Victor and Kota.
~~~~~~~
I woke with a pounding headache. I went to roll over, but the shooting pain in my ribs had me gasping for breath instead. I took a deep breath and was overwhelmed by scents. The most prominent one was Cyprus. The foreign smell had me opening my eyes. Everything was blurry and my eyes squinted against the brightness of the room. A room that I had never been in before.
Wrapping my arm around my ribs, I slowly sat up. My body began to tremble as I realized that I had no idea where I was. Did someone kidnap me? Were they going to rape me as soon as I gained consciousness? My heart was racing as I stood on shaky legs. I had to get out of here. There was no way that I was going to prove my mother right and become another statistic for her to lecture Marie about.
I moved towards what I thought to be the front door. My ankle protested as I put my weight on it. I moved as quietly as I could, slowly easing the door open. The South Carolina sunlight made my eyes and head hurt even worse. I closed the door, but not all the way. I didn't want to alert anyone.
When I made it to the sidewalk, my eyes had finally adjusted to the light. My heart came to a halt in my chest when I noticed that my house was just a few doors down. I made my way down the path, using the back door to get into the house. I took my dirty shoes off so that my mother wouldn't see my tracks. I hobbled up the back stairs, moving straight for my bedroom. Seeing the burgundy walls and pink carpet brought sweet relief. I was home, and I was safe.
Shuffling through the minimal clothes in my closet, I grabbed a faded green skirt that went to the middle of my thighs and a white blouse with ruffled sleeves. I locked myself in the bathroom and sighed heavily when I saw my reflection in the mirror. My hair was knotted around twigs and mud. The process of removing the twigs was tedious.
My shower took longer than I had thought and was far more painful than I could have imagined. Wiping off the fogged-over mirror, I stared at the girl in the mirror. Her blonde hair was plain. She had a small nose and green-as-grass eyes. Her full lips were badly chapped and the dark circles under her eyes gave her a haggard appearance.
My eyes narrowed at the angry red wound on my shoulder. I leaned closer to get a glimpse. It was gruesome. You could see where every tooth had entered my skin. A gasp left me as I remembered. I'd been in the woods. There was a gray wolf that was surprisingly agile. I'd been bitten by a wolf. The blood drained from my face.
How did I get from the woods to the house by mine? Why was I still alive? A wolf would have just killed me, wouldn't it? My head began to ache even more. I pulled my clothes on and ran a brush through my hair, wincing when it hit a tender spot on the back of my head.
I dug around in the things under the sink, pulling out the first aid kit and some cotton circles. I bandaged the bite on my shoulder after thoroughly cleaning it. The last thing I needed was to get an infection. My ankle didn't need to be wrapped since it was only scratched.
I quickly pulled my clothes on as I heard yelling coming from downstairs. Giving myself a once-over, I noticed that the edge of the bandage peaked out of the neckline of my shirt. I dragged the strap of my bra over to cover it. Stepping from the bathroom, I spotted Marie standing at the top of the stairs. She must be listening to our parents.
"Marie?" I whispered.
Her head snapped to look at me so fast that her brown hair fanned out behind her. Her brown eyes narrowed on me before moving over my clothes, lips curling in disgust. "What?"
"What's going on?"
She scoffed at me before stomping to her bedroom. Deciding that I didn't want to be caught lingering on the stairs, I also returned to my bedroom. I grabbed a book off my bookshelf and moved to sit on the chest beside my window. The yelling from downstairs seemed to get louder. The heavy footsteps had me opening my book to a random page.
There was a knock on my door, "Sang?"
I crossed the small room and opened the door. My father stood there looking down at me. His sagging posture did nothing to take away from his height, and the dark spots under his eyes made his face seem hollow. Normally, my father was cheery when he was around the family. When he smiled, I supposed he could be considered handsome with his curly dark hair and high cheekbones.
His dark eyes searched my face before drifting over the rest of me. He always did that, checking me over. Like he knew of my mother's harsh punishments and watched to check that all my bits and pieces were accounted for.
"I'm leaving. I have a business trip that I need to attend." He turned and then paused at the stairs. "I'll be back in a week. Look after your mother and sister."
I followed his progress down the stairs. He stopped at his bedroom door and said something. He darted backward and something shattered against the doorframe before fishing his keys out of his pocket and leaving the house. The door slammed behind with finality.
