~LENORA'S POV
"Happy birthday babe. Love, Jason."
Sent: 07:09am
"I'd be busy today, but we'd meet at the party tonight!"
Sent: 07:11am
"I promise l'll make it up to you. I love you!"
Sent: 07:11am
I stared at the text my boyfriend, Jason, had sent me. The phone screen dimmed, and my own reflection stared back, ghostlike. My chest tightened — not because of the words themselves, but because of what today was.
My birthday.
I tried to convince myself it was just another day, just another date on the calendar.
But my mum's voice already slithered through my thoughts, her words a familiar venom, reminding me of how my birth had ruined her life, all because of me - her one night mistake.
The memories flooded my mind, a never-ending reel of her coldness, her anger, her disappointment. I remembered the way she'd look at me, her eyes filled with a deep-seated loathing, as if I the bane of her existence.
I tossed my phone onto the bedside table, feeling a mix of dread and disappointment, waiting for the emotions to wash over me.
"You're up!" Skye, my roommate chirped, walking into the room, her bright smile a stark contrast to my dull morning.
She rummaged through her things before turning toward me with a white gift bag in hand, the tissue paper crinkling softly.
"I know you don't like your birthdays," she said, hesitating, "but I still wanted to get you something." Her eyes darting to the bag, then back to me, searching for any sign of reaction.
"Thank you," I appreciated, my fingers brushing against the soft fabric inside, before sending a quick thanks to Jason too.
I stood, the bed creaking beneath my weight, and shuffled toward the makeshift kitchen which smelled faintly of old oil and coffee grounds. And somehow, it was comfortingly familiar in a depressing way.
~~~~~~~
"I'm telling you, Len," Skye started with a mouth full of pancake, "The lady denied the whole scandal in front of everyone. She told Christine her husband looked like he had accidentally wandered onto Earth and no sane woman would want an alien for a lover."
I laughed, shaking my head. Honestly, it was more amusing than scandalous, because there were more jokes than actual drama, and that made it all the more entertaining.
It was Halloween morning, and our room smelled faintly of syrup and coffee which somehow feels like home.
The tiny space was scattered with textbooks, notebooks, and Skye's makeup kits. Skye, of course, was studying music, and she had a flair for turning even the dullest memory into a spectacle.
She lived for drama, and could turn a grocery list into a performance.
I chuckled and wiped a smear of honey from her lip with my thumb, then sucked the sticky sweetness off. "You're such a messy eater," I teased, glancing at her amused face, the faintest pink tinting her cheeks.
"Oh shit," she whispered, her eyelashes brushing her cheeks. "That... was hot." She grinned so wide it made me choke slightly on my orange juice. "I didn't know you were this..." She gestured vaguely. "Seductive."
"You're ridiculous," I said, rolling my eyes, though a warmth crept across my cheeks.
"Jason is one lucky guy," she said casually. "Not only do you make the best pancakes, but you're also the sexiest girl to ever walk the earth." She gave me a small smile as she continued to devour her pancakes.
I flopped onto my bed, pulled out a book, and decided to start the assignment that was due in a month.
"Girl, I'm telling you, you and Jason are perfect together. He's sweet, caring... and you're amazing."
I forced a smile, hiding the storm twisting in my stomach. "Thanks, Skye," I murmured, my fingers fidgeting with the pen in my hand.
Her gaze softened. "Hey, what's wrong? You're not stressing about Jason, are you?"
Her eyes searched mine, as if trying to uncover a secret.
I shrugged, feeling my cheeks heat. "It's just... we haven't... you know....." I trailed off, my eyes darting away from hers.
Skye's face morphed into understanding, her features relaxing into a gentle smile.
"Oh, Len, that's normal! Guys go through it sometimes. It's no big deal," she said, waving her hand dismissively, though her eyes lingered on me, searching.
But it felt like a big deal. It felt like a huge, glaring neon sign screaming "YOU'RE NOT ENOUGH!"
Skye's words should have been comforting, but they only reminded me of the countless times I'd felt inadequate.
I thought back to our attempts at sex, the way Jason's face would screw up in frustration, the way he'd apologize profusely because he couldn't get his dick working.
I knew it wasn't his fault - I had tried with other guys before him, and they ended up going limp, or not getting an erection at all. I felt cursed, like my body was a wasteland that couldn't sustain a man's desire.
