The morning

That morning, Reef didn't wake up the alarm clock. Not even her mother woke her, nor did the bustle of the rest of the family downstairs.

She opened her sleepy eyes in confusion looking around. She slept much longer than usual. Her body was not used to so much sleep and she felt stiffness all over her body. When she tried to lift her head off the pillow, she realized she had a terrible migraine. Plus, she feels nauseous.

Fortunately, as she managed to see, she was in her room. She had expected nothing else, although at the same time she did not rule out another possibility. Her ears buzzed as if she were still at a party listening to deafening music. She extended her hand towards the bedside table where she used to put a glass of water at bedtime, but this time her hand found an empty space. She sighed heavily, knowing that if she didn't want to die of dehydration she had to take care of herself by herself and get up. Nobody will hear her pleading for help. Even so, she wished no one would see her like this.

"I hate my life," she muttered resignedly to herself before carefully lifting herself off the mattress and standing on unsteady legs. She literally felt like a human wreck, and that is what she looked like when she looked in the mirror. At night, she did not even have the energy to change and fell under the covers just as she had reached her own room. The blonde hair was frizzy and electrified, and the face was a bit swollen. Not to mention mascara, which was now everywhere, but not on her eyelashes. She walked slowly towards the bathroom. There she washed, combed her hair and changed. Only then did she decide to show the rest of the family.

"You were at the party with the senior classes?" Rio attacked her immediately when she managed to safely descend the stairs and walk to the kitchen. Her energetic little sister contrasted with Reef's heavy and weary movements.

The girl glared at her with a warning, but it was too late to prevent a catastrophe.

"At a party?", their mother repeated, entering the kitchen. "I don't know anything about any party."

"Reef was at a party yesterday," Rory replied, over his cereal bowl.

Mom looked at her with confusion "Weren't you supposed to be at a friend's?"

"I hate you," said the girl in the boy's direction, then directed her apologetic gaze at her mother. "Somehow it turned out that one of my friends invited me. We organized a concert together and, as a thank you for helping, she invited me to her place. I didn't lie to you, I really went to a friend's."

"You didn't mention that this friend was organizing a party."

" I, myself, didn't know it would be such a big party and I didn't expect that there would be so many people there", the girl lied innocently, but pretending to be stupid didn't pay off as the woman clearly did not believe in her words.

"You didn't do anything stupid, did you?", she asked suspiciously, and Rory almost choked on the milk of laughter. As always, the adolescent imagination worked when it shouldn't.

"Of course not," she said, whacking the boy on the shoulder without being too gentle. "I didn't even drink anything there. I stayed away from alcohol, I swear", she said, trying to save the meagre bits of an honour.

"You don't look very sober," the woman replied.

"I just went there to meet new people. Nothing fancy happened. A few people drank too much, some got a little carried away, but I was avoiding such people. I just wanted to have fun. Getting drunk and doing stupid things are not my vibes."

She looked closely at her daughter, which made her feel awkward enough that she lowered her gaze. She was afraid he would read everything that happened tonight in her face.

"Somehow I do not believe you."

"I'm just terribly sleepy and have a headache from loud music. My body is not used to such a long day."

"Hope you know what you're doing."

"Yes of course. I always do."

" I wouldn't say that, but okay. Let's assume you're a responsible and wise young person."

" I am" she opposed.

The woman sighed. „I hope you're not trying to go back to your old habits..."

" And what does it have to do with the party?"

The woman shrugged, but there was concern in her eyes. "Just telling you."

"Have you met someone there?", Rio asked as the three of them stayed in the kitchen.

Reef poured herself a glass of water and sat down next to the girl.

"I'm not going to answer such questions for blowing the whistle on me."

"I didn't do that on purpose! It was just a coincidence."

"You're a terrible traitor," Rory added.

"I am?", Rio asked. " You helped me."

"You both did it.", said Reef, ending their discussion.

"Anyway, I think mom should know about such things. You know, there was alcohol."

The girl sighed. "I know. And I wasn't going to drink it from the very beginning. Somehow I'm really into it. Can we change the subject already?"

"You still haven't answered my question."

" And I'm not going to."

"Do not be like that! How was it? Did you meet someone interesting?"

Too many memories flashed through Reef's mind at once. Loud music. Plastic cups filled with alcohol. Unpleasant girl with glasses. Milan. Tripping on the carpet and tattooed hand extended towards her. The gray-greenish-blue eyes of the stranger fixed on her as they talked in the kitchen and the two-headed bird on her chest. Her cool hand dragging her to the dance floor and her red lips pressed against hers. She wasn't sure if she kissed him back or if she was too shocked to react at all. But she had a strange feeling that this was not their only close-up that night.

"Will you ever take me with you?", she heard her younger sister's voice again.

