Twisted Smiles

III

I looked at myself in the mirror.

My dress was crumpled and my hair all tangled. I ran my fingers through them, trying my best to fix myself and look more presentable.

The door opened and the sound of chains shaking and the awful smell of cigarettes filled my nostrils. It clung to him and surrounded the entire room as he stepped through the door and walked in.

He stopped in the center of the room, smoked his pipe and took out a stack of cash from his front pocket. He separated two slips of dollar bills and threw them at the coffee table.

I stared at him in indignation for a minute.

"Are you out of your mind?"

He raised his eyebrows, tilted his face to the left and looked at me, curiosity in his eyes. "What did you say?"

I was infuriated. "You must be insane if you think I'm walking out of here with that miserable amount! You know I need to pay for my father's medications."

He placed the pipe on the coffee table then strolled over, ever so calmly.

My heart pumped in my chest vigorously. I could hear it pulsing in my brain.

He grabbed me by the throat and squeezed, making my feet dangle from the ground. I gasped for air, unsuccessfully.

He looked me straight in the eyes and spoke with authority in his voice. "You'll take what you get you stupid whore."

His thick accent made a chill run down my spine.

He released me and I fell loudly to the ground. Luckily, my arms and elbows broke my fall. Unsatisfied, he grabbed me by the collaring of my dress and pulled me up to a standing position. Once I was standing on my own, he drew his right arm back and smacked his hand across my face. My body flew from the impact and hit the wall, then fell to the floor. He left the room without a glance backwards while I sat there holding my hand to my cheek.

After a few minutes, I finally felt calm enough to get up from the floor, grab the money and my purse and leave, not bothering to look myself in the mirror.

As I walked home, the wind whipped around my body harshly. I pulled my overalls closer to stop the cold, to no avail. It interrupted my thoughts until at some point I wasn't thinking anymore. All I wanted to do was get home, far away from these freezing streets.

I then started hearing hushed voices coming from the alley ahead of me. Stepping between the shadows of the trees, I slowly made my way closer to find out what was going on.

When I was close enough to visualize the scene, I almost lost my breath for what felt like the millionth time today.

Ahead of me where five or six teenage boys standing in a huddled circle, passing something to each other. One of them held a lit lighter close to his chest, making his features light up from the fire. His dark brown hair was visible from under his hoodie and his green eyes looked up straight at me. I held my breath for a minute, afraid he'd come accusing me of spying on him. When that didn't happen, I slid through the alley and made my way home.

Tiptoeing through the front door, I released a breath of relief when it didn't squeak. I took off my boots and set them next to the door, careful not to make any noise. Then I walked across the living room to the kitchen. I opened the door of the fridge, grabbed the jar of water, poured myself a glass then closed it again. I turned around and stopped.

That was the moment I noticed my father's body on the armchair across from me. His chest was rising and falling in slow rhythm and I realized he was sleeping. I made my way to him and softly tried to heave him to his wheelchair. Trying hard not to wake him, I wheeled him to his room and carefully pulled his body to his bed. As I tugged him in I kept thinking how lucky I was to have managed to bring him to his bed without him even stirring.

When I got up to turn off the lights and leave, I heard a whisper, "sleep well, baby doll," so quietly I thought I had imagined it. I turned back around and watched his peaceful face as he slept for a while.

Our life is so fragile. One minute we are well, healthy and so full of life. In the other something could happen and we will leave our loved ones behind. This world is so fucked up. I have already lost so many things in my life, I don't think I could bear losing another.

With a sigh I softly closed the door behind me and crawled to my bed.

Sleep didn't cast its luring spell on me, though. I twisted and turned on the sheets the rest of the night.

When morning peeked its ray into my window, I cringed at the light. Dragging myself from the bed I went to the bathroom and took a shower. When I was done, I wrapped myself in the towel and looked in the mirror.

I didn't just feel terrible, my appearance was horrifying.

My eyes were puffed from the lack of sleep and my cheek was swollen with a faint bluish, purplish and greenish color. Not to mention my neck looked like wolves had bitten into it.

It took me an hour to get ready. Heavy make-up and a scarf was what I used to try to hide the events from last night.

Unfortunately, my thoughts wouldn't let me forget.

They swirled and tumbled in my mind while I sat at my desk and watched the students work on their assignments. Obviously, I didn't have the capacity to teach today. So you can imagine how many cursed words I received from the class when I surprised them with a pop quiz that would most likely occupy them the entire time period.

I didn't care.

"Teacher?"

I had my chin on my hand and stared at the table, lost in thought. I had no clue how I was supposed to buy my father's medication now. It was expensive and I only had half the money...

"Teacher?"

And then there was the scene I had seen. I had no idea what I would do about it. Or if I even should. I mean I know I had to, but...

"Kenzie!"

"Hey, no yelling in the classroom!" I shot back.

Mason smiled at me when I looked up, content I had finally snapped out of it.

"I have a question on number 33 and you didn't hear me calling you for the past ten minutes..."

"Sorry," I mumbled and made my way next to his desk.

After I helped him, others also started asking questions and time gradually sped by.

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