In Color. {l.r.h.}

her

Halli sat in the warm and prickly grass in front of the familiar tombstone she could find without even needing to see. She ran her fingers over the velvety feeling of the bushels of wildflowers that had been dumped in the same spot day after day.

"You know, Kat, I met a boy today," she whispered. "You'd like him. He's got the most stunning laugh, and he smells like the earth just after it rains. I bet he looks like art. I guess I'll never--"

Her phone's alarm went off again, causing her to roll her eyes and groan.

"I'll tell you tomorrow, okay?" She patted the smooth grave with a warm smile. "Don't you go anywhere."

She rose to her feet, grabbing her cane and beginning the short walk to her flat. One Mississippi. Two Mississippi. Three Mississippi.

There were 947 Mississippis. Then a left turn into an short alley-- about 63 Mississippis. That dumped her out right near the side of her scrappy apartment building. It was all she could afford, but it obviously didn't matter to her what it looked like.

She trotted it, giving a large wave in the bellhop's direction.

"Hi Halli! Right on time."

"Always am, Todd."

She relied on her never-failing muscle memory and the grimy railing to guide her to the staircase and up the twelve flights. When she'd moved into this place after dropping out of NYU, it was her intention to be somewhere hard to get to when her parents came to visit.

And then they moved to New York. Her mother took a spin class to build muscle to carry her up those twelve flights with ease. Solitary confinement wasn't really an option.

Halli retrieved her key from the necklace adorning her neck and swiftly unlocked her apartment. She stumbled over a shirt she'd left on the floor before retrieving a water bottle from the fridge and sinking into the couch she'd been provided with. She knew her whirlwind of a mother would smash her way through the door at any second. "Here to help," as she put it.

In all reality, Sandra Clemens was all too bored and paranoid to stay in her own home and not aggravate her daughter every day around 4:30. Evidently her favorite hobby was coming into Halli's apartment without a single knock, moving things around without really cleaning anything, squawking about how Halli was wasting her life away, slap a condescending tone on it, and leave without saying goodbye or closing the door.

Halli had it down to a science.

She visited the cemetery everyday from 3 to 4pm and made her way through the door at a slow stroll precisely at 4:27.

Her door was flung open and a shrill voice filled the air. "Halli Alaina Clemens, would it kill you to put your clothes in a hamper?"

"Hi mom. Love you too."

Sandra didn't seem to hear her over her own complaints. "I mean, for goodness sake, your apartment looks like a pigsty."

Halli rolled her eyes. "Yes, I'm quite disrespectful. It's not like I'm blind or anything."

Sandra placed her hands on her hips and made her way over to the sight of her daughter slumped down on the rock hard couch. "How's your depression?"

She looked at her mother like she was absolutely nuts. "What? I don't hav-"

"Maybe if you left the house some time, you would be happier."

"I do leave the house. I go to the park everyday. I sit outside and listen to children play, then I go visit Kat's grave."

Her mother groaned. "Come on, doll. Don't you want friends that are more-"

"Alive?" Halli raised an eyebrow.

"I was going to say exciting."

"I'm pretty sure that requires living."

She took her daughter's hands. "Wouldn't you like to meet a boy?"

Halli yanked her hands back. "I did meet one. Today."

"Imaginary ones don't count, doll."

And with that, her mother left without saying goodbye or shutting the door.

(a/n: this is so long sorry)