Making noodles in an electric kettle reminded me of home. Having Stephanie's feet in my face though, did not. I do not know what I expected out of this 'cuddling session' but whatever I got subverted it all.
That woman slept SLANTING in Blaire's bed because her tall self wouldn't fit as a straight whole and somehow decided to flex her ballet flexibility in our faces. Stephanie was a wild sleeper so, Blaire and I had to build a pillow wall to separate her from us so that we could sleep in peace.
I did get to embrace all of Blaire but her warm squishiness lasted just about fifteen minutes before... she started talking in her sleep and I jumped off her bed and sneaked back into my own.
Finally, inner peace.
I spent quite a long while pondering over exactly when I had passed out yesterday. The last thing I remember was that Evil One being on top of me, passed out cold. I had heard the police open the doors and shout out, I remember that— but everything after that is hazy. Did I hit my head?
Why would the male lead go out of his way to sabotage an irrelevant side character?
Why did the cannon events not happen that afternoon?
Why was I the Plaything even when I had good grades?
Maybe going to school would answer that...but being the Plaything again— a cold shiver ran down my spine as sleep embraced my mind and led it into darkness.
"Rise and shine! Look what I bought you!"
Someone flicked my forehead and I wince awake with bloody murder on my mind. Stephanie's gorgeous eye lashes and perfectly parted bangs grace my sight, rendering my vices useless against her beauty.
"What is it...?" I croak out in my groggy voice. Rain pelted outside the window, harsh and cold like always. Stephanie grins and raises her hand to reveal a small brown umbrella.
"Prision avoiding gift!" She exclaims, pressing a button on its handle which makes the umbrella shoot up viciously. "Full time umbrella, part time weapon, quarter time disguise," she unwraps the tie around the umbrella and it opens up, big enough to hide half of her upper body. "Brilliant, I know, right?"
I nod, my mouth slightly agape. "What did I do to deserve this?"
"Been my friend, that's all. Get up now or you'll be late for your meeting with the Dean," she climbs back down and closes the umbrella, resting it on my desk. I sit up and stretch, feeling all oily and puffy.
"Thanks, I appreciate it a lot," I call out to Steph, hanging half my body over the bed's edge to spot Stephanie making herself a sandwich. "Where's Blaire?"
"Mhm," Stephanie takes a big bite and speaks whilst chewing, "Church duh. Skip your morning job today, Dean's gonna eat your ear off."
"Aye aye captain," I sigh and I get down to freshen up. Today's shower was more productive because there was barely any glitter left in my hair. I hope they're kinder today. By the time I come out, Stephanie was gone. I too made haste with my uniform, ironed crips curtsey of Blaire, took Stephanie's umbrella and ran out.
As I was running past the main doors, the dormitory keeper's office caught my eye. I halt to see her sitting in her chair, marking something on her register. An epiphany hits me.
She's a big woman, maybe in her early forties, with excessively curled hair and a bold red lip. She's wearing a flower necklace and a plain orange dress and from what I can see, her ring finger in empty.
Ha-! Let me turn up my rizz-o-meter and charm the life out of her.
"Hey, looking charming today! The necklace is so precious! Vintage?" I ask, walking up to the window and leaning over the pane to give her my sweetest smile.
She laughs coyly, "Oh you flatter me!" she sniffles, "Yes the necklace is from my mum!"
"No wonder! You wear it so well! If I had a date with you today I'd totally propose!"
"Oh- stop it!" She laughs in exasperation, "Do you think he will?? I do have a date," she bites her lip, "But...I don't know, maybe I'm overdoing it."
"Oh shh, no! A lady must always be extravagant if she wishes to be, no matter the ocassion. If you feel gorgeous, you'll look gorgeous. You know what? You bring some flowers for yourself on that date, just to prove it that you treat yourself well and expect better from—" I eye around, who could her middle aged romance be for? If she's dressed up so early — it's gotta be someone in the vicinity...oh! — "that security guard!"
"I was really having second thoughts about this...but thank you, means a lot to me," She smiles at me, pushing her cheeks till her eyes were mere crescents. "Now, tell me, what do you need?" She asks pleasantly.
"Damn, you saw right through me," I whisper with a bit of embarrassment. "Orange is really your colour though!"
"Priorities, girl," she laughs at my evasion, pressing her register close. "No one walks up to their dorm keeper so early in the morning and compliments them without having a late record or demerit to erase. Which one is it?" She quirks a brow.
I fidget a bit, "None of those, really. Last weekend, do you remember who brought me home? I was meaning to thank them and send them a gift or invite them out for food...but they never left a number or anything," I pout as if it really upsets me.
"Oh? Just that?" She laughs again and pushes back in her seat to think, "I remember you were pretty drunk and the girl who brought you back doesn't lives in the dorms. I couldn't recognise her because she had a bucket hat and glasses and everything, hm- she did have blonde hair though. Maybe seeing the camera footage would help you better?"
Almost hiding her face. Blonde hair. Doesn't lives in the dorms. Who?
"Bring him a gift that reminds him of the date when you're gone. Dudes are a sucker for signed balls, any sport of his choice would do. He'll never he able to let go," I smile.
"Okay okay, I'll put in a good word for you. Maybe it'll help," she laughs again, "You're really sneaky."
"I try being modest about it," I smile, holding my hand out for her to shake. "Winona Beckett, dorm 403," I introduce myself.
"I know," she deadpans, "You've been living here for six years now. I have seen your grow up."
"Ah," I drag out, "I'll see you in the evening then...?" I wave awkwardly, "All the best for your date!"
"Thank you! Have a good day at school!" She laughs again as I retrace my steps to the main door and run out, opening my umbrella to protect myself from the pelting rain.
She was really wholesome for being a mere side character. Why did this world have so much personality to itself? How did that damned authoress write it?!
On the bus, I met those recurring characters again. The girl who talks too much and the girl who reacts like a text-to-speech feature.
"So, I asked her if she had an umbrella and she had the AUDACITY to say, 'oh babygirl, I don't know, I'll have to search,' and I was like, then get the fuck up woman and search?! I am IN THE RAINS. To think my father has been nothing but the kindest to her family and all she wants is to keep hoarding our assets."
"Woah woah, what a bitch."
"I know, I know, even cupcake detests her. I'll let him bite her when she comes over next. She always invites herself in with a new bird on her arm, so freaking annoying. I bet she eats them at night."
"Woah woah, not cannibalism!"
"Gee, it's not cannibalism to eat birds if you're not a bird yourself. Tsk tsk."
"Oh isn't she? Bird shit?"
They snort together, loud enough to make everyone turn and stare. I sink back into my seat waiting to sight the school building because I wasn't familiar with the spots yet.