Estate

Chapter 6- Truth

It was week three. I was over the leg pain and limp. I was back to normal, mostly. I couldn't run, but I could walk normally. I spent the previous day feeling the grass on my feet. I let the sun burn me, and I sat under the weeping willow and read the novel I had been so excited about. The sun was setting when I had made my way back inside. My group had spent the day in the Lilac Room, what we referred to as Headquarters. That night passed without a single memory made. We had all been on our phones and enjoyed just sitting close to one another. 

Now, I wanted more than anything to sip wine in my hot bath. I wanted to glue on a wig just to twist it up and feel like a woman. It was boring, not being able to be myself. I had that cushion back in my dorm. I could dress up just to stay in my room. I could be myself around my friend. Now, I was completely hidden. I may as well have not brought anything with me. 

I sat in the tub, curtain almost completely closed, and door open. Macy had walked in on me one night, and I quickly learned a lesson on privacy. The girls were getting used to coming into my room and hanging out, so I left the bathroom door open to talk to them. I was alone for the moment, and I was debating on locking the door and spending the night dancing around. 

"We have arrived!" Macy sang in a high pitch that hurt my ears. The girls plopped down on the bed and rolled around. Not only had I gotten the room in the tower, the coolest room in the house, but I had gotten the most comfortable bed. Even Greg was jealous. 

"My, my, ladies! Have you no decency?" I tried to joke through my sinking soul. I had to lighten up, and the only way I knew how was to get the laughter going. 

"Says the naked man who invited us into his room!" 

"I heard you two from the first floor. Why wasn't I invited-" Greg stopped when he saw me sitting in the bathtub. "Oh. Is this a normal thing?" 

"Pretty much." Tasha patted the empty space on the bed. "We sit, we contemplate our place in the world, gossip, and spill secrets." 

"Why am I just now being invited?" 

"You weren't!" 

"I see why." 

"Did anyone bring snacks?" I whined. "I could use some chips and soda." 

"Actually, I think I have something better." Macy grinned at all of us, trying to gauge our confusion. "Give me two minutes." 

In the few moments it took for her to leave and come back, we had come up with increasingly dark humored scenarios about what she would be bringing back. None of us had guessed correctly, although we knew she would bring back some sort of alcohol. It was like Christmas Morning. She pulled two bottles of wine from her purse. 

"Girl, you gonna' get caught with that heavy bag. Did anyone see you?" 

"No. Everyone is sitting downstairs watching the horror movie marathon. Now, we three can share this one." She popped the cork. "It has a higher alcohol percentage. Our fearless stunt boy can have the other." She brought me a bottle and popped it open. "You were the one who loves blueberries, right?" 

"Right." 

I refilled the hot water, letting the steam bring out my sweat. The three began to talk about some kind of tax reform. I had no clue about politics, and I stayed to myself for a while. I sipped from the bottle, and it wasn't long before I felt my depression disappear like smoke. Just simply looking at the floor made me start giggling. 

"What are you doing in there?" Greg yelled. "It better not be what I think it is!" 

"It's not!"