As The Moon Phases

Getting Ready and Making it Awkward

  I lounge in the shower. I like it hot, like scolding hot, burn your flesh off hot. It helps my achey bones. Once the hot water decides to turn cold I get out of the shower and wrap a towel around myself and wipe the steam from the mirror with my hand.

    I look myself in the eye. They are cat like. Mostly green but change with my mood. Right now my hair looks more brown since it is wet but it is a red copper color. Unlike most natural red heads I don't have the freckles or light colored skin. My dad is full blown Irish and my mom was a mix of Italian and Native American. I get my green eyes from dear old dad and my darker skin tone from mom and the red hair I get from my paternal great-great grandmother.

    I also take her name, Rowan, which funny enough means little red-haired one. Fitting since I am all of five foot tall. It's not a foreign concept that I have been called pretty. Even though I haven't made many friends over the past four years, having moved every six to twelve months, I have had both boys and girls tell me I am pretty. I don't think too highly of myself but I am confident. I like the way I look, I like being short and I like my body. 

    I haven't had any close girlfriends and I haven't "dated". Sure I have kissed boys, maybe a little more than kissed boys but I have never had a serious or steady boyfriend. But it is a new year and it is going to be a new me. I smile at myself. And I realize this first week of school I am going to have to wear a full face of makeup to cover up the bruises on my neck. I don't often wear much makeup and in the humidity down here I know it is going to be miserable to do.

    I start applying my foundation and day dreaming of what the other students are going to be like. Since arriving in New Orleans two weeks ago I haven't had much time to do anything but unpack. The time I do have is usually later in the night and I don't see many people my age out at that time. But lucky for me grabbing dinner past 11:00 pm is not unnatural in New Orleans and there are many places open. 

    My mom usually does not go out with me for these dinners, in fact the only time I really see her is when we are packing to move again. So I usually take a book with me and sit alone. People watching and listening to gossip is my go to. I just hope that with this being my last year of school I can put down some roots and actually find some friends.

    I stare at myself in the mirror, my eyes are accented and enlarged by makeup, my lips are now a pinked color and my neck shows no bruises with my full coverage, 24 hour, waterproof foundation applied. I look older and younger at the same time. My hair is just about dry so I guess I will go figure out what I should wear today. 

    Fifteen minutes later I am in a black mini skirt and a green crochet top that falls off my shoulders and black combat boots. I have curled my hair to fall softly down my back. It is only 5:30 in the morning now but since the day is starting early and it's been a long stressful morning for me I decided I will walk to Cafe Du Monde and get a Cafe Au Lait and beignets.

    At my desk I pack my books into my warn out blue jean denim backpack. Clasping my birth moon necklace around my neck I take one more look at myself in the mirror above my dresser. Ladies and gentlemen this is Rowan, take her or leave her.

    Grabbing my bag I make my way out of the apartment, leaving a note for my mom on the kitchen counter. I don't even know if she will read it but I still feel like it is my responsibility to tell her where I am going. I grab the apartment keys and walk out the door. My mom found us an apartment that was an old speak easy on Bourbon Street, which is real cool in some aspects but it means we are upstairs hidden away above another bar. So it can be quite noisy at night.

    Walking down the street I can feel the culture, the essence of New Orleans. I think it is hard not to. Yes you see a lot of homeless people and there are lots of out of towner's that party here and do disgusting things like peeing in the streets, but the locals they have the culture. There is definitely a calling to me here.

    It doesn't take me too long to make it to Cafe Du Monde and at this time it isn't too crowded. I sit and order my coffee and snack. As I wait I look around at the green and white striped walls, the wood ceiling and the menus on the napkin holders. I take a deep breath and smell coffee and sugar.

    Halfway through my breakfast I look over and watch a group of guys walk in. They look to be about my age. The one in the back is a bulky blonde, he has a handsome face but he definitely looks like he is a football player or wrestler of some sort. His biceps are probably bigger than my head. The one in the middle is muscular as well, he has brown hair down below his ears and brown eyes. The way he carries himself I feel like he is more dangerous than the muscles behind him. But it is the one leading them in that catches my eyes and has my heart skipping a beat. He is fit but on the thinner side and he has jet black hair that falls into his eyes and the eyes, they are the most piercing blue. They remind me of crystals reflecting the blue of the Caribbean.

    I feel like they can see through my soul. I gasp, it is nearly silent and I am a whole room away from them but it is as if Mr. Blue Eyes heard me his head snaps my way and our eyes lock. I instantly feel like I am warming up. Two other set of eyes follow his lead and I have three gorgeous guys staring at me and I am staring back. I look like a creeper, I quickly advert my eyes but I still feel the heat of his gaze.

    I down the rest of my drink, make sure there is no powdered sugar on me and try skipping out before I make any more of a fool of myself. But as soon as I grab my bag from the floor and turn to leave I run straight into the blonde muscles. 

    "Sorry! Oh man did I spill your coffee on you," I couldn't look him in the face and I knew my skin matched my hair color right now.

    "No, we're good. You ok? I feel like most people fall over when they run into me like that. Kind of a hard surface to bounce off of."

    I look up and meet his eyes he is smiling down at me. He must be joking. I smile back at him.

    "Well it wasn't the worst surface to smash up against," Wait what, what did I just say. "I mean I have ran into worse things," Wait was that suppose to be better? His smile turns into a huge grin and he looks a bit smug. "I meant..."

    "It's ok I think I get what you are trying to say. My name is Carrick, you new in town?"

    "Yes, just moved here two weeks ago. Name's Rowan," I put my hand out to shake his. His huge hand covers my whole one and gives it a light squeeze with the shake.

    "Nice to meet you Rowan, are you going to New Orleans High?"

    "Yes it's my first day...Well obviously it is everyones first day, but it's my first day ever."

    "Well I am a senior. It is not my first day ever I have lived here my whole life. I know the way around if you need help finding classes. What grade are you, sophomore?"

    "Actually I am a senior." He looks a bit surprised. My height usually makes people mistake me for much younger. 

    "Well great maybe we will have classes together. I like making new friends."

    His mention of friends makes me look around for his friends. Although Carrick seems really nice and a friendship with him sounds awesome, I am interested in spotting blue eyes again. But it seems like his friends are no longer around.

    "Where did you friends go Carrick? I swore I saw you walk in with two other guys. Not that I was checking you guys out or anything I am just a master of observation."

    He laughs a little, "I like you Rowan. My friends got their coffee and took off but I was interested in introducing myself to the new girl. Would you like to walk to school together?"

    I don't see how it would hurt anything. "Sure why not."