Sins of Aiden

6

CHAPTER 6

The yellow promising luster sweeps through the serenity of the enclosure. Spiny stabs from the dimmer handle my shell of sentiment to a puddle of gloom. It curls around me, snarling around my arms to hold me captive.

I look hideous.

There is no concealment here. The vast mirror displays me all there is to see. It doesn't shy away from the promising swollen aggravated bump that makes me all too aware of how absolutely ridiculous I appear.

I fold a strand of hair behind my ear and angle my face to the mirror. My heartbeat is evident in the exasperated ruddy swelling.

It appears like I've been in a feral catfight—and the cat has won.

Well. . .

I hiss in affliction when my fingertip skims the node. I rip my finger away. The yellow light above me flickers—nearly like a wink of sneering at my weakened shape of mind. I can't be in here any longer. I force my stare away and rip the bathroom door open. The wind pushes my hair out of my face—feeling a drip of gratitude from the cold air grazing against my heated body. 

For the past half an hour I've been endeavoring to cover up the evidence lying with greatness on my lip but as soon as something touched it I saw white spots. The only thing I've achieved in the time I've been inside that room has been masking my rosy cheek that Ember's silky hand has felt the day before.

I haven't exactly built up a plan to defend myself when the time comes when Madelyn finally sees my face and asks me why I look so unpleasing. I will lie—which isn't my best strength since Madelyn always sees right through me—but I'll need to sell it. She can't get in trouble again because I'm so. . . fragile. I won't put her through that.

Luckily for me—we only have one class together today. A class that Madelyn usually skips within a heartbeat and I'm praying it stays that way today too. Then I'll have more time to mask my lip and a lie at the same time until tomorrow. That's my plan for now.

A heaviness lies with convenience around my chest and I take a shaky inhale to sense the soreness of how much I've been crying last night. It was rapid, intense fuel that gripped me and I couldn't breathe because of how much I was hyperventilating. So much so that I was glad that Liam was on a football game and my mother was on another one of her endless business trips last night. Because surely, people from across the street could hear me fight for my life.

The staircase creaks when I bounce down and my freshly washed clothes embrace me close to a warm blanket. The house is serene and I take in the shortness of it before it'll be gone. I move to the kitchen, in very much need of a huge glass of icy-cold water to hydrate after letting out so much fluid last night. The tap holler that I wince when I turn it on and I let my glass get filled up.

There is not much I can do than to wish this day will go by smoothly. It is Friday which means it is the last day to put myself through misery before the weekend. But. . . I sigh. I don't want to let myself think about it but I know I'll not get the peaceful weekend that I desire with all my heart because tomorrow is Luke Ridgeway's welcome-back party. The one I've been dreading to come. At this moment I have absolutely no energy to socialize with stuffed rich kids who no matter what I do will never spare a second glance my way and the only reason why I'm going in the first place is to make Madelyn happy. She won't take a no for an answer.

But not looking forward to meeting her friends.

I jerk away from my thought when icy cold water coats my fingers and I haul the overfilled glass away from the tap.