I tuned the rest of the day out. Mostly.
My mind wanted to just zone out and relive what happened at the park this afternoon. Minus the humiliating part, of course.
Taking the subway back to the shelter didn't sound like such a bad idea in this case. I wasn't ready to be hit by a car in the middle of Tenth Avenue just because my mind put the conversation I had with Akram on replay. The memory kept rewinding like a movie in my head. As if some incorporeal version of myself was still there on that bench under the elm tree in the meadow, sitting beside Akram and feeling warm and fuzzy.
The Intensity of his eyes kept haunting me as I tried to focus on reading through chapter eleven in the crammed train on my way back to the shelter. But my efforts were to little avail. Even the normal discomfort I used to feel in the metro was the last thing on my mind as I visualized his radiant smile, his twinkling eyes, the cute lines of his face, his musical voice. And I realized what a complete airhead I was.
Why the heck did I leave so soon? It was only half past two! It wasn't that I had anything better to do.
When I arrived at the shelter, my mind was still elsewhere, refusing to return to my real world. My thoughts were swimming in a sea of liquid cinnamon and sunshine as I headed to the front office and absently signed in before I rushed in long strides towards the stairs.
My dorm room was in the third floor and I just wanted to be left alone with myself. Who would take the elevator to the third floor any way? I needed the exercise and the solitude.
It could've been a completely blissful evening if it weren't for the fact that Ms. Voldemort was still creeping and crawling on planet Earth.
I knew I'd made a mistake coming back this early. I should've stayed a couple more hours dawdling away until she was gone. I should've taken my time walking back from the park instead of taking the sub, but the winds don't always blow as the ship wishes, if that's a real proverb . Because I'd be the unlucky ship in this story. And obviously, ship happens all the time. Especially to me.
"Sup, roomie!"
That was Vivian, greeting me for the first time in months and making my heart leap into my throat as she came out of the showers across from our room , a creepy grin plastered on her full lips. Her dirty blonde hair was still wet and a darker shade of honey that complemented her bronze skin. A scanty towel covered nothing but one fourth of her slender figure while she paraded through the hallway in shiny black heels?!
Are you kidding me? Who wears heels to the shower?
She seemed completely aware of her beauty, like a confident model on the catwalk. She looked flawless. Yeah. She was as beautiful and spooky as a slithering Cobra.
And for some reason, the pretty Cobra decided to spit her greetings at me? Something about this felt totally out of place.
"Are you talking to me?" I asked cautiously, freezing in the middle of the hallway, a dozen steps away from Vivian while a million suspicions kept storming inside my head.
"Sure, hon. Aren't we roommates?" She said sweetly, her hand on the door handle of our room while the other hand held the folds of her tiny towel.
I cringed.
"Okay..." I murmured.
"Aren't you coming in?"
"Um! Actually, I... was heading downstairs. "
"Are you shy of me, hon?" Vivian laughed. A sweet-sounding laugh for sure, but something about it made my skin crawl. I wasn't normally one to judge others but... It was difficult for me to tolerate this person.
"I'm not shy of you, Viv. I'll just drop my bag and go downstairs." I replied , suppressing my irritation.
"Suit yourself, hon." She sang as she pushed the door open and swaggered into the room. She practically dumped the towel on the floor before she entered from the door. She stepped inside and turned to face me with a smirk on her lips.
I stopped dead in my tracks, feeling the blood rushing to my face.
Did she do this just to annoy me?
Her sparkly gray eyes locked on mine and her smirk became even more noxious. I gulped, expecting her to expose her fangs or stick out her split tongue any minute.
"Why d'you look like you've seen a ghost? Don't you like what you see?" She asked arching a perfect eye brow at me, her hands on her bare hips. Then she pirouetted and sashayed confidently towards the edge of the bed, my personal bed, lifting her leg and resting the heel of her pump over the blanket I folded this morning. " Maybe you'll like my pumps? They'd look Ok on you. With a spicy little dress, it just might work."
"Get your foot off my bed, Viv. " I demanded, crossing my arms tightly.
"It's not really your bed, you know. Besides, every bed is my bed. " she teased as she splayed across my bed, rolled her naked body to be flat on her tummy and bent her legs upward , swinging them in the air. "I can teach you some tricks too. I'm open to all genders. "
A gagging effect pinched my throat watching her violate my personal space this way. The one thing I wished to do was to at least burn this mattress to ashes to get rid of her filthiness that clung to it.
