Him

Two - Shauna and Kyle

I run the towel over my freshly shaven legs. Femininity is a bitch. Everyone expects women to be clean shaven and if we have armpit hair god help us all!

I feel a presence behind me and I turn swiftly to find Shauna. "What are you doing here," I growl to my best friend.

"I came to make sure you didn't finally ensure your death. I worry about you. Ever since..."

"Don't." I snap cutting her off.

"Yeah. Yeah. I'm sorry."

I shake the towel through my hair, catching a glimpse of my long brunette hair. "You don't have anything to apologize for," I mumble as I wrap the towel around my hair. I cast my eyes down to the flannel I have draped on over my black two piece swimsuit.

"Well, I brought it up," she says sympathetically.

"So let's not continue it," I add narrowing my eyes and lifting my head to look at her. I pick up the duffle bag I brought with me and head to the parking lot for the beach.

"What are you doing later?" She yells to me.

My head stays in its place, facing toward the vans I'm wearing, but my eyes cast back. "Who knows." I start walking toward my car again and I know she won't follow.




----------------




I feel the drops of water fall down my face and back, 'Heroine' by Sleeping With Sirens plays in the background of my mind. It's actually playing, but it doesn't stop me from thinking.

Just like drug addicts with heroin, I would give anything to get him back again. I would pay any amount of money in the world. I would jump off a cliff if it meant seeing his shocking blue eyes again. I would swim with sharks if it meant seeing his black and purple hair again. I would do anything to feel his warm embrace again. But that's not possible. Not much is anymore.

Leaning my head back I close my eyes slowly and let the water fill my mouth and overflow over the brim of my lips. I feel my tongue move around my mouth searching to see if there's any air left in my mouth. I hold my breath and open my eyes again. Letting the water spill from my mouth, I move my head back into a place so that I'm staring at the white tiles. Darkened grout runs through the wall, disconnecting the chance of the tiles ever touching.

What would it be like to be an inanimate object? No cares in the world, nothing to worry about. Just being used over and over again for different things by different people. Sounds peaceful. Not having to worry about a brain. You wouldn't be able to worry. In fact, you wouldn't even be alive. Wouldn't that be nice?

I turn off the water and grab my black towel from off the rack. I step out of the shower as I wrap the towel loosely around my body. I take a look in the steam covered mirror. Even with it clouded I look like a mess. Dark circles crowd my eyes and my hair seems to be falling out in different places, not in large clumps, but just noticeable enough.

I close the door to the bathroom on my way out and go across the hall to my bedroom. I pull a pair of black jeans, a flannel, and a tank top out of my drawers. I throw them all on and then top it off with a beanie.

I make my through the apartment to the kitchen to find a note sitting on the counter:

Phoenix,

I've headed out to the store to grab a few groceries, if you need anything, text me. I hope you're not on your period ;)

-Kyle

Kyle is my roommate. That whole period thing is his version of a joke. He's like a brother to me and I love him, but he's a fucking idiot.

I roll my eyes and sigh. I go over to the fridge to find something to make dinner out of. I catch a glimpse of the sliding glass door at the other end of the room and I feel my heart clench. It leads out to the balcony. Our balcony.

I shake my head and turn my attention back to the fridge. He was under-exaggerating when he said he was only out to buy a few groceries. Nothing. Nothing in the fridge except for a bag of wilted lettuce and week old milk.

I pick up the milk carton and open the top. I sniff it but immediately retract my nose, plugging it with my thumb and forefinger. I hold it with my one available hand as far away from my face as possible. I walk over to the sink and dump it. I quickly run water and run the dish disposal. Pizza will do for dinner tonight.




-----------




Kyle gets home right after the pizza guy has left. I look to see that Shauna is in tow behind him. I huff and cross my arms leaning back against the couch. I love her but she's just going to try and cheer me up and there is a childish part of me that doesn't want to be cheered up.

"I didn't get enough pizza for all three of us," I mutter.

"I'm sure we'll make do, Phoenix, stop being so dramatic," Kyle says glaring at me. I roll my eyes and turn toward the two pizza boxes I ordered. Everyone grabs a slice then takes their respective seats.

Shauna plops down next to me, pushing up her black-rimmed glasses as she does so. Kyle sits at the breakfast counter, smart boy, avoid the drama.

Shauna nudges me and I turn to her. A big ass grin is plastered on her face, pizza sauce smears at the corners of her lips. I can't help but feel annoyed but want to give out a hysterical laugh at the same time. Kyle just sits in the background and watches.

"I'm going to bed," I grumble. I look at my phone and notice it's only 9 o'clock. I shrug it off and close the door to my bedroom as they both give me cock-eyed, strange looks.




---------

Thank you guys for reading this! It means so much. I can't wait to see where this book heads!!!!!!! Shoutout to AshEETee I LOVE YOU!!!! She made the cover of this book and is also who I based Shauna off of (Reasonably so given the name choice haha)

-xLil