Every Day Without You

Afraid Of Nothing

I blinked in the bright sunlight, and my back ached from the awkward position I had been sleeping in all night long. I smelled something delicious and my stomach grumbled. The scent wafting past my nose, I sat up, rubbing my temples. 

"Baby, good morning," My mother said softly, beaming at me. Her grey hair fluttered softly around her shoulders, curling in random places all over her head. Her eyes mirrored mine, a soft brown, with flecks of honey gold. She always looked wide eyed and people often joked about how we both looked like deer in headlights.

"Good morning," I said, padding into the small yellow kitchen. Paint was peeling off the walls, and the once white cupboards had become dingy. I pulled open the refrigerator, searching for orange juice. I spotted it behind the milk and pulled it out easily. My mother handed me a cup, like she always did every morning, and I poured my orange juice in until it was practically overflowing.

I took a sip of juice and set my glass onto the counter top, which was a soft pinkish color. We weren't sure what they were made of, and we hoped it was granite. I helped her make eggs while she flipped the blueberry pancakes that had started the riot in my stomach. I stretched as she slid a full plate in front of me, I picked up my fork quickly and began to eat as if I had never eaten before in my life and food was a new friend I had just found.

"Slow down, your going to make yourself sick," She reprimanded me, and I smiled up at her, she was so hard to take seriously with her soft sing-song voice. "I'll be back," she said distractedly, "I'm getting the mail." I didn't look away from my food, too busy still stuffing myself like a barbarian. 

She came into the kitchen a few moments later, brow furrowed and reading something with care, her lips forming the words as she scanned the paper. "What's that?" I asked, my mouth full of food. 

"It's for you, it seems you have a-friend," she finished after a brief pause, I groaned out loud and she struggled to find the cause of my distress.

"A guy," I explained, "He comes to work everyday, and he follows me..." I trailed off, not sure if I really wanted her to worry. She handed me the note, and crossed her arms as I browsed through it quickly."Dinner?" I said in disbelief. "He wants to go out for dinner?" 

"Awe, it would be so nice honey, go and have a nice time," She said patting my shoulder. I gawked at her.

Obviously she didn't understand, he was my stalker. And that could possibly be an understatement. "I don't have the time," I said, creating a false excuse, today was actually my day off. 

"I know you have time, call the lad up, he sounds sweet," She said with a smile. 

"I'd rather not, do we need more milk or eggs? I can go pick some up," I said this to distract her, and before she said anything else, I stood up and went upstairs.

"Think about it," she shouted after me. I looked in the mirror, and brushed out my long brown hair, it was usually easy to maintain, always loosely curled. Next, I brushed my teeth and took a shower. Washing off everything from my little mishap at work.

After my shower, I quickly put on a dress, I wasn't sure why, but all of a sudden dresses were so easy to wear. I never wore them, but then something changed. It was a sheer pleated dress with a contrasting peter pan collar and contrasting sleeve caps. It also had one button closure on sleeves and contrasting embroidered lace hem. A belted tie at the waist, with long-sleeves and fully lined underneath. I put on black tights and black pumps. I brushed out my hair again and put it into a off the side fishtail braid.

I put on mascara and lip balm, I never needed much else, and left the house, pulling on a black peacoat as I walked out of the door. I shoved my pocket book deep in an inside hidden pocket and carried nothing else with me. I pulled my jacket in tighter, the wind was chilly this morning and I felt as though I were naked. Ducking my head low, I tried to seem nonchalant and idle.