Love's Beat

Chapter 12

She was blinded.

Ember almost expected herself to be up on stage at The Pulse with the spotlights shining bright on her.

But then she realised she was horizontal.

On her bed.

With her alarm clock annoying the heck out of her.

Her face still buried in her pillow, she reached out blindly for the snooze button and flinched when she heard a crash. There went her extra cash for the month.

She sighed and pushed herself off her soft bed where she wished she could stay forever. Hibernation didn't seem like such a bad idea nowadays.

Shielding her eyes from the awful morning sun slicing through the part in her curtains, she stumbled out of bed, tripped over her destroyed alarm clock and managed to catch herself on the door frame of the bathroom before she fell flat on her face.

Peeling her eyes open at the sink, her eyes fell on the reflection staring back at her in the bathroom mirror.

And boy, if that was a pretty sight to wake up to. Note the sarcasm.

Her hair looked like a someone went at it with a weed whacker. It was tangled and sticking out everywhere, courtesy from a night of tossing and turning in bed. And if she didn't know better, she'd have thought she was looking at a panda. Her eyes were darkened with eye bags she'd have a hard time trying to cover up today. Her complexion was pasty and pale so put that together with the eye bags, she really might end up at the zoo for escaping the panda exhibit.

Only one word could describe her - pathetic.

Yesterday's events had kept her up at least half the night. She had attempted for an hour to try finding some solace from her rioting thoughts but sleep had still evaded her.

Looking at the ticking clock and willing it to move faster hadn't helped either.

Sleep had eventually taken her under but by then, she only had a couple of hours of undisturbed sleep.

Hence, the panda eyes.

She went about her business to look glamorous for school. Well, if glamorous could be a drooping ponytail, still pale complexion and sunken eyes. Giving one last glance at the mirror and deciding it was the best she could do, she snatched up her bag and headed out.

She would get breakfast and coffee on the way since it was quite a walk to the nearest bus stop. Ember had made it halfway to the bus stop when she heard her name being called. Across the street, her favourite bagel vendor guy was waving and grinning brightly at her. She smiled and waved back then made her way over for her morning treat.

One decadent cream cheese bagel and a cup of freshly brewed coffee later, Ember was on the move to the bus stop. A few minutes later, the bus stop with its graffiti covered walls came into view. Ember settled onto a bench and smiled at the elderly woman sitting beside her. They made some small talk but eventually sat in comfortable silence.

With the steaming hot coffee warming her wind-chilled hands, Ember closed her eyes and breathed in the crisp morning air threaded together with the heavenly smell of grounded coffee.

     It's going to be good day. It has to be.

She didn't need anymore boulders dropped onto her shoulders right now. It was Friday... and the last day of school. Semester holidays were starting already. Max was going to be living with her for a couple of weeks and she wanted to be here for him. She needed to be there for him.

      People used to give her these pitiful looks all the time ever since she was young. "Poor girl, losing her parents so young must be so hard on her." That was what was said most often to her. But she could never let those comments get to her even if she tried.