The Pale Visitor

1.

"Ughhh," I groan as my phone vibrates relentlessly under my pillow. I reach for it, the buzzing intensifying as I bring it closer. Opening my eyes, I see the glowing alarm—5 AM, as relentless as ever.

With a grumble, I hit snooze, unwilling to face the day just yet. If I were to oversleep, the threat of my mother's morning tirade hangs over me like a storm cloud. Last night's late binge-watching didn't help, but they just came out with a new season and I know everyone was going to talk about it today and I didn't want it to be spoiled. Just as I start drifting back to sleep, footsteps approach my door.

SHIT

I leap out of bed and dart into the bathroom, turning on the sink to act like I was up all along. A faint call echoes down the hall.

"Coming, Kylo!" Mom's voice rings out, and I breathe a sigh of relief as her footsteps move away. It was my little brother calling out to my mom. I slump against the bathroom counter.

"Thank God," I muttered to myself

Let me take this as a sign to hurry the fuck up before she comes back 

I rush through my morning routine, grabbing my neatly folded uniform from the closet—a white button-down with the school logo and a black and white plaid skirt. Checking the weather, I opt for the school black vest against the morning chill. My knotless braids are styled into a mid ponytail, edges neat, and I'm finally ready.

Downstairs in the kitchen, I load waffles into the toaster for my brother and me. I look up to see my mother walking down the stairs interlocked hands with my brother to help him down the stairs even though he doesn't need it. 

"Good morning, Mom" 

"Morning, Azariah. Did you make the waffles for your brother yet?"

"Yeah, they'll be done in a minute" She nods approvingly, helping my eight-year-old brother put on his shoes. I prepare two plates one plastic, one regular —with waffles and syrup, handing the plastic one to my Mom. 

"Can you tell Kayla's mom thanks when you see her later?" my Mom asks suddenly.

"Sure?" I said questionably. 

Kayla and I have been friends forever, and so has our moms, why the message relay? I thought to myself

"Bye, we'll see you later Azariah" My brother mumbles with a piece of the waffle he took from his plate walking out the door. I let out a deep sigh, taking a bite of my waffle. I turn on the TV for company, finishing breakfast before heading upstairs.

Before leaving, I grab water from the kitchen and head to the bathroom. I placed two pills on my tongue and swallowed them with water as I did every morning for the past 3 days. Grabbing my bag I walk out the door making sure it is locked and head to the train station. 

____________

The train delays make me late, as usual, and I arrive at school during third period for History. Entering class, I find everyone chatting or on their phones—the teacher absent.

"Where the hell is Mr. Smith?" I ask Kayla, taking the seat next to her.

"The principal came in saying that he's sick, so free period," she replies, tucking one of her curly strands that dangled in her face, behind her ear.

I pull out a sandwich I grabbed on the way because I was already late, so I figured why not be late with food. Just as I fixed the sandwich to my lips my attention was brought to a pair of white air forces approaching me. It was the boy Kayla had been talking to for one week and three days. Unlikely to go anywhere, I doubt. His uniform's untidy, shirt untucked. He turns to Kayla.

"Kay bandsss, what you doing after school?" he asks referring to her by her Instagram handle.

"Nothing much I might go over to Azariah's house today" she gestures towards me.

He glances my way and has the nerve to ask "I'm valid?"

"No, you're not. I barely even know you" I roll my eyes as he walks off.

"Come on, Azariah, please," Kayla pleads.

"I honestly don't know why you're asking you know how my mom is"

"Yeah, you're right"

"Speaking of my Mom, she told me to tell you to tell your mom thanks." 

"Okay... what is she saying thanks for?"

"I don't know" I shrugged. We exchanged a look, laughing at how weird it was.

I suddenly felt the urge to pee "Kayla can you watch my stuff I need to use the bathroom"

"There's only 5 minutes left of class, can't you hold it?" she replies.

"No, it's a side effect of the pills. Please?" Reluctantly, she agrees. I grab the bathroom pass and hurry out.

I entered the bathroom but jumped back seeing a white girl standing at the sink looking at herself in the mirror. A rare sight in our mostly Black and Hispanic school. She's fixing her hair at the sink, wearing last year's uniform.

"Um, hi," she says, "You're really pretty."

"Thanks," I manage, entering a stall.

"I'm Madison," she blurts out.

"I'm Azariah." I settle, adjusting to the oddness. "What grade are you in?"

"10th grade," she said eagerly

"Cool, I'm in the same grade too," I noticed that she turned back to the mirror trying to braid her hair into two and failing "Do you need help with your hair?" I offer

"Yes! Oh my gosh thank you" She slouches on the sink so I would be over her head. As I got closer to her I see that she has very dark circles under her eyes. I start, noting her straight hair, a mix of blonde and brown, just past her shoulders.

"I love your nail design," she says looking at them through the mirror. I was going to compliment hers but when I looked down hers wasn't done 

"Thank you I got it done last week" I started with the first section and started braiding her hair. Her hair is bone straight, it's not fully blonde it has some light and dark brown tones, and it's almost past her shoulders  

I always wanted this type of hair texture, it seems so much more manageable

As I was braiding her hair she mentioned numerous times that I was pretty which is cool and all but it got a little creepy because she kept mentioning how she loved how dark my skin was and no matter how many times she tried to get tan it wouldn't be as dark as mine. I looked in the mirror and I really began to take in how pale her skin really was. 

I finished braiding her hair which didn't take long because I used to braid people's hair in my aunt's hair shop during the summer. She thanks me twice and tears a piece of paper from her notepad that she got from her purse, writes her phone number on the paper, puts it in my hand then leaves the bathroom. 

"Okay," I mutter, tossing it in the trash.

No more friends needed; it's just Kayla and me, plus we would have nothing in common

I walk into the stall, locking the door when I hear the bell for the next period. Mentally cursing myself for getting distracted. I finish up quickly and walk back to my history class to get my things from Kayla but all I see is all my stuff scattered all over the floor and my sandwich was nowhere to be found.

Where the fuck is my sandwich?

Where the hell is Kayla?

 <3