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“Thanks for letting me borrow this.” I pulled a black leather jacket on over my sensible shirt and cardigan.
“No bother, anytime. I wouldn’t want you to get cold.” The blue haired girl next to me put a warm hand on my thigh.
I leaned over and kissed the driver of the rust bucket I was currently sitting in “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“You sure will, babe.” I cringed at this pet name and chuckled because she knew it made me cringe. I exited the truck and started on the short but chilling walk.
Walking the short walk from the carpark to the dorms in the frigid afternoon air was made bearable by Chloe Price’s, my girlfriend’s, old worn leather jacket. It swaddled me, keeping my body heat in while clashing with everything else about me. My prim and proper exterior contrasted by the familiar smelling yet uncharacteristic item of clothing. The air around me was icy and I could feel all sensation in my fingers being stolen by the chill of the air, thrusting my numb hands into the pockets to warm them I realised that Chloe hadn’t emptied her staple jacket, I could feel loose change and crumpled up pieces of paper, assumedly old receipts or maybe a stray unpaid ticket in one, and in the other, a pack of smokes along with a lighter. Curiosity gripped me as soon as I realised what I was in possession of, at least for tonight, my eyes widened at the thought. I’ve never had the guts to accept a cigarette from anyone after Chloe gave me one on our first date, I had a coughing fit, and it was really embarrassing but Chloe being the sweetheart she is laughed it off. Also I could never buy a packet in this small town, no matter how curious I was, my family would know in an instant.
‘Hm. Should I? No, don’t be silly Kate’
And with that I shooed all thoughts of trying one out of my mind for the time being. Turning though the gates towards the dorms I was met with a familiar face, Brooke was out flying her drone around. She was wearing a large puffy blue body warmer and knitted hat, her nose and fingers red with the bite of winter.
“Hey Kate.” She greeted, eyes darting to me then back to the robot zooming around in the air.
“Good afternoon, Brooke.” I chirped back to my friend.
“What’s with the jacket? Trying a new look or something?” She quizzed and I instantly felt self-conscious. I suppose me wearing something this out of character is just screaming for people to notice it. Only Max knows about Chloe and I’s relationship, since it’s still fairly new, just two months – the best two months of my life - meaning most people at Blackwell were oblivious to Chloe’s existence. Of course she’d visit the dorms every now and then but it was mostly during the off-peak hours of activity so no one really saw us together.
“Uhm yeah.” I muttered, barely audible.
“Well, no offence but it’s not very you, but hey whatever makes you happy.” Brooke smiled at me “Maybe you could make this you who knows.”
I just nodded in return and slinked into the dorms. Once in I relished the warmth of the old building and began walking towards my room, excited to change into pyjamas, I didn’t get far before Juliet gave me a once over and flashed a sign of the horns while scrunching her face up so her tongue was out and she was winking. I grinned sheepishly back, not enjoying the sudden attention I was bringing to myself. Continuing down the hall I finally reached my room and gave a sigh of relief once inside.
Shrugging off the jacket and hanging it up on one of the three pegs next to the door I set about collecting my items for getting ready for bed, but gave up after seeing the fresh, clean, soft looking pyjamas I had stowed away in my drawer, I ended up not being able to resist the pull from them and just putting them on without going about my regular routine. I was just too tired out from the day’s activities. Flopping onto the bed I grunted in comfort before sending Chloe a quick goodnight text and almost instantly drifting off.
I was woken up by the loud thudding of a door. Groaning I sat up in bed, wondering what was going on, the noise was close so it’d probably be either Max’s or… Victoria’s. I really was not fond of that girl, she was so mean I don’t think she had slither of compassion in her entire body. Sighing I decided I’d take my chances and see what was going on after I swore I could hear someone trying to stifle sobs and the main door being pushed open squeakily. Throwing my body off the bed I slipped on the pair of slippers I had for walking around the dorm building and pulled on the closest jacket to me, Chloe’s, before sleepwalking down the dark hall and outside.
Once out in the freezing night I could hear crying predominantly in the air, looking down I saw a blonde head of hair, the crying was coming from none other than the queen bee herself, Victoria Chase. Hesitantly, I interrupted her isolated suffering.
“Victoria?”
She gasped and jolted upright instantly working to hide the fact that I has just witnessed her breakdown. “What do you want, Marsh?”
“Uhm, well I-I” I stuttered, Victoria was always a very scary person for me to confront, especially one on one.
“Out with it.” She snapped but her voice broke, shattering her intimating demeanour.
“You’re crying.” I stated bluntly.
“And? I’ve seen you cry plenty of times don’t be so fucking judgmental.” She crossed her arms and threw her legs over one another, crossing them too.
“What’s wrong Victoria?” I sat next to her, genuinely wanting to help her even though I know she wouldn’t do the same for me in a million years. After all, if it was an eye for an eye the world would be blind.
“Nothing.” Her voice was sullen and pathetic, she sniffed, trying not to start crying again “So what, are you trying to be a punk now? You look like a fucking idiot.”
“I’m trying to help you.” I meant to sound stern but it came out sounding more pleading than anything.
“Well, unless you have a cigarette you can fuck off back inside and leave me.” She looked the opposite way from me to avoid eye contact.
Just as I was about to do as she commanded a spark of a memory revisited me. Reaching into the pocket of Chloe’s jacket I pulled out a deck of cigarettes and sighed, looking at the packaging.
Victoria spoke up as I was scanning the container “Marlboro gold?” She half smirked “You’ve got class. Can I get one?”
I flipped open the lid and pulled one out clumsily and silently handed it to the taller woman, who made eye contact with me for the first time, her eyes were watery and nose pink with wet trails down her cheeks. She had clearly been crying a while. I exhaled heavily before pulling another one out and holding it between my lips just as I had intently watched Chloe do a thousand and one times before. Fumbling in my pocket for the lighter I noticed Victoria was shivering.
“Are you cold?” I asked, finding the lighter and striking it, watching the flame burst into existence before being blown out by the chilly wind. I struck it again, this time holding a hand around it to shield it as Victoria leaned into it, lighting her cigarette, the puny flame sending dim lighting dancing across her sad features.
“Fucking freezing.” She answered after a long draw. I could feel her stare as I lit my own nicotine stick. “You know, Kate.” That was the first time I had ever heard her say my name in a friendly way “I never did peg you as a smoker.”
I gave a half-hearted shrug before draping Chloe’s jacket over the tumbling girl “I’m not.” I took another weak drag, tasting the bitter-sweetness of the tobacco roll over my tongue “They’re my girlfriends.” At that moment I didn’t care that I had just outed myself, I was done caring. It was time for me to live my own life. But when I looked over at Victoria she looked shocked.
“Girlfriend?” She chuckled “My my Kate. You really are full of surprises tonight.”
“I suppose.”
We smoked in silence after that. Once we were both finished Victoria handed me the jacket back.
“Thanks. Um,” She looked at the ground “I-I’ll tell the vortex club to lay off you.” We met eyes and I smiled. “But that-that doesn’t mean we’re friends!” Victoria’s words were harsh but I knew this of course.
“Don’t worry.”
And with that we went back into our rooms, back to sleep, but thankfully not back to being bullied.