Gritting my teeth, I turned my back on her and her unnecessary smuttiness and walked up towards my locker.
"What do you want from me?" I muttered, facing the harmless door of the locker, feeling the tension clenching my stomach.
The bed squeaked, then the clicking of her heels on the floor was getting louder as she stepped closer and stopped just behind my back. I could feel her breath sending chills across the back of my neck as she snickered.
"Nothing much. " She breathed.
The taste of bile rose to my throat as I focused on unbolting the small lock, avoiding looking at her. She was so comfortable in her birthday suit but I wasn't. I never was and never will be so confident in my own skin. But that was not the only problem.
She was too close.
Suddenly, I felt something cold and wet brushing the side of my neck.
I flinched, evading her touch and involuntarily swatting her hand.
"Don't touch me!" I exclaimed, sweeping the back of my hand over the invaded spot on my neck.
She giggled playfully and pranced to her locker next to mine. "Oooh! I like the attitude."
My stomach squirmed uneasily as if it was I who were undressed. Her touch felt like... abuse! My body tensed and I felt so exposed that I had an impulsive urge to cover myself up.
Just put on some clothes and leave me alone, damn it!
I heard the rustling of fabrics as she apparently listened to my thoughts and finally got dressed.
"Loosen up! Just checking you're straight, you know. What's you're problem, hon?" Vivian said, as she buttoned up a pair of black leather pants and a red blouse.
My eyes must've been as wide as cow eyes.
"What is MY problem?" I asked in a raspy voice. She'd implied horrible things before but not in this brazenly obvious manner. I thought I would overcome the shock of every time she'd tried to talk to me but I was wrong. Terribly wrong. I was an idiot.
Please, oh please let the Cobra stop spitting her venom!
"You still have your V card, don't you?" She asked simply, tucking her blouse into her her pants. As if she was discussing the weather.
My face flushed fiercely.
"It's not your freaking business! Just leave me alone, Ok?" I snapped as I stuffed my bag inside the locker with unnecessary force, keeping the book under my arm as I pushed the locker door shut.
She laughed.
"Chillax, girl. I'm just trying to help. You're pretty and innocent. It's a shame. It pays well if you decided to cash it in. More than that crappy job you have. " she said with the same ease of a BFF asking me to go shopping with her. "Folks would spend five digits to stamp your card."
The expression on her delicate features looked like envy!
I winced.
I would rather die !
Now I really need to throw up!
Without sparing her a look, I spun around and darted to exit the room that started to feel like a snake pit.
"You'll come around, hon. You're no better than anyone." She said. Her words were like poison, physically defiling me.
I bolted towards the bathroom to purge my empty stomach of the dirt she just spilled into my ears. Too bad I couldn't take a shower right now. I needed one so bad.
I didn't even eat anything to throw up!
Just as I reached the bathroom door, I heard the sinister clicking of her heels far behind me. A strident laugh followed.
"Hey! When you get downstairs, tell Tina to fetch me some food and bring it up to my room." She shouted behind my back as if she didn't just blacken my life. I didn't turn around.
My room, she says! Like she's staying at a hotel and everyone is room service! Like Tina is her slave and I'm her servant.
My eyes stung as I hurried inside the bathroom and locked the door before my tears cheat me and spill one more time today. How come I felt so helpless right now? How come I feel completely and utterly alone. But I knew the answer.
Because I really am.
I ran to the basin to wash my infected neck with soap and water, feeling my chest tighten again as I resisted the smothering darkness that wanted to consume me. Maybe that's what Tina felt before she...
'Breathe...'
Playing that moment when he'd tried to calm me at the park over and over again, Akram's soothing voice echoed in my mind.
I pictured him telling me to breathe deep and slow and drink some water.
So I did it again.
And it worked...
★★★★★★★★★★★
A\N
I really hope this was not too shocking. Vivian is not my favorite person in the world and I'm sure you feel the same.
To be honest, writing Vivian was the most challenging and horrible experience. I literally have no control over her! She keeps shocking me too!! UGH!
I would love to dedicate this chapter to my new old friend who gives me the longest, most extraordinary comments and great support of my work.
MLEdwards. I LOVE YOU! ♥♥♥♥