Under Grey skies

Slept In.

Allowing herself to regain focus on the world around her, Kyrie awoke in her studio apartment complex, her alarm blaring at 6:50 am alerting her to her part-time job downtown, a retail job for average people, a sickening feeling rolling over her as she lifted herself semi steady to her feet, a yawn bellowing out of her parted lips, she's turned slowly to her bedside table looking almost angrily as if she was blaming her alarm for its rude awakening from her perfect slumber, how could you do this to me?

She had an hour to get herself ready and downtown to her workplace, she dragged her heels along the solid wooden floor, papers fluttering at her feet, all sorts of stationary scattered around the apartment complex, sketches, and paintings taking over, like engulfed in a jungle of a person's creative mindset, an artist, she always wanted to be, and what her friend called her, even if sometimes she didn't believe she was good enough for that amount of Praise. She lived alone after her 3-year partner Terrance left her for a younger, prettier girl he met at his law firm, such a scumbag he was, she could still remember his last words to her "it's not you, it's me, blah blah blah, you are stuck on a dream, and I'm trying to live my life, blah blah blah, I just feel like we are living two separate worlds" he always had this narcissistic complex, thinking he was this heroic protagonist that could never to wrong in the eyes of the beholders, a god sent from the heavens. I don't think a god would have stuck his tongue down some tramp's mouth after a work party when already in a committed relationship.

She had made her way to the bathroom finally, the mirror showing her the monstrosity that was her face from her night's rest, her brown hair knotted and frizzy, bags under her deep brown eyes, it looked as if she had just been in a fight, or struck by lightning, she winced at her own reflection contemplating if that was truly her face or if her eyes were still adjusting to the light. She turned on the shower and hopped in quickly, time ticking by, she had already been in trouble with her manager earlier that week for being late, it wasn't really her fault though, she had gotten ready and waited for the bus that day, the bus, however, passed the timeframe it normally came to get her It's probably late, I'll give it 2 more minutes. 3 more minutes, 5, 10. It's not coming, is it? She made up her mind that the bus was simply not coming, and made a run for it, it was a good 4 blocks she ran to her work. She reached the front door and quickly straightened herself and fixed her hair before she entered the small corner store. "Sorry, I'm l-" "Late again Kyrie, honestly, I don't know why I haven't fired you yet?" Her manager, was a prick, a greasy fat man that looked as if he hadn't bathed for a decade, a man that had never probably experienced the loving touch of a woman, in any way shape or form, she shivered at the thought of anyone that strong wielded to touch something so unhygienic. "I'm sorry sir, you see my bus-" "oh fuck off Kyrie, you use this excuse all the bloody time, you are incapable, unreliable and a waste of my time, if you are late one more time I'm cutting you off, that's final, now get your scrawny ass behind the checkout". "Yes sir", she said sheepishly, like a dog with its tail between her legs, she needed this job to get into her dream art college, she had been waiting months for applications, and months for enough money for an entry. She was almost there too, just a few more shifts and she would be able to apply, that is, if she gets excepted, she was only 20, still young enough to be considered a child among the older "adults" but still old enough to be hit head first with the reality of "life" and responsibilities.

Kyrie had turned the taps off and gotten out, water dripping from her long hair onto the wooden oak floor, she shuffled towards her bed which had her close already there and organised prior for work, she hand dried herself off, got dressed and out the door with 10 minutes to spare.

She lived in a suburban area, a small, close together town, miles away from the nearest city landmark, she lived on the border of Canada, one day she wished she could visit there, such a beautiful place, the amount of scenery she could draw would be an artist's dream. She walked down her street waving at her old neighbours, a couple, who told her once after they invited her over for tea that they had lived in that little house on the corner of her street, next to her apartment complex for 34 years, the housing department was invested in taring it down but they refused all their offers and she was glad they did, she visits them daily, helping them with their groceries, listening to their stories of the past, and occasional feeding their cat Charlie if they weren't going to be home in time, they were like her parents in a way, she loved to be with them, ever since both parent's passing, she felt more alone, a big scary world, with no one to hold her hand, she didn't think of it much, she didn't have time to dwell on situations like that, she was too busy, never stopping, always trying to improve, herself and her work.

She finally made it to her bus stop, the bus around the corner, she internally high-fived herself, relieved that she was safe from the wraith of her demotic manager. A triumphant look spread on her cheeks as she entered the bus and sat down, that'll show him she's reliable.