A Step to Love

The loud ringing of my alarm clock woke me up at 6:00am. I moaned a little and I rolled in my bed. I opened my mouth, letting out a yawn as I stretched my arms.

I didn’t feel tired from my nine-hour sleep, but I felt tired from the fight with my mom. I got up from my bed, feeling every wound sting like electricity. I tried saying something unintelligent, but even my throat was against me since it felt soar.

I took one look at myself. There was a light purple mark on my left cheek. I gently washed my face and then brushed my teeth, so I could take a bath. Once I set the temperature, I got in and slowly rubbed the bruises with my soapy sponge.

I still wasn’t sure of what I was going to do. I didn’t even have an option. Well, maybe I had, but I didn’t bother to think of any. Maybe I would just move out or maybe that idea was too crazy.

When I finished my bath, I went to my closet and picked the first thing I saw. Luckily, it was something that matched—a pair of blue jeans, and a black tank top. I returned to the bathroom and brushed my hair in a way that part of my bangs could cover that bruise, but unfortunately, it didn’t really work.

So, I guess that make-up every once in a while would not hurt…so much.

Every Christmas, my aunt Catalina, would come all the way from Mexico, and get me some make-up. Sometimes she would get me powder, other times—lip gloss or others—eye shadow. It was kind of ridiculous—if you ask me—getting your niece the same thing every Christmas, but today, I felt as if she were my guardian angel or so I though while applying some foundation. Hopefully, nobody will notice.

With one last check in the mirror, I went to my closet again to put some shoes on. I grabbed my backpack so I could go downstairs to eat.

My mother was nowhere to be seen. I called her name about seven times, but truly, I wasn’t so excited to see her.

I just wanted to get out of the house in one piece, so I grabbed one green apple—my favorite kind of apple—and nearly ran toward the door. I gently closed it behind me, letting out a sigh. Maybe riding my bike today wasn’t such a bad idea.

Carefully, I went to the back of the house to look for it. It should be in a corner of the little wooden house that stood a few feet away.

There it was—my eye-straining, yellow bicycle. My father gave it to me about two years ago—days before his death. I was too upset about it, so I’ve never ridden this bike before.

Slowly, I stepped in—careful not to step into anything dead or even worse…alive, and gently got it out. I closed the door of the wooden house and dragged the bike to the front. With one last check at my surrounding to see if my mom had decided to come—thankfully she didn’t—I got on the bicycle.

When I arrived to school, Brittany and Sasha were already waiting for me. They, obviously, looked surprised by my ride.

“Want me to park it?” Sasha asked. A cheap smile slowly started crossing her face.

“It sounds more as if you were making fun of it, but okay,” I replied, half smiling.

She rolled her eyes and took it from my hands.

Brittany just stared. She opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it again. Apparently it was something inappropriate or maybe obvious.

I stared at her back until I heard Sasha returned and then I said, “It’s a long story, so please, don’t ask.”

Both of them nodded and after a long walk, Sasha finally spoke—probably sick of the awkwardness. “I am so worried about Mr. Wood’s test.”

“It seems easy enough,” I said.

Sasha stared in disbelief for a while and then said, “maybe…but I am not that smart.”

“Of course you are!” I yelled smiling at her. “We just have different opinions.”

“Thanks…and yea.” Sasha smiled back, but then pursed her lips. “There are the guys.”

I followed her eyes and saw Gaby, Joe and The Thing sitting on the floor in the middle of the hallway. “Nice,” I muttered as we walked toward them.

“Let’s scare them,” Brittany suggested and then I noticed that they hadn’t seen us yet. Sasha and I both nodded.

We approached quietly and when we were just inches away, The Thing screamed.

“What the hell!”

I couldn’t help but to giggle aloud. He crossed his arms and glared at me. I was still giggling and seconds later Sasha and Brittany joined me.

“Very funny,” The Thing muttered and turned his back on us.

“What are you guys doing?” Sasha asked while sitting between Gaby and Joe. Brittany followed her lead and sat between Joe and The Thing. I, on the other hand, stayed in place, leaning against a locker that was next to me.

The guys exchanged confused looks. “Eh, n-nothing… Yeah, nothing,” Gaby stuttered.

“Ookay,” Sasha sang and got up. “I’m off. I have to study for that history exam. You don’t want to fail that.

“Aw crap,” The Thing groaned. “That’s today?”

Sasha nodded and then The Thing said as he got up, “well, I guess I should go, too. See ya later, guys.” Then he turned to me. “Lillian,” he said in an icy tone.

“Thing,” I replied in the same tone.

He gave me a dirty look just before continuing his way behind Sasha.

“You know,” Brittany nearly whispered, but I was able to hear. “I wonder how long this will last.”

Gaby instantly burst into laughter, but I didn’t follow his reaction. I glared, confused.

The he turned to me. “I just had an image in my head about you two. I imagined you guys were old and still fighting,” he explained. “Maybe you guys would be fighting about whose dentures should be in water first or something.”

“If I had something in my hands, it would be hitting your face right now.”

He laughed again. The others joined him this time while I stayed silent.

Brit stopped first when she looked at me. I stared back. “Mind if I speak to you for a sec?” she asked. I nodded.

I walked a little bit away from the guys and she followed. I spun around and waited for her to spill whatever she had in mind.

She hesitated, thinking of the right words to use…or not. “What the fuck happened to you?”