The house stood silent as we processed his leaving. There seemed to be a heaviness in the air. My father's absence would mean nothing good for me. Mother always seemed to be more volatile when he was gone. Like he was the only thing that kept her illness under wraps, and she is ill, I just don't know what is making her sick.
"Sang!" My mother screeched from her bedroom.
With my pulse thundering in my ears, I quietly headed down the stairs. There was glass all over the ground from whatever she had thrown at my father. Stepping carefully, I moved into her room. She lay in bed; her stringy brown hair unwashed. Her skin was pallid, and her chest heaved with every breath.
"Mother?" My timid voice was barely above a whisper. Just looking at her, made my bones tremble.
Her eyes fluttered open to reveal a hazy brown color. "Is your room clean?"
"Not yet."
"Clean up the mess on the floor then don't come out of your room until it's clean. I want to hear the vacuum." Her voice was raspy. The argument with my father must have taken a lot out of her.
I retrieved the broom and dustpan from the laundry room and quickly cleaned up all the broken glass. The movements were torture on my sore ribs, but I pushed through it. I returned to my bedroom, content to spend the rest of the night there as I picked out classes for my registration.
--
I was being chased through the woods. Only this time I wasn't being chased by some unseen force. Instead, I felt free. Freer than I had ever been. The cool breeze blew through my hair and the soft thudding of my footfalls echoed through the air. I moved with grace and speed that I didn't know I was capable of. After several long moments, I slowed. My ears twitched at the sound of rushing water. I sniffed at the air, catching the scent of the river. I wasted no time heading there. I loved the river. The musky smell was comforting, and the view of the fast-flowing water and thick trees brought me a sense of peace. I relished the feel of the cool water on my feet. I looked down at the river, catching my reflection...
I snapped up in bed, my heart thundering in my chest. I desperately tried to remember the last moments of my dream, but they slipped through my fingers. I glanced down at my pillow, blushing lightly at the small puddle of drool. I had slept deeply, something that was new to me.
Glancing over at my clock, I quickly dressed. I dragged on a pale skirt that stopped a few inches above my knees. I dug through my closet until I found a white long-sleeved button-up embellished with lace. The wound on my shoulder hurt worse today. It pulsed and felt hot to the touch. I replaced the old bandage with a new one. I pulled on a pair of white flats and headed down the stairs.
Poking my head into my mother's room with my finger pressed to my lip. I released an inaudible sigh. She was still asleep. Her form almost looked peaceful. I quietly closed the door and made my way out of the house. I'd have to register for classes by myself since my father wasn't here to take me. My steps were slow and unsure until I made it out of the house.
I knew that I would get in trouble for leaving the house, but I had to get registered for classes. And no one here could go with me. Marie would have just ignored me. My mother never left the house as it is. I would just have to do it by myself and hoped that they didn't need anything from my parents.
The walk to the school was long and tiring. I had sweat more than what was probably socially acceptable. There was nothing I could do about it though. The closer I got to the school, the more my shoulder ached, but I gritted my teeth and pushed through it.
This was my first time seeing it, and I wasn't impressed. It resembled a prison more than it did a school. There weren't any windows in the front of the brown school. The shrubs and grass were overgrown. There looked to be thirty trailers that extended out from the school. There was a football field to the left and a baseball and tennis court beyond that. Overall, the school was very ugly.
I walked into the school and was surprised. The entryway was crowded. The sheer number of students made me uneasy. The floor tiles were uneven and an off-shade of white. There were some parents who were leaning against the walls looking bored and tired. I pushed past people to make my way into the line for seniors.
The counselor who went over my schedule with me seemed a little impatient, but I got most of the classes that I wanted. She suggested I take a foreign language though, and the only one I had been interested in was Japanese. However, the class was tentative. They weren't sure how many students would be interested. The class sizes were small, and I'd been the last one accepted for the sixth period.
I quickly got out of the line heading toward where the counselor pointed to turn my schedule in. She also informed me that I need a parent to sign off on my classes. I chewed on my lip, debating whether to forge my father's signature. I'd never actually seen his signature.
