In It For The Long Run Ch. 02

CHAPTER 2: ALICE

*SLAM* The door slammed shut behind me as I ran to the bed with tears in my eyes. I gripped the pillows, the sheets, and blankets in my arms and up to my face as I tried to muffle my cries. The sheets still smelled faintly like him, which only brought him up to my mind again, and it made me cry even harder than before. I hugged a pillow into my chest, curling slowly into the fetal position as my tear ducts ran dry.

The following morning, my eyelids fluttered open; streaks of makeup painting my face and reddened eyes displaying my night of crying. I flexed my muscles, still in the fetal position, like a caterpillar trying to break free of its cocoon. Eventually I had unfurled my limp carcass of a body into a spread-eagle position on the bed. The memories of last night flooded back to me, however, and my lip began to quiver.

No, Alice. No. I thought to myself, steeling my facial expression as best as I could. He doesn't deserve your tears. That's what I said to Amber when she came to me in tears after her high school sweetheart of five years broke up with her over some 'no-name bleach-blonde vixen' as she put it.

I picked up my phone and turned on the front-facing camera to assess the damage. As soon as I saw my face in the frame, I started to chuckle to myself softly. Your mascara is running, Alice. And your hair is a mess. You look like you just finished eating a hurricane. The laugh, however, quickly transitioned back into a sob.

After calming down, I swung my feet out of bed and placed my shaky legs onto the floor. I could swear that the floor fell out from under me with the way I collapsed onto the ground. It wasn't the prettiest sight, but I was in pain so it was justifiable.

I can't go into work like this; I have to text Amber and let her know I can't come in today. I scrape my hand along the bed to find the place where I dropped my phone during my sobbing fit. My nails made a familiar clacking noise as they tapped the material of the smartphone's surface.

[Alice] -- Can't come in today, srry.

[Amber] -- What happened?

[Alice] -- Just sick, I think. I look like a mess.

[Amber] -- Send pics ;P jkjk

[Amber] -- But seriously, I hope you feel better later because the regional manager is coming in to make a report on our store.

[Alice] -- fuck me, of course she is. I'll be there. >

[Amber] -- Sorry babe