Chapter 5 Five

EVE'S POV

In my room, I sank into the bed, exhausted. After a moment, I peeled off my clothes and stepped into the shower. The water was warm, but it couldn't wash away the weight in my chest.

After drying off, I stood in front of my mirror. I barely recognized myself. Tired eyes. Sunken cheeks. My once-vibrant brown skin looked dull. My afro - thick and jet black - stood out wildly.

How worst can it get?

I was once a lovely girl with brown skin. My mother is a black American, so I inherited my skin tone from her mother, while Daniel inherited father's white skin.

I groaned at the sight of my head's overflowing, long and puffy afro hair. It was a gleaming black, full, long afro. So combing it was extremely stressful.

After much staring, I began the painful process of combing it out.

Daniel had once told me to straighten it, but I couldn't. My afro was one of the few things I still loved about myself.

After nearly 30 minutes, I tied it into a neat puff at the center and added a pink clip to match my floral dress.

The moment I stepped out of my room, and was halfway down the stairs, mother's voice stopped me.

"And where exactly are you going?"

"I'm heading to Mary's," I said.

She looked up from her book, nodded vaguely, then returned to reading.

"Don't linger".

"I'll be back in two hours."

She didn't reply.

It was odd. I was completely taken aback when she inquired as to where I was going. Normally she ignored me completely and would go about her business. But that wasn't the case today. That tiny acknowledgment almost felt like affection.

I walked out through the gate. No car. I wasn't allowed to use any of them anymore.

Mary's house was just a few blocks away, so it wouldn't hurt to walk. Although, the walk was quiet. Too quiet.

When I reached her front door, I pressed the bell.

Ding dong.

"I'm coming," someone called.

The door opened - Mary's mother.

"Oh. You." She looked me up and down, sneering.

I wasn't a new thing to me this days as I always get that a lot from people.

"Good afternoon, ma'am," I greeted politely as I took a few steps closer.

She ignored it.

"What do you want?" she spat dismissively.

"Um...I..I came to see Mary...I have.." I replied in a shaky tone, but was interrupted by a sudden voice.

"Who is it, Mom?" Mary's voice called from inside.

Soon, she stepped out and saw me. Her eyes went wide.

"Eve?" she called my name as she came into full view.

Her mother stepped away with a scowl. "Keep it short."

Seeing that she was now gone, I turned to Mary.

"Hey... Mary. I just wanted to see you. It's been months?"

"What are you doing here?" she asked, crossing her arms after she had shut the door behind her, why we both stood outside the front door

What?!!

I was taken aback by the question.

'What am was I doing here?'

Is this my first visit to her house?

Am i not permitted to visit her home?

"Let's just go inside. I need to speak to you", I said as I took a step closer, but she stopped me.

"We can talk here."

I hesitated but finally nodded vigorously.

"Alright. I just... I was worried. You stopped picking my calls and I haven't been seeing your calls for a long time now. I thought something might have happened."

"Ooh Eve. Nothing happened. I just didn't want to talk to you."

I batted my lashes as I blinked furiously.

"So, why didn't you call...?"

"l purposefully did not call."

I gave a light smile in response to Mary's words.

"Look, Eve, you're a wonderful girl, but we can't be friends anymore." Mary stated.

Her words sliced through me.

"What? Why? What did I do?"

"Really?" she said with a scoff. "Your nudes are all over the internet for Christ sake. You even aborted a child. You're only eighteen and you look thirty. You've become... a disgrace. You are regarded as a whore throughout the neighbourhood, and I can't be friends with a whore. I don't want people thinking I'm like you."

I stood frozen as Mary spoke without emotion. Then I smiled - a pained and disappointed smile. After which, I sniffed as I wiped a tear from my cheek.

"So let's just avoid each other. Don't come back," she said, and slammed the door in my face.

I stood there, staring at the wood. My knees nearly gave out.

Don't cry, Eve. You should be used to this by now. You have always being cast away by everyone, so this shouldn't make you cry.

I was supposed to be strong by now, but I wasn't. This hurt.

I tried to calm myself and assure myself that Mary's words was to make no difference. But damn! Mary had been my best friend. My safe place. And now even she had thrown me away.

It hurts like hell!!!!.

Just then, my phone buzzed in my purse. Taking it out, I saw the display.

Daniel.

I sniffed hard and answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey, sis. Just wanted to check up on you. Wait, you're heading back already?" he asked now sounding a bit confused.

He clearly must have heard the sound of my footsteps and the noises around by passerbys.

I walked on, my tears streaming down my cheeks.

"Yeah," I said, voice shaky.

"How did it go?"

More tears flowed as I remembered everything Mary had said. But I couldn't tell Daniel a thing could I?.

I swallowed my tears.

"It... went well."

"You sure?"

I paused. "Yes."

"Something happened, didn't it?"

Well, that was Daniel my brother. He could always tell when something was wrong with me.

"No, believe me, nothing occurred."

"...Alright. I'll see you when you get home. Good bye", he sounded skeptical.

"Bye."

I ended the call, shoved the phone into my purse, and kept walking.

And this time, I didn't try to stop the tears.