Black Damask

It was still early when the movers left, so I got to sleep for a few hours until I woke up in time to see the sun set. I didn’t know when Mom was coming home, so I forced myself up and set about unpacking the boxes. Unfortunately, none of those boxes included food, and Mom had texted saying I was on my own for the night again.

I locked myself in the bathroom when I finished unpacking everything. I knew I was alone, but I still felt the need to lock myself in. I pushed the sleeves of my shirt up to reveal the red marks covering my arms. It was strange, I couldn’t stand the sight of needles, and yet I had no problem with this. I added a few lines before going upstairs to get my jacket and car keys.

As I pulled my jacket on gingerly, a piece of paper fell out of the pocket. Devin’s phone number. I pulled out my phone to text him as I walked to my car. “Hey, it’s Anna. Text if you want later.”

The drive to and from Wal-Mart was silent, other than Asking Alexandria blasting through my speakers. I hated walking through Wal-Mart, but they had everything I needed. While I was in line, I got a text from Devin. “Sorry for getting back to you so late. We just finished with band practice. What are you up to?”

“Just waiting to check out at Wal-Mart, then heading home to eat,” I replied.

I heard my phone ring, signaling a new message, but I wasn’t going to stop in the middle of the parking lot where I could be run over by some crazy driver so I could check my phone. And while I was loading the bags into the backseat, there was some creeper guy, so I locked my doors twice. “Isn’t it kind of late to be shopping and eating?”

“For normal people, yes,” I typed in. “But for me, it’s normal.” I drove home before reading Devin’s reply. He was already going to sleep, so we agreed to see each other at school in the morning.

I spent the next few hours catching up on TV and reading. That’s what I liked about nights; time seems to move so much slower than it does during the day. I only got around two hours of sleep before I had to get up for school, but it was better than nothing, I suppose.

I made it to my first class just before the bell rang. Halfway through class, someone tossed a paper onto my desk. I glanced in the direction it came, to see Devin. “Do you always get to class at the last minute?” the note said.

“Just the first class, and when I don’t know my way around, like yesterday,” I wrote. I folded the paper in half before checking to make sure Mr. Krencher wasn’t watching before tossing the paper back to Devin.

“That’s what happens when you go shopping in the middle of the night,” Devin replied. I didn’t have time to reply before a hand snatched the paper from in front of me. I looked up to see Mr. Krencher crumbling it into a ball as he casually walked by. I waited for him to turn back to the front of the class before shrugging my shoulders at Devin with an apologetic smile.

It felt like hours before the bell rang, but it finally did. “Midnight is the best time to go to the store,” I said.

Devin’s friend Balz spun around. “You were shopping at midnight!? What’s wrong with you?”

I paused a moment, considering my options. “Sorry, but we don’t have enough time for me to list everything wrong with me,” I said, turning to the left as we filed out into the hallway. “Maybe I’ll give you a few later. I’m going this way.”

The group of guys waved to me as they turned the other way. I pulled my phone out to read the text I’d just gotten as I walked. “Join us at lunch? Devin.”

“Sure,” I texted back. “Meet where I was yesterday?” Now I couldn’t wait for lunch. I managed to get through all of my classes without getting detention for anything. When the bell rang for lunch I made my way to the corner where I’d met Devin yesterday. I stood with my back to the wall, watching as people ran around in groups and girls tried to get the best position for their half hour of sunbathing. Just watching them in the sun was more than enough for me. I pulled my hood up over my head as Devin arrived.

“Hey,” he said with a smile. “We’re over here.” I followed him around the corner where the other five guys were sitting in a circle. Seeing us approach, the made space for us, letting me sit with my back against the wall. It was strange, being so welcomed by people I’d just met yesterday. It was like we’d known each other for years.

“So, how are you liking Scranton so far?” Chris asked.

“It’s better than anywhere else I’ve lived,” I said. “I’m not surrounded by people trying to change me, and I haven’t gotten detention yet.”

“Where else have you lived?” This time the question came from Angelo.

“Let’s put it this way,” I said. “I haven’t lived in Hawaii, Wisconsin, or New Mexico, but I’ve lived in at least one city in every other state.” Everyone paused around me, shocked looks on their faces. “Mom tends to stay in one place for anywhere from three months to two years before she decides to move.”

“Damn. I guess we’ll have to spend as much time with you as possible then,” Angelo said. “Or we can kidnap you when you find out you’re moving again.” The guys all nodded at that. All except for Devin, who was quietly staring down at the ground. The lunch period ended with an extensive conversation of how I would be kidnapped, which included some strange ideas, including the beginning of the zombie apocalypse.

I was starting to worry about Devin, since he didn’t talk at all for the rest of lunch, or at the beginning of our last class of the day. His friends seemed to know what was going on, and didn’t seem too concerned about it, so I didn’t say anything, even when he remained silent while walking to the parking lot.

I said goodbye to the guys when we reached my car. “Anna, can I ask you something?” I jumped, having thought Devin had gone on with his friends.

“Um, sure,” I said, unlocking the doors to my car so I could throw my backpack onto the passenger seat. “Is this about my midnight shopping trip?”

I saw the ghost of a smile cross his face when I asked that. “No, I actually wanted to know if you wanted to do something later.” He said hesitantly.

Why did he seem so nervous? Was he afraid I was some crazy serial killer on the run, disguised as a teenage girl? None of which was true. Well, maybe the crazy part was a little true. I nodded in response to his question. “I’m going to go home and sleep for a little while right, now,” I said. “But I’ll be up a little while after the sun goes down.”

“How does 7:30 sound?” Devin asked. “I can pick you up, or we can meet somewhere if you’re more comfortable with that,” he offered.

“7:30 sounds good, and you can pick me up,” I said, watching his eyes light up with happiness. “I’ll text you my address so you know where to go.”

“I’ll see you in a few hours then,” Devin said. “Sleep well Wednesday,” he added laughing.

“I’ll be waiting,” I said. “And don’t think about skipping out, Lurch isn’t afraid of Edward Scissorhands’s abandoned mansion.”