Solitude

Chapter Three- Forgotten dreams

I flew off my bed gasping for air. My body was sticky with sweat and my face stinging with tears. You know when you have a dream, and you wake up and immediately forget what it was about but you know it was really crazy and you wish you could remember what it was about? Every night was like this since Dimitri lost his eye, I really missed dreaming.

Struggling to get off the floor I padded to one of the bathrooms down the hall with a towel grasped loosely in my hand. It took me a while to figure out how to get warm water on, but when I did it was absolute bliss. Taking a shower always helped me with thinking and relaxing, even after a bad day it was the one thing I could look forward to to help me cheer up. After, I stared at myself in the foggy mirror.

My blue eyes were too dull, my hair too long, and my face was too angular to be soft and feminine. I twisted my body from side to side, looking at my hips and legs wishing they weren't so wide and long. Sighing I wrapped my towel around my head and threw on a tank top and pj shorts. It wasn't like I was going out to see people any time soon.

Now in the kitchen I looked through the cupboards, the pantry, and the fridge. Just enough to last us a week. And more than enough for me to make us breakfast. Less than an hour later I had made pancakes, sunny side up eggs, toast, bacon, hash browns, and two pots of coffee. Making two plates, I carried them up towards the loft beginning to rethink my decision.

I hadn't even realized I had stopped at the top until the man growled. My cheeks blushed and my feet moved me into the room. The man from yesterday was still in bed, this time with clothes on, his arms thrown over his face.

"I made breakfast.... I didn't know how you'd like your coffee so-"

     "Get out."  His normal voice was deep and just as threatening as his booming voice from last night. Boy was this awkward. I stood there a moment, unsure of carrying out his command.

     "I'll just set it down right here...." His plate and mug were placed on the bedside table next to a peculiar lamp.  "I'm Winifred by the way. My friends call me Winnie." He didn't answer. "Uhm, are you okay? Last night you seemed a little... in pain." He grunted, peeking a single mint eye out from under his arms.

     "I'm fine. I just enjoy peace, and solitude, and silence." I pulled the towel off my head, feeling a little silly with it on now. "So if you'd kindly get the fuck out, it'd be much appreciated." He rolled over, his back now facing me. Black and colored lines marred the skin on the back of his neck and along the slivers of skin that showed through the hair on the sides of his head. This man was just full of surprises.

     "Excuse me for being concerned for the only other person on this entire floor. I hope you choke on the pancakes." I'd never been that harsh before except the time I pushed Dimitri off his bunk bed when we were ten. I was just so angry that this man- whoever he was- was treating me like the floor we walked on. He didn't know me, so what right did he have to disrespect me like that? I even make him breakfast and asked how he was doing. What a jerk.

     Downstairs, I ate my own breakfast and took a small nap on the couch. Something orange and glowing was flying towards me floating down from the ceiling, a small object only the size of my palm. It floated and twirled in the air above me, small lines going through its body like hair almost. The air was warmed by something around me, not uncomfortably warm but just warm enough to comfort you and make you believe you were safe. A person laid down beside me, brushing my hair back from my face.

     "Winnie.... I'm sorry. I should've seen the feelings you had for me. I wish I had earlier, and now it's too late." Dimitri cupped my face with his soft large hand, stroking my cheek with his thumb. This always felt so real.