Unravel by Samantha Romero Page B

and then CHOP—off with your head!—as I watched it tumble into the rubbish bin. Then, plop into the water with all the other leafy, green rose stems. I had seen it once in a movie when Morticia from the Addams Family had done the same thing to her roses, and at the time I thought it was super creepy. However, now— now I thought it was just plain brilliant. I proudly stood back admiring the green, leafy stems filling the big glass vase as it rested on the kitchen bench. “Until tomorrow,” I whispered.
     
    I hadn’t been out for a couple of months. I just didn’t want to go anywhere. Well, when I mean out, I mean anywhere fun or nice. Instead I had just upped my hours at the clothing store and told Jess that I had way too much on to catch up each Sunday. Of course, she didn’t buy it and had been phoning me consistently, but I just couldn’t do it; I wanted to be by myself as much as possible.
     
    As I threw the scissors back into the drawer, someone started causing a ruckus outside my door. “Get your sorry ass out here, missy!”
     
    I groaned. I knew it was Jess banging the door down—she had such a shrill voice. I was surprised half the neighbors didn’t open their doors expecting that she wanted to see them.
     
    I walked up to the door and hesitated, then tried putting on my most “normal” voice. “Just stepping into the shower, sweetie! Don’t think I can catch up right now.”
     
    “Don’t give me such utter crap! I’m worried about you! What the hell are you playing at, Siena? Open the door or I’ll…”
     
    I rolled my eyes, opening the door slowly. “Or you’ll what? Huff and puff and blow the door down? God you’re such a drama, Jess.”
     
    “Whoa—sweetie, you look awful!!” she said, dropping her bottom lip as she looked at me with pity. “What have you done to yourself? Talk about sweat central.”
     
    I sighed, “I just can’t be bothered at the moment.”
     
    “To wash your face? Wear nice clothes? Have some respect?” She giggled, “You look like a… cave person!”
     
    I smiled sarcastically, replying, “Thanks, Jess, you always know exactly what to say. How lovely of you to stop by with such supportive and helpful words.”
     
    I stood facing Jess in an oversized, red t-shirt. My current look also came with baggy, black sweat pants, complete with a large, not-meant-to-be-there hole, revealing my ugly, knobby knee. My hair was scraped back tightly, and yet somehow it still managed to frizz up from my scalp.
     
    “When was the last time you went out?” she asked, looking greatly concerned.
     
    “I go out every day.”
     
    She pointed her long, manicured finger at me and wiggled it. “Not looking like that, you don’t.”
     
    “I put on my uniform, go to the clothing store, and then come home—I’ve upped my hours, so I’m working a lot more at the moment.”
     
    She flopped down on the couch, still looking at me with utter disapproval. “And then what? You just come home and put on the ugliest, baggy clothes you can find and stare out the window for the rest of the night?”
     
    I smirked as a tiny laugh escaped. “Yeah, pretty much.”
     
    She got off the couch and hugged me, bear-like “What the hell happened to you? Tell me everything! It must be over a guy—it has to be. Do you want me to get some ice-cream?”
     
    “No,” I said. “I’m not Bridget Jones.”
     
    “Well,” she smiled, as she poked me in the ribs, “I bought ice-cream anyway, so find me a spoon and spill your tiny guts!”
     
    She walked into the kitchenette and spotted the vase of leafy steams.
     
    “Holy crap! What is that?” She said, pointing her finger at the vase repeatedly like a kid visiting the zoo for the first time.
     
    “Art?” I shrugged.
     
    “Where are their heads?” she asked, chewing her bottom lip nervously.
     
    I smiled, putting my hands in my pockets. “I chopped them off!”
     
    She stared at the vase, poking the leafy stems