The Girl with Purple Hair: Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Heeeey, Toxin, waz up?" Pyro slurred, taking a long drag on her cigarette.

"Nothin' much," he replied, coming in the club bright and early, just like Morphine, holding cups of coffee in his hands. He lifted the lid on the first one. "This one's black. Here you go," handing it to Py.

"Thaaankks," she said, putting her feet on the counter, not having a care in the world.

"Half and half, three sugars," Toxin handed Morphine her coffee, their hands slightly touching. They giggled both red in the face.

Morph dug into her lug of a purse, looking for her wallet. "Hang on, I have it–"

"Consider it a thank you for last night," he smiled, having that gleam of blue in his eyes.

"Did you both finalleee get it onnn?" Pyro drank her coffee, still drunk, but almost sober.

"No, Py, we didn't have sex, and even if we did, it's still none of your business," Morphine gave her friend a scowl, her voice having irritating.

"Aw, c'mon, Morph," she clung to her purple haired friend. "I'm jus messin' wit' chussss,"

"Sure,"

"I was thanking Morphine for a good time last night," Toxin explained, pulling up a chair and sitting next to her. "We had dinner at my place. She brought homemade cheesecake. Pyro, it is to die for. I'm serious,"

"When it die I'lllll eat it," she stood up. "Now, I got to go throw up, excuse meeee,"

"How have you been able to handle her, you know, before me?" Morphine asked as her friend left the room.     

"It took a long time," he said. "It was brutal,"

"I'll drink to that," she chuckled.

Toxin took a sip of his coffee, looking at Morphine for the longest time. Her beauty and grace was just breathtaking. And the way she flipped her hair over her shoulder constantly was amazing, it brought out her full face. She was light skinned and a good size, not like those sticks on stage every night. She also had a nice forehead, not too big, and it was just right for kissing it. Her lips, though, were another story. Full, plump, and a soft color of pink to match her pigment of her skin. Those eyes, which uncovered the exquisiteness she was hiding, thanks to her long, jungle like hair. A perfect shade of brown, almost golden that belonged on a lioness, but she was one. An exotic animal, waiting for the perfect, handsome mate. Toxin really hoped he was the perfect mate Morphine was looking for.


Flashback

"A month," Morphine had said to herself as she looked at her calendar. It had been only a single month since she met Pyro, her newly found best friend. It had also been a month she moved into the apartment, living with her friend. Life couldn't get any better. Her hair was died a pretty purple color, her demon killing training was progressing fairly quickly. It was like living on cloud nine. Nothing to worry about. No stupid four hour piano lessons, no annoying girls begging for quality soccer tips because she was the all-star player on the team. No parents, mother rather, telling her every single minute to study and do her homework and get as much knowledge into her head as possible to succeed.

She didn't need to do any more of those awful, useless tasks. She had Pyro, who was teaching her to reach for the sky and how to give a quality lap dance. It made Morphine giggle a bit, but it was worth it. It wasn't the ideal job people like herself had as a little child, becoming a princess or the president, but it was better than what her mother expected of her. Victory. Morphine, on the other hand, never wanted that. She wanted to live, not cram in her room and night and study until her brain burst a blood vessel. Now, she was going to parties and staying out all night and coming home covered in glitter and tipsy. She would have to sneak out to go to bashes like that, back in New York. And if sneaking out wasn't the best way to go, she'd have to weak a parka just to cover her clothes and tell her parents she was spending the night at Alicia's or Sophie's. It was a big, huge lie. But it was worth it. To live, to be uncontrolled from her mother's diamond studded leash.

"Ohhhh, Morph," Pyro sang. "Come out here, girl,"

"One sec," she put on her long t-shirt and stockings, trying to make herself the littlest bit attractive, possibly sexy at the most.

Pyro came into her room, looking at Morphine pose in front of a tall mirror. "This isn't America's Next Top Model, this is Toxin we're talkin' about. He's not goin' to care. C'mon," she pulled on her arm.

"But you said to try on some of your clothes to, um, make myself look pretty and stuff," she said awkwardly.

"It doesn't matter," Pyro sighed, acknowledging the fact that her friend was trying. Trying to be something she wanted to be but wasn't. "Tox, this is Sara, but everyone from London knows her as Morphine, the newest and most charming 'tripper from La Viva Diablo!"

"Hi," he smiled, holding out his hand. And what a hand. What a voice. For God's sake, what a guy. Morphine was stunned.

