Shadow Effect

Opal

So, this next part picks up where the other left off.

Mabry was a problem that had disappeared from my life but the scars both physical and mental that she inflicted upon me still burned. When I said that I shut down before, it was amateur compared to how I was shortly after the attack in the woods. My mood was depressed most of the day and I suffered nightmares and sleep paralysis nearly every night that first month. I'd been trying out different depression meds but none so far had any effect on me. Most of the kids from the block didn't bother with me anymore either.

I felt all that I had left was my education and career dreams. No one could take them from me. I didn't do so well at fixing my mental health but I kept on at my grades and graduated with a modest 3.5 GPA. I'd be going to college in Maryland for the fall of 1993. That's how I ended up living there.

Opal was actually an acquaintance of my assigned dorm, who I met he third day. I spoke to my roommate sparingly and wasn't as enthusiastic as some to go about and make friends. I was there to get my shit done and graduate early. I had already spoken to my academic advisor and had a good start. Roomie, on the other hand, came to party. I was pretty unsympathetic when she brought random girls around. Charlene was lesbian, so she'd either be with girls she was friends with or ones she was hooking up with.

The summer before I left home I wanted to change my look. I was thinking about how folks tend to become their own person after graduation, since we become free of the social constraints of a high school environment. My style had always been whatever was trendy. Gran and pa weren't rich, but they hit the lottery for a lot, so we didn't want for anything living with them.

Mabry was the one to first convince me to dye my hair blonde. I kept it that color for a few years. Like hers. She always wanted us to look the same, wear matching outfits. I went along though I always thought it was corny. I wanted to be the opposite of that. I got immersed into the grunge subculture and started doing goth. I tweaked my own look, though. I was not with those big, baggy pants with the pockets or the capes. But I loved black and did the black lip stick, dark blue mixed with black hair and I wore corsets. Plus, this look was off putting to most and that was a good thing.

I noticed Opal was a fellow alternative and didn't look like she fit well with Charlene and the other girls. She was sitting on my bed when I walked in on a Tuesday.

She eyed me as soon as I opened the door and watched me approach her. I looked her up and down in what was probably a nasty way. I waited for her to get the hint to get off but she just stayed and smiled at me. "Hi?" I said, looking wide-eyed. "Hey." was all I got back, still smiling. Devilishly, sort of. I said no more to avoid saying something stupid and thus souring relations with my roommate to start off the year, but kept my expression hoping she'd pick up. I was in my robe and flip-flops, after all. After a few more seconds she said apologetically "This is probably your bed? Yeuh. I got ya. Sorry". "Took ya long enough" I thought to myself.

I wasn't appalled at the girl for sitting on my bed despite knowing it's mine. Wasn't sure why she was in the room alone, probably waiting for the other two to return. Or, she noticed that we may be more compatible because of the way we dressed. I'm not even sure if she was intentionally befriending me since I never asked her that.

I felt like saying something to lighten the mood, so I went with "I mean I don't own the bed. Lots of people have slept in it. Maybe even died in it. I think the college bought it originally". She glanced at me and smirked at that, and began browsing my band posters. I covered one of my smaller sections of wall with them. She went artist by artist and told me her favorite album and song, and they matched mine. We fell into conversation quick after that. Though it was slow and general. Told me her name was Opal. I felt it suited her. Opals are gems often overlooked but are beautiful when you really look and pair them with the right things.