STATS. sta 8; eva 7; str 4; wis 7; arc 6; acc 8x───────────────────────────────────

────────────────────x❝I was good. I was really good.❞x────────────────────

Summer was coming to its end. So was my childhood. Because today, my body decided I'd be a lady. I woke up next to blood on my sheets.

I had read enough medicine books to understand. I had seen my mom during her cycle. I knew about this. And still, watching my own blood stain my sheets was... not what I thought it would be. They said there would be cramps, or mood changes. I hadn't had any of those all summer. But in a book, it said that your first period was always different for each one of us.

Dad wasn't home today. Busy day at work. And, for the first time all summer, I missed Alysson.

I changed the sheets. I took a bath. Cleaned myself.

There were no pads. Nothing to prevent my next days. Just my cat and me and, honestly, Neko seemed to be very busy sleeping to care. So, while the washing machine worked, I put on some sweatpants, improvised how I could and sat down next to the floor, hugging my knees, burying my face into my arms.

I missed mom. I really missed her. She would've told me what to do. She'd have some smart comeback to make me laugh. She'd help me. She'd probably say "Chill, Kiki. Happens to all girls" or "How about I get you some ice cream and we make a girls night? No dads allowed."

Yeah, she would've done that.

The worse is I couldn't even go visit her. How, in my state? I couldn't even get out of my house, let alone ride a bike. Mom would know.

Why was she dead? Why did she care so much about that family? If she hadn't gone to that stupid mission, she'd be here, comforting me. She'd be alive.

But those were memories of kids. I was not a kid anymore, my body reminded me enough. How could I know what kind of pads I needed? Medicine for cramps? What would happen at Hogwarts?

Mom. Would. Know.

And I didn't need my dad right now. As much as he tried, he'd never know what was it to be a girl. Ever. I had to face this alone.

It's okay. I can do it. I can do it. I'm strong. I'm a lady now. I can do this. I can't chicken out and cry. I can't miss my mom. I have to find my way out of this. No one needs to know. Not dad, not Alys, nobody. I have no problem with Neko. Neko is a cat. A cat that, right now, is asleep. He won't tell a soul.

Someone opened the door and closed it. By the heels sounding against the floor, I deducted Alys was home. How could I be so stupid? Dad had invited Alys over to spend the day together. But wasn't she supposed to be at court today?

Her heels got closer. Why the hell would she come to the laundry room? What was she doing here? The washing machine trembled behind me. Inside it, my sheets and my childhood.

The door opened, and the footsteps stopped. I finally lifted my gaze up.

"Hey there."

".. Hi."

She took a step towards me, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Rough day?"

I sniffled. When did I even start crying?

"The worst."

Slowly, she crouched down next to me.

"Wanna talk about it?"

My head immediately replied. No, I don't. No one needs to know, remember?

But then again, she was a woman. She had been a girl once. She must know what it feels like... right?

Maybe Alys would never be my mom. She'd never be anything close to it. But she could be my friend.

"It... it arrived."

She looked terrified for a second.

"The taxes?"

For the first time all day, I laughed. A sincere laugh. She made me laugh, and I hated how much of it reminded me of my mom.

"No... The... the..." I glanced at the washing machine. And something in her eyes changed. Without telling her a word, she understood it. She knew it. Of course she did. With a slow nod, she sat next to me. The silence was only broken with the sound of the washing machine behind me.

"You're not supposed to be at court?"

She shrugged.

"Yeah, but the judge moved the trial to the next week, and I figured I could surprise your dad by having the dinner ready." I nodded.

Another moment of silence.

"My mother also died when I was young, you know?"

My head popped up. What? Why was she telling me this?

"Cancer. She left when I was six. And my dad married this... girl, who could easily be my old sister. They both changed with me after that."

Something in her eyes sparkled. Tears, understanding? The memories? Her gaze was lost in the wall in front of us.

"When my first period came, I was terrified. And, just like you, I had to face it alone. My friends were the ones to help me."

Yeah, well, my closest friend lives almost a town away and guess what? She's a witch! I wanted to scream.

"What I'm trying to say, Mika... I want to be your friend. As I said when we met, I can't replace your mom. But I can be a friend. I can help you. Let me help you."

It's like my world was freezing. Like there was a chance in front of me I didn't deserve. A friend? Alys? For me?

No way.

But then again, who can help me with this? I can't do it alone.

"I know what it feels like to face this alone. You don't have to. No one has to."

Maybe it was stupidity. Maybe it was the famous hormonal change. But I jumped over and hugged her, burying my face into her chest and crying like a little kid.

Crying because my mom was not here. Because she left me alone, with this woman who wanted to be my friend, saying all those things like... like she meant them. Like I deserved them. I cried harder, again and again and again.

Alys just scratched my back in soothing circles, trying to calm me down. The bad thing was that... it was working.

I did not want to see her as a mother. But how could I not, if she felt like the Saints had sent me a new one?

A few minutes passed. The washing machine turned off. I split away from Alys, my face red and flushed and hot from crying. She was smiling.

"Now, you want me to go for ice cream or do you want to come with me and buy some girls stuff?" I laughed.

Finally, we agreed that we'd spend a girls day tomorrow because, in her words, "my closet looked like her grandpa's", whatever that meant. She was the one who got me my first pads. But it was never about the pads.

As much as I hated to say it, and I hated even more to accept it, Alys was becoming a mother for me.

──────xABILITIES. 's grace; Evasive Maneuvers; ability three; ability four; ability five; ability