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The morning sun glimmered on the horizon as Esther’s eyes fluttered open with a groggy yawn. She tossed herself over, trying to lull herself back to rest and stop the perplexing memories from flooding through her mind. Despite her efforts, she’d begun to feel pins and needles, a deep sinking feeling in her gut. With all the uncertainty that hung heavily in the air, she questioned her decision to come to Ninth House, even though she hated the feeling of second guessing herself. Throwing her concerns away for a moment, she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath in, the slight September chill in the air giving her a little bit of peace as it caressed her skin. She bathed in the warm sunlight until she found herself looking at the clock on the wall, her eyes still blurry from sleep and struggling to focus. But soon she landed upon the numbers, clear as day, causing her to curse under her breath. Reluctantly, she emerged from the blankets, searching for her eyeglasses and perhaps some motivation.
As she stepped into the shower, steam enveloped her like a warm hug, relieving the tension in her shoulders. She allowed herself to feel temporary relief, although the intrusive thoughts persisted. She could see their faces, circling her, mouthing what she could only assume were their most obscene insults. Anxiety rose within her, quickening her heartbeat and making her knees weak. Grasping the wall for support, she leaped out of the shower, leaving the thoughts behind to dissipate in the steam.
She threw on her prepared clothes, catching a glimpse of herself in every reflective surface. While she may be in shambles on the inside, nobody could ever see her as “weak”. Weakness was her downfall in the past, and she would not let history repeat itself. Staring intently in the mirror, she fixed her hair to perfection and sprayed on her current favorite perfume. Her phone screen lit up with a text just as she was about to leave, it was from her father. She unlocked her phone, anticipating the lab results with slight fear.
The lab results came back. You were right, it’s poison, oleander flower.
~ Dad 
. . . is typing ~
Are you safe? I support your decision, but if you feel unsafe, please come home.
Esther paused, reading the text over and over, hoping that she’d understand the words. As it finally sunk in, she frowned, feeling a heaviness at the bottom of the heart. “Why would he do this to me?”, she sighed, tears welling up in her eyes. Wiping her eyes with her sleeves, she forced a convincing smile, heading to class. With her head in clouds, and her feet on autopilot, she never noticed someone trying to get her attention. “Esther”, her feet stopped cold, it was a voice she recognized, a voice so comforting and warm like a cup of tea. She turned around, “Lyra!”, she exclaimed, their friendship bringing a bright smile upon her lips. “I’ve missed you!”, Esther melted into her hug, her scent drifting into her nose. “I’m so happy to see you, you have no idea”, she admitted, exposing the fear in her voice. Noticing a shift in Lyra as well, she furrowed her brows in question, maybe she wasn’t the only one having a terrible time so far at Ninth House. Lyra peered around before leading Esther to a secluded bathroom, far from prying eyes and ears. Now, her interest was piqued and her mind distracted from the harsh reality. Sensing the uncertainty in her voice, Esther approached her with a softened gaze and her ears ready to listen. “Esther, there’s something I need to tell you”, her friend started, her eyes filled with concern. Taking Lyra’s hands in hers, she gave them a gentle squeeze of support, she cleared her throat, almost afraid of the thought of revealing herself. Inhaling deeply, she began, “I also have something to tell you, but first, what’s going on?”.
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@jass - Lyra ~ turned out longer than i expected