Kate Madness [[Uno]]

I woke up in flashes and screams galore. Another New Year's eve that I wish would just go. Silently, I pull the covers off me, letting morning sun burn my skin. "Ow.." I whisper softly, the rush of heat unwelcoming. I sat there, nearly whining about the burning sensation that followed this sun's ray. Why did it so carelessly etch through my skin. I sighed and decided to deal with it. I got myself up and into my windowless bathroom. There, my change of clothes and a shower awaited me. I shut the door and went about my business, grooming myself with care. After fifteen minutes of that, I put on my usual attire: dark red t-shirt and the smallest mini-skirt you could find. I wasn't a whore, but my clothes spoke differently..1

About ten minutes after I did my hair and make-up, I got a phone call. It was my boss, Jacob. "Where are you?" He asked, a chatter of voices in the background. "Jacob, it's Sunday--aka my day off. And it's New Year's Eve, in case you didn't know." My words spilled like venom. I hated my boss; I had gone to school with him years back. Now, he was the producer of many of the films I was in. There was no way I could get away from the idiot. "Yes, but you've got no one to celebrate with. Why not dine with me and the gang--all my buddies will be there." I thought about this for a few minutes, contemplating on whether I should go or not. An evening with Jacob and his loon friends? I thought this was nothing but tortuous. But the man was right. I had nothing better to do. 2

"When and where?" I asked, staking out for a pen and piece of paper. "Two this afternoon at the Peter's Private Dining and then at my friend's house. His nam-" I didn't care for names, so I barged in, "No need for names now. I shall meet them later, I suppose?" I smiled sweetly. How sad it was, that I was going to be spending New Year's with my crackpot producer and his friends. I must be desperate, seeing as I hadn't celebrated any holidays in ages. I literally forgot my birthday twice, and Christmas was boring, whereas everyone around me was stressing out. I didn't know how to explain it. I stopped showing the spirit. I just smiled. That was enough to make people happy. 3

But maybe that was why he invited me. I hadn't done anything years ago. I thought the man hated me, so I also assumed that this was a joke. I laughed at the thought and continued my trek of getting him off the phone and myself presentable for a party. I hadn't actually been to a party since I was twenty-two. Now, I was hitting twenty-four, and that fact sunk in well. I had really let myself go...if you call making myself into a model version of the black barbie that at all. I was skinny, dark brown hair with blond highlights and black eyes. My skin was almost a caramel color; people confused me for a Mexican, but I was black nonetheless. My breasts were jetting out still; I had managed to stop growing every where but there and I was very annoyed by that thought. The main thing people paid attention to was either my ass, breasts, eyes, hair, and my skinniness. People called me a druggie, but cigarettes were my main deal now. 4

I hadn't done an illegal drug since Daniel offered it...how many years ago was that? I shook it away before I thought about him. Jacob had now hung up and I was already thinking about my past? Great. I decided to keep the blue plaid miniskirt, but I put my black stockings on. I wore a black shirt on top, a music logo on it. I hadn't paid attention to the shirt. Some girl back in Cali gave it to me. I was in Florida now, and I still remember that Asian. She died in a house fire. Our house fire. God, what was her name? I couldn't remember her name now. I decided to go drink some coffee downstairs. My roommate greets me. She's a chick from Cali that I picked up. She seemed nice at the time, but now she's annoying as fuck. She hates my fashion sense; she believes I never had one. I decided instead of her real name, I'll call her Chica. Of course, to her face she's Jenna, but I my friends at the studio all say Chica. 5

"Ugh, that shirt with the mini? Really Kate, you need better taste." I cringe at the name. I changed my name frequently as a young girl, but now as an adult, I settled with Kate. My sister, Katlynd, was furious when she found out, but I hate her anyways. She's a past life I can forget. One, two, three, gone. I smiled and poured the coffee in my blue mug, already setting out from last night. "Oh, Jenna, you know I like to be obscure. It's not my fault you follow day to day on J-Lo and Paris. I like my style, not their's." A smirk threatens to pull over, but refuses easily. It's rude to acknowledge my win. Jenna just huffs out of the room, to her bedroom. She's off to make herself smell like the perfume aisle. Pointless fragrances to 'ease the soul'. I know she won't be out till about three o'clock, which is when she works at the bar. That's the beauty of it all. 6

Jen has always made herself smell that way so she can have every man in that bar tip her--literally. I can't remember how many times she came home smelling of cheap beer, cigarettes, and sex. The classical cliche of a whore. The sad part was, Jenna never meant for her life to get like this. When I first met her, I asked her why she let herself go. 'I need the money.' That's what her and thousands of other strippers and whores will tell you. And my roommate was one of them. Go figure, the girl of no hopes is the girl that tells me to get a life and fashion sense. Sad. 7

My clock chimed. It was one already? Wow, I did sleep in. I got my stuff ready to go and decided tonight I would take the Jeep today, instead of the Vanquish...I didn't want Jacob's friends all over me. I put my things in the back seat as I got in, and then my seat belt. Then I was on my way to Peter's Private Dining...8

Did I know what I was getting myself into?9