Rhenna

Twenty-Three

       "Well look at this". Mandy mused when she saw me walking in on my crutches. The very same night, after leaving Jae's, Sherra had insisted that I get a pair.
Even with the support I found it hard to put full pressure on my feet. With my right foot I had to step down on the ball of my heel.

And with my left I had to step on the tips of my foot.
It was an interesting show.
But it beat using a wheelchair. Yes, Sherra proposed that I get one as well. No, I did not agree.

With a little more effort I could walk just fine.

A bit of cuts on my feet were nothing.

"I'm guessing this is the reason you cant work tonight?" She asked with a cross of her arms.

I nodded. "Yep". I popped the p.

She scowled. "Your useless Rhenna!"

"I try".

I walked (hobbled) my way over to the nearest bar stool and plopped down. It felt nice, and a bit strange. Since I began working here I hadnt had any time to come around just for a drink.

I guess that's how it goes.

You tend to steer clear of your workplace even if it's a really nice club.

"You drinking?"

"Yeah".

Mandy slipped behind the bar. "What do you want?"
"Jack and coke".
She didnt move. Her eyes pierced my face for a long time before she tapped the counter and spun around. "You know...you look more like a vodka kinda of guy".

I perked a brow. "Really, and what do those folks look like?"

"A little shady a little grungy. A little you." She said the last part with a teasing smirk. "Usually whiskey drinkers have beards".

I scoffed. "Naha. I've seen women guzzling down a entire case of Jack".

"A women's taste in alcohal is always different then a man's".

I scoffed again. "True that, I guess".

She set down my glass and I mumbled a quick thanks. I took a small sip and held back a grimace. Whiskey, no matter how much I drank it, always held a bitter taste.

"That's on the house".

"Huh?" A bit stunned I glanced up at her.
She shrugged. "Take it as a 'sorry your hurt' offering or whatever".

This was by far the strangest, yet nicest thing Mandy had ever done for me. The more time I spent with this girl the more I realized she wasn't all bad.
Mandy, to my shock, actually had a nice side to her.

"Thanks Mandy". I gave her a low grade smile, it was the best I could do as of lately.
After that horrible "dinner" at Jae's apartment my emotions had dimmed somewhat.

I was more easily cranky and jumpy. I was on the brink of anxiety every second.
My nightmares were more vivid.

Each time I closed my eyes all I could see was my mother's face.

The one I didnt recognize.

"Elin!" A pitched shout jerked me out of my thoughts. I angled my body just in time to catch a blur of brown hair running right at me. I flinched back. They came to a halt. It took me a moment to connect the face with a name. Daniela. It was the Jumpy girl.

She smiled at me. "Hows it going? We havent seen you in a-"her eyes travelled down to the crutches leaning against the bar. She gasped. "What happened?! Are you hurt? Did you break a leg?"