Ashley
Last night around 8 my younger sister kate had gotten sick but wed had to wait untill 11 for her to go to the hospital. Wwe had to wait for our parents to get back from their high school reunion. Everyone but marie had come. I didn't know where she was but when id texted her and asked shed said she was downtown visiting a friend. Anna had had to give kate blood and bone marrow. Wed gotten at the hospital near midnight. Id the bone marrow transplant had taken 6 hrs but id left early bc I had ballet from 4 - 6 this morning. Id had breakfast at 8. I had cheerleading after school from 3 - 4 and then ballet from 5 - 7. And then work from 7 - 10 and then my job at a strip club downtown from 11 - 1.
Once I left the house I went to the bathroom of a nearby star bucks. I went into a stall closed and locked the door. I took my razor blade out of the small black film canister in my purse. I put my purse on the floor and the film canister on the toilet paper holder. The bathroom was cold and quiet.
I cut.
After I cut I put the razor blade back in my film canister which I put back in my purse. I got my purse and walked into the café.
There were a few people ahead of me in line.
"these are new?" a guy to my right asked.
I looked up and saw a tall tan guy standing to my right. He had long curly dark hair.
I crossed my arms putting my hands over my cuts.
"I. um…" I began.
"its ok. My sister does it too," he leaned closer to me, "cuts."
"oh."
His breath was warm. He smelled like smoke and leather and cologne.
"im carlos btw. You come here often?" he asked.
"oh. Ashley. Nice to meet you. Youre from south america?" I asked seeing a map of the country when he leaned in.
"yeah you too. And yeah howd you know?"
"lucky guess?"
"and yeah," I answered his previous question, "when im not in school or working or at cheerleading or ballet. Or. Waiting for my sister to get sick."
He stepped back eyed me up and down.
"cheerleading?" he repeated.
"yeah," I said.
"idinno you, don't really seem like a cheerleader. I mean youre not. Uh. Perky."
I laughed; "yeah well. Looks can be deceiving."
The line moved forward.
My phone buzzed w/ a text.
"ex, cuse me," I said.
"sure go ahead," carlos said.
I turned flipped my phone open. Id gotten the text from an unknown number. It read; I know your secret.
I flipped the phone closed and turned back to carlos.
"hey did you just text me?" I asked.
"no I don't even have your number," he replied.
"oh. Ok."
"why?"
"I. wrong number I guess."
Which seemed weird getting a text rather than a call from a wrong number.
