As I pulled into the parking lot of the building, I saw my best friend, Stella. Stella and I have been friends since I can remember. We actually met each other while eating lunch in kindergarten. I was too scared to talk to anyone, so I sat in the corner, eating my lunch alone. Stella, being the brave soul that she is, walked right up to me and asked to be friends. Since that day, we have been inseparable.
"Hey bitch" Stella dragged out the 'h' while smiling and walking toward my car.
"Hi" I smiled back, locking my car before walking in her direction.
"So," she sighed. "Are you ready to start this dreadful job?" Her voice exaggerated the words leaving her mouth, her movements following.
"Will we ever be ready?" I sighed, rolling my eyes.
"Ain't that the truth!" She put her arm around my shoulder while we giggled and walked into the building.
"
My mind started to wonder as I reached for the gauze on the table. I let my fingertips brush slowly against and stared off into the distance. My eyes began to blur - my conscious state slipping out of my grasp. The memory of my 11th birthday flooded my thought. The feeling of warmth from that memory took a hold of me. And I let it.
I sat in my pretty pink seat. The sun beamed down on my melanin skin, giving me a glow. On the back of my chair hung blue tiaras that drooped down as their streamers rained. All of my closest friends were gathered at the table. I can remember seeing Stella's mouth drool, her eyes on my birthday cake. My mother and father made their way over to me with presents. A warm smile spread across my lips. I miss them.
Taking me away from old memories, a deep and raspy voice spoke from behind me. I shrieked at the unexpected sound as it erupted my train of thought.
"I'm sorry. Didn't mean to scare you," The voice chucked.
Nerves filled up in my body as I got a glimpse of the man standing in front of me. He had strong cheekbones along with a jawline, black skater-boy hair, green eyes, and pink plump lips. His figure was muscular yet slim. He seemed to be about six-foot-three, and his hands and fore arms had heavenly veins running along them. His fingernails were painted black, and his fingers had rings on them. By this time I realized I haven't said anything back to him.
"U-uh, um-"
"Right," he chucked at my loss for words. "Anyway, do you think you could help me?"
"Y-yeah sure," I put the gauze from earlier in my pocket. "Whats up?"
"
"Okay I think I fixed it." I handed him back his broken up book after covering it with repair tape.
"Heh, thank you. And sorry for asking you such a stupid favor. I could've done it myself but I don't have tape."
"Oh no it's all good. I wasn't doing anything anyway, hint's why you caught me day dreaming." I whispered the last part to him, making us both laugh. "You're pretty fun to be around," I smiled.
"Same for you," his pearly white teeth showed through as he smiled back. I couldn't help but wonder why he was in this building in the first place. What made him go to an insane asylum? He seemed pretty sane to me. Wait. I haven't even got his name!
"I just realized something. We don't even know each others names." As these words left my mouth, I immediately regretted it. The once happy grin in front of me had turned cold. His demeanor changed completely. He became more dominate and assertive, like he was protecting a nerve I struck. "I- i'm sorry." Feeling little in his stare, I moved my head down. "I probably shouldn't have said that." I hoped that his facial features would have changed by the time I looked back up, but I was wrong. It was like he was stone cold. "Maybe I should just go," My cheeks blushed. I stood up and walked out of his room-looking back every once and again to see his figure the same as when I left.
"Iris! Where have you been?" I turned my head away from the man behind me to come face to face with Stella.
"Stella! Hi!" I turned my head back around to see the man looking in my direction.
"Where were you at? I was looking all over for you!"
I turned my head back around. He was still looking. Unlike last time, he saw me looking right back at him. Without hesitation he moved his vision someplace else. He knows my name now, I thought to myself.
"What are you looking at?"
"Uh, nothing." I grabbed Stella's arm and pulled her back to the front of the building.
*
