14: Mirror

I went to the toilet and washed my face. I didn't want to see my reflection on the mirror so I turned without leaving a glance.

The bathroom door opened and Ruby came in.

"You look dead", she said plainly.

I wiped my face on my shoulder and tried to side step her.

"What happened?"

"Nothing can I leave", there was water dripping down my chin so I wiped it once again with the hem of my long sleeve henley.

"Can I ask you something?"

I nodded my head while looking down to my feet.

"Do you have like family problems or something like that.."

"What?"

"I mean you look like you've got some serious issues so you could talk to me.."

"No"

Its none of anybody's business.

She drove her fingers through her hair as if she were trying to find the right words for something while I waited impatiently for her to spit it out.

"I just wanted to apologize for being mean to you on my first day of school"

I was too drained to answer to her.. I honestly don't care.

"Its ok Ruby"

"Really? Wait actually?"

I looked at her face and nodded. Her eyes showed skepticism for a moment before they glowed with relief.. I could see why Tristan liked her so much.

"I mean your dress was ruined so.."

"That was actually not a good dress."

I gave her a weak smile,"You looked very beautiful"

"Are you gay"

"What? No I'm not, I'm just complimenting you"

"For putting tomato sauce all over you?", questioned Ruby while crossing her arms.

I wiped my nose lightly,"Can I leave"

"Sure...weirdo"

I side stepped her and walked out the bathroom.

Both of them were so alike...

Attractive, flawed, arrogant..perfect.

I don't know why that made me so agitated but I could almost sense my dam about to burst again and I refused to cry.

I stalked to my locker and took out my chemistry note, walking back to class.

During chemistry lab Mark sat next to me. He sensed my low spirits and tried to make me laugh but he did not realise how shrivelled I was.

I tried to reciprocate his enthusiasm but all I could muster was a stiff nod or smile.

"And then he said that I was holding the book upside down and my embarrassment.. Lord did I just pretend to read an upside down magazine for two hours so that I could spy on my little sister's boyfriend only for him to say that he caught me two hours ago" , he said shaking his head in mirth.

The bell rang and I all but ran out of the lab. I was confused about the way I treated Mark, he was kind to me and tried to make me laugh but it doesn't work and if I tell him that it wasn't working would he be offended? Sometimes I want to be left alone but wouldn't I be taking his presence for granted if I did that.

My mind was a haze and I drifted through the corridors in my own cloud of thoughts.

Maybe I should talk to Tristan..

"Rose?

I looked up to see him standing a small distance with his hands in his pockets and hoodie up.

"Can I talk to you?"

I looked down to my feet and speed walked away from him.

I felt his eyes following me but I couldn't turn back.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was a windy day in Bloomsville and I was walking to the Diner for work.

The wind blew all around with an eerie sound giving the town a haunted atmosphere.My umbrella was up since a light drizzle was accompanying the chilly breeze.

All around cars zoomed by their lights casting red and white glows on the road, people shopping and stopping by for street food.

I wondered what Mom would be doing now. There are some things in your life that are beyond comprehensible like the pain of losing your Mom. Even when you ride through that pain it still doesn't fully sink in.

I thought of Tristan and what his life story would be. He's never told me that before.

When I get away from this town to a different place maybe I'll see him again.

The drizzle was already beginning to fade when I opened the doors to the Diner and walked in.

I quickly changed to my uniform and started taking orders.

Mrs Wong came out of her office.

"Rose can I talk to you for a second"

"Huh? Sure just a second", I served one customer his chicken dumplings and went into her office.

"You wanted to talk to me?"

"Yes take a seat"

I took a seat in her tine cramped office, everywhere papers were flying about with crayons and toys that Mi left every time she visited.

"Before you reached for work, two men came asking for you.. obviously you hadn't arrived so I asked them to come some other time. I hope this is not related to your Dad.."

Mrs.Wong is a close friend of Dad's so she knew...

"Umm I-I don't know", I gulped my heart thumping with new formed fear.

One month wasn't over yet.

"Did they say what time they'll come back?"

"No honey but they looked to be of middle age like about forty five or six"

"Ok"

"You should probably call your Dad"

I dialed his number on my phone and put it to my ear.

"Dad?"

"Rose.."

My voice shook when I said,

"Two men came to see me at the Diner today. I think they're from the Bears"

He didn't respond for a long while.

"Are you sure it's not one of your friends?"

"Yeah... I don't have any that would drop by and Mrs.Wong said they looked like they were in their forties"

"Don't worry about it, I have everything under control. Go back to work".

It was almost like he was a machine.

"Dad I can't do that", I said my hands fisting out of a thousand emotions.How does he expect me to pretend that nothing is wrong?

He let out a breath.

"Honey its alright just take a deep breath and go back to work ok Daddy's got this"

"How? I want to know"

This was something that both of us were a part of and he needed to tell me his share.

"We can pay them with your college money"

I closed my eyes... I knew what that meant very well.

My dreams...

Author's note:

FOLLOW: _t.a.r.a.s.t.o.n.e_ for more.

STORY TIME

Are you afraid of bugs?

I'LL BEGIN; I'm not afraid of those little pests I am disgusted by them well except butterflies they're cute and ants they're mighty little dudes and caterpillars, they're so pretty. It's spiders, ants and cockroaches that I have a problem against.

VOTE AND COMMENT IF YOU DON'T LIKE BUGS AND LEAVE A REVIEW.... Plis... I'm cute right... I'm cute so leave a review *insert puppy dog eyes*