Playing with Fire

Chapter 1 - Part 2

She stepped out of the classroom in planned, cautious steps that fell exactly on the center of the tiles, laid flat and regularly on the corridor floor. Her leg joints were stretched in vain to achieve this benchmark for every step, but she wasn't bothered, regardless.

Perfect, she thought, as she tried to stretch her legs long enough to reach every center, like how one would neatly step on rounded stepping stones. She failed, her foot stopping short, as she gave out a stifled groan as she retreated her leg back to herself. She now walked normally, not wanting to rush to the restroom.

There're people waiting.

I'm tired.

I should go faster.

She found herself at the entrance of the girls' restroom, looking into the sinks inside. The mirrors under the pale lights beckoned her to come in, the reflecting rays tempting her feet to step inside.

She stepped in.

A long, big mirror was set rigidly above the row of sinks, showing her own face in sharp detail and color. She placed her hand on the mirror, exactly to the right of her face. She stared straight into her deep, brown eyes.

I am Jothi.

I like being called Jo

Her fingers curled into a loose fist that still remained on the glass.

Where am I now?

Jo took a deep sigh, fogging the mirrored glass as she breathed out.

I am in the restroom, and I wanna wash my face.

And... I'm tired. Problems, stuff; not in a good mood.

Her face glossed under the lights as she stared at herself, taking in her own face, trying to appreciate herself at least this once.

Her face glazed with a bronze sheen, a dot between her eyebrows, exactly in the middle of her two big, brown, twinkling eyes. Her chin was sharp, smoothly rounded at the tip. Her straight, jet-black hair slinked down as a ponytail, bits of hair escaping the tight bundle near her rounded ears studded with little, diamond studs. In a trance, the girl picked up her tapered, pale hands to the sprig of hair standing out in front of her ears, gently tucking them behind. Jo stayed still, still in her sudden trance, her limbs and features frozen. Her tipping head made her black glasses tip down her pointed nose, making the thick black frame of them black her vision, making her blink.

She immediately snapped out of her trance, standing up straight. She flicked her glasses off her face and slammed her glasses on the marble slab holding the sinks. Her left hand simultaneously turned open the tap, running cold, clear water into the sink. She held her hands in the running water, splashing her face, water dripping down her chin. The tap was turned closed, and the teen walked to the tissue dispenser with dripping hands that sprayed drops of water across the swept, pink floor of the restroom. The place was quiet, the dripping of water bringing a sense of calm rush to Jo's mind. Her dripping hands reached for the crusty tissue hanging off the dispenser, grabbing it down to tear it away.

A slight crackle as she crumpled the first piece of tissue.

Not enough.

Another grab, another tear. Another crumple.

She padded her wet face with the bundle of tissues, her skin now fresh and moist. She dried her hands, absent-mindedly leaving them half-wet. She pressed her short-heeled Mary Janes on the dustbin pedal, swinging the lid open. She dropped the wet tissue wistfully in the bin, releasing her foot.