watched as Iris hurried over to her parents. Putting a hand on Iris’s shoulder, her father turned back and gave a dirty look to her. She laughed, sipping more of her iced lemonade as she looked up at the sky.
I found her, Shangri-la, I found her!
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