Numb

Chapter 2

The rays of the sunlight making way through the dusty window. Day or night, it was all same for Vanessa. Her eye bags told her story. All night through, with her eyes wide open, she kept on lying in her bed, numb. She stood up and reached the mirror. Brown shaggy hair, all desiccated, slight freckled cheeks, and shady, black eyes. She took the darkest shade of lipstick among all her dark shaded lipsticks and put it on. She saw an envelope lying on cushions ahead the window near the pile of books. In other words, her escape. She had a whole new world in that work of fiction.

She advanced towards the window. As soon as she figured what was inside the envelope, she backed off. Grabbed her backpack and got out of the room slamming the door behind her. It was her father's wedding invitation.

"Take your breakfast before going to college". The voice came from the lounge sofa where her mom's glued with her crate of wine bottles.

Vanessa ignored and ran out of her home. It started to freak her out. Instead of going to college, she headed towards her friend's place. She used to show up at the college hardly once a month. She hated it at home. She hated it at college. This time she was all prepared never to see both of these places again.

The window was open. She threw her bag inside and then herself.

"Chad"?

He wasn't home but she waited for him to arrive. Vanessa roamed around and sat on the computer table. Swinging her legs, sitting on the edge, she fell down. A little too hard for her elbow as all of her body kind of rested on it. GASP. Under the table, she accidently found pot tapped at its bottom. Flabbergasted. Without thinking much, she plucked it out, put it in her backpack. Jumped out and ran. She didn't know where she was headed or what she was doing. She just needed to keep as longer distance from her miserable life. She was running from her own self. She ran as fast as her boots could let her. But somewhere or somehow, she just had to sojourn. She just had to.

She stopped. Along with the people waiting for the bus to arrive, she leaned against the bar. She stopped. Along with the people waiting for the bus to arrive, she leaned against the bar holding the shade, apart from everyone else. Finally, they got to see a big, husky vehicle approaching. They all got up. Pushing and impelling. Vanessa made way abiding the rest and nudging. She was quiet as a Church. As if her lips were sealed, refusing to open up. Quiet as a grave. Tranquil from outside, God knows how scary and agitated inside.

Standing in there, holding a bar. She was just too dunk in her thoughts that she didn't realize tears coming slowly out of her eyes, catching the black mascara along with them.

"Hey kid! Did you get a wound or something? Why are you crying, girl", an old lady shook her and woke her up.

"Huh!" she felt the tears falling down and took a look around. Everybody was staring at her and refusing to blink. A man stood up and offered Vanessa to take his seat.

It was dark already. The bus stopped at Manhattan. The guy sitting next to Vanessa shook her shoulders to wake her up. She slept with the tears in her eyes, and with angry music playing through her headphones.

"We have reached".

Vanessa opened her eyes, wore her backpack with she had been holding in her arms too tight for the past few hours. She got out of the bus, thinking what to do next.

"Woah! Wait"! , said the guy right after he saw tears in her eyes and her distressed self. He followed her.

"Hey wait".

"What"?, she was annoyed.

"Why are you crying? Is something wrong?"

"What makes you think I'll tell you", Vanessa frowned.

"Okay". Bending the elbows, he set his hands free in the air while walking backwards, "Hands off your business, lady".

Vanessa soon realized that she had no idea where she is.

"Hey, wait", she cried.

The boy looked behind and went back to Vanessa.

"Forgot something"?

"What is this place"?

"Uh Manhattan! Isn't this where you wanted to come"? , he tried to comprehend the situation, "Wait! Did you run away from your house? Girl! This isn't a very nice place. And wow! You're all alone. It's like you planned to get murdered or something".

"Slow down, will you? You don't run from your house with company, dumb!" , she rolled her eyes.

PUFF.

"Are you just gonna stand there now? I know this place. You can either stay here along with unknown people or come with me".

"I don't see any difference".

"C'mon! I bet you're hungry. I got food".

"Duh! I'm flattered", she feigned and rolled her eyes again.

There was a pause.

"Gimme the food".