The Artess

4. "K.S"

Song Of The Chapter - Roslyn - Bon Iver & St. Vincent

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Carmen

When I wake up my head is beyond pounding. A ray of sunlight flickers in through my window, streaming along my ruffled white sheets and up onto my unusually coloured wrists. My eyebrows automatically knit together in confusion. I pull the cover off my arms, revealing dark lines running across the bruised flesh.
It didn't look like the kind of hand marks you got from when your wrist is being held too tight, these lines were thinner. I concentrated on the line, glancing from my left hand, to my right.

It was like a light bulb went off. I put my two wrists together so that they were palm to palm. The thin line consistently encircled around my hands.

Zipties.

I then put two and two together. The memories from last night pumped through my mind. First of all, Flower Boy wasn't as innocent as I first made him out to be, and he clearly knew the hooded man, otherwise he wouldn't have whispered anything to him. Someone by the name of 'Kason' was brought up. And I think, whoever he is, is apart of the reason as to why I might have a goose egg on the top of my head. 

Without another doubt I pull the covers off my legs revealing the same tattered clothing from last night. My stomach twists at the memories from the night before. So I stripped it off, peeling away the memories I wish I didn't have. The cool air sitting still in my room causes goosebumps to form on my nude skin. I drag myself to the bathroom, turning my shower faucet all the way to the right. I turn to the mirror brushing out the kinks in my hair while I wait for the water to warm up.

At first I thought I actually didn't look that bad for the night I was unfortunately put through. But as I leaned in a little closer I saw the little things that aren't normally there.

It was like the redness in my eyes was turned up 100%. The usual warmth that homed itself on my cheeks was no longer there but a dim bit. It seemed like my acne had flared up over the following nine or so hours, displaying itself across my forehead. And somehow, blood had seemed to crust over the hairs on my eyebrow, and under my nose.

Tears stung my eyelids, but I refused to cry. I shouldn't, not over the way I look, nor not over the way he acted. He just simply doesn't deserve it.

I looked up forcing the tears to go back in from where they came from. I blinked serval times to help the process.

C'mon Carmen, get a hold of yourself.

I twisted away from the mirror and back to the shower. Surely I had wasted five valuable minutes looking at my miserable appearance, that I could've used to better myself in the shower with.

I stepped into the small space one foot at a time. I closed the curtain behind me and reached for the nearest shampoo bottle. I felt an immediate urge to scrub myself clean - including my hair. I'd even get underneath my nailbeds if I had to.

I stood under the hot stream of water for another good twenty minutes. Allowing the diluted liquid to clense any last trace of impurities left on my body.

After awhile the water grew cold so I forced myself out of the shower. First soaking up my wet hair, I then wrap a spare towel around my body.

Walking back into my bedroom I noticed something laying atop my nightstand. I must have been completely oblivious to miss this in the first place.

It was a white carnation laying atop an envelope.
I walked up to the side desk reaching for the flower.

It didn't look any different from an ordinary carnation, so I dropped it on my bed reaching back for the envelope.

The frontside was blank. So I carelessly ripped it open, not surprised to see a letter folded up inside.

The letter read:

Dear Miss Carmen Banks,

     Did you know a white carnation symbolizes pure love and good luck? A little bird came to tell me you haven't encountered any good luck lately. So take this as an invitation for the hope that one day you'll brush into what's best for you.
If you find the stars too bright, I know a few places.

K.S

How the hell did I get home last night.