Time Difference

10. Cycle

"What is it? Oh, no, was I snoring?" I murmured, still mostly asleep, the room was dark yet. I had felt Jungkook shake me and it was a new worry.

"No, Aria. You were having a nightmare or I wouldn't have woken you."

"Was I? Are you sure I wasn't snoring?" He stifled a laugh and I stretched. "I have to pee," I told him.

"I can let you up," he said, though I think my arm was wrapped around his stomach. I should have been embarrassed. "Aria? Aria, did you want to get up?" That was the last thing I heard before my alarm went off. I went to stretch again after I turned it off but I couldn't because now I really had to pee. The blood in the toilet made me nervous. Was this going to be a problem for the Bangs? What a weird thought. I showered and went back to my room for a pad since I had left them in my room instead of storing them in the bathroom. I wasn't sure my dad was ready for teenage girl menstruation. Some day I'd have to give him the talk, but not now.

I was thinking about blood though. There must be a dozen paper cuts, or nosebleeds, or periods every day. I didn't think the Bangs had any trouble navigating school with other students and teachers bleeding in various capacities. I hoped I wasn't an exception to that rule. Maybe I'd have to go back on birth control, I'd started taking it a couple of years ago when my period didn't stop for three months. The doctor prescribed it to balance the hormones related to bleeding. I didn't need it for long before I took myself off it and my cycle went back to normal. I could go on it again if bleeding was a problem for my new olfactory sensitive friend on the unorthodox diet. Black underwear. I should have black jeans. Maybe if I ever make it to a store.

"You're looking refreshed," I said to Taehyung who was bright-eyed this morning. "Been a while since you got a good night's sleep?"

"You have no idea. You look like you had a rough night though. You didn't get a stomachache from my cooking, did you?"

"No, I," I'd never been one of those very open people who discussed things that were deemed private, but the intrusive thought to say something pushed its way forward, "it's that time of the month." I should have felt weird saying it, but I didn't for some reason. I was going to have to ask Jungkook about it, I thought, so I might as well get used to saying it.

"Oh, I see. Do you want anything, some chocolate, ice cream, hot water bottle, tissues, acetaminophen?" Taehyung was trying extra hard to be helpful.

"No, it's okay," I found his effort amusing and pleasing. "You're sweet. It's not quite like that, I know TV makes it seem that way, maybe some people feel better with all that. I just get a sore back and can't figure out why, then I'm all, oh, yeah, that's why. Every time, too. You'd think I'd remember from one month to the next. But no, I'm not going to break down sobbing or stuff myself full of chocolate. Not more than usual, at least."

"I was sort of hoping for an excuse to get some chocolate to share with you, but if you'd rather I..."

"I didn't say no, Taehyung. I just said I don't need it any more now than usual. Sometimes I wonder if we act like women aren't in control of their fluctuating hormones to make them seem less rational, as though we don't all have hormones that fluctuate all the time, even throughout the day. Sure, dramatic hormone changes can affect mood, I'm not dismissing that, but it's weird to conflate hormones in women with behavior changes specifically."

"Oh, I know what will make you feel better. I've got a joke for you. It's hysterical. Hysterical." Taehyung laughed at his own joke as I did my best to not. "What? That wasn't funny?"

I shook my head with a deep sigh. "Maybe it's just because I'm moody today, yeah?" I wiggled my eyebrows at him. "Maybe my uterus is floating around causing havoc."