Chapter Text
Every 18 months a solar phenomenon occurs, the sun and moon line up perfectly. Engulfing the earth beneath them in a blanket of darkness and silence for just a moment. A few seconds, a breath at most of calm quiet darkness. For some it's a moment of awe, something they’ll see only a few times in their life but for others it means more.
For some the eclipse symbolizes something new, a revelation or transformation.
I wake up early sunday morning to the faint sound of birds by my window and the reverberation of footsteps downstairs remind me that my family attends mass every sunday.
I sit in a simple white dress that brushes just above my knees and a pink rosary in my hand along with my pale pink bible decorated with soft white felt roses as I pray the same prayers I've said since my first communion.
I start with drawing a cross over my body, starting with my right hand at my head, to the bottom of my chest, then I tap my shoulders left to right. And the preacher begins the sermon,
"God our Father, you call us to gather for this Sunday Mass. Help us to draw strength from the Holy Scriptures and from the Holy Eucharist, so that we deepen our love for you. May we be enlivened by the Holy Spirit to mirror the words and actions of your Son, Jesus Christ, and become more clearly your instruments of mercy to others. We ask this through Christ our Lord.”
“AMEN” the church responds.
After an hour long mass we all walk out to leave right as the clouds roll in cloaking the warmth of the sun on this now chilly early December morning.
My day is simple and quiet except for the chatter of my siblings and their friends. I on the other hand take to my room and in my more comfortable clothes, a long sleeved light blue henley top and white fluffy christmas shorts. I sit on my bed and scroll through tumblr with the twilight soundtrack playing gently in my earbuds. “eyes on fire” has been my favorite song since the movie came out last year and I got my parents to let me go see it. They aren’t very fond of the whole “fall in love with a dangerous devil creature” plot.
But my leisure is cut short when I hear my name being called from downstairs.
“Sienna~”, not very loud as my mom is quite soft spoken and isn’t fond of any yelling.
When I finally reach her in the kitchen she has a basket of baked foods like the suburban stereotype of the kind housewife, “ma’am?” “Can you please walk the dog and while you’re out there take this to the house across the street please?”
She says it like a question but I know she isn’t asking. “Oh, and please put some pants or at least leggings on because it's chilly out.” “Yes, ma’am” I say, grabbing the dog’s leash before I grab a pair of my very well worn sweatpants from the basket of freshly dried clothes and slip them on over my shorts.
I went to the house first out of curiosity, I’d never even realized we got new neighbors. I’ve been so caught up in school, work, and ballet. I haven’t had time to see anything outside my normal schedule.
I knock twice on the door, looking at the small burgundy car parked in the driveway, it’s not something an adult would dr- my inner thoughts are interrupted by the sudden opening of the front door. “We don’t wanna buy anything.” A girl stands in the doorway, a little taller than me with her black curls messily falling over her bare shoulders, her stomach is decorated in tattoos with some scattered over her arms, and a navel piercing hanging openly in the cool air. “I-um.. I’m not selling anything…I’m your-” I stammer through the sentence before sighing heavily with a “HUFF” through my mouth. “I’m not trying to sell you anything, we’re your new neighbors. My mom wanted me to bring you these.” “oh, do people really do that?” she says with a sarcastically monotone snicker. “My mom does.” I reply breathily, looking into her glassy hazel green eyes. “Sooooo… are you gonna give me the basket or keep staring at me?” I hand her the basket awkwardly, “I’m Sienna Marmont by the way, and this is Alice”, I say looking down toward my St. Bernard. “Well I’m Soleia um Soleia Aziz, but I prefer sol” she says with a twinge of amusement. Her slightly muscular arms holding the door open flex proudly
“I’ll see you around then sol.” “Yea, I guess so.”
The next morning my alarm went off at 5am like every week, just this time it was complemented by the pitter patter of cold winter rain. I got dressed in light washed jeans a white long sleeve with soft warm thermals layered underneath, fluffy ugg boots and a hollister fur lined hood coat.
Trying to stay as warm and dry as possible I grab my keys and shove them in my pocket along with my phone and earbuds. I grab my umbrella from the hall closet and rush to my car outside. A small white Volkswagen beetle from my 16th birthday last year. The sticker on my back windshield reads “Angel” a nickname I've honed since birth, a slow song comes on when I turn the key and thankfully my heater does too. I look up from the steering wheel to see a dark figure across the street do the same rushed run to their car. Only now the driveway is less empty and two more cars are parked there this morning.
Later that day in the library I sat peacefully with my best friend Lily studying for the upcoming SAT and we started to chat like usual. “Gawddd I wish I had a boyfriend.” she sighs exasperated and dramatic like usual.
I ignore her using the lord's name in vain since she usually teases me about my deeply rooted religious nature. “What happened to Dante?He was cute.” “Too cute he was wayyyy too close to almost all the girls that go here.” She shakes her head at the thought. “So has anyone unlocked that chastity belt yet?” She says teasingly. “SHUT UP! I do not wear a chastity belt.” I say bashfully.
It's not uncommon to be “inexperienced” in high school but at mine where they throw a party for any little thing it's definitely a rare occurrence to not even have KISSED anyone. But with the parents I have it’s definitely not happening any time soon. I roll my eyes and excuse myself to the restroom and when I enter…she's there. And she’s smoking, a thick faintly fruity musky fog clouds her face but is quickly cleared when she waves her hands around wildly.
Suddenly she's grabbing my forearm with a softly stern grip and pulling into a small stall next to her. “WHA-” she covers my mouth and her rings feel cool against my mouth. I see her mouth the words, “DON’T SAY ANYTHING” and put a finger up to her mouth.
We stood in silence when I suddenly heard the faint jingle of keys and heels clacking down the hallway. A teacher? Then the walkie-talky… the principal! My eyes widen and meet hers. There’s no way this could end well for either of us if we get caught. If she’s caught with a vape she’ll be likely expelled, and if we’re caught together.. in this position! no matter the intention we’re both in for detention, SUSPENSION, EXPULSION!
MOTHER MARY PLEASE DON’T LET US GET CAUGHT! I scream inside my head. As my thoughts race, my breathing speeds up and my chest begins to rise and fall at a quickened pace. Sol’s eyes glance up and down my body noticing me start to panic, and she tries to calm me down silently.
“Shhhh shhh please” she says through gritted teeth. The sound of keys and heels grows closer and closer, stopping just before entering the restroom. Until we hear a static almost robotic voice “SHHHH A parent in the office asking about a meeting with the principal. SHHHH” followed by a sharp feminine voice reply. “I’m on my way.” and the sound of heels trailing behind, after a few seconds of silence she slowly uncovers my mouth.
Before I can even register what just happened I deliver a sharp slap to her face.
“Why would you do that!” I hushedly said inches from her face. “WHAT THE FU-.” “Keep your voice down,” I interrupted her and she quickly matched my tone.
“What the fuck was that for.” “Why would you grab me like that!.” I spit back.
“I wanted you to stay quiet, you look like the type of goody-goody that would snitch to the admin about me in here.” The bell rings for class and she storms out. I follow behind her but i’m quickly stopped by Lily. “Jesus what took you so long.” I ignore her and look for sol in the crowd of people and like a whisper of smoke she’s gone.