Serena stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her body. She walked back into her room.
She glanced quickly at her full-length mirror. Her face was puffy and red. It looked worse than when she woke up.
Serena wandered over to her closet while running a brush through her hair. Serena opened her closet and pulled out a multi-colored tie-dyed shirt and studded jeans. Serena placed a fedora on her head.
She walked over to the mirror to put on her make-up. She rubbed foundation over her face, making sure to cover the redness. She patted pink-gold shimmer dust on her cheeks. She stroked soft grey eyeliner on her eyelids. The finishing touch was a plump flesh-colored lipstick which she smoothed on.
Her pet raccoon Wally woke up and looked at her as she finished. His masked face seemed happy and cheerful. Serena walked over to Wally and hugged him tightly. Wally nosed her earlobe with his nose, as if sensing her grief.
She picked up her cello case and went downstairs.
She passed Collin's room. She heard soft surf music playing and knew her surf-rat brother was resting after a long night at the beach. She picked up Collin thinking how beautiful Jimena was.
Serena allowed herself a little smile. She was glad that her best friend and her brother were so happy together.
Serena passed his room and softly went downstairs, not wanting to disturb him.
Serena walked into the kitchen, glancing at a note from her father. It said he would be out on a business trip until tonight.
Serena took a muffin from the counter and poured herself some juice. She put some food in Wally's dish in case Collin forgot to feed him.
She glanced at the clock on the wall. She had five minutes before the bus came.
Serena walked to the door and went outside. The wind picked up and scattered leaves around her feet. She locked her front door and walked out to the sidewalk.
A sudden sound of an engine filled her ears. She looked up. Jimena sat in her brother's car.
Jimena motioned for Serena to get in.
Serena walked over to the car and opened the door. She put her cello case in the backseat and got settled in the front seat.
She pulled on her seatbelt and looked at Jimena.
Jimena sat there silently, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly.
Serena didn't have to read her mind to know what filled Jimena's thoughts. Jimena was usually the tough one, but they were best friends. They kept it real, always.
Serena leaned over and hugged Jimena tightly.
They sat there together, rocking back and forth. "I miss her," Serena said, her voice muffled by Jimena's soft dark hair. "I do too," Jimena replied.
She glanced quickly at her full-length mirror. Her face was puffy and red. It looked worse than when she woke up.
Serena wandered over to her closet while running a brush through her hair. Serena opened her closet and pulled out a multi-colored tie-dyed shirt and studded jeans. Serena placed a fedora on her head.
She walked over to the mirror to put on her make-up. She rubbed foundation over her face, making sure to cover the redness. She patted pink-gold shimmer dust on her cheeks. She stroked soft grey eyeliner on her eyelids. The finishing touch was a plump flesh-colored lipstick which she smoothed on.
Her pet raccoon Wally woke up and looked at her as she finished. His masked face seemed happy and cheerful. Serena walked over to Wally and hugged him tightly. Wally nosed her earlobe with his nose, as if sensing her grief.
She picked up her cello case and went downstairs.
She passed Collin's room. She heard soft surf music playing and knew her surf-rat brother was resting after a long night at the beach. She picked up Collin thinking how beautiful Jimena was.
Serena allowed herself a little smile. She was glad that her best friend and her brother were so happy together.
Serena passed his room and softly went downstairs, not wanting to disturb him.
Serena walked into the kitchen, glancing at a note from her father. It said he would be out on a business trip until tonight.
Serena took a muffin from the counter and poured herself some juice. She put some food in Wally's dish in case Collin forgot to feed him.
She glanced at the clock on the wall. She had five minutes before the bus came.
Serena walked to the door and went outside. The wind picked up and scattered leaves around her feet. She locked her front door and walked out to the sidewalk.
A sudden sound of an engine filled her ears. She looked up. Jimena sat in her brother's car.
Jimena motioned for Serena to get in.
Serena walked over to the car and opened the door. She put her cello case in the backseat and got settled in the front seat.
She pulled on her seatbelt and looked at Jimena.
Jimena sat there silently, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly.
Serena didn't have to read her mind to know what filled Jimena's thoughts. Jimena was usually the tough one, but they were best friends. They kept it real, always.
Serena leaned over and hugged Jimena tightly.
They sat there together, rocking back and forth. "I miss her," Serena said, her voice muffled by Jimena's soft dark hair. "I do too," Jimena replied.