I want shrimp.
- Les ❤️
✞ Kelsey ✞
Who is this woman?
In front of my eyes, a woman with long black hair and pale skin attempts to make eggs.
Key word: Attempts.
My mind drifts off to the days when I knew nothing of this woman.
My mind drifts off to days where I'd sit in Jacky's room, whispering embarrassing stories and throwing popcorn.
"How do you like your eggs?" She turns around, a ghost of a smile lingering on her face.
There's a long pause. I can tell she feels uncomfortable under my judging gaze, but I don't care. I'm seventeen, I don't need a babysitter.
Nonetheless, the woman my dad used to cheat with on mom.
"Why are you here, Mary?" I glare at her intently.
She swallows, "It's... Meredith."
"Doesn't answer my question," I stride into the kitchen, not letting my gaze leave her.
"Georgy- Uhm, your father- He asked me for a favor. I complied."
"Hm," Is all I can say as I take a seat on the island stool.
She places a plate of slightly burnt scrambled eggs in front of me, "Is that so hard to believe?"
Meredith was young. When I say young I mean about three years older than me young. Obviously it's weird- This whole situation is cursed.
"Let's see," I start playing with my food, "My parents start to fight, it turns into domestic violence, when they go to court not only do I find out your little 'Georgy' has been cheating on mom but now, his prostitute is my babysitter. So yes, Meredith, this is hard to believe."
She's awestruck but, tries to hide it. Her eyes shine with guilt, too ashamed to even look at me.
"I'm sorry," Is all she can fathom.
It's four in the morning, neither of us are prone to falling asleep anytime soon.
So I'm not against starting an argument and maybe smashing a few plates. I'm bored anyway.
"I can cook for myself, ya know." I start eating the crunchy scramble.
"I know," Meredith sits down in front of me, "We're supposed to get along. Figured I should start somewhere."
"We're never going to get along, Meredith."
"But maybe-"
"Life's gonna be a lot easier the sooner you realize that."
She bows her head, her long black hair cascading down her shoulders, hiding her sorrowed eyes.
I start walking up the stairs, "Easy on the salt next time."
* * *
"I hate her," My sobs echo throughout my room, and louder through the phone.
"Baby, she's the only person available to take care of you." Mom tries to soothe me.
The sun peeks in through my window, it's Friday. Which means I have forty eight hours to spend with my amazing new friend.
"I could've stayed with Elsia, you know that. Or- or grandma, Aunt Clarisse, Grandpa Jerome-"
"No, Kelsey. Do you think I like this circumstance? You know well that Elsia's mom is barely home. Your grandparents are five states away and Aunt Clarisse is not even in the country."
"I'd rather be anywhere but here." I mumble.
"Good thing it's time for you to get ready for school, then. Have a-"
I hang up the phone abruptly, drying my tears and staring out the window.
I try to look into Elsia's room but she's nowhere to be found.
There's a knock on my bedroom door, Meredith slowly turning the knob.
As soon as her gaze meets mine, she directs it back to her feet.
"Uhm, I packed you a lunch."
* * *
"How was school?"
I sit in the kitchen, a bowl of pasta staring back at me.
Is this girl's love language food or something?
"Okay," I mumble.
"Kelsey-"
"Don't. It's useless," I take a bite, staring at her. This time, she's staring back.
"Please," Her hand covers mine and I'm surprised at her cold touch. Meredith's eyes have bags under them, her lips are slightly parted, and her nose is bright red.
She looks as if she's been out in a cold December, though we stand in only September.
"Fine," I look away.
"I didn't know," She speaks quickly, as though she's waiting for me to change my mind at any moment, "I promise. There was a man, he seemed to have money. I... I dropped out of college last year because I couldn't- I couldn't afford it. Thought maybe he'd be the answer."
I stay silent for a moment, processing my thoughts.
"I slept with him, I know. I was starting to like him- love him even-"
I start to stand up, "That's enough-"
"- I would make him meals when he came to my apartment at three in the morning-"
"Stop-"
"He would help me apply for other schools- Art schools, cooking cuisine universities, psychology practices-"
"Shut up!" I screamed.
"No!" Meredith yelled back.
I started stepping back, as she started to step forward.
"I lost something too," Tears stain her cheeks, "Not nearly as much as what you lost but I'm not the villain Kelsey Louis- I'm not this monster the cops don't even bother hiding their gossips about."
She slides down the wall, "I'm not a one night stand."
Her tears are gallons but her cries are drops.
Drops of water you have to focus on to hear in a vast ocean.
They drip down until they become a storm, flooding the waters and elongating the sea front.
It seems as though she's forgotten I'm still here, and I look down at her curiously, as though she was a small animal at a petting zoo.
With one last look I fly up to my room, looking back only once.
* * *
A contrasting smell makes it way up to the second floor.
I wake up from my afternoon slumber, looking around my room.
Its sandy brown walls glow perfectly with the small pictures of cactuses and abstract paintings.
My feet drag themselves down the stairs, and I see Meredith surrounded by pots and pans. Her tongue hugs her upper lip as she mixes something together in a bowl.
"Hey," She finally looks up, "I'm making-"
The fire alarm goes off and she starts to violently shake a rag into the air.
"Truth is- I don't really know what I'm making." Meredith softly chuckles.
We spend the next half hour cleaning up the kitchen, while she insists on doing it herself.
Once everything's back to normal (as normal as it can get in this situation) she sits timidly on the corner of the couch.
I subconsciously start studying her again.
She sits in a tank top covered by an oversized tomato-sauce stained, gray sweater. Her hair is frizzy on top but stays perfectly straight till her waist. Her brown eyes radiate a sense of discomfort, though somehow stay soft and warm.
I slowly walk towards her, as she stares at a black TV screen.
"How do you like your eggs?"
~
Little bit of a different chapter for you guys
Vote if you enjoyed ! God Bless !
- Les ❤️