Miss. Morix

22

            I laid my car keys on the coffee room table and then sat on my couch with a huff. Another blasted day, and still no progress. I still couldn't manage to liquefy anything successfully. I was burning through samples, I was burning through time, and I was getting pretty discouraged.

"Mira! Come here would ya?" I heard Harley's voice trailing from my room. My room. Why was she in my room?

I got up slowly and stopped in my doorway. She was standing by the foot of my bed with an unnerving grin spread from cheek to cheek. Sprawled out on my bed were different outfits mix matched. I looked at them inquiringly, then at her. She didn't ease up on the excitement.

"You want me to try those on?" I pointed to a few leather bound outfits. "I don't do skirts, let alone leather ones." I stated.
"So try on the shorts love!"
"I don't do shorts either."
"Not even when it's hot out?"
"Not even when it's hot out."

     She rolled her eyes and held a pair up to me. I noticed leather pants on my bed, by the pillow, accompanied by an almost nothing shirt. There was also a thick belt rolled up by it. It wasn't my thing, but, if it would get me out of trying shorts on. I'm way too self-conscious for that. Something was definitely to be said for Harley not giving two fucks about whether or not people stared at her.

"What about those?" I pointed to the pants.
"Oh! You wanna try em? Goodie! Go ahead!" She seemed way too excited. 

     I did so though, I tried it on. The pants were skin tight. Like, skin tight was an understatement. But, they were plenty flexible. I fastened the belt, which, seemed to be good for holding just about anything on it. The shirt, also kind of tight, exposed my whole stomach. The sleeves, were more like thick straps, and had different patterned shaped holes in it, as did the top rims of it. It zipped in the front, and its top was that of a heart crest. The color went well with the black leather and was a dark forest green. I stared at myself in the mirror for a bit and then took my hair out of its pony tail. It fell on too my shoulders delicately, and seemed to contrast the edginess of the outfit I was wearing. I posed, letting my hip sway to one side. I hated mirrors, but, I felt somewhat confident in this. I looked...I looked a little less prissy. I looked...a little less typical.

"You look gorg!" She exclaimed behind me. I could hear her popping gum as I turned.
"Heh, thanks."
"You're right, you're definitely a pants person." She winked. "You like that belt? You could hold a pistol nicely on there."
"Why would I-"

"You never know!" She skipped, picked up a pair of wedged leather boots I knew for a fact she found in my closet. "Here."

     There was no use arguing. I slipped them on and slowly watched as they rose to about half of my calve, and had a buckle lain at the ankle. They completed the outfit she had found for me. I spun slightly, checking the back.

"I have other colors if you don't like the green ya know. I have a blue one, and I think maybe even a black one." She looked at my shirt, if you can even call it that, intently. "But I like the green, I do. I think it suits ya." She winked. The more I stared at it, the more it began to resemble the tint of the Kryptonite samples in the lab. Fucking samples.

"Hey, this gums all flavored out, do you have any lying around?" She asked me.
"No, I usually chew on ice though."
"That'll do."

     I followed her as she walked to the kitchen. I noticed a difference in the way I walked. I was either feeling confident, or seemingly having an issue walking in this shit. I couldn't decide which. It didn't really matter to me. We leaned over the counter, a cup full of ice between us.

"You know, I got ya a new blazer too. For that hearing? You needed color. Gray is so bland, you know? So, I thought maybe a vibrant blue? Your welcome. Don't worry, mine is purple."
"Purple, huh?"
"It matches Mr. J's. I've had it forever. It's comfy, ya know? Plus, did ya know purple is the color of royalty?"

     I nodded. She continued talking, but after a while I began to zone her out. I couldn't concentrate on anything but the dissuasion caused by the elongation of this project. I stared at the marble counter surface. Drips of water were dabbed about it every time Harley reached for a new ice cube. The crunching of the ice was more defiant than that of her gum. No popping took place, thankfully. Nothing put my nerves on edge more than the popping of bubblegum.
     I reached for an ice cube, slid in to my mouth, and listened to the crunch ring through my head. It practically muted Harley's voice as she spoke. I was fixated on the internal aspects of my thoughts. I took another and it crunched just the same. It was cold on my tongue, quenching ignored thirst. I had been in the lab for a long time without anything to eat or drink. I swallowed the bite sized pieces of ice, and took another one.

Crunch Crunch Crunch

The frozen water began to freeze the inside of my cheeks.

Frozen.

That was it! I banged my hand on the counter, spilling the remainder of the ice.

"Harley! I got it! We didn't---" She stared at me wide eyed. "Geez, I have to go back to the labs! I'll be back!" I fumbled for my keys, accidentally dropping them at least twice as I rushed to gather papers. I made my way out to my car and started it up eagerly. Please, for the love of all things wonderful be the answer.