Invisible Scars

Finding solace in a friend

As I settled onto her bed, thoughts of my parents flooded my mind. Carina noticed my somber expression and sat down beside me, waiting patiently for me to speak. Her eyes were filled with concern, and I could tell she was worried about me.

"Why the long face?" she asked gently, her voice soft and soothing. I took a deep breath before responding, trying to put my thoughts into words.

"I wish they could just go back to how they were before my dad went to Indiana," I said, my voice cracking as I struggled to hold back tears. Carina sighed and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.

I continued, my words spilling out in a rush. "They were always happy then, Dad was always smiling, but everything changed after he came back from Indiana. He's been distant and cold, and Mom's been trying to hold everything together, but it's just not working." Tears streamed down my face as I spoke, and Carina tried to comfort me, wiping away my tears with a gentle touch.

"Oh, Kyla, stop this. Don't worry yourself too much. Everything will be fine, please," she said, her voice filled with empathy. But I couldn't shake off the feeling of despair that had settled in my heart.

Just then, my phone rang, shrill in the silence. I glanced at the screen and saw my mom's name flashing. I hesitated for a moment before answering, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside me.

"Kyla," my mom said, her voice laced with concern

"Yes," I replied, trying to sound calm.

"I've been worried about you, where are you?" she asked, her voice tinged with anxiety.

I sighed, feeling a sense of frustration. "You shouldn't be worried about me. I don't want to talk to either of you right now."

There was a pause on the other end of the line before my mom spoke up again. "Honey—"

"I'm at Carina's place. You can hang up now," I interrupted, trying to keep my tone neutral.

"Aren't you coming home?" she asked, a hint of sadness in her voice.

I shook my head, even though she couldn't see me. "No."

"Take care of yourself, and please give my regards to Elise," she said.

"I will. You can hang up now," I repeated, feeling a sense of finality.

"Kisses," she said softly before hanging up.

I let out a deep breath as I ended the call, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside me. I was angry, hurt, and frustrated, but most of all, I was scared. Scared of what the future held, scared of losing the only family I had ever known.

Carina placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, and I turned to her, feeling a sense of gratitude. "Thanks, Carina," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”

Carina smiled and hugged me tight. “You’ll never have to find out, Kyla,” she said. “I’ll always be here for you, no matter what.”

"Let's go have some fun, I want you to cheer up," Carina said, beckoning me to follow her. I had no choice but to obey, even when I was feeling down. It didn't take us long to get ready, and I changed into one of Carina's floral gowns. She was a lover of floral gowns, which earned her the nickname "Floral Queen" from Alexander, her cousin.

I remembered how Carina had urged me to date Alexander, but I had politely declined. He was chubby and not exactly handsome, and I had told him so to his face. He had cried his eyes out that day.

Carina got up and opened her wardrobe, pulling out a makeup kit. "I got myself a new kit," she announced, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

I gasped in amazement. "Wow, it's beautiful!" I exclaimed, my eyes wide with admiration.

Carina smiled mischievously and opened the wardrobe again, pulling out another makeup kit. "And that's not all," she said, handing the kit over to me “I got this for you.”

I jumped up and down excitedly, hugging Carina tightly. "Thank you, thank you!" I squealed, overjoyed.

My dad couldn't afford to buy me a makeup kit, and my mom had refused to get one for me, saying it would attract unwanted attention from boys. I had rolled my eyes at her reasoning.

But now, thanks to Carina, I had my very own makeup kit. I felt like the luckiest person alive.

"Aren't we going out again?" I asked, remembering our earlier plans.

Carina nodded. "Okay, but you have to apply some lipstick to look good."

I sat back down, and Carina began to apply the lipstick. She then styled my blonde hair, and I felt like a completely different person.

"You look stunning," Carina said, stepping back to admire her handwork. "Any boy who sees you won't be able to resist your beauty."

I laughed out loud and hugged Carina tightly. "Thanks, Carina."

We held hands and walked out of the house, feeling carefree and happy. We walked for two minutes, chatting loudly, when Carina whispered in my ear to look forward.

I looked up, and my eyes caught sight of Bryan, the boy I had a crush on. My heart skipped a bit as our eyes met, and I quickly looked away, feeling shy.

Carina smiled mischievously. "He's walking towards us."

Bryan stood opposite us, flashing a charming smile. "Hi," he said, his eyes locked on mine.

I felt my heart flutter, and I couldn't help but smile back at him.