Have a Nice Day

Pick Up Troubles

The rest of the day went by in a blur. I could feel each and every class colliding together like it was nothing special. A numbness fell over me and never left.

I don't even remember eating lunch, and Crimson and Feather seemed to avoid me too. There was no doubt that Hona told them everything.

When I got home, I closed the front door, and collapsed. My legs couldn't bare the weight of what Hona had done. Tears streamed down my face, but I didn't make a sound. I had trusted Hona, and she betrayed me. 

I have never felt so alone. My dad is gone for another four days, my friends all hate me, and the one and probably only guy I have ever liked now thinks I am the most vile and cruel and most disgusting human being on the planet. More tears came.

My mouth was open, choking for air that the lump in my throat wouldn't produce. I held my gut, but nothing eased the pain.

At least it was Friday. I didn't have to see anyone for another two days, and that should tide me over. I got up and dumped my carrier's bag on the table, sitting down on a chair. I put my head down on the table and wrapped my arms around my face, shutting out the world.

I could feel my chest fill up with air, but with the exception of breath, comes the consequences of taking it. Tears not only fell from my eyes, but they jumped off my face as fast as they came. Sobbing. Have I really come to this?

I am weak. I am vulnerable. I guess I have come to this. If I am weak, I should be able to be weak. If I am vulnerable, I should be able to be vulnerable. This curse has torn apart my life, and shifted it around, so now instead of teasing the people that are weak and good, I am the person that's weak and good.

The roles have been switched, and I am on the bottom of the food chain called high school.

"Why me?" I asked. I seemed to be there for hours. 

Finally, I decided to get up and choke something down my throat so I don't starve myself, when I heard the doorbell ring. 

I huffed and went to the door, opening it.

"Hona, I don't want your criticism right now, okay? So go-" I started. That's when I saw who was at the door.

I slammed it shut and leaned my back against the face of the door. I almost had a heart attack right then and there.

"Uh, hello?" I heard Jace call from outside. I grabbed a stray pot from the counter and used it as a mirror, wiping my mascara that had melted onto my cheeks with my tears. It caked my face, making myself look like a human raccoon. When I was presentable enough, I walked back over to the door and opened it with a big smile.

"Hi, Jace!" I said, casually leaning on the door frame.

"Hi." He laughed. 

We stood there awkwardly silent for the next couple of minutes. 

"So.....you ready?" He asked.

"Ready for what?" I replied.

"To hang out?" Jace laughed.

"Oh, right, um, why don't you come in, I'll be ready in at least ten minutes." I said, gesturing him into the house. I closed the door behind him.

"Okay. Nice house by the way." He said.

"Thanks. I'll be right down." I said, walking over to the spiral staircase. The second I was out of his sight, I sprinted up the stairs. Huh, I guess it is possible to trip up the stairs. 

When I got to my room, I burst through the door and instantly tripped over the pile of laundry that crowded my doorway. My dad usually did the laundry, but now that I'm by myself for a week, it's been piling up. I pounded the ground in frustration, then thought twice about it and kept most of my movements silent. 

Knowing my past self, ten minutes would probably turn into twenty, then to thirty, then next thing I know I have missed the event. So, to eliminate this problem, I set a nine minute timer on my phone and set it on my dresser as I got ready.

Running around like a crazed chicken, I stifled through my clothes, throwing some out of the way, smelling some to make sure they were clean. Finally, I settled for a short black-leather mini-skirt with black see-through tights. I also chose a square-top t-shirt with a black skull on the front.

Throwing the clothes, on, I made sure that they were on straight and they were positioned right, like the shirt draping off of my bare shoulder and the skirt waistband high on my hips. Even with the skirt up enough, the square-top shirt showed off my belly button ring. I ran over to my bathroom with less than four minutes left on the timer and cleaned up the left-over caked makeup and redid it, just like I always did. Black lipstick. Red blush. Spider-web mascara. 

I look down at my phone just as the timer is going off. I panic, only to realize that I gave myself one extra minute. With shaky hands, I turn off the timer and straighten my hair with an iron.

The second I was done, I put away the iron and practically ran to my closet and grabbed my red high-heeled tie-up sandals that wrap around my legs until the very bottom of my knees, yanking them on. I got back up and hopped over the pile of laundry, heading down the stairs calmly, trying to contain my roaring breath.

Jace was sitting down at the table, looking at all my key chains on my carrier's bag. He looked up and stood, smiling.

"Ready?" He asked.

I nodded, keeping my mouth shut to calm my breathing, which was almost under control. He walked over to the door and opened it for me. I nodded a thank you and walked out of it, grabbing my motorcycle helmet sitting outside the door.

"What's that for?" He asked, coming out.

"Oh, sorry. It's a force of habit." I said, setting it back down. "It's for my motorcycle."

"You have a motorcycle?" He asked excitedly.

"Yeah, my dad got it for me for my fifteenth birthday. He got it from a junk yard, but I restored it and it purrs like a kitten." I said. He bit his lip, closing the door behind him and guiding me down the steps. I saw his face and asked, "Do you want to see it?"

"Yes!" He blurted out. "Er, I mean, if I can, sure." 

I brought him to the garage where I am supposed to keep my bike, but I never really did before the curse. Now, it sits tightly in a corner where I drag it out everyday to go to school.

"You can't really see much, but I can bring it out for you if you want to see the touch-ups that I made." I said. He nodded slowly, as to not to seem too excited. I hopped onto the seat and turned the key, letting the bike beneath me roar as I pulled it out. You could almost feel the excited-ness flowing out of Jace.

Red flames and white sparks lined the body of the beauty beneath me. The backdrop was pure ink-black that shone in the light of the garage. Jace's jaw dropped.

"Dude, that's sick!" He yelled over the motor.

"Yeah, it's a standard motorcycle, with two seats and has 450 CC." I said, shutting off the bike.

"That's awesome, Meep." Jace said.

"Thanks." I replied, pulling back my hair. "So, should we go?"

"Yes! Let's go!" Jace said, helping me off of my motorcycle. I closed the garage door and got into Jace's car.