𝐂𝐀𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐑, b.katsuki | ✓

ELEVEN

DRESS SHOPPING AND SUICIDE

_________

EFFY WAS ONLY RETURNING FROM HER BALLET PRACTICE WHEN A PRETTY DRESS CAUGHT HER EYE. It was sitting in the window of a vintage-looking shop all by its lonesome. The shop, that was named Mannequin Missy, seemed to be empty. She was planning to buy a dress for the dance a week prior to it and not two weeks. But then again, she really liked the dress and had no choice but to give into the desires of walking in.

The little bell hung above the door dinged, signaling a new customer. The old woman sitting at the counter seemed more than delighted to welcome a new customer but didn't say anything when she saw that Effy was busy looking at the dresses. The girl's fingers brushed against the shoulders of dresses hung upon metallic hangers. She was set on buying the dress on display outside but wanted to see what else this shop had. Then she turned to the eager-looking woman.

"I want to but that green dress on display." The old woman squeaked upon seeing the girl's serious face. Effy didn't bother to smile at the woman. One, because she didn't feel like smiling and two, because she didn't need to put up a front. The plump woman scurried inside and got the teen the mentioned dress. "Can I try it?"

"Of course."

The woman directed her to one of the changing rooms and she immediately started undressing once the door was locked. She looked into the mirror and smiled at how pretty it looked on her. Once she was done, she unlocked the door and came out with a satisfied smile. With a sweet smile, she asked the lady, "How do I look?" The lady returned her smile and replied, "You look beautiful, Sweetie."

"I want this one, please."

◇

With the bag containing the dress dangling off the handlebar of her silver Schwinn, she pedaled towards her house. She passed that flower shop she always passed on the way and then the beach. Instinctively, she looked up at the little cliff looking over the shore to see if any gulls rested there. This had been a habit of hers to look up at the cliff and look at the gulls who rested there. Sometimes, when she had enough time to spare, she'd count the number of gulls or even just sit up there, letting the salty air nestle in her blonde hair. But this time, there were no gulls and instead a girl.

She narrowed her eyes to make sure what she was seeing was not true but of course, it was just wishful thinking. Her feet pedaling on their own and her heart squeezed in her ribcage. Without thinking, she let her bicycle fall to the ground at the foot of the cliff and ran up to the top.

The top was always calming for her-with seagulls playing around on the bare rocky surface and the breeze there cool. This was one place she'd go to just... think. It felt like an ethereal dream when she was there. But now that she was there, the place seemed more like a nightmare when the girl standing at the edge leaped, waiting to drown in the water below. It all went so slow. Effy's heart was beating too fast for her body to process and her throat seemed dry upon just screaming one thing: Mei's name. She too leaped to grab the girl's wrist.

Both their eyes were widened in horror and moist from the situation. Effy's fingers were clasped around Mei's wrist, the only thing keep the girl from falling to certain death and having water in her lungs. Mei's tears travelled down her face and then fell down to drip into the sea with pit. Effy tried to grab hold of the girl with her other hand but almost slipped off too so she retracted it back to where it was. Mei gasped when her hand slipped a bit from the older girl's grip.

Effy was crying too by now. Her salty tears landed onto Mei's cheeks and mixed with her own. "Effy," whispered Mei, "let go." The said girl didn't respond and instead gripped her wrist harder. Mei tried to wiggle her hand out of Effy's grip but instead pulled her down further.

And the sluggish moment sped up when both fell off into the deep waters.

( 775 WORDS )

( EDITED )

this chapter was a bit short. sorry.