Damsel in the Red Dress

Gray Line

My skin bristles at Kattar's 'bet' forming a thousand tiny thorns under the thin petals of my rose-colored dress. His eyes aren't angry, but they're dead serious, and I feel the need to fire back sharply - in defense of myself and Mrs. Moon.

"Who cares what your dad thinks? What does he have to do with this?"

"Nobody." Kattar shrugs, coolly, "And nothing. What does he have to do with anything?"

The casual way he says it catches me off guard. I stare at him bewildered, unsure whether he's angry, or if he really doesn't care. He's never talked much about his dad in the past...I guess because there's nothing to say.

Kattar flips the sandwich over on his plate with two fingers, as if afraid to dirty his hands.

The silence thickens.

I can't help but ask, with a shy half-laugh, "What's got you so meditative all of a sudden?"

He looks at me quickly with an irritated, almost angry expression.

"Oh, my bad, I guess I should be talking about race cars and explosions, right? Forgive me if I don't have a lot of interest in them at the moment."

Stung.

The thorns begin poking through the surface, causing little burning sensations in my chest and on the tip of my tongue.

I try to think of something sharp to say back, but the words fail me - there's a thin silence - like a light spell - begging to be broken by a...

What?

An apology? A confession? A kiss?

I'm tired of just being angry and sullen, and then sad all over again.

One of us needs to grow up.

But he should grow up first.

"Hey-"

Kattar's phone begins buzzing on the counter and I immediately recognize the ringer.

His agent.

Kattar sighs, shading his eyes with his left hand - waving the other, "Just let it ring. I'll call him back later."

But the fact that he's still calling after all these weeks tells me that he doesn't know...

How long is Kattar going to leave them waiting?

He flinches - almost shudders - not at the sound - but at the silence when the phone stops ringing.

"I'll finish the tree-" I start to say.

"Please don't."

*

I feel disgusting. Kicking my way through the snow, raising clouds of frosty pixie dust besprinkled with small pebbles and bits of broken asphalt.

I just want to wash off my skin and unlive today. I shove my key into the lock with enough force to pierce the strongest of hearts and the hinges disturb the stillness of the empty room with a long, low moan.

"I couldn't agree more," I mutter under my breath.

It's crazy to be talking to the door, I know. This isn't 'Beauty and the Beast,' and there's no magic in this little hovel of mine, just a tired-out princess.

"And a prince changing slowly but surely into a beast."

Metamorphosis my foot.

So what if I am becoming like Mrs. Moon? There's nothing wrong with that.

I think I've known her long enough to know that she doesn't do anything just for the heck of it, and if she was annoyed with Kattar's father she must have had a good reason. I don't get how Kattar could take his side over hers.