AND I STILL RISE

Chapter 5: The Struggle

"Come in," Ahri replied softly to the knock on her bedroom door.

Jinx slowly opened the door, sheepishly making her way inside the bedroom. It was a den, by all accounts. A simple mahogany wardrobe and make-up desk accented the room; an elongated bed took center stage - the place where... Ahri pulled her rabbits out of a hat; magic of a different sort, surely. Jinx tried not to dwell on it. Her eyes shifted towards her mentor, sitting in front of the mirror; wrestling with her earrings as she readied herself for a night into town.

Jinx stood for a moment, admiring Ahri. Her beauty ran past skin-deep; past the silky complexion, amber eyes, dark hair. Past the hourglass figure; full lips; soft tails, playfully gliding in the air. Her true beauty was in grace; subtle movements; style. The glue that held the artist's masterpiece together.

Ahri was, by all accounts, the perfect predator - a woman genetically pre–dispositioned to seduce prey with her physical endowments; be it man, woman. Scandalous. Chivalrous.

Nature certainly blessed her well.

"Hi lovely," Ahri greeted her with a smile, "you came to see me?"

"Um..." Jinx replied, loss of words as the perfect creature stood before her. "I just..." she looked down to avoid eye contact, thin frame slightly squirming as she tried to measure up. Beautiful. Confident. Determined. Ahri was everything she dared dream to be.

Jinx's mind was mired in a fog. That space in a dilapidated, roach-infested building; barely fit for one resident, yet somehow housing multiple tenants; somehow reserved exclusively for her - you know, the one naive enough to sign the lease.

The apartment where her roommates yell at her for leaving the refrigerator door open; flips out when she drains the hot water in her five-minute shower; accuses her of never taking the trash out while she's the only one that takes the trash out, quietly peering inside her neighbor's window; fantasizing about their perfect lives.

She tried to escape her habitat; end her lease early. Move out. Find new roommates. Find herself.

Every time, her mental landlord reminded her of the penalties for violating the contract. That they were doing her a favor, took pity on her; charity work, really. Explained it would mean a black mark on her rental history. That she should count her blessings to have a roof over her head, while so many others had so little.

How long were the terms again? She queried in these exchanges.

Ah, right.

Life.

Push it. Push it. Push it. Push it.

Fuck the landlord, Jay; you're before the woman that blessed you with a second chance.

The person that actually cares about you.

You know...

Another one.

Again.

Why do they do this? Why do they constantly put her in a position to fail to live up to their expectations? Why is she spending her life attempting to bake a cake with a layer of redemption; a cake she will never taste, but others will steal a taste of, for their own satisfaction?

Just a lick of the frosting in the bottom corner; you know, the one nobody pays attention to. Not enough to give away that the pastry's been molested; just enough to throw it off-center, if one looks closely enough.

Don't disappoint Ahri. Do what you need to do and get out quickly. Before she realizes who you really are. That you're not worthy to be her pupil. Not worthy of her love. Get out before she has second thoughts. Realizes what she's gotten herself into. Realizes you're beyond help.