Accessory Wars

Chapter 7-Felisa

            I woke the next morning to my pillow covered in foundation and mascara. After my breakdown, I crawled under my covers and drifted off to sleep while sobbing my throat raw. I groaned and peeled back the covers, my body shivering as the cool morning air hitting my bare skin. My toes tip toed across the carpet to the bathroom where I slipped into a hot shower. After my morning routine, I felt a bit better. I ate my usual breakfast of a slice of toast before heading off to class for the morning. I used to drink coffee with my toast back in Jascaré. The coffee in Askara tasted like watered down dirt in comparison, although I heard that was only the case with cheap coffee. Cheap coffee was all I could afford.

I skipped my usual check in the mirror before walking out the door. I didn't want to see myself anymore. My feet shuffled down the narrow stairs and I stepped outside to another warm day. I grew up around the heat so it didn't bother me too much.

I unlocked my bike and headed off to class, my thoughts shifting to a much more positive topic. While I was never great at school, how could I when I missed half the time, I found myself enjoying college for the sheer amount of freedom I had. No one yelled at me when I got home. I ate when I was hungry. When I did dishes or laundry, I only needed to wash my own pieces. I got to study and learn, not to mention have the freedom to go to my classes without worrying about myself or someone else. It felt nice.

My morning classes, math and psychology, went by as usual. They were located on the main campus so the long bike ride over gave me time to stretch my mind and my legs. I would need to take the bus when the weather turned cold. Once morning was over, I took the long ride back downtown for my drawing class. With the town growing so much, they weren't able to expand the main campus as fast as they wanted to so they started a secondary campus downtown in renovated historical buildings. I liked they put the art classes there. It made them feel more down to earth.

What surprised me was I hoped I'd see Kami walking around. I didn't, much to my own disappointment, but it had been a long time since I looked forward to seeing someone.

Unlike my first two classes, I found it hard to focus on the professor. I hadn't worked on my project since two days prior and I knew I would need to work long hours this upcoming weekend order to get it complete on time. I idly poked my pencil at my notebook as the teacher went on about techniques for shading. All the use of black made me think of Kami and I wondered if I should tell her about me. If I did, would she accept me?

Class left me more behind than before as I failed to pay any sort of attention to the lecture. I would have to find videos online to show me the techniques the professor demonstrated in class. I made my way to my bike, thinking of what groceries I would be able to afford until my next stipend. Because of the panties, I was left with beans, rice and bananas. Maybe I'd branch out and try some of the cheap Askara style food. It never looked appealing, though.

As I unlocked my bike, the sound of shouting caught my attention. I peered through my bike spokes and blinked in surprise as I spotted a familiar figure in black. Kami argued profusely with some stranger, someone a bit older than her with cocoa colored skin and a shaved head. My eyes glanced at my bike. I wanted to grab hold of it and run, pretending I wasn't present. But I couldn't. Kami helped me when I was being threatened. I needed to do the same for her. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I took a deep breath, clutched tightly to my messenger bag strap, and marched over.

"Hey," I called out meekly. Neither heard so I tried again. "H-hey!" The pair turned, neither wielding expressions I wanted to see. The man looked irritated by my presence while Kami frowned at me.