SOPHMORE YEAR

CHAPTER SIX

I came out of the bathroom, my hair wrapped in a towel and me in a bathrobe. I stared at the ceiling with nothing on my mind, just thinking about my life and everything I had done that week. I just stared trying to get anything out of my head. It was what I usually do ever since I had my first mental breakdown. I never talk about it to anyone. I just talk to myself.

I got dressed and put on my work cover-up shirt. Mom sat on the couch doing some work on her laptop. Isabelle was next to her.

"Audreyyyyyy," Isabella squealed running up to me.

"Bellaaaaa," I picked her up, spun her around, and kissed her forehead. She was the cutest. I kissed her forehead and put her down.

"Morning mom."

"Hey Drey, please do me a favor and drop Bella at grandma's."

"Okay, where's dad?"

"On a work trip."

"Cool. Come on, Isabella." I held Bella's hand as we walked to the bus stop, but I used some of my money to buy her gelato and yogurt first.

Luckily, I caught the bus on time and dropped Bella off early with my aunt because grandma wasn't around. Today I was the secretary, so I had to stay at the table and receive guests. I sat at the table trying to make some floral designs for a cloth I was making. Customers were trying on their clothes while my boss, Stella, listened to their complaints. And God, they complained too much.

Mrs. Empress arrived with one of her bratty daughters who was touching everything. Stella pushed me to go and make sure the girl wasn't touching the wigs. I went and saw the girl, who was short and round, and touching EVERYTHING. I tried to stop her, but she seemed displeased with me.

I sat at my desk and laughed at the way the girl was behaving when a guy walked in. He had curly hair, was light-skinned, with perfectly shaped eyebrows. We had a brief conversation, and he asked for my number. I couldn't resist his charm and gave it to him.

Finally, Mrs. Empress left, and I took the bus back home, not caring whether my parents had come back or not. I preferred not to talk to them much, just greetings or hugs. I felt like I could handle my stuff on my own and tell myself my own jokes.

By eight thirty P.M., I heard a light knock on my window. I pretended to be asleep under my blankets, ready for anything, with my umbrella underneath preparing me for anything.