I was still lost in my head when I crashed into a man. He looked to be only a few years older than me. His sandy blond hair curled around his ears. Green eyes looked down at me with surprise and familiarity that forced me to shiver. Ginger and citrus overtook me when I inhaled deeply. Hot hands burned my skin through my shirt sleeves where he grabbed me. The man before me wore a crisp white button-up and a purple tie with black slacks. My eyes lowered and I stared at his feet for a moment. He wore rather expensive-looking shoes for someone in a high school like this one.
"Oh, excuse me, Miss..." his voice trailed off as he blinked down at me.
"Sang." My voice was barely above a whisper.
His eyes narrowed then widened, almost comically. He continued to stare at me for a moment. I shifted my weight from one foot to another, my finger coming up to press my bottom lip to my teeth. He shook his head and then smiled.
"Well, Miss Sang, I hope I didn't hurt you." His green eyes sparkled and shifted until they were almost yellow in color. "I'm Dr. Green, I teach the Japanese class here."
His voice is cheerful and pleasant. Something about him calms me down. My eyes ran over him again. I hadn't ever felt this comfortable around someone before. Was I starved for human interaction? Or is it because he's handsome?
"I'm signed up for that class. Sixth period." I raised my hand, indicating my schedule.
His grin grew. "That's great! Were you about to turn that in?"
"Yes," I said hesitantly. "But I wasn't able to get a parent's signature."
"Why not?"
My eyes dropped to my feet. "My mother is sick, and my father is away on a business trip."
"Well, why don't you come with me, and I'll see what I can do about that." The confidence in Dr. Green's voice had me raising my head. He was still smiling at me.
I nodded my head. He took my schedule from me before turning and walking down the hall. He opened a door for me, there were lines of students standing waiting to hand over their schedules. Dr. Green swiftly moved through the room, heading for another door. He patiently waited for me to catch up with him before exiting into another hall.
As we walked, I stared down at the tiling on the floor. I'm sure that it was white at one time, but that would have been a long time ago. It was now, off-white that was tinged yellow with scuff marks and cracks. A few tiles were even missing revealing a black square. Dr. Green stopped at a door and then knocked before entering. He stepped in and I was close behind him.
As soon as I stepped into the room, I noticed the difference in the air. There was a combination of a citrus scent mixed with spring soap. The air was also different here. It was sharper and stronger somehow. The pain in my shoulder increased, and I bit my lip to keep myself from whimpering.
"Dr. Green, who is this?" A razor-sharp masculine voice cut through the room freezing me in place.
My body tensed, and I was too scared to raise my head and look at the man who spoke. Dr. Green put a gentle hand on my shoulder to urge me the rest of the way into the room. I started shaking, keeping my eyes firmly planted on the ground.
"Mr. Blackbourne, you scared her." Dr. Green chastised. "Don't worry about him, sweetheart. He's just a grump."
I didn't move farther into the room, nor did I raise my head. Instead, I focused on the soft instrumental playing. The violinist was playing a song that I recognized. It took me a moment to recognize the artist.
"Miss Sorenson, I'll enter your schedule for you. Do you think you'll be able to get a parent's signature before school starts?" Dr. Green asked drawing my attention away from the music.
I blinked up at him, "I'm not sure when my father will be back, and my mother is too ill to be bothered with this."
I could probably have my mother sign my schedule, but she would gripe about all my classes and tell me how I wasn't smart enough to take them. It would be more trouble than it was worth. If I knew my father's phone number, I could have called him but that was something that my parents never shared with us. I didn't even know the phone number for the house.
Dr. Green hummed and started tapping on his keyboard. A throat cleared from across the room sounding much different from Dr. Green's.
"Miss Sorenson, was it? I apologize for frightening you." Mr. Blackbourne's voice had softened considerably. "I hadn't expected Dr. Green to be bringing anyone with him."
"Ah, I bumped into Miss Sang in the hallway." Dr. Green clicked his tongue, "she told me about her predicament, and I thought that I could help her out."
I didn't miss the emphasis that Dr. Green put on my name. Nor did I miss the intake of breath from Mr. Blackbourne. Did he recognize my name?
Something shifted in the room, drawing my attention. Before I could stop myself, I raised my head. My eyes sought out the unknown man in the room. Seated at a desk was utter perfection. His brown hair was cut short and brushed back from his face to reveal black-framed glasses. His features were angular, and he had a straight nose. My eyes lowered to his gray suit and maroon tie before drifting back up to his face. There I was caught by piercing steel-gray eyes.
