Lend Me Pandora

Chapter 2: A Friendship Instilled

May 20, 20011- Friday- 3:12 PM

CHAPTER 3- Vintage Vanity

Of all nights that pass every week, last Fridays of the months are the best for Monique and her usual night out with her girls in the cheerleading team. But the problem is, she was never allowed to leave the house and the fact that she hangs out with that gang is the last thing her mother would be thinking about in the whole world.

She lies in her bed, staring at the ceiling waiting until her phone goes to life. The stillness of their house rang in her ears as she silently sat up on her bed squinting around for any sign of bothersome movement from any of her family’s figure.  Her phone burst with light suddenly. She quickly snatched it and stuffed it in her pocket. She silently tiptoed to cross the room which will lead her to the living room then out to the door. She pressed her lips together, avoiding doing any sound that might get her grounded for a week or worse forever in her life. She doesn’t even know why she needed to go to those night- outs. Probably because of her need of some color in her life she’s living as a popular girl who, inside her, lies deep within her real clumsy, fall- out and indifferent girl. She wanted to be someone great- someone everybody will remember after graduating in high school… And she chose the hard way aside from being herself and living the life of a simple girl she chose to throw away. There were more things-

THUD.

Her heart made a cartwheel inside her ribs and she clutched the stitch oh her shirt tightly as her chest made a wave of aftershock of pain. Her eyes travelled towards the living room where she can see a figure lying on a sofa. Leah! What are you doing there, she thought, cursing under her breath.

‘Oh shit, no, no, no,’ she whispered as Leah began sitting up from her slumber. ‘Who told you to sleep there, asshole?’

She fumbled for the door knob, keeping her eyes on Leah who’s taking her time on rubbing her eyes.

‘Nique?’ Leah called looking around.

For a split second, Monique thought she’s going to grab the door knob and make a run out of it but her mind stopped right there. ‘Emergency!’ she hissed, pushing herself to the wall as quickly as possible. Instantly, as her body touched the concrete, she felt her skin numb. She felt a hot sensation in her pores as she seemed to liquefy against the solid wall.

‘Nique?’ Leah called again, louder this time as she stood up and walked towards the bedroom. She passed her sister just an inch away making Monique hold her breath. ‘Oh… Gone? She’s in the bathroom maybe… Go to sleep…’

Leah gave a wide yawn and walked back lazily to her couch and slumped back to sleep. Monique clutched her chest, keeping her mouth tight shut as she gazed at her sister, making sure she won’t get up again. Not daring to ever make a single blow of breath, she waited until Leah is soundless and sighed out the air in her chest. She gasped for a few more, before flying her hand to the door, opened it and slipped through the small gap.

Slowly, as she relaxed, she felt the liquid sensation leave her. She looked at the doorway mirror and found herself staring at the spot she’s standing right there and watched herself materialize in the reflection.

‘I can’t believe my blood runs along in the chameleon family,’ she whispered, staring at herself in the mirror.

Bzzz… Bzzz… Bzzz…

The light of her phone seethed through her pocket as it vibrated against her thigh. She grabbed it and flipped it open as she walked through her way to the street. ‘Yep?’ she said through the receiver.

‘Where are you? It’s Charmaine here! We’re waiting for you already where are you-‘

‘Stop yelling I’m coming!’ she hissed and flipped her phone off and stuffed back to her pocket.