Butterflies Volume II

Chapter 15

Kimiko tapped Violet on the shoulder. When she turned to her, she was holding up her phone, a message written on it.

"You smell like him."

Violet never liked hospitals, that was evident. She wouldn't need to go into specifics, it was obvious in just how stiffly she sat in her chair. She faced away from Kimiko and to the window, trying to block out the beeping and the shuffling of feet as much as she could. How she was so grateful she could heal herself, and although it took time since what the facility did to her, it meant she didn't have to lose thousands paying for uncomfortable garments and cold beds. It would take all she could to avoid them, she'd do anything not to have to be there. But she would for her friends.

As she read the message, she went pink, smelling her shirt for any remains he left behind. After the whole ordeal happened, and Violet was allowed to catch her breath, she left. Not out of shame, she hardly regretted what they did. She left in a rush out of sheer hope that once she was on her own it would feel real. That once she pressed her hands to the icy bricks outside the ground floor, she could breathe and take in that he was back with her again. She could face the fact that she had what she was chasing a year ago. That it wasn't fake, that he wanted her too.

"I did shower," she joked, Kimiko raising her eyebrows to her. Violet shook her head as she blushed, "it's whatever. I brought you some DVDs. Frenchie said you like musicals, so I brought you the best one."

She placed The Rocky Horror Picture Show on her lap, the big red lips and dripping texts. Intrigued, Kimiko flipped it over and read the back. It was different from what she saw Kimiko had seen already, but if she were to give suggestions that would always be what she'd pick. Lola had taken her to see it live when she heard she was a fan, the two dressing as Magenta and Columbia. It was the first instance Violet knew Lola was someone she could allow to be close to her. And so, she'd pass on the tradition.

"How does it feel to not have powers?"

Frenchie told her down the phone. He was worried at first, confused as to why she was so happy about it, but Violet reassured him it was a good thing she was happy. If she could live normally why wouldn't she take it? If it could guarantee her and Frenchie get to live in peace, then why not? He was still concerned.

"It's great. I feel normal," she typed out, and Violet smiled.

"I'm jealous," she said, holding her hand from her place in her chair.

"How is your show going?" Kimiko then typed out eagerly, "I still want to see."

Violet made a face, "from what I heard it's going well. But I can't show my face with everything that's going on."

Kimiko frowned, always so open. She took her laptop from her side, resting it over herself as she opened the DVD case. Although they could have probably found the film on one of the hundreds of streaming websites, Kimiko took the time to get it all sorted as Violet pulled her chair in closer. Resting her elbows on the edge of the bed, Violet waited as she clicked play, ready to see Kimiko's reaction to the fairly odd musical.

And they stayed there for the duration of the film, eventually Frenchie coming with brunch. He hadn't seen the film either, which shocked Violet as she scolded him on his lack of knowledge on the subject. Sitting there with both of them, she should have brought Lola, as she would have loved it. She thought of all the times she brought Violet to meet her friends, and yet she never met hers. Perhaps it would be some time until she met Billy, just until she was sure about everything, but Kimiko deserves another female friend. Sneakily taking her phone out, she took a picture of them watching the film and sent it to her.

"Caught some Rocky virgins!" She sent with the image, hiding her phone before either of them could notice. And from the looks of things they were far too absorbed to care. She had found a place she belonged, with people she belonged with. Violet wondered how she survived so long without anyone at all, how she was so complacent in her state of isolation. She'd perform at her old bar and she loved it, but how could she go home with not even a cat to keep her company? Now it seemed she could not get by without someone, whether that be Lola or the boys. She couldn't get by without Billy, no matter what ways he tried to push her away.