L'Arte dell'Amore (Not Edited)

XIII

Lavender had woken up tired for the past three  days, completely exhausted. She hadn't been able to pay her electric bill, just barely had enough for the water- cold again.

Except this time, her small flat would freeze her with the brutal northern temperatures. She had no heat in her apartment. It had already given her a stuffy nose.

She rubbed at her eyes, that hadn't closed for more than two hours since Monday. It was Thursday.

To say her food choices were pitiful, it was an embarrassment.

Part of the reason for not telling anyone of her struggles. It was embarrassing and Lavender didn't want anyone to shame her for being poor. Her heart could barely make it as is.

Lavender pulled on a sweatshirt and black leggings, in her exhausted state she dragged a brush through her knotted hair before giving up.

Lavender tried to take care of herself, she was trying.

She would be mortified if anyone saw her hair not in a bun. Lavender hadn't brushed it in a week. Tears burned her eyes and threatened to spill over in a surplus.

She wasn't lazy.

Her heart hurt again. Mama hadn't called her at all, but she knew that her father and Mama got the money, they had to.

Lavender promised herself that she would take better care of herself, pulling her hair into a messy bun. Lavender needed help, she was going to be behind by Monday on her rent if she didn't get the money for this month.

Deep in her mind she knew it was going downhill, but she pushed it off. Lavender couldn't think about that, it made her even more upset.

She rubbed her eyes that held darken circles and her usually bright eyes were bloodshot. They seemed to always be filled with tears lately.

Crybaby.

Shaking the thought away, she made her way to class. Her stomach twisted in hunger.

————

Lavender was sad not to see Victoria, she was sick with the flu. She wouldn't let Lavender even visit her- she knew if Lavender caught the flu, her body would not be able to get through it.

She had made it to her second lecture of the day without passing out from exhaustion. That was a win in her eyes.

Taking her seat Lavender sat the entire class bouncing her leg. Up. Down. Repeated, it made sure she wouldn't fall asleep.

Vincent was still going over different pieces, but today he would give class time to people for their projects. The entire time he was speaking, Vincent watched as Lavender shook in her seat.

She looked so tired.

He caught her yawning multiple times throughout the lecture.

When Vincent had told the class they needed to work on their projects, reminding them they were due in two months.

Lavender took out everything she needed for her and Victoria's project.

Victoria had been doing a lot of the project, Lavender had been trying to keep up. Though with work and all the stress she had faced- it didn't seem as important.

She felt guilt bubble up when she looked at how much Victoria had done, almost all of the information research.

Her eyes seemed to water even more, she let out a big breath, a sudden pain hit her in the chest.

Lavender hadn't tried to think of it, but she missed Victoria very much. She hoped that Victoria would be okay. It made her panic thinking about Victoria possibly being hurt.