Cosmic

After-31 Days

I pull on the bathroom door and yank it open. Glancing under each of the stalls, I find they're empty. I pull out my phone and dial my sister's number as I climb on a toilet and lock the stall door.

"Come on, come on, answer your phone." I whisper, trying my best to keep the contents of my stomach in. She picks up on the fifth ring.

"Ella, you better have called for a good reason. You know I'm on my date." She growls at me in such a way that I question if she's actually human.

"Uh, yeah, I..." I begin, trying to pull myself away from the soft music that's playing on her end.

"Come on babe. Let's go again" Jonathan's voice whispers and Zennebelle whispers something back. I bite my lip. Jonathan whispers something crude to my sister that makes her laugh.

"Zennebelle!" I shriek, unable to stand it anymore. "I let in a Saybrim!"

She stops laughing. "What? Did you just say you let in a Saybrim? Because that's what I heard you said. And even you aren't that stupid."

"Yes! I did! Help me Zennebelle!"

Her breathing falters before she starts cursing out my ear. "Shit, shit, shit! How could you be so damn stupid? Damn it Ella! Do you know how much shit we're in? Damn it!" Her words are muffled as she pulls something over her head. "Get dressed Jonathan! Damn it Ella! We'll be there in five minutes. Where are you?"

"In the bathroom..." I say, worried that she's going to curse me out again. Instead, she sighs and hangs up.

I unlock the stall door slowly. It's silent in the bathroom except for the drip of a broken sink. I catch a glimpse of myself in the fingerprint stained mirror and realize, not for the first time, that I'm nothing like my sister. Her slim face and bright brown eyes make my similar features look like they belong to an Oompa Loompa. Her uniform sags in weird places and bulges out in others. I lift up her shirt and stare at my stomach. The tears pool in my eyes and drop down my cheeks as I realize Zennebelle is right. I am a pig. While her stomach is toned, mine is bulging with fat. While no one would ever call me overweight, there's no denying that I'm nowhere near Zennebelle's slimness.

I lean against the sink, watching the water drop out of the faucet. My chin rests in my hands and my tears join the water in the porcelain.

The bathroom door swings open and Zennebelle storms in, hair a mess. Her black dress is ripped and askew and she teeters on her heels but her face holds a monster. Her eyes glow with all the fury of a savage beast.

"Ella! Were you crying? Toughen up bitch!" She yanks my ponytail and I screech. "How does that feel? Huh?"

"Stop Zennebelle! Stop it!" I cry, avoiding her eyes.

"Do you understand what you've done?! Do you understand!?" She lets go of my hair and turns me to face her.

"Yes! And now you need to help me fix it! This is your fault too!" I wipe the tears from my face and stare at Zennebelle.

"Don't you dare you...." Zennebelle begins but is interrupted by Jonathan flinging open the door.

"Hey Belle, the, uh, directors wish to speak to you. Now. You too Ella." He mutters, hanging his head. His white dress shirt is missing a button. A parade of security guards surround him.

Zennebelle leans down and takes off her shoes and fixes her dress. With the straps of her heels dangling from her fingers, she saunters towards the guards. They wait for me. I hurriedly fix my pants and stumble towards them.

The guards escort us around the maze of halls. The Guardians milling around stare and Zennebelle just holds her head high. Jonathan trails behind her like a lost puppy.