The Tales of Flesh and Blood

A Talk In The Girl's Bathroom: Take II

*Warning - some slight disturbing content ahead*

Okay, so Tuesday wasn't exactly the best of days to be had when all you're trying to do is live a boring, subtle life. In fact, I could honestly say that out of all the crappy days to be had, that day was by far the worse. Being told that I had to mingle with the King of Gallin wasn't fun.

Luckily, I hadn't received any information about Frenice, and my assumptions about Hadi's work were correct. She didn't come home until I was already fast 'asleep' on the couch, and as well as the next couple of days, for that matter. They (the days) came and went with neither of us seeing much of the other, but that was normal with her work schedule. What I was most dreading was the weekend, where there was a high chance that she would have Saturday off, and I still needed to tell her about my date with Jaxon, whom I also had avoided since we'd last talked. The damage Landon had done to my neck wasn't as hideous as I thought, but I could still see the purpling bruises where his hand had been anytime I looked in the mirror without my hoodie.

I didn't see him or his friends until Friday, which made after-school detention awkward and uncomfortable Wednesday and Thursday. By the time Friday came around, everyone knew that there was something serious going on between me and Landon, but they tried to look painfully ignorant anytime I was around. No one wanted to pick sides, because no one was absolutely sure just how much either of us were capable of doing. Landon was by far more intimidating in size, but I knew that people were cautious of me mostly because I was able to show myself after upsetting the big guy, which begged the question: Did he or did he not settle things with me, and if not, why?

The complications of high school drama, was I right? I'd even managed to somehow steer clear of Jet, Stefen, and Pen. I wondered if they were just hoping to give me some space and see if I'd come to them on my own time.

School had already ended for the day; I was here on the basis of serving detention. During the last five minutes, I had asked Miss Hemsphire if I could be excused early to go to the bathroom on the pretense that I was currently on my period. I wasn't, but as I wanted to steer clear of Landon and his buddies, I wanted to get the jump on them, so I waited in the bathroom. Once I felt confident that they were all gone and off of the school campus, then I would leave.

I stared at myself in the bathroom mirror, wishing that I had a bit of makeup to cover the dark, underlining circles forming beneath my eyes. Having naturally pale skin (although, I managed to get it slightly tanned this past summer) and ashen white hair made those circles look as if I had been fighting the devil himself for the past few nights. I chuckled at the thought.

No, if anything, with the combination of having violet-colored eyes, I could very well pass as some terribly designed she-demon off of those cheesy wanna-be horror films. I glanced down at my hands, which were gripping tight onto the sides of the sink, and closed my eyes, taking in deep, tired breaths. It was hard to sleep knowing the kind of shit I just got shoved into.

Suddenly, I heard the bathroom door open.

"Go away," I snapped, turning my head away from the sound, hating the dull ache in my temples. "Find somewhere else to piss."

It was hearing the sound of a lock turning that made me look up. It was a couple of boys that I recognized as a pair of Landon's friends. They were both tall and athletic, broad-shouldered, but nowhere near the size as Landon himself. The one on the left was slightly shorter than his companion, and he had long, shaggy hair that he had to constantly push back from his eyes, and his nose looked like it had been broken quite a few times in his short lifetime. His partner looked little better. He kept his hair short, but he looked as if he couldn't decide whether he should grow a beard or not. Only parts of his cheeks and chin had bits of stubble to cover them.