Pretty Girls

CHAPTER 35

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

THE WONDERS OF life were mysterious things. The way fates were embedded into the stars and how the galaxies always seemed to hold the mysterious answers to all that was wrong with the world. That, at least, was what I was told by fabled tales of heroes and villains.

In this world, unfortunately, the stars in my night sky glimmered but not with the answers I so dearly wished to see. In fact, they held nothing more than enigmatic signs. They were much more mysterious than the waters of the ocean, the same place I hated and feared what seemed like eons ago.

Maybe I was a part of outer space's extensive constellations. I became an enigma, even to myself. No one seemed to be able to crack me open and figure me out. Instead, I laid there, an insignificant speck in the wide world, unanswered.

My finger ran over my phone screen, the vivid blue seemingly dulled by the electronic screen that separated the art from me. I had taken a photo of the portrait Apollo had done of me long ago, the image forever kept in the device. To the outside eye, perhaps I was just a vain girl that couldn't appreciate herself enough. In my heart, though, when I looked at the image, I didn't see myself. I saw the artist behind it.

"Every time someone tries to win a war before it starts, innocent people die. Every time." The screen in front of me continued to play scene after scene, the dialogue ringing in my ears.

I looked up just in time to see the blond actor look righteously pissed off. Scoffing, I rolled my eyes, looking back down at my phone screen as the movie buzzed in the background. The words spoken went in and out of my ears and I did not even register a single word spoken.

"Movie not to your taste?" Jacob asked, sitting up a little straighter on the couch.

We were both huddled in his living room, the surroundings plunged into darkness. Night had already fallen and the moon was high up in the sky. The lighting was perfect for a movie but I wasn't appreciating it enough.

"I just didn't like the quote that Steve said," I murmured, referring to the movie. "The one about winning a war before it starts. If you don't win it, more people will die."

"There isn't a war to win, though."

"There's always a war to win," I was quick to retort. "Whether it's physical, mental, or emotional. There's always a battle that we have to fight. I don't see why it's a bad thing to want to be prepared for it. More people will suffer if you keep pausing to think instead of acting. Sometimes, it's better to act first."

Jacob paused, deeply pondering over my words. When I was met with a long silence, I looked up from the art piece, glancing at Jacob as I locked my phone. He was looking over with a faint smile, head tilted as if studying me.

"If wisdom came with age, you would be as old as time itself."

I laughed at that, sinking into the couch as my eyelids started to grow heavy. Sighing deeply, I turned to gaze at Jacob. For a while, I didn't speak, content with just looking. It was a shame that I couldn't choose who I fell in love with. Jacob was generally kind and I wished things were different. Similarly, I wish I had enough courage to speak up and tell him how I really felt.

Finally, I licked my bottom lip, chewing on it. "I had some help earlier on today from someone rather unexpected."

---

An itch found its way to my nose, my finger reaching up instinctively to scratch it to relieve myself of the slight irritation.

The glaring bright light of the sun became more significant to my closed eyes, proving impossible to block out as I peeked through my eyelashes. The golden light streamed down through the loosely draped curtains, spilling over each and every furniture and filling up every inch and corner. The voices of wildlife outside put up an entire orchestra of music, humming softly, serving as an ever-present background noise. It was morning and the world was awake.