Our Silent Nights

Chapter 2: Reunion

      I woke the following day to several text messages, demanding to know if I was back in town. Several of which were from Lydia and Danni in our group chat.

Lydia: SCYTHEEEEEE

Lydia: WHEN DID YOU GET BACK? DANNI SAID HE SAW YOUR CAR.

Danni: I said DR. DEATON'S car was in the driveway Lyd, we don't even know they're home.

Lydia: He left for two days and now his car is back Danni. They're 100% home.

Scythe: Ffs, ofc I'm home. Didn't you see the bags and bags of herbs I had to carry?

Danni: Whoop whoop

Lydia; That's a fair point lol

Lydia: Are you coming to the party this Friday?

Scythe: It's the first week of school, there's already a party?

Lydia: Duh, I'm throwing it so you know it'll be awesome!

Danni: Please please PLEASE come, I need my wing person, I was single all fucking summer.

Scythe: Fine. But if anyone says anything about my outfit, they'll have some problems.

Lydia: It's MY party. I'd like to see someone brave enough to try it.

Danni: hahaha

I left the group chat quickly to send off a quick text to Lydia privately. Lydia Martin is my best friend. Has been since I moved in with De. We used to color coordinate and have sleepovers every other weekend, we were queen bees of the school. Once I started figuring out my gender identity and moving more into the punk scene it would have been easy for her to drop me, but she didn't. She backtalked anyone who had a problem with me and I'll never forget it.

Scythe: Are we still on to match today?

Lydia: 100%, let me pick something very quickly and I'll shoot you back a text.

Scythe: Okay. let me know quickly, I'm running late, so I've gotta grab a shower and then run out the door.

Lydia: Want me to snag you some breakfast?

Scythe: Pretty Please :D

I dropped my phone back down on my nightstand and hauled myself out of bed. I felt my eyes glow lightly as I tuned into the sounds of the house. Nothing except the washing machine came bouncing back. De probably left early to tend to the animals at the clinic. If I had to bet, I'd say there was a sad-looking lunch box and a note waiting for me downstairs; but the lunchbox could wait for a bit. For now, I needed to wash the smell of herbs and travel off of my skin. 

The upstairs of our house had two bathrooms. A half-bath sat between my room and the guest room, and my bathroom was attached to the side of my bedroom. I glanced at the clock, 7:15, I'd have to hurry.

I snagged a towel from my closet and hopped into some scalding hot water, letting it turn my skin red, then assaulting it with some honey sugar scrub and raking lavender and tobacco-scented shampoo through my hair at top speed. By the time I was done my skin was an angry pink and the bathroom was overrun with steam. I scribbled a quick smiley face onto the mirror and flipped on the fan so I could see to do my makeup afterward. I grabbed my phone and started searching through my closet.

 It's pretty typical of someone who's friends with the top clique to have a large closet and mine was pretty big. Typically I'd wear jeans but Lydia and I had been texting about first-day impressions all week. It was going to have to be leather pants to match my jacket. There was a ding as Lydia sent over a picture of her outfit.  Long sleeve dark blue shirt and a plaid skirt with high-heeled boots. Perfect. 

I snagged an electric blue tank top and doc martens to go with my leather pants and jacket. Over the years we've found the key is to be subtle in matching. Make them the same color but in different shades. Make it obvious you're both wearing boots, but they should never be in the same style.

I slammed on some black lipstick and eyeliner and hoofed it down the stairs. A quick glance around told me I was right. De left a sticky note on top of the old flower lunch box that read "Went to work early, have a good first day. Won't be home until late. Order in or go to Lydia's. :)".  I shoved it into the top section of my black backpack just as my phone began to ring.

"Hey, Lyds." 

"Are you ready? I'm waiting outside with muffins!" 

"I'm on my way, just let me grab a scarf!" 

I glanced out the front windows and sure enough, her black beetle was waiting, engine running. Scarf in hand I made my way outside, sure to lock the door behind me. The car door opened without so much as a creak, warm perfumed air hitting me like a semi. I saw Lydia check haphazardly to see if it was in park before throwing her arms around me. 

"You cannot let him separate us like that again! Two weeks?? I almost died Scythe! I could have died!" 

I laughed, trying to keep the long strands of red hair from getting in my mouth. Her strawberry shampoo was nearly overpowering. 

"I will do my absolute best to make sure it doesn't happen again, okay? " I glanced over at the clock, eyes widening, "But, we have got to go! It is 7:45 and we can't be late!" 

She nodded quickly and detangled her limbs from mine before slapping two warm banana chocolate chip muffins into my hands. "Seatbelt."

I buckled it quickly, "Yep." 

She hit the gas and the two of us took off toward the school.