Museum Studies

Rollin'

It had been weeks since she'd last seen them, so Roberta was keen to get back to Roller Derby. Practice was every Tuesday and Friday at 7pm, in an old gymnasium off 83rd street. The gym had a banked track and a lights/sound system, this making it the perfect place to practice. Because of this, it was the home of the Big Apple Battleaxes, Roberta's roller team. Her workdays passed, and every night she went home happy, overjoyed to be working at such a famous museum. It felt like everything was sunshine and rainbows! Well- everything but Mark.

On the night of the horrendous date at the even more horrendous restaurant, Mark had gone out to vape after his meal. He'd taken Roberta to go with him, and the two stood in the restaurant's car park as he puffed on his vape. Roberta shivered in the chilly night air, pulling her jacket closer around her. Mark stared at his phone as he ejected clouds of scented vapour like a broken kettle, before turning to his girlfriend with a suave look.

"How about a kiss, baby?" He asked.

"I'm in." Roberta replied, softly pressing her lips to his. He opened his mouth, and his tongue churned around her mouth as they french kissed, like old socks being tossed around in a washing machine. His teeth knocked hers and his stubble rubbed against her face, and Mark pulled off with a grin.

"Man, that's nice. I like it that our love isn't like that cheesy shit in all the movies." He said, before leaning back in. Roberta attempted to kiss back, but his tongue was preventing hers from moving. He fumbled with her dress, and slowly began to slide a hand up her thigh.

"Mark!" Roberta cried, pulling away from him. "Not here, we're in public!"

"I just wanted to show you that I love you!" He poured, giving her puppy eyes.

"Mark, I love you. But please, don't do that stuff in public! It's bloody rude!" She glared, pulling her jacket around herself. Mark glared at her, and stepped back.

"Why are you such a fucking prude? Loads of chicks like being felt up by their boyfriends! Why do you have to be so weird?"

"Mark, I..."

"You should feel lucky that you have me, because no other man would ever want you!" He yelled. Tears sprang to Roberta's eyes, her black eyeshadow running in snail-trails down her cheeks.

"All you ever talk about is boring old statues and shit, and that fucking stupid rollerskate thing! Why can't you be NORMAL!" He yelled, grabbing her by the shoulders. Roberta choked back a sob, and Mark's face softened.

"Oh, baby, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to yell like that, you just made me mad." He said, giving her a soft look.

"I'm sorry! I'll... I'll try to be more normal!" Roberta choked, letting the tears run down her face.

"It's ok, baby. I forgive you. I mean, hey, nobody's perfect, right?"

That was three days ago, and Roberta still felt guilty about making him yell like that. Although she always acted cheerful around others, she'd cry in the shower at night, where nobody could hear her over the falling water.

You're such a fucking freak. If Mark stops loving you, you'll be alone forever. And you deserve it, you weirdo. You'll die alone with nothing but a load of cats. She would think to herself as her skin turned pink and rosy under the hot water. But at night, when she was nodding off in bed, she would hear that weird monster-woman voice again.

Don't listen to that motherfucker! You're strong, Roberta. If you weren't, you wouldn't be able to host me.

But what are you?! She would think back, only to be replied with silence.

Back in the present, she was heading over to the roller derby gym. Her beloved skates, helmet and safety gear were in her duffle bag, and she was in her practice clothes, her hair in a low ponytail. As she waited for the green man, Roberta couldn't help but get that weird prickly feeling all over, the one you get when you know someone is staring at you. She turned her head, to see a man standing in the window of a secondhand bookshop. He had dark skin and scars on his face, and he stared at her with absolute fascination, like an astronomer seeing a brand new planet.

"Can I help you?" Roberta asked after a full minute of staring.

"So she has the aura... The cards said there was a dormant user." He muttered. Then he quickly disappeared into the shop. Roberta went to chase after him, but the light changed, and she headed across the street instead, fearful of being late to practice.

"BOBBIE!" Kylie squealed. She waved from the track, where she was getting her skates on.

"Evenin'!" Roberta called back. The other members of their team looked up as she walked in and got her skates on. There were five of them here today- Kylie, Roberta, Lizzie, Dana and Valerie (Better known as Scare Dinkum, Hell-no Kitty, National Slam-them, Scream Latifah and Zany Winehouse), which was their usual lineup when competing. Lizzie, Dana and Valerie were usually blockers, meaning that their job was to prevent the opposite team's jammer from passing their pivot. As the pivot, Kylie's job was to set the pace and lead the team, whereas Roberta's hob as jammer was to pass the opposite team's pivot to win points. Roller Derby was no delicate sport- barging with your shoulders, hips and butt was absolutely allowed, and all the girls sported bruises. They all sported alternative fashion too, whether it be Kylie's bimbo (a term which she often used to self-describe) looks or Lizzie's goth vibes. The other three girls stuck to a generic punk/alt look, yet they all sported tattoos and piercings.

"How was down under?" Dana asked, pulling her locs into a ponytail.

"Hot and full of deadly things, as usual." Roberta joked, putting in her gumshield.

"It's so cool that you got the museum job! But that Joseph guy's probably insane." Valerie said. Roberta had texted the groupchat about her new job, yet she hadn't said anything about Mark. She couldn't bring herself to.

"Anyway, let's practice! We're playing against the Philly Princesses in 2 weeks, and they're known for being nasty. So let's rock and roll!" Lizzie announced, pulling on her helmet.

Several gruelling hours of practice afterwards, the ladies pulled off their skates and warmed down.

"How about a round of virgin margaritas?" Kylie suggested. "We can't get tipsy because it's a workday- boo!- but we can still go to the bar and have some drinks!" Everyone liked this idea, and they headed down to the team's local bar, Club Tropicana. It was decorated with fake, tacky "tropical" decor, but the drinks were good and the nachos were better, so nobody had any complaints. Roberta brought the first round of drinks, and just as she'd headed back to the table she gasped upon what she saw.

"Mark?!"

He stood there amongst the roller girls, all of which were looking at him with expressions varying from confusion to rage.

"Bay, I felt really bad about yelling at you on Saturday. You always come here after practice, so I came here to find you. I got you these to say sorry!" From behind his back, Mark pulled a bunch of flowers in pink cellophane.

"Oh, thank you!" Roberta smiled, taking them from him. He obviously loved her- why else would he buy her flowers?

"I can't stay, baby, but it's you and me against the world, yeah?" Mark said.

"You and me forever." She replied, sitting back down. As Mark left the bar, he didn't notice the light on in the flat above a secondhand bookshop over the street, or the man who sat at that window, staring intently into the bar.

"Jean? We need to keep tabs on her. She's dormant now, but I know for sure that one day, what's in her will awaken." He said, before closing the blinds and saying no more.