Black Sheep

Welcome to hell

Migraines.

What you describe them as?

A plain throbbing in your skull after a tiresome day?

For me, it's a normal occurrence. A visit paid by the devil's daughter herself. I can vaguely picture her talon-like nails ripping through the flesh in my mind, her bloodied fingers beating down hard against my skull whispering words of insanity in my ears. And the throbbing and drumming doesn't stop until I've eaten at least two of the blue and red capsules in the bottom drawer adjacent to my bed. 

It sucks when you fail to remember the events of the past day, hour, minute, and even second. Picture conversing with your friends and you meekly respond to them -trying to conceal the very visible pain you're going through- the pills begin to take effect and for a split-second, you feel a rush of dizziness and nausea overwhelm you like your senior year SAT preps would, a whole collection of vague memories flickers through your mind like a mundane summer and then you're left. With nothing but a faint ringing in your ears and your mind trying to recall the last bits of your conversation. 

Ever since I met Xavier at the park my migraines have been twice as worse as they usually would be. Instead of consuming two red and blue capsules, I end up consuming more than four red and blue capsules daily. Mom's been concerned with how quickly the pills in the jar keep on disappearing. Eric's created a new motto: "Drugs are not your friends." I believe he's finally lost it and become a kleptomaniac. 

I discreetly massage my head, as Austin and I sit side by side waiting for the opening ceremony to begin and for Noelle to give her speech. I don't want to worry Austin but he can see. He can see that the pills still haven't taken effect as yet. He can see the faint hints of pain laced in my smiles, in my eyes, in my words. The pain I try so hard to cover with a solid facade crumbles in front of him. He soothingly rubs his thumb over my knuckles. "Should I get you some water?"He questions in a hushed whisper and I shake my head. "It'll be the fifth time I'm taking them today."

His eyes widen. "The hell. You have to go to the infirmary, what are you waiting for? Didn't you see Doctor Hansa already? What about your monthly check-up?"He fusses like an over-protective mother and I emit a painful chuckle. 

"Ginger-ale might help, my sister suffers from these awful migraines in Science Camp. Ginger-Ale helped a lot", he pushes the ginger brown can in my hand before flashing me a toothy grin. "I'm Sam by the way, nice to meet you." His emerald green eyes lightly sparkle in the dimly lit auditorium like emeralds under the sun. He runs a hand through his strawberry-blond locks before opening the can of Ginger-Ale and handing me a straw. 

"Don't accept things from strangers!" Austin warns and it takes too much effort to even laugh at his parentlike attitude. I insert the straw before sipping it, relishing the gingery taste and the feeling of it burning down my throat. "It's dangero-" before Austin can continue, he's cut off by giggling. 

And mind you, its the cutest laughter I've ever heard. Elegant yet simple and overflowing with emotion. I wish I had one of those cute laughs, but I sound like a hyperventilating walrus high on drugs. "Stel!" Sam beckons with a subtle wave of his hand and a girl with matching features clad in denim dress walks over, her blond hair is thrown into a messy braid and her emerald green eyes twinkle with mischief. 

"Don't worry, my brother isn't one to take advantage of women, my mother's raised him better than that", she flashes Austin and me reassuring smiles and I study the way the dimples on the corner of her smile deepen. A feature she doesn't quite share with her twin. 

"I'm Stella Winters and this is my twin brother Samuel Winters. A pleasure to meet you", she politely introduces herself before extending her hand to shake mine. "The day I was born, it looked as if the stars were holding a party, littered across the sky, bright and prominent, leaving behind a mark and impression, they lighted up the world and became equivalent to a Lighthouse guiding people home."