Untitled
Regina Martinez
Crack! The swelling begins to close my vision as flesh makes contact with flesh. Crack! The soft flesh of my lips split open, the warm sweet taste of blood drips down my chin and into my mouth. Flashes of instant pain shoot across my face and send tingling shivers all over my body. The sweet desire to sleep endlessly evades me.
Numbness sets in. My face and his fist were old friends. They know that they will meet again.
Tears welled up in my eyes but they refused to fall. Screams are heard. His? Mine? I cannot tell.
I feel nothing as I walk away. Flicking on the bathroom light, a stranger greets me in the mirror, "Oh how terrible you look. You must get ice for the swelling. Your eye will be purple for sure," I tell the stranger. She laughs at me now.
"Just because his baseball game was interrupted. All you wanted was to say good-bye so that you can go to class. Now you have to miss it."
"Why are you laughing at me. You're the fool with the swollen face. You're the fool with blood on your dress," I yelled.
The stranger smiled at me sadly, "Then we both are fools. Because you are me, and I am you."
I pressed the ice pack to my face. Class would be missed again today.
I can't believe that we are together. Today is our six month anniversary and I'm on top of the world. I never thought that I could encounter such happiness. I had waited for him so long, now he's finally mine. He makes me so happy. His warm hand upon my shoulder comforts me. I feel so safe and wonderful when we're together.
"What in the hell are you wearing? Do you know that guys are going to look at you and that's just going to make me mad? What happens when I get mad?"
I look down at the dress I am wearing, trying to figure out what is so wrong with it. The only answer is that my arms are showing too much. What a slut I am. I feel a sharp, tingling sensation at the back of my head as he pulls me by the hair into the bathroom.
"Wash your face, and change your clothes. I will not have anyone looking at MY girlfriend!"
Tears stream down my face as I look in the mirror, "You're right. You are perfect, and I am not. I dress like a slut. My hair is not right, my makeup is too dark. I am too seductive. You are perfect, and I am not."
Three years together today. I'm getting ready for class while he watches his baseball game. I can't believe we have lasted this long together. But I can't quit. I have to and want to make this relationship work.
"I'm leaving, Beto." Silence is the only response.
"Beto I'm leaving. I have to go to class." I reach over to hug him, a shove is all I get.
"Get out of the way! I'm trying to watch the damn game!"
"Beto I just want to say good-bye. I have to go."
"I said, don't bother me!"
Crack!!!!
My hands reach up to touch my face. My reflection does the same. My fingertips linger on my jaw bone, curve up to trace around my eyes. Down the sleek of my nose, and around my lips. A smile stretches across my face. Laughter begins from somewhere within my body.
My friend in the mirror speaks, "Has the foolish girl vanished? Or can it be you? How strange, and yet how beautiful you are now that I can see your face as it should be. No more blood? No more bruises?"
"No. No more."
We both smiled. It's 2:30. My class is waiting.
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