BRUISES

| Eight |

I slam my body against the restroom door then lean my hands on the edge of the porcelain sink. Lifting my head, I gaze into the mirror and try to remember where and who I am.

            "I am here." I mutter to myself. "I am alive, I am breathing, I am well."

            I raise my hand and it hovers over my bruise. Biting the inside of my cheek, I begin to chew on it. Winning against my intrusive thoughts, I place my hand back down.

            One of the bathroom stalls open and I whirl around to find a girl with brown hair searching for something in her purse. Once she lifts her head up, her large hazel eyes stare at mine.

            "Oh my god, Theo!" She shouts, clinging onto me the moment she yells my name. I wrap my shaking arms around her.

            "Jules," I breathe, feeling the life flowing back into me. She gives a final squeeze before releasing me. Her face is pink with natural blush and colorful for such a dull day. With the alcohol I smell off her warm breath.

            "I'm so glad you're here. Clarry told me you'd come and I'm so happy because I haven't seen you in so long." She hooks her purse up on a hanger and begins washing her hands.

            I stand beside her awkwardly, embarrassed that she was in here listening to me talk to myself. I didn't even think of checking the two stalls before beating myself.

            Clarry and Jules did girl scouts together. As they got older, their relationship evolved from them doing things together to all the girls hanging out and doing things together. Aside from Clarry and I, Jules kept in touch with Clarry because their parents are very good friends.

            Jules is selfless and would never hurt a fly. When something bad happens, she holds a blank stare and pretends nothing is wrong. All she wants is positivity, especially with everything that happened to her.

            "Yeah, I actually saw Penny too." I say, catching her stare through the reflection. Her eyes roam the entire space. Someone walks in and goes straight to the stall.

            "Wow, this is going to be quite the reunion." She giggles, leans up against the wall and unhooks her purse. I stand against the other sink and watch her fish for something.

            In silence, the other woman flushes the toilet and walks out of the stall. She gives me a gentle smile before patting her wet hands against her skirt and exits the restroom.

            "I can say," I eventually reply to her comment. Jules grunts before pulling out a pink flask with her name engraved on it.

            "Want a swig?" She asks before drinking a mouthful. Her jaw tightens when she swallows.

            I take the offer and let the alcohol burn the back of my throat.

            "Gin?" I cough, the smooth flavor exciting my senses but also diminishing my anxiety.

            "Rubies favorite." Jules winks, holding the flask in her hand. "Had to make a toast to her."

            "How did you find out?" I ask her, curious on how she reacted. Jules never really crashed... except the time she overdosed.

            "My mom. Clarry's mom called my mom and then she told me. The legit game of telephone instead I was home so my mom came into my room and told me the news. I cried...obviously but I was more so angry, you know? Why she did this? We would never know."

            I pause and prepare for the truth. "When you say, 'why she did it', do you mean she committed suicide?"

            Jules touches up her face with some powder and nods. "Yeah, Mrs. McKennel found her in the bathroom when she got home from work." I want to ask how but Jules looks down at her inner wrists and frowns. "I wonder what her final thoughts were."