I woke up blissfully snuggled in my comforter, something warm wrapped around my waist. I hummed contently and groggily pulled the comforter over my exposed shoulder. The comforter slipped off my shoulder again, so I pulled it back up again. Then the comforter moved. "What time is it?" it murmured.
Wait, that wasn't supposed to happen. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Comforters didn't make any sound. They certainly didn't move.
I squeezed my eyes tightly shut and scrambled out of bed.
"What's happening?" a groggy female voice spoke. It was the girl who stumbled upon my front yard this morning. The girl I had tried so hard to forget these past few weeks. Bana muttered something about not knowing where she was. The comforter moved, she had probably sat upright, but I didn't dare to open my eyes to check in case she looked my way. She may be blind, but I didn't want to risk it.
"My head's killing me. Got anything for the headache?" she mumbled.
"I left you a glass of water and some painkillers on the bedside table next to you."
"Thanks. Where am I by the way?"
"My room. You stumbled into my front yard early this morning."
She hummed, swallowing the painkillers.
I felt around for sunglasses I left at my nightstand last night. Aha found them. I slipped them on with a victorious grin. I finally opened my eyes and observed the room. The room was the same as always, except for the girl sitting in the middle of my bed. She yawned and snuggled in my bed, perfectly content to stay there a little longer.
"What's your name?" I asked, even though I already knew her name. It just to be polite and for the opportunity to introduce myself. "Mine's Medusa, but you can call me Dusa for short." It was a really unsubtle hint, but I didn't care. She couldn't see and it was only fair she knew what was going on. It was stupid to tell her, but I did it anyways. I shouldn't have, but what's done is done.
"Abana," she smiled in my direction. It was a pretty name, fitting for a girl like her. Only more reasons seem to add to my already long list of reasons why she was cute. "Wait, you're the girl in Greek mythology that turns everyone to stone."
I grimaced, waiting for her reaction. I shouldn't have told her. "That would be me."
"Cool," she grinned. "Should I be petrified?"
I couldn't believe she was making a pun about this. I chuckled softly, it was kinda funny. I hadn't expected this to go this way, but I felt relieved. "Nah, you're alright."
She hummed, "Good to know."
I didn't bother with the scarf. It was not like she could see my hair. It was surprising how well she reacted to finding out who I am. The few who had found out always freaked out and moved far away from me. Didn't know whether to call her brave or a straight up idiot.
"Don't you have snakes instead of hair? Not to be rude, simply curious."
The little green snakes hissed softly. "I have." I didn't add anything else. She might have reacted well at first, but here it came. The insults, disgust and the frantic fear.
"What's it like?" She leaned her head on her bend knees, tilting her head curiously.
Taken aback by the question, "What do you mean?"
"Well, I assume it's different than mine," she played with a strand of her own hair. "I was curious what's like."
"It is." I shushed the hissing snakes, afraid they would repulse her like they did everyone else. I didn't want her to be repulsed by me. She had been so accepting till now. My heart would break a little if she'd be repulsed by me.
A smile broke out on her face. One so radiant I nearly had to look away from her, yet I didn't. Maybe it was the self-destructive side of me. "I'm sure many see all the problems that come with such hair—"
My face fell. The few that had seen my hair had told me how disgusting, ugly, weird, despicable, unworthy my—
"—But tell me, Dusa," she continued, breaking my endless stream of self-loathing thoughts. "What are the pros?"
Huh, never looked at it that way. I couldn't think of anything positive about my hair. It was and always has been something I disliked about myself. Something I avoided to look at in the mirror.
I saw her smile softly at me. She might not be able to see them, but she wasn't disgusted by the idea of them. "I uhm I don't know how to answer that." The only thing I thought about was how I lost my beautiful hair. Not about the things I had gained. Never about the things I had gained.
There wasn't anything I gained by having snakes for hair. How she looked at it this way, I couldn't fantom.
"Take your time," she smiled, leaning her back against the headboard. I sat down on the edge of the bed, rubbing my face. I sighted deeply, my mind reflecting on my life with hair like mine. I couldn't think of anything positive to say about my hair. It was ugly and disgusti—
"—Let's go eat something. I assume you have food here somewhere."
"Yeah," I mumbled.
She stood up and felt her way around the room until she was near the door. She turned to me, "Which way to the kitchen?"
"I'll show you. Is it okay if I grab your hand?" I wanted to make her comfortable as I approached her. It must freak her out if people suddenly touched her.
"Yes please," she smiled gratefully at me.
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