Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Jenny sat on the front stoop of her apartment building again, a cigarette she'd stolen from Neil perched between her fingers. She didn't like smoking. She loathed it, actually. But it made her think of her mom. She missed her mom. Despite the fact that she liked her life now enough, she missed her old life. She missed her cheer captain position and the team, she missed her parents and driving her brother up the wall with her antics. She missed walking little Grace home from school, and spending all of her birthday money at the mall to buy new shoes.
Sure, she loved Derek and Hailey—they were the greatest things to happen to her. But she didn't belong with them and she knew that. That awareness was like an axe to the chest every time she acknowledged it. She didn't fit in with modern technology and the 'lingo'. She wasn't supposed to be here and it made her want to scream. It didn't help that she still had no idea why she was experiencing those blackouts. She didn't know why she was killing people. That haunted her too.
She felt like a jumbled mess of wires, too many things crossing at once. Unable to find the end or beginning. She was just there, the snake biting its own tail with no end in sight. God, she hoped there was an end. She didn't want to live forever. She didn't want to outlive everyone she loved when she'd barely lived as it. Would she age slowly if this was her forever? Or would she not age at all? Would she be seventeen for the entirety of what could possibly be her own personal slice of hell?
"Can I have a drag of that?" A voice startled her from her depressive spiral.
Her eyes snapped up, catching sight of a girl around her age with an easygoing smile and thick dark hair. The girl chuckled and smiled apologetically. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. I'm Kino."
Letting her eyes glance over the girls form, she decided that she didn't seem to be a threat, so Jenny shrugged. "Sure." She answered, holding the cigarette out to her as she quietly introduced herself. "Jenny."
Kino smiled appreciatively, gladly taking it from her and pressing it between her pink lips. Taking in a deep inhale, she passed it back. "Do you live here? I don't think I've seen you."
"Yeah, third floor."
"Ah! That's why I haven't seen you." The girl said as she blew the smoke, "I'm on the first."
Letting her curiosity get the better of her, Jenny tilted her head back, getting a better view on Kino's body as she stood at the bottom of the steps. She wore a black jacket that seemed well loved, paired with a red top and jeans. She seemed comfortable, relaxed like she was in no rush. Jenny envied that.
"Do you go to Beacon High?" The blonde asked after a moment of silence.
"Nah, I'm homeschooled. My mom thinks that public schools are modern day devil's work."
Jenny nodded, seemingly satisfied as she handed the cigarette back to her newfound neighbor. Pushing herself off of the cold cement she gave her an awkwardly tense smile. "It was nice to meet you. You can keep that."
