friday knights

29 ... v!nd!ct!ve

friday
knights
29

☊ | track twenty-three—in the name of love

TWO WEEKS SEEMED TO have gone by faster than expected. Two weeks Amira dreaded and prayed would go by slowly. September twenty-third. There was no importance or significance to the date, but it is the day the Knights come home from their vacation. She would see Carter soon. She felt it in her bones.

For the past two weeks, Amira had been in hiding. She stayed closed off in her room to avoid weird looks and questions. Luckily her teachers understood her healing process and her friends would bring back assignments and notes she needed to study for. Yasmin was happy to help her go over everything from their class so she wouldn't miss a beat once she returned. The only time people ever saw her face—when rumors started going around because no one in this damn school knew when to mind their business, was when she was forced to leave her room for the bathroom and shower.

Lydia and Yasmin were kind enough to bring her food after their classes for those past weeks. She was grateful for them. The only time she talked to Carter was through text. She refused to FaceTime or call due to her raspy voice. He was suspicious but she'd always assure him that school was just keeping her busy and stressed.

As for her family? Well, her parents were left in the dark. But her big brother never tolerated secrets so she told him everything. It took her a week to gather the courage to tell him but when she did, he was on the first flight to her rescue. He'd been staying since.

Standing in the mirror, Amira stared at her busted face whilst brushing her wet hair. She blinked once, twice, then would master not blinking for a whole minute.

Opened yet healing wounds on her forehead and cheeks, underneath her discolored eyes—also due to her lack of sleep. Her jaw was healing but not at the rate she wanted. It still forced her to take painkillers almost every day. Kaz's handprint did a number on her throat, a red mark that was still noticeable that she now hid with a scarf. And most days, she felt extra tired.

Girls in the background whispered and murmured as they watched or either went about their day. All the girls might not have gotten along or known each other well, but Amira was sweet to them and even if they barely knew her, they were still worried. Some of them would check up on her from time to time. The girls here were another reason why Amira loved college here so much. They weren't like the ones betrayed on tv.

Most of them stuck together. But then you have girls like Sarah. But Sarah was the least of her problems.

"Ouch," A familiar voice stepped from behind her.

"Someone really did a number on you."

Amira's eyes shot up at the figure through the mirror, her face remained blank and unexpressed. Sarah. Without a word, Amira looked back at her face she didn't find so beautiful anymore, and continued brushing her damped knots. "You look dead."

"Really?" Sarah strutted beside her. "No comeback?"

Amira continued with her blank thoughts and dull brushing. Sarah looked at her through the mirror.

"You know," She snatched the brush from Amira and began brushing her hair for her. That rosé suspicion from Amira and even the other girls in the bathroom.