Chapter 21: Girl Talk

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Nessa felt as though a shower of needles stabbed her stomach and excused herself to go to the restroom

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Nessa felt as though a shower of needles stabbed her stomach and excused herself to go to the restroom.

At first, she thought it was diarrhea; but when Nessa unbuckled her pants, she groaned at the sight of the red smudge growing in her crotch.

"What the fuck?" Nessa thought.

She attempts to wash the stain with wet toilet paper, but the sheet disintegrated in a matter of minutes, leaving a huge mess.

"Shit!" yelled Nessa in frustration.

She tosses the damp ball into the trash can, then stares at her reflection on the glass.

Sweat slithered down her acne, lip sores, and small chin hairs. Nessa couldn't remember the last time she took the time to wash her face.

Not to mention her hair needs a bit of a wash.

Knocking on the door was Brooke asking if she is doing okay.

The boys were downstairs, eating spoonfuls of Brooke's home-cooked meal. Despite the possibility that Roman is on the loose, both Caleb and Johnny couldn't concentrate on their stomachs rumbling.

Thumping on the door again, Brooke tells a flustered Nessa that her veggie chili is getting cold.

"I heard you the first time!"

"What's wrong?"

Nessa's anger fades. "I have just started my period."

Brooke smiles softly. She disappears into her bedroom and rummages through the drawers to retrieve five remaining tampons.

The young oracle had finished hers two weeks ago. Nonetheless, It won't long before the cycle starts again.

"Hey, Nessa!" she waltzed towards the third bathroom door, carrying five, pink packages.

"I have brought you some tampons."

On cue, Nessa opens the door, takes them out of Brooke's hands, and said "Thanks." to her best friend.

"Are you finished with yours?" Nessa inquired.

A sympathetic Brooke bobs her head. "Yeah. Do you want me to get you some Ibuprofen for your stomach cramps?"

Speaking of pangs, Nessa couldn't help but wince at the sharp pain stabbing her abdomen.

"Jesus." she moaned. "Can you please give me some medicine after I get out of the bathroom?"

Brooke notes the irritation in her voice but didn't stick her nose into Nessa's business.

It was October 4, 1995 — the day after O.J. Simpson was acquitted of his crimes. Black and white communities were at odds with each other.

One side believed that O.J. should be locked in jail while the other believed that he was innocent.

During the chaos, Nessa was only fourteen years old when she had first started her menstrual cycle.

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