I looked in the mirror, stained with fingerprints and watermarks from the past month of stressful up-do's and sleepy face washing. My stormy grey eyes stared into my own eyes again, and again, through the reflection, criticizingly. I think I'm a pretty girl, with my dark hair, that's messy in a good sort of way, so nobody minds that I don't brush it, and I've got a nice body too. It's just those eyes. They're too analytical. And they're grey. Stormy, gloomy, sad music video grey. They couldn't be that lovely sea green, that dance with the power of the sea. My brother has those. He's a lucky guy; girls, and good looks? That's really something. I've got my grades, and it's not like the occasional attractive person has thought I was pretty(at least I think.)"Hey Cal." My friend Caldeolo stopped fixing a laser pointer; his fifth, and rose his eyes to meet mine.
"What's up Belle?~" He asked grinning. Messy, thick curly hair framed his dark almond eyes. He rubbed the back of his neck to soothe the cramp that had developed from hunching over the small machines.
"Don't call me that." I said squirming with the slight discomfort the horrid nickname brought. It's short for Maribelle. That, or Mari Contrary, just to tease me.
"Aw, but it's so cute~" he said stretching out like a satisfied cat.
"My eyes are too grey aren't they?" I sighed laying on my back, now out of the bathroom, and flat on the soft carpet of the living room. The lopsided ceiling fan swiveled lazily; Cal and I made it when we were six, out of scrap wood and metal. In a way, it was sort of charming. Clouds built up, shrouding the sky in hues of pewter.
"Maribelle." He sat up, and spoke seriously, his usual confident and playful demeanor. "Why are you thinking that now?" I didn't take my eyes off of the spinning blades.
"I don't know, it's just, they're so... Gloomy. Like, a sad rainy day." Caldeolo laughed, making his raven curls bounce lightly. "Hey! I'm spilling my problems to you Mister thearapist sir." I scolded, askance at his usual strange behavior.
"Rainy days are great!" He grinned, as if he didn't remember being serious in his entire life."You know, when it storms, they cancel school." He mused childishly. I looked at him unconvinced. "And then there's no homework, so you can play!"
"C'mon Caldeolo, we're 14." I said smiling just slightly.
"Exactly." I raised my eyebrow, awaiting what on earth he'd think up next."We could build something, or draw something giant, or harshly criticize infomercials at 5:00 am."I laughed.
"That'd be excellent." I told him, assudring him, I was fully convinced.
"It's a hot chocolate kind of day." He described, laying back again on his stomach, making a little red dot dance across the ceiling.
"Actually, I prefer tea." I said, feeling that contradiction was necessary.
"Fine, tea for you then." He stood to return the little lasers, leaving me lying on the carpet.
"Hey Cal?" I turned toward him, flipping onto my stomach.
"Hm?" He was turning the knob of the door.
"Thank you." I smiled, even after he turned. He was out the door, before he answered, but I swear I heard:
"Always."
