Kim woke up with her face flush against the worn leather of the seat. peeling her face away she sat up, she felt her disheveled hair lick at her neck as she looked outside. the sky was still briskly dark, soft dawn colors not ready to spill yet.
Kim huffed yawned and cracked open the car door, letting the cold morning air pool in. picking up her phone she read 6:20 climbing out of the car she stretched her aching legs. 'a walk would probably help' she thought, quietly closing the door and walked in the middle of the quiet street.
as Kim walked she looked at the street signs, trying to figure out where she was; the drive didn't feel long but time was like water slipping through open hands when she talked to Brea.
the streets were almost completely bare, other then the odd car or early morning runner. Kim walked until she was on a main street, she walked past closed stores crammed side by side before she passed a woman leaning against the side of a laundromat.
"hey sweets, can i grab a smoke?" the woman called out just as Kim passed her.
Kim walked backwards to look at the woman, she was wearing a tight red dress and held her heels in her hand. the corners of her eyes were dotted wet with dark mascara and she could see the faint smudge of red lipstick on her chin.
"sorry no, i don't smoke"
the woman ran in a hand through her dark hair, smiling at Kim with hooded eyes.
"that's probably a good thing" her hip jutted out as she spoke.
a beat of silence fell upon then before the woman spoke.
"what's got you up so early?" she smacked on pale pink gum.
"eh, just trying to get home" Kim stuffed her hands in her pockets, trying to sound casual.
"spend the night with the boyfriend?"
Kim started to feel uneasy. her mind flashed to her and brea sitting in a the parking lot, hands intertwined in a smoke filled car. she swallowed down the growing lump in her throat and smiled.
nothing like that, why're you up?"
"lover boy up there's still sleeping" she pointed behind her at the laundromat. the glow of a bedroom window stuck out to Kim.
Kim just nodded. feeling as if the conversation ended she began was walk off, maybe her mom would be up to let her in or she'd knock on one of her siblings window.
"where you running to?" the woman half jogged to keep up with Kim as the walked down the sidewalk. the woman rambled on, talking about how unbelievably easy it was to seduce a pharmacist to slide you a bottle of Eszopiclone. after about a block she stopped.
"y'know i don't think i ever caught your name" the woman walked beside her, still holding her heels.
"kim"
"well kim, i stole 50 bucks out of some guys pocket. lets go get coffee" laughing as she fished out the crumpled 50 dollar bill.
they walked into the shop, in was vacant other than the older couple that sat in a booth. the older lady scowled at the woman with Kim. they sat in a booth with a large window, watching the dusky sky dip into the bright morning. Kim mostly sat quiet while the woman chatted out loud and occasionally nodded or hummed in agreement. kim suddenly cut the her off,
"what's your name?" Kim asked with eyebrows knit together.
"kayla" she almost purred, leaning against the table.
Kayla and Kim walked out of the shop. the streets were slowly starting to fill as the time grew close to 8:40. she pondered the idea of going back to Brea's house for a bit but the tight chested sluggishness she felt ruled it out, heading home instead.
as Kim peeked her head into the front door she saw her mother walk further into the house, taking a deep breath she softly closed the door behind her. she creeped with slow feet to her room. she heard the nearing footsteps of her mother,' shit! think, Kim!' she thought as they grew closer. there was no use, might as well just rip the bandage off and let it bleed.
"Kim." her mother's voice stood in front of her, worry and anger burning holes into as she stared at her.
"i'm sorry, mama." that's all Kim could offer. guilt and embarrassment weighed like a anchor in her chest.
she knew she owed her mom a genuine apology. sneaking out and not coming back till the next day, she didn't even know if her mom would try her to run the errands anymore. without another word she walked to her room, hunched and shuffling. the numb nauseating pain in her chest seemed to have worsened since parting ways with oddball Kayla. Kim flopped in bed, pulling the cover up and around her neck.
she wondered it Brea was up. did she notice Kim had left? she hopped so.
ah, fuck.
