Built on smoke and mirrors

Chapter 9

"Wind of a twister, Telvi, come on," Eydis said to me the next morning. 

"Do you know all the Motherwealth swearwords?" I asked, trying to buy time to stay in bed a little longer as I tried to wake up. If my body didn't ache with every move, it would have been easier to jump out of bed. 

She chuckled. "Nearly. There is one I just never can remember. I think it starts with a b." She pulled on a coat and slipped on a pair of shoes. "We only have one day, lets make the most of it."

She was right. I needed to make the most of it. I stretched one more time before ripping the covers off of me then getting out of bed. The least I could do was leave the campus and really see what the Motherwealth was like. 

"That's the spirit!" she cheered me on as I slipped on a pair of pants and a thick sweater. "We will get you so many cute clothes." 

I was not sure how that would happen since I had no money to spend. But I kept my mouth shut, not wanting to ruin the mood. Plus, I wasn't sure if I wanted new clothes. The clothes I had reminded me of what I left behind and I feared that I would forget about my hometown if I shed them. 

"These days are always my favorite. I love campus, but I am always excited to leave and give my mind a break. All that studying really causing headaches." She frowned as she rubbed her head. "So, are you ready yet?" 

I slipped on a pair of shoes. "Let me go pee then I'm good."

She smiled at me. "Great! I will meet you by the front door." 

As I walked into the shared bathroom, I ran into Odette. She glared at me before stepping aside for me to get into a stall. 

I had no idea what I did to her, but I could feel that she hated me. I tried to not let it bother my but I couldn't help but linger on the thought as a started to pee. As I walked out of the stall, to my dismay, she was there, waiting for me. 

"So how is campus?" she asked as her eyes flickered from my head to my toes. 

"It's alright," I said as I washed my hands, trying to not stare back at her.

"And Eydis?"

She wanted more but that was something I would not give her. "She's alright." 

"You better be grateful you have someone like her in your life. There aren't many as great as her."

I nodded silently as she walked out of the bathroom. There was a tone in her voice that made me wonder what happened between the two of them. 

I thought about it all the way down to the lobby of the housing where Eydis waited for me. 

She smiled at me as she ran some red colored liquid over her lips. I don't think I ever saw something so red on anyone's lips before. It was mesmerizing. 

"Hey, you want some?" she asked as she offered me the red tube. 

"What is it?" 

She laughed. "You don't know what lip stick is?" 

I shook my head. 

"Walter, Hell must be a sad place." she shook her head. "Have you ever used makeup before?" 

I shook my head again. In Hell, I didn't have any girls close to me to talk about this kind of stuff. Makeup, maybe Hell had it, but they surely did not have this red liquid. I would have seen it if they did.

She stepped closer to me and opened the tube. "May I?" 

I nodded as my heart raced a little faster.  My eyes met her mahogany ones as she gently smeared the red liquid on my lips. She was close enough that I felt her breath on my face. She smelt of honey and sunshine.