The wound on my shoulder began to pulse. I pressed my palm to it hoping it would alleviate the ache. Mr. Blackbourne's eyes followed the movement before his eyes flashed back up to mine. I forced my eyes away from him to take in the office.
There were two desks and four empty chairs. The desks looked a little odd. One of the desks was facing the door while the other was pushed against the wall. My eyes moved away from the desks to look at the shelves. There were a few books, but the stereo is what I chose to focus on. I started tapping my foot to the music, letting the sound relax my body.
"Alright, Miss Sang," Dr. Green's cheerful voice made me jump. I had been so focused on the music that I had forgotten about the two men in the room. "I've entered your schedule. You are good to go."
Mr. Blackbourne sighed, "Dr. Green, you aren't qualified to enter her schedule. Why must you cause trouble?"
Dr. Green grinned at me, before looking at my hand where it still clutched my aching shoulder. "Are you alright, Miss Sang?"
I quickly dropped my hand. "I-I'm fine."
"Miss Sorenson," Dr. Green's voice lost some of the cheerfulness. "I'll have you know that I have my doctorate in medicine. If you're injured, I can help you."
I bit my lip. The bite did hurt, and he is certainly more qualified than I am to look after it. "Okay."
He pointed to the desk, "Sit." Then he whirled around and grabbed a backpack from the floor. I sat on his desk as he had asked. A shift in the air brought forth the scent of spring soap, I turned my head to see Mr. Blackbourne standing next to me. His eyes were locked on my shoulder.
"I was bit by a dog," I said before anyone else could say anything.
Dr. Green set his bag in his chair before turning back to me. "Can I move your shirt out of the way, so I can see what's wrong?"
His thumb hooked into the collar of my top and lowered it before I even nodded. He moved my bra strap out of the way as well. He pulled the bandage I had applied off, and I hissed as it tugged on my sensitive skin.
Dr. Green's finger gently prodded at the wound. "Must have been a big dog."
I shrugged my good shoulder, "I couldn't really tell. It was dark out."
A hot liquid slipped across my skin and Dr. Green quickly pressed gauze against my shoulder before muttering under his breath. "Mangy mutts and their dirty mouths."
A low growl rumbled through the room. It sounded suspiciously close to me, so I glanced at Mr. Blackbourne who was glaring at Dr. Green with dark eyes. His lips were pressed tightly together. Dr. Green had a small smile on his face.
"Have you been keeping this clean and dry, Miss Sang?" Dr. Green asked.
"Yes. It was achy, but it started hurting more when I got here." I bit my lip when he started cleaning it was an antibacterial wipe. "I haven't had a fever or felt sick."
"That's good. I'll give you my card, so you can call me if anything changes."
"I don't have a phone," I said.
"Do you have a house phone?" Mr. Blackbourne cut in.
I gave him a sheepish smile. "Yes, but I'm not supposed to use it. My mother doesn't like for me to call people."
He raised an elegant brow, "I'm sure she'd be willing to make an exception this time considering you're injured."
If only that were the truth. Unfortunately, she was behind most of my injuries. I wasn't about to tell them that though. I didn't need any more trouble. My mother was going to be angry that I even left the house today. So, all I said was, "Maybe."
Dr. Green finished patching me up. Mr. Blackbourne hovered next to me the whole time. After he was done, they sent me on my way. Stepping out of the office, I noticed a group of boys huddling off to the side of the hallway. They were talking loud enough that their conversation carried over to me.
"Did you see that girl that Dr. Green had with him?" A deep voice said. I pinpointed the voice to a boy with soft-looking reddish-brown hair that was a little redder than brown.
"Yeah. What the fuck was that about?" Said another voice, I couldn't see who it came from though. His voice was almost gruff like he'd been talking a lot.
More voices joined until they were all talking. Apparently, it wasn't normal for Dr. Green to help students. And it was a big enough deal that the students were arguing about it.
"Enough." A smooth, strong voice spoke above the others. "If we're supposed to know, then they'll tell us."
My face twisted in confusion as I turned and walked down the hallway. Why was it such a big deal for Dr. Green to help a student out? And why was it any business of theirs? I shook my head. Maybe it was a boy thing. I headed out of the school not looking forward to my long walk home.