"H-hi," she croaked, shaking his hand nervously.

"So you're the girl who's been staying here with Py?" he asked, letting go of her hand. "I must say, she didn't describe you very well. But now I'm a believer."

"A believer in what?" she tilted her head in miscalculation.

"A believer in Diablo's most charming stripper there is," he smirked, his light blonde hair covering one of his ocean blue eyes. And his skin, so in between when it came to color. It was beautiful, he was beautiful. Eyes like the pacific ocean, hair like fading yellow in a gorgeous sunset, skin hue like sand but softer than silk. A man was what he was. A tall, breathing, kind gentlemen standing right in front of her. And he was…complementing her? It was so weird to her, to Morphine who has never been treated so nicely before…by a male. Never to her face. Her parents were super strict about this type of thing. Plus, Morphine could never pick the boy she had a crush on to bring home to meet her parents. They'd bring him to her. He'd usually be tall, wearing dorky glasses, wearing a sweater vest, and talk about politics and Harvard all night long. It was agonizing to not fall in love and be a regular girl whose idea of a perfect high school life is finding an amazing guy.

"I think Py might have exaggerated a bit," she blushed, trying to continue the conversation without making it too uncomfortable.

"Please," he laughed with harmony in his voice. "She never mentioned the purple hair for starters. It looks great on you, by the way,"

She hesitated. Another compliment. "Thank you, well, you might want to thank Pyro for that. She insisted on this shade. If it wasn't for her expertise I'd be a boring brunette or bleach blonde,"

"I wouldn't care if it was lime green. You'd still be gorgeous,"

Gorgeous. Such a peculiar word to Morphine. In high school, boys would give her kudos on winning a soccer game or getting the highest score on a math test. Never gorgeous. It was the intelligence levels of the male student body back in New York. They were all too brainy and wary to even go up to girls and ask them out on a date. It was embarrassing, especially when half the girls couldn't even get dates to dances or junior prom. It was humiliating to show up with girlfriends and not boys. It was hard to unravel the male mind, even to Morphine who was the smartest girl at Clarkson Carter High School, for the gifted and higher-level.

"I leave the room for five whole freakin' minutes and you both are practically undressing each other with your eyes," Pyro exclaimed, entering the room with a cigarette in her lip glossed mouth.

"Py!" Morph shouted in total humiliation.

"Chillax, Morph. I could have said far worse things than that,"

"I'd like to see you try, but not now," she sighed, still having a perfect view of Toxin in her semi blocked path.

"So, anyway," Pyro got out an envelope from her butt pocket. "I called you both here for an extraordinary reason!"  

"You never use the word 'extraordinary.' This must be good," he rolled his eyes, taking a seat on the couch.

"It is," she said in the middle of the living room, watching Morphine take a seat next to Toxin.

"What is so important to wake me up at five-thirty in the morning?" she asked, blushing. "Besides meeting Toxin,"

"Well," Py started. "I've been in contact with Fallen for the past few months. He's doing fine, helping innocent mortals get justice, yada, yada, yada,"

"So?" Toxin butted in.

"He told me that he and Matrix are back together! Isn't that great?" she punched the air, excited.

"Who's Matrix again?" Morph asked.

"She's like Fallen, you know, fallen angel. But she has this really cool ability–"

"Pyro. Kitchen," Toxin stood up and pulled her into the room.

She felt outlandish again. Not being able to understand her friends was hard sometimes, being that she was a human and Pyro was a demon, a three-hundred-year-old fire demon with powers and adventures to last lifetimes. It was just amazing to be able to talk to her, even to be friends. It blew Morphine's mind that she was a mundane person, growing up with money and pricey schools, now being best friends with a beautiful, crazy demon. It was all too much. Sometimes she could comprehend some situations Pyro told her, more mental and emotional ones. But when it came to life and death exploits and true love, she was worthless. Morphine didn't know fun to begin with. Her parents showed her fun in a completely boring way – learning for hours and studying the periodic table. It was just so adrenalin pumping. Not.

"How much have you told her?" Toxin's whisper voice started to get loud unintentionally.  

"I've told her everything, Tox,"

"But she's just a mortal, a human. Does that mean anything to you?"

"Of course it does," she said with no regrets. "I love Morph. She's…incredible. When I first met her, I told her about demons and angels right off the bat. She's able to understand everything I've told her in the past month."

