Isabelle Owens : QUEER, PART OF GEN Z, LIVES IN SMALL TOWN, SHE/THEY, MIXED.

A busy day outside. Buses and cars could be heard from outside the open window, but the inside of the apartment only had some soft lofi music playing. The sound of a whisk hitting the sides of a metal bowl could be slightly heard. The clanking on beat to the music.

"The teacher made me take off the mask."

Suddenly intrigued by the comment her friend made, she stopped her actions and gently set down her bowl on the cluttered counter.

"He, what, now?" Utter disbelief striking her. The disease being known now more than ever, a lot of kids had taken the self-initiative of bringing their own mask to wherever they went, that including school.

"He said I was 'violating' the school uniform and that it wasn't needed unless I was sick, and he said the virus wasn't a big deal and then made me throw it in the trash can!" Their friends upset words sounding a little delayed through the phone, but still being heard enough to understand all of what she said.

A scoff. "That just sounds like a headache." Picking up her whisk again and continuing to stir.

"Trust me, it was, but what about you? How's your day been, what are you making this time?" The irritated tone in her voice gently fading and lacing into a more happy and warm one.

"Mine was fine. I woke up late which is why I looked like what I looked like at school today, 'cause I was cramming yesterday." Now setting her bowl to the side and beginning to stir a different concoction of ingredients in a separate one.

"I really don't know how you thought that was going to be a good idea. You're going to be disoriented the whole week if you keep that up."

"Relax, I don't even need to do it again, our quiz was moved to tomorrow so with what I did yesterday I'll be fine so I can get at least an eighty. As for what I'm making, my father saw this scone thingy on her phone that she commented to me about and I thought I could surprise him for when he got home from work."

"Aw, that's cute. One day someone is going to make me scones." She showed her face for a split second on the camera just to pout and then moved it back to its view of the ceiling fan.

"What a day that will be for sure." She said in a way where it was almost under her breath, but Vi could still hear her.

"I heard you, you are not subtle or slick. Anyways, since I just learned that the scones, aren't, for me, I'll be on my way."

"Oh don't be that way, you're going to leave me all alone!" Their arms going limp and dropping the strainer they were holding.

"Oh y'know I'd love to stay on, but sadly I need to do chores due to the demands of my mother. That insufferable woman," She immediately laughed because she knew it was a joke, for she had met the woman various times before. "Anyways, I'll call you tomorrow?"

"Yeahh, I'll send a picture of the scones!"

"Don't patronize me." And the line went dead, the peaceful lull of the quiet noises from the outside returning. They were the quietest thing in her room, it felt like the loudest. The loss of another person's presence left her alone with her thoughts.

A deep sigh. Why did everything feel so off?

She tried convincing herself it was the lack of sleep, or the strange atmosphere the town seemed to have today, or the virus that seemed to get closer and closer everyday, or the fact that in the coming week there was going to be a Friday the 13th and her superstitions made her worry about that. But none of those excuses seemed to calm her hyperventilating mind. None of those poorly fabricated excuses were good enough to blame the odd feeling on. She didn't realize it, but she started to move on her own without really thinking of what she was doing. Her hands were filling a tray but her mind was thinking of every possibility of why she was feeling the way she was.

Her body sort of seemed to stop and she then fell back into consciousness. Looking down at her hands, she was almost done with the scones, although she hadn't even realized when she had even finished sifting. Getting farther from breathing heavily with each inhale, the feeling of acrimony slightly faded and was gradually being replaced with a weird type of serenity. Something felt off, but for some reason her mind felt like it was being compelled to be felt at peace with itself.

Looking through the window, the distant city looked off too. Everything looked off, but surely it was just overthinking. At least that's what she and many others whom she didn't even know hoped.