" God, Rio, don't act like a typical younger sister. You are only in one class lower than me, so you will finally find friends."

"I'm trying all the time. You have no idea how hard it is to get to know new people. Everyone at school seems to ignore me."

Reef involuntarily entered social media, not really focusing on what her sister was saying. As she might have expected, she got several invitations from people who had also participated in the party. She went through all the accounts one by one, paying special attention to profile photos, but didn't recognize the mysterious stranger in any of them. It's kind of silly that they got so close and she didn't even know her name. She could only hope they both went to the same school and would see each other soon.

"Maybe you should start going to some extracurricular activities or find a new hobby?" Reef suggested.

The red-haired girl grimaced. "Extracurricular activities? And what am I supposed to do on them? Count math exercises?"

"I certainly won't help you, just be sure about that" I replied without taking my eyes off the phone. " You'd make me ashamed."

" That is not true. I wouldn't. I can behave, you know."

Reef glanced at the clock. It was almost twelve, and she should slowly be making her way to exit. Though she didn't feel like it, she packed a camera, a bottle of water and a phone and headed to school to take pictures of tonight's concert, in which she was so involved in organizing. No matter how bad she felt, she had to do her job. She skipped breakfast, however, preferring not to find out how her stomach might react to unexpected food.

Unfortunately, new friend requests stopped appearing, and she still has not discovered the identity of that girl.

Rather than risk further conversations with her mother, she decided to take the tram to school instead of asking her for a ride. Who knows what would have come to her mind if there had only been the two of them. First, she had to resolve this strange situation herself before confiding in anyone.

After about twenty minutes, she got to the school and went inside. The corridors were exceptionally empty, as always before the start of the year. Reef would also like to stay away from this place if only she could.

As she was climbing the stairs, heading towards the auditorium, a girl caught up with her.

"Hi! How did you have fun at the party? Do you remember anything from yesterday?", she whispered to her.

Reef looked at her, trying to remember if they had ever met before. She had really long, wavy hair that she had pulled back into a loose bun and was at least a hundred and eighty centimetres tall, which made it towered above her by more than a head. She almost had to tilt her head to see her face. She had pierced earrings in her nose, eyebrows, mouth, and even cheeks as if jewelled ears weren't enough.

The stranger understood her incomprehensible gaze because she quickly began to explain: "Sorry, you may not know me." I am Zaire, a friend of Milan who organized the party. We saw each other yesterday remember? Together we belong to an organizational group. I was the one who walked with the camera and took pictures of everyone", to confirm her words, she picked up the equipment she was holding in both hands.

"Sorry, I really didn't associate you," Reef replied with growing nervousness. "And yes, I remember everything that happened yesterday because I didn't drink anything."

A lie repeated a hundred times becomes the truth, right?

"Really?", she couldn't believe it.

Reef was getting hot at this point. "So you saw ..." she gasped.

"Yes," Zaire interrupted, amused. "I think everyone saw it."

The girl froze, staring at her in disbelief. " Everyone?"

However, her companion did not seem particularly touched by her reaction. She shrugged indifferently. "These things happen a lot. New pairs are formed at virtually every party. Or they break down. It also happens. But usually what happens at the party stays at the party, "she said reassuringly, then lifted her camera. " Well, unless someone was taking pictures."

Reef chilled. "Did you take pictures of us?"

" A couple of them. That's why I took my camera, right? But don't worry, that's why I was looking for you to ask if you would mind posting your pics. Given your reaction, I don't think so. Or would you like me to send them to you?"

"Just me?" she made sure.

"Well ... not only you. Also to Owen. After all, you're both on them. But I have to catch her somewhere. I doubt she'll show up to school before the start of the year."

"Owen?"

Zaire looked at her interlocutor in surprise. "I thought you knew each other."

"Not really," she admitted reluctantly. "We ran into each other by accident and started talking. Later she asked me to dance and ..."

"Holy crap," she interrupted. "And you seemed to be really good friends. Don't be offended, but looking at these pictures I was sure at least one of you was drunk. Owen is a non-drinker, and, as you say, you were sober as well, so... Have you talked to each other yet?"

"Not yet," she replied, a bit embarrassed by directness. "I'll have to meet her somehow. Does she go to school here?"

"Yes, to the senior class. However, I wouldn't wait that long, I just explained it right away. I don't know her very well, but as far as I know, she's fine. I mean, it can be a bit ... specific, but ..."

"Girls, are you coming?" Someone called from the auditorium. " We are only waiting for you. Ten minutes to start."

Zaire wanted to finish but at the last moment, she gave up and entered the room. Reef was still standing, staring at the walking brunette. She did not think that she would be able to find out the identity of the girl so quickly.

"Owen", she thought. "I like that name."

_______________________________________

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