"Like I said, she's just a human," he protested. "I really think you should calm it down with the supernatural talk with her,"

"Why should I? Morph's my best friend. She's the only person I can trust these days. Plus, I've been here for her since she got here. Without me, she'd be lonely and scared for the rest of her life."

"What the hell are you talking about? No, wait. Are you drunk?"

"I'm not drunk for once. God, do I really have to spell this out for you?" she sighed, taking in a huge breath of air. "You know how everyone's talking about Sarah, Sarah McClain? The girl from New York?"

"Yeah, she's all over the news. What about her?"

"You know how Fallen helped that poor girl out by making those guys that raped her tell the truth?"

"Py, where is this going?"

Morphine quickly grabbed the newest Playboy magazine on the little table next to her making it look like she was doing something and not just listening to the discussion. Pyro and Toxin quickly came out of the kitchen and just stared at her, waiting for what looked like an answer of some sort. He gave her a smile and she turned away, now knowing how he felt about her. Since she was just a human. Pyro cleared her throat.   

"Toxin, I'd like to introduce you to Sara Walker, or should I say Sarah McClain?"

He stayed there, motionless. He couldn't even say a simple, painless answer like 'What?' or 'Come again?' He was mortified beyond belief. He practically screamed at his friend to get rid of the new girl, the mortal. He had no idea what she had gone through, what the paranormal world has done to make her life better. Much better. Toxin was viewed upon by the most lovely girl he had ever laid eyes upon as a fool, and utter fool. It couldn't get any worse for him. Not now.

"Shit, I'm out of cigarettes," Py sighed. "I'm going to the drug store. You guys need anything?"

"Coffee. Vanilla–"

"Vanilla cream, three sugars. I know you too well, Morph," she giggled. "You, Tox?"

He was still freaked out by the whole situation. "Uh, what Morphine's having," he walked back over to the couch, sitting in the same spot as before. Pyro slammed the door shut, locking it behind her. It was quiet for some time after that. She continually read the magazine and he sat a cushion away from her, trying to say something, anything. An hour passed. Pyro was still out getting the necessities they requested. It could have been worse, but for Toxin, he hated silence. He hated being ignored and being overall loathed by a person. Particularly by a pretty person like Morphine.

"Look, Morphine," Toxin spoke up.

"What?" she said, folding the page of the article and putting the mag down. "You're talking to me? But I'm just a human, remember?"   

He groaned under his breath. "I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't know it was you,"

"What if you didn't know who I really was? What would you do then?" she glared at him, evilly.

"Honestly," he was flushing. "I don't know,"

"Of course you don't," she opened up the mag and continued to read where she left off.

He got up and went into the kitchen, looking into the fridge for something to drink. He pulled out two ice cold beers and opened the lids, bringing them back into the living room. Sitting down where he sat last, he handed Morphine a drink. She took him, while reading. They both took a swig at the same time. It was energizing.

"Isn't it a little early to be drinking?" she asked, crossing her legs up on the couch.

"Probably," he said, relaxed. "And Pyro has the coffee, so there weren't any other choices,"

"Alright then," she clanked her bottle with his.

"Can I ask you something?"

"I don't know, after all, I'm still a mortal," she said sarcastically.

"I'm serious, dead serious,"

She put her drink and magazine down on the table behind her and paid close attention, in spite of everything, this was her last chance to conceivably have a connection with a great guy. A really great, good-looking, smart, funny guy who could truly love her for the brain she was. Scooting over a bit on the couch, she hugged her knees and nodded her head. She was ready for what he was about to throw at her.

"The night you were…raped," he said, looking into her eyes. "What were you thinking when it happened?"

Morphine sat back in her spot, staring at the ceiling for a second, trying to recall what she was thinking about. It was hard to be honest. At the time, it was all so quick and loud and fuzzy. And it hurt, really bad. It was impossible to do anything, forget considering.

"I wasn't thinking to begin with," she sighed, noticing he was still observing her. It made all the butterflies in her stomach flutter around.

"What were you doing?"

"I don't know," she hid her face in her hands, and then came back to reality. "I was screaming and pushing them away. But it didn't help, they held me down. They took turns. I was yelling so hard but they constantly covered my mouth and gagged me. I was useless," she didn't realize she was crying. It had been a while since she cried tangible tears.

