Little Girl Blue - 𝐖𝐋𝐖

𝐈. Philia- TwentyFive

The cat's name was Lewis. A black ball of fur wrapping around my ankles by the time we got down the hall.

It was a small, cozy nook. Handcrafted door, polished, dark cherry floors, cabinets that matched.

"Here's your tea." Harper whispered. She walked over on her tippy toes afraid of spilling. I let the steam seep into my pores, filling my nose with the warm honey.

I muttered a small thanks and drank. Taking small sips in between dancing around the feline, hoping he'd get the hint and leave. "It's nice." I commented. Staring around once more at the shared space between my coworker and her mother. It smelled like Vick's vapor rub and rotting fruit. The stick of incense went out before our arrival, a husky air groping the room.

Harper's mother is a nurse. Works most of the time for no other reason than loving her job and her daughter and thought making enough money to sustain both would lead to immense happiness. She was a woman with strong eyes and strong cheek bones and often wore her hair in braids. Her name happened to be Rainbow, and every frame I passed, that seemed to peek through. Her radiant smile, definitive attitude. It became clear why Harper was the way she is. Love presented itself in every corner of this home.

"She would've loved to meet you." She replied, the angry kitten now piled up in her arms and bouncing around, both being led to her bedroom at the end. She had the largest bed, and right in her front was a closet with sliding mirror doors. All around there were postures and pictures, and lazy stacks of books and journals scattered about on any free furniture. There were multiple empty energy drink cans and an overflowing trash full of lined paper. "Excuse the mess." She encountered, kicking her toe at any random object.

I sat on the edge of the bed, catering to my cup of tea, finally cooled down enough to enjoy. Helplessly I looked in the large mirror ahead. Trying (and failing) to discreetly fix my hair or adjust my shirt. I had thought I looked so sickly. Sleep didn't look like something I even knew, my hair was too long now it kept tangles, I had lost more weight.

Picking the skin from my lips I averted my gaze from the decaying creature grimacing in the reflection. Hoping to find something less menacing to pick my brain for an afternoon being away from Jane.

That house has something in it. Originally I thought it was the isolated nature but now I realize Jane has stunk up the whole place. It smells too much like her, feels just the same. And I'm expected to move with her back to the city?

It felt unexpected, unreal. Where had time gone and what has it done?

"I thought we said no nail polish." She was crouching down from beneath the bed, retrieving an old box of paints.

She sighed dramatically, crawling back onto the bed. Lewis followed. "Just be open, okay? There's a lot we can do." She was excited, already picking at my cheeks and trying to "find my color".

"Don't say it like that!" I giggled, facing the cat to avoid my reflection. "Just a little shadow and we'll be fine."

I had no way of knowing how to react. I had never really had a friend, someone who wanted to dress me up, or have sleepovers, or talk about crushes. It was all so strange to be experiencing so many new things at once.

She shook her head, circling around the room and gathering supplies. "Fine. The goal here is to have some fun and a little self care. Work with me, Florence." She deadpanned, flashing her extra wide smiled that showed her jewelry.

I wanted to fight it but I was also tired of the everyday facade I struggled keeping up with. My hands were up in surrender, "I give you full control. Do what you please."