Kombucha and Pepsi (Chris Sturniolo)

One

November 23rd

I stare at myself in the mirror of this overly fancy hotel bathroom. The girl who looks back looks exhausted, like she hasn't slept in a while because the stress of this competition was eating at her, and the idea of putting on her skates made her feel sick to her stomach. She's got dark circles under her eyes and messy hair, sticking out of the knot she fell asleep in, and the corners of her mouth are downturned. She looks a little too much like me, unfortunately. I wipe my thumb under my eye, and scowl when the darkness doesn't go away.

I pick at my face, scratching and rubbing and picking. My frown deepens when it stays just as it was before, only my face has got red blotches from where I've prodded too much. I scowl at her, and she scowls right back. I twist a piece of brown hair that sticks out at a right angle around my finger, trying my best to smooth it down. I'm not successful.

I turn away from my reflection and step out of the bathroom, turning off the light. I shuffle to my suitcase and pull a hoodie over my head. I root through my bag for spare change, stuffing it into the pocket of my basketball shorts along with the key card for the room. I don't put shoes on and slip into the hallway in my socks. The hotel is nice, a light-coloured patterned rug on the floor that isn't ugly or in ratty shape, dark doors with silver numbers over the peep hole, green and white strips reaching up to the white ceiling, where pretty mini chandeliers hang from. My feet thump against the carpet in this eerily quiet hallway. I check my watch, scowling at the number that reads early into the morning.

I take elevator down to the main floor where the glorious vending machines stare at me. I stride over and scan the contents, I slip the bill in my hand into the slot, jamming my thumb into B4. I watch the Kombucha can tumble down from its spot, and I stick my hand into the bottom of the vending machine, pulling the pink can out and folding the tab back.

"Ew, Kombucha." I whip around and stare at the boy in pyjamas behind me. Checkered pyjama pants and a hood over his head, eyes downturned and tired looking. "Why would you do that to yourself?"

I draw my eyebrows together, internally dying at my choice to come down in my too-big pyjamas. I tilt my head slightly, "I'm diabetic?" I say it like it's more of a question, rather than the fact it was. I tip the can back and let the liquid slide down my throat, "why, what's your drink of choice?" I wave the can at him.

He reaches under my arm and slips a bill into the machine, pressing his finger in C2. A Pepsi bottle tumbles down, and he pulls it out from the flap. "Voila," he says, cracking it open.

"Hm, fair enough," I squint at him. He holds the bottle out to me, and I shake my head, "diabetic, remember?" I tip my can to him.

"How does that work?" He raises a brow.

"My pancreas just-"

"Your what?" He cuts me off.

I hide my smile behind my Kombucha, "okay, my body doesn't deal with my insulin and blood sugar the same way as yours does. So, I have a pod to deal with it all. Make sense?" I ask after my explanation.

"Kinda. What's this about a pod?" He leans against the vending machine.

I pull my hoodie up a little to show the Omnipod on my midriff. "Voila," I say, echoing what he has said earlier.

"Hm, cool." He shrugs, quiet for a long minute, and I almost take it as my cue to leave. "So, how'd you figure out had it?"

"When I went face first into my birthday cake when I was nine," I say, playing with the tab of the can.

"Ouu," he winces.

I shrug, "it made for good pictures." He grins and I smile back. My watch beeps, drawing my attention to it. It's just my health app, telling me I need to get more steps to reach my daily goal.

When I look back, he's on his phone, typing furiously. "Yeah, I've got to get back to my room. It was nice meeting you..."

"Venus," I smile.

He returns it, "Chris."

I hope you liked this first chapter! And I hope you like the chapters that are to come

Take care of yourselves! Eat food and drink water

All my love

-EVIEREENIE