My stomach growls, and I open my eyes only to rapidly close them to shield them from the sun. I'm hungry. More slowly this time I open my eyes, and I cast a shadow with my arm. Groggily, I rub my eyes, to get rid of the sleep dust, and to rise myself a little more.

I turn onto my side, and face my nightstand. There a strange gooey substance awaits me. I back up away from it rapidly and come into a sitting position. I look at it more clearly, and laugh at my momentary stupidity. It's the steak my mom brought me last night, after I fell asleep.

By now, it's letting out kind a repellent odor and I decide not to touch it. I grab myself a bathrobe, and head for the bathroom. As I cross the hall to get there, I notice the clock: 6:05. Muttering to myself about reasonable hours to wake up, I close the door, lock it, and undress.

I get in the tub, and turn on the shower, cursing when the cold water hits my bare skin. As the water heats up, I increase the intensity of the blast, I turn away from the shower rod, and let the tepid water run down my neck and shoulders in slow rivulets.

I reach for the soap, and lather it with my hands, and then I spread the foam over my body, only exposing one body-part at a time, and rinsing as I go along. Finished, I place the soap back where it belongs and get the shampoo. I pour the liquid into my hands, and then massage it gently into my hair. I "rinse and repeat", then regretfully turn of the water, and climb out.

I attempt to dry my shoulder length unnaturally black hair. I then give up, and towel the rest of my body to a near dry state. I place my towel on the curtain rod, and turn to pick up my robe. While I do so, I make the mistake of looking at myself in the mirror.

And here I was, thinking that today might be a good day. As usual, I was wrong. I examine my body, much to my own disgust, then hastily look away, and erase all traces of the image of my body from my brain.

I wrap my bathrobe tightly around me, and place the clothes I'd been wearing for just under twenty-four hours in the laundry basket. I take the small hand mirror in my left hand. It's small enough to let me see just my eyes, it allows me to put on industrial quantities of black makeup without hating myself to much.

I put the mirror back down, and I look through the small shelf above the toilet to find my eyeliner. I place it on the counter next to the sink before using the facilities. My urine evacuated, I wipe myself of remaining refuse, and replace my robe. I pick up the small mirror once more and apply the makeup above and below my eyelids.

Satisfied with my mournful look, I proceed to stare at my bare feet as I pass a comb through my ensnarled hair. My job complete, I replace everything just as it had been before, not wanting any one to notice my use of the bathroom.

I quietly head down the hall to the kitchen, where I forage for food. My job complete, I head back to my room with a banana, two muffins, and a glass of milk. Almost every food group. All she needed now was a nice steak That reminds me of the rotting flesh I have by my bed.


I enter the room, and clear a space on my desk by tossing everything that's on it on the floor. I put down my breakfast, and proceed to pick up the meat with a old shirt that was lying around. I then toss it out the window, excepting some animal to want it. To my great surprise, I hear a yelp and a curse.

I rush to window, and see Pierre looking up at me in disgust.

"We aren't in the goddamned middle ages any more!!!"

I can't help but laugh as he kicks at the meat with the tip of his big shoes. I call down a "Just a sec." and I look around for appropriate attire. I take off my robe, and pull on my blue plaid boxers, a sports bra, and my gray "You don't know me, you just wish you did" shirt that I had made myself with the help of a black marker.

I find my jean skirt amid some junk on the floor. I put it on, complete with red suspenders. I've been looking for those for quite some time. I pull on a pair of red and black checkered knee socks, and last but not least, my red Converse Chuck Taylors. My all-time favorite shoes.

I grab a backpack, and pile all my food in. I gulp down the milk, and set down the glass, next to the other. I grab at a five I have lying on my desk, and put on my studded bracelet. I look around my room one more time, then out my window and down at Pierre.

"Don't look up my skirt, I'm coming down"

"Obediently, he looks down at his shoes, to my great surprise.

I reach the bottom, and he looks up at me, startled.

"That was fast."

I shrug, and lead him away from the house, and on to the street, I don't want my mom to hear us. Suddenly I realized he had no reason to know where I live. I turn to him and point an accusing finger at him.

"How did you know where I live?"

He blushes, which I find very endearing. He smiles shyly at me then says, "I asked David."

I smile indulgently at him, happy that some one would want to know where I lived.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We continue our way down the street, and we automatically turn into the park. We sit down on the single bench, and I pull out the food. Though I'm incredibly hungry, I find myself offering him some. He shakes his head, and stares out at the rest of the park frowning a bit. He looks incredibly cute with that little pout of his.

I scarf down my food, then find him looking at me strangely.

"I'm hungry." I say with my mouth full.

He smiles and pats me on the arm, but he leaves his hand there, I look from my arm to him, and back. He then releases me with reluctance.

"So what's up?" I inquire, and look at my shoes, what a dumb question to ask!

"I was wondering do you think you'd go to the movies with me some time?"

"Are you asking me out?"

Pierre remains silent and joins me in a shoe-staring contest.

"Sure, I'd love to." I add.

He looks at me hastily. Then noticing my sincerity grins with triumph. I roll my eyes, he doesn't have to be so smug about it.

"I don't have to miss next time I toss a stake out the window"

He laughed, then said "Why idid/i you throw it at me?"

I tell him that my mother played a practical joke on me for leaving in the middle of a fight yesterday. I only feel partially guilty, his good humor makes up for my lies. As we continue to joke, and tease, I feel more and more comfortable in his presence. He makes me feel good.

I finish eating, my second muffin, and he looks at me curiously. Slowly, he reaches with his left hand to scrape away some crumbs I had on the corner of my lips. He leans closer to me, I close my eyes, and he brushes my lips with his own.

He tugs gently at my lower lip and I can't help but smile. I open my eyes as he pulls away, and we look at each other for long seconds, absorbing every detail. He has beautiful brown eyes, I notice, flecked with gold. They resemble to pools of water in the middle an enchanted forest.

I giggle at that thought, and look away he takes my hand in his own. A look at him, for once I don't feel oh so confident about myself, and how I appear to others. He quietly says "Did you just giggle?" and raises an eyebrow. "Wow you must really like me" he gives me his smug grin again.

"Shut up." I say and smile, as I tug at the strings that tighten the hood of his sweatshirt. He grabs my hand in his, and brings it to his lips. He then puts his other arm around me, holding me close. I sigh, contented and lean against him. We look at the empty park and enjoy each other's company.

Abruptly, his watch begins to emit a shrill alarm. Startled, I flinch and he fiddles with his watch.

"I usually wake up at this time." He explains.

"What time iis/i it?"

"8 o'clock, I should probably go, my parents don't know that I'm hereI sneaked out"

I nod my head, understanding why he has to go, but not agreeing with his departure. I close my eyes once more, as he gives me a quick peck on the lips, hoping for more. Noticing my chagrined look as he did not deepen the kiss, he smiled self-importantly.

Angry at my typically teen-age reaction, I shove him off the bench, causing him to stumble but to regain his balance. I suggest to him that he get my phone number from his best friend, and he walks off hurriedly. Before he is out of earshot, I manage to call out "Better watch out, never know when a steak might come and hit you!" He laughed, audible even from this distance, and he turned the corner.

Finding myself alone, I begin the trek back to my house yet again, hoping this time that no unpleasant surprises will great me there.