Merida

She woke up that morning smiling. She could still smell his intoxicating scent. She thought about getting up to start her day, but the sun's warmth on her bare back kept her there. The more she thought about last night, the more she wished she had remembered his name. So, she just laid there alone breathing him in.

You see Merida was always the one that didn’t get the hot guy. She was the one who sat in the back of the class, was friends with everyone, and the life of the party, but was always overlooked. She hated herself. Her mother wasn’t any help either. She had never taught her how to wear makeup because her mother had never worn makeup. Even when her sister tried to teach her about her hair, her mother never approved. Her sister would fix her hair, you know make it real pretty, but her mom would make her wash it out when she got home. She was picked on, beaten up, and made fun of all her life.

She had always been a thick girl even before thick girls were the “it” thing to be. She had the natural look before it was cool. Merida had come a long way since then. She had finally learned to love her curves. While lying in her big fluffy bed; she started to explore her curves. She did not do this to become aroused, but to remember where she had come from. She never wanted to forget. She thought if she forgot she would be forced to return to the meanness.

Merida sat up quickly, “I remember his name, and it was Talon”. Wrinkling her nose, “Talon that can’t be right”. She had been working long hours for weeks, maybe it was all the liquor she had last night. Merida’s friends Adara and Keely almost had to drag her out by her hair to get her to go last night. They had been begging her to go to club Gothica for months. So, after a long week of bitching from her boss she finally gave in.

Suddenly her bedroom door swung open breaking her train of thought. Adara walked in and flopped on her bed. “What are you thinking about chic?” she asked. Merida opened one eye, looked at her and sighed, “I think his name is Talon, but that can’t be right”. Adara fell off the bed laughing. Merida looked over the edge, “What is so damn funny, I’m serious; I think his name was Talon”. Adara looked up at Merida laughing, “It was Talon”. Merida just fell back on the bed.” Adara, you know, your crazy right”. Adara stood up and started for the door, “Yes I do, now get up Mer we got to go shopping”.

When the door closed, Merida threw the covers back and walked to the bathroom. For some reason her body was still sore and achy. She turned the water on filling the tub with bubbles. As she slides in the tub her back started to sting. Merida quickly stood up and looked in the mirror, scratch marks, OK that’s new she thought. As the hot water started to relax her, she dozed off. She was startled by the knock at the bathroom door. “Merida come on we are going to be late”. She jumped out the tub drying off quickly yelling,” I’m coming, just a min”. She rushed in the room sliding on a pair of jeans and her bra. Keely opened the door as Merida slipped on her tank top. “Come on chic let’s go”, said Keely. They set out to the market.

Merida loved the fresh market. Her and the girls had been coming every Saturday morning for the past few years. The only time she had missed their trips were when she was sick. The market had everything you needed and more. They had all kinds of fresh veggies. Twice a month the local meat market would bring in their trucks. Patrons could rent tables to sell other goods as well. Even a few cafes would sell lunch. Merida would sometimes imagine that she was the queen of the village sneaking out to wonder with the villagers.

Adara let out a squeak. “Merida look over there”. “Is that your Talon?” Merida looked around slowly, OMG she thought to herself, it’s him. His scent hit her nose once more, her heart started to beat rapidly, and her checks flushed. It was him. That glorious man was more stunning in the daylight. So many thoughts run through her mind at once. Keely looked at her smiling, “Well what are you waiting on, go say hello”. “I can’t, he won’t remember me.” That was not all Merida was scared of.

Last night she was another person. She had let Gothic out. She had allowed herself to be just that herself. She was free last night. She could not let him see her not like this. He didn’t fall for her; he fell for Gothic. “Merida you are daydreaming again. Go say hello”, Keely said. Merida looked at Keely, “I can’t... I just can’t. Look at me I look awful. Plus, he will be expecting Gothic, not plan Merida. He wouldn’t give me the time of da...". Before she could finish her sentence Adara was waving Talon over.

That’s when she heard him, “Merida, I thought I would never find you again. I have been kicking myself all morning for not getting your number”. Merida slowly looked up into the prettiest blue eyes she had ever seen. Smiling shyly, she took his hand and wrote her number down. He remembered my name and my face she thought. Talon told the girl's hello. Adara motioned to the empty chair, “Why do you join us, Talon? I’m sure Merida won’t mind”. Merida felt a hand lightly brush her neck. Looking up again she smiled and asked him to please join them for lunch. To her surprise he gladly accepted.

Halfway through lunch Merida felt a hand slide up her leg. She looked over at Talon who just gave a boyish grin and continued to talk to Adara about the latest club openings. Adara thought that Club Aslin was the best one in town. Talon thought that Club Gothica was the best. Keely thought well, they both sucked. Merida was just trying to pay attention. Every so often Talon’s hand would slide up higher or he would lightly draw small circles on her the inside of her leg. Merida finally decided to live in the moment. Why not? She had been put through hell all her life and for what to make life look better on the outside only to end up alone. Well not anymore, she was going to be happy with this man. One way or another she would be happy.