"I was…molested as a child," Toxin said, trying to make Morphine feel not so different and awkward. "I still have nightmares about it. So I guess I know how you feel, sort of,"

"I'm sorry," she said sincerely, wiping her tears with her hand. He took her hand in his, while dabbing her waterworks for her. Toxin was a gentleman most of the time, but there were cases, like before, where he could be a real jerk. But Morphine loved differences in a person no matter how big or small they were. Toxin could have been bipolar for all she cared, and still be in love with him too.

"Hey, it's not your fault," he put his hand to her cheek, trying to calm her flowing emotions down.

"I feel like it's my fault these days," she confessed, looking at her lap.

"You've done nothing wrong, Morph," he smiled, coming close to her.

"But I could have done something. I could have not gone down that alley that night. I could have listened to my friends and just left with them. I could have stayed in New York and face my attackers. I could have testified in court. But I chose not to. I've been…" she sobbed again, hiding her face this time. "…terrified!!" she screamed.

Toxin pulled her whole body into a tight, reassuring hug. He soothingly shushed her and rubbed her back tenderly. Morphine was just a girl. She was only a teenager at the time. She was only eighteen in this big, big world. She didn't know what she was supposed to do anymore. All she wanted was to hide under a rock and just wither away. But Pyro wasn't going to let that happen. She was helping her friend blossom into the rose she truly was. Not that dull colored plant her friends and family back home expected of her. Sarah was no more. She faded away and was now a bunch of dead, black petals. And now, Sarah "Morphine" Walker was here to stay and be the greenhouse she was destined to be.

Even if that meant she was supposed to have a little Toxin in her life.

"You feeling better?" he asked, watching her close her eyes in his lap.

"A little," she sniffed and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Can I ask you something now?"

"Sure," he said, stroking her hands.

"How do you know Pyro and Fallen and Matrix?"        

Toxin chuckled lightly and looked in Morphine's eyes. "Well, it was a long time ago. I was in California at the time, finishing up school," he said. "I was walking home late one night. I heard screaming and struggling behind a building. I went to check it out and saw Matrix fighting some guy. Well, he wasn't really a guy. He was a demon, but I didn't know at the time. He had a gun aimed right for her, so I just stepped in and saved 'Rix when he pulled the trigger. I got shot in the stomach. He ran off and she stayed with me the whole time."

"What happened?"

"I was dying. I was on the floor just dying. Matrix said she could save me but I would have to trust my life with her to do so. So I did. Her hands started to glow a weird blue color, she waved them over my wound and said some really weird words that I couldn't understand. When Matrix finished, I was healed. The bullet was lying beside me in mint condition. She smiled and told me who she really was and what that demon wanted."

Morphine held onto him and continued to listen. "What did he want?"

"Immortality," he sighed. "Matrix was only able to do it on that night. It was one of the lunar cycles and the universe gave the power to do so, blah, blah, blah," he rolled his eyes. "So she gave it to me instead. It was the only way to save me."

"My God," she covered her mouth. "How…how old are you?"

"I was twenty-four when Matrix saved me," he said. "I'm forty-seven now,"   

She didn't say a word, she was scared to. Something might slip out and insult him or antagonize him in some way imaginable. She didn't want to take any chances. Morphine, with her insecurities, looked up at the strange, strange man and caressed his flawless, smooth face. How could he be forty-seven? He looked like he was in his twenties. Tall, muscularly slim, young looking, he didn't even have the slightest form of a wrinkle. It was astonishing. Flabbergasting. Dumbfounding.

"How is that even possible?" she whispered, feeling hands touch her upper and lower back.

Toxin grinned. "I can no freaking idea," he laughed quietly.

"You look so young and…attractive," she blushed, turning away.

He smirked at her even though she couldn't see it. She was so shy, but soon that would go away. The fears and thoughts of rejection would fade like her former self. Morphine was different now, so unique and stunning and glowing, shining too. He wrapped his arms around her and laid down on the couch, making himself recessive and her dominate. She basically sat on top of him and just gazed at Toxin, thinking of so many potential ways of seducing him. Then again, the ideas were all in her head. She never had the courage to do any of those options, particularly to a guy like Toxin. In contrast, was this all just a test to see how erotic and strong she could hold up in an actual demon killing session? It couldn't be. He acted so nice to her actually listened and cared for her in the little amount of time they've spent together.

"Have you done this before?" he finally asked her.

"I'm still in training," she said. "I'm not exactly a pro but–"

"No, Morph," he grabbed both of her arms and pulled her so she could be closer to him. "This. Anything like this before Pyro?"