Skye's voice cut into my thoughts, her tone gentle, "Hey, Len, I'm here for you, okay? Whatever it is, we can work through it." Her hand reached out, covering mine with a comforting touch.
"Thanks." I whispered, trying to keep my voice steady.
Just then, Skye's expression shifted, her eyes clouding with concern. "How's your mum doing?"
The question hit me harder than expected. My mother's hospital room flashed in my mind, sterile, pale walls, machines beeping steadily, the faint antiseptic smell.
Her pale, gaunt face haunted me. The Cancer, the mastectomy, and the years of bitterness she carried all blended into a toxic brew of guilt I couldn't shake.
"She's still the same..." I muttered, voice low.
Skye frowned, her concern gentle. "I'm sorry, Len. Do you want to talk about it?"
I swallowed hard, "It's... complicated," I admitted. "She still blames me, like somehow I caused all of this."
Skye's hand tightened over mine. "Len, that's not true. You're not to blame."
I nodded, but I couldn't forget my mum's glare, the way she blamed my pregnancy for her breast cancer, her tears barely held back as she cursed at me and threw her silverware across the room.
"It's okay, let's change topic." I quickly dismissed.
Just the thought of my mum was bad news. Talking about her would only make me feel guilty for absolutely no reason, especially after all the times she told me, 'I wish you were never born.' At one point, I even started thinking, I wish I was never born.
I pushed her out of my mind. The day was already bad enough, and thinking about her would only make it more dreadful and unbearable.
I spun around on my bed to face Skye and forced a smile. "Are you ready for the party tonight?" I asked. Her fingers paused mid-twist as she fumbled with her hair. I caught a fleeting glimpse of hesitation before she masked it with a bright smile.
"Yeah, I know we planned on dressing as she-devils....but I changed my mind last minute," she said, her voice a tad too casual. "I'm gonna be dressing as Harley Quinn." She whispered the last part out.
A tiny alarm bell rang in my head, but I brushed it off, attributing it to my own paranoia. I chuckled awkwardly, the sound hollow in the air.
"Hm, interesting." My eyes locked onto hers, searching for a hint of what was going on, but Skye's face was a carefully crafted mask.
"Jason's dressing as the Joker, you know?" I stated, trying to sound nonchalant, like it was just a casual tidbit of information.
Skye's eyes widened, "Oh, Len, I didn't know that. I can wear something else," she said, her voice lipped with a tinge of guilt.
I waved my hand dismissively, the gesture a bit too exaggerated. "Girl, do your thing. It's just a costume, no big deal." My shoulders lifted in a careless shrug, but my mind was already racing with possibilities.
Skye's gaze held mine, sharp and searching, as if trying to read my thoughts. "Still dressing as a she-devil?" she asked, her fingers tightening on her skirt for a moment before she moved toward the door.
"Yeah." I simply replied.
She hummed. "I'll be stepping out for a while... we'll meet in the evening before the party," she said, her voice tight, a forced cheerfulness barely hiding the edge beneath it.
I nodded and watched her leave the room, a weight of paranoia pressing down on my chest. I tried to convince myself it was nothing, but I couldn't.
The more I thought about it, the harder I struggled to shake the sense that something was off. Her sudden change of heart had more to do with Jason's costume than she was letting on. I pushed the thought aside, telling myself I was just being paranoid, that it was nothing.
Yeah... that's all it was.
I turned back to my assignment, trying to finish as much as I could before the party tonight, then I felt it. Something shifted in the air.
A presence. A shadow that hadn't been there before. I froze, my pulse pounding, wondering if my mind just hadn't fully woken up yet. The hairs on my arms stood on end, prickling as though the air itself were charged, and something was watching me... waiting.
The room seemed to hold its breath, the silence pressing in on me. I shook my head, unease crawling under my skin, as I realized that my thoughts were starting to sound like those of someone who belonged in a psych ward or an asylum.
I ignored the feeling, forcing a laugh as I tried to shake off the unease and focus on my assignment.
But,
The room felt heavier. Thicker.
My skin prickled.
The silence pressed in, alive.
I looked up.
Nothing.
Still, my heart raced.
My breath hitched.
Then,
The lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
And in the dark reflection of my laptop screen,
Something stood behind me.