It Will Always Be A Game

05: Found

Your lipstick stain is a work of art

"You, you, you, what did you do what did you do!"
"I-nothing..." I speak in a state of disbelief.

Waking up with a gasp, I turn around to see Moestie lying on my hair, pulling at it with her claws.

It has been a very long time, yet that memory still feels real. Also, the fact that every aspect of those days was ingrained into my mind didn't help either.

"Not my hair, baby," I speak in a croaky voice, shooing Moestie away. My thoughts wander to last night and I glance at the mirror. "Ouch!" I speak with a raspy voice when Moestie tugs at my hair. I lift her paws away from it and pull her into my hands. "You were here last night, you saw who it happening," I bring her closer to my face, "can you tell me what you saw?" I look at her. She meows and touches one of my cheeks with her paws. "Oh-no not my bruised face!" I wince in pain. I drop her from my arms and grab my phone from the side table.

An hour past noon?!
I groan in frustration. Scott's going to kill me.

It takes everything in me to toss my duvet off and get out of bed. I take a quick shower and decide to get dressed. I grab whatever my hands lay on. An oversized, full-sleeve black turtleneck with denim pants would do.

After putting my clothes on, I glance at myself in the mirror. The swelling had gone down a lot since last night, thanks to the ointments. However, it was only effective up to a point. Not even makeup would hide this.

I collect my phone and keys and make sure Moestie is fed before I leave. I also make sure to keep my pocketknife wherever I go.

Only thing I need with me.

The gleaming sun hangs in the sky, displaying its brilliance to the world despite being veiled by the clouds. The air was so crisp and filled with the smell of fresh grass and flowers, thanks to the beautiful park in front of my house.

I have to walk one mile to the subway.
How great. I do not feel like doing that right now. I dial in the only person I can talk to. She's going to kill me.

"Hello?"

"Alyssa? Are you alive? Where the hell have you been, Scott is putting us through hell right now, he just gave me this huge task and I don't know what to do, you're the only one who can help me. When I asked him again, he said he'll be back in a minute and it's been three hours! Three hours!" She yells. "I am losing my shit and my brain cells with each passing second and if you don't come right now I don't—"

"Azrah, listen to me, I'm at home and I can't walk right now. I've got... a sprained ankle s—"

"What?!" She screams into the phone. "Why didn't you tell me before, are you serious?! Wait. How?! Alyssa, I swear you're so careless I wanna slap you right now!" I move the phone away from my ears as it starts to bleed.

"Listen, I promise I'll explain everything to you later, is Josh there right now?"

"Yeah, you better," she speaks sternly. "And no, he had to meet his Nana since she kept missing him, so now I'm covering for him. And you!"

"Okay, how about you call him and ask him if he can pick me up, and don't tell him about the sprain, I don't want to deal with anyone freaking out."