She gulped and felt her heart pace. Like that night. "I still consider myself a virgin, I mean, that night back in New York was my first time,"

"Jesus," he was glowing red, unsure of his next move. If there was one.

"I never had a boyfriend either," she admitted with a carefree shrug of her shoulders. "Mom and dad, preferably my mother, set me up with a boy who I had no desires to get into bed with. I mean, they were so…smart and bugged eyed and older than me."

"So what does that make me?" he laughed. "I'm pretty sure this is illegal in some countries,"     

"Ha," Morphine snickered. "I see your point. But you are younger than my mom and dad so that's always a plus."

"Phew," he joked, moving the bunch of hair out of his eyes.

She didn't deliberately press her body onto his, but it felt nice to Toxin. He wasn't a sex addict like Pyro and he certainly wasn't looking to be one any time soon. That was the thing about him, he was diverse that his other, more mystical friends. His world didn't revolve around sex, alcohol, money, demons, life, death, and many more topics. It mainly orbited on his affections and past and upcoming loves. There was always the one that got away for Toxin but, hopefully, not this time. Not the undeveloped and beautiful Morphine. Even though she was so young and inexperienced, she somehow managed to captivate wise Toxin.

"I'm eighteen by the way," she said, perceiving that her mouth was virtually touching his neck. He didn't mind. "Almost nineteen,"

"That's some age difference," he put his fingers threw her hair. It was sleek and untangled for once.

"Do you think…" she counted the buttons on his shirt. "Do you think…we could work?"

"Sara 'Morphine' Walker is this your way of asking me out on a date?" he replied, jokingly.  

She veiled her face in his chest, but mostly with her long curls. This was more challenging than deciding if she really wanted to run away from the anarchy in New York. No, this was even more complicated than asking Donny Jones to the fall dance. That was beyond mortifying. It was like getting a tattoo for the first time, the needle wouldn't stop moving and the blood rushing out of her body so she could be colorless and frozen for the time being. While, she recollected her thoughts in her head, it made actual sense for once. That was history, past records waiting to be told at a party for shits and giggles. This was now. Morphine was braver, stronger, a fighter now. She was a transformed little caterpillar into a Morpho butterfly, spreading her bright blue wings across the London area.

Morphine had qualms before answering, but just acted for one minor, unproblematic moment in her lifetime. "Yes," she smiled with giddy. "Yes!" pressing her cheek against his, having a bright smile form.

"You're a handful, Morph," Toxin patted her head as she snuggled up to him. "I love that,"

"But what's more fun – a boring, ordinary person, like Sarah McClain? Or a crazy, new person, let's call her 'Morphine?'"          

"Ugh," he groaned with humor. "That's such a hard decision," he cupped her face.

"Choose wisely,"

"Alright, I choose you, Morphine." He emphasized, sitting up and touching her lips with his pointer finger. She still had no clue what to do next. Should she hug him for accepting her offer? Kiss him, like they do in the movies? Make love to him right then and there? Love. It was so nerve-racking yet satisfying at the same exact time. Why couldn't it make up its mind for once, just this once? Maybe if she ignored the warnings people have always told her to look out for, things would go right. She needed her valor and Pyro's advice, of course, but she didn't need it this time around. She had Toxin, who was already her drug to her. Her heroin, her cocaine. And he had his dose of Morphine too, that marvelous little remedy to relieve all of the pain.  

The keys jingled outside the door of the apartment. Pyro stepped into what seemed like an episode of Degrassi. It was so overdramatic the way they looked at each other before noticing the demon in the room. They both stopped and stared at her, handing them both their coffees.

"Damn, maybe I should go out longer next time. Looks like you guys were about to do it on the couch." Pyro laughed. "You sexy, bitches,"

"Ack!" Morphine reddened, turning away from Toxin and focused on her best friend. "Pyro! That's so embarrassing,"   

"Geez," he sighed. "Where have you been for the past hour?"

"Went to 'nother club to get a lap dance," she giggled, face flowing red. "I was depressed for a li'l bit,"

"My coffees cold thanks to you," he grumbled.

"Mine's half empty," Morphine noted, lifting up her lid. Toxin poured some of his in her cup. She looked up at him, with a smile forming.

"What the hell happened here?" Pyro put her hands on her hips, looking annoyed yet curious.

"Nothing, really," Toxin shrugged his shoulders.

"Uh-huh,"

"So," Morphine spoke up. "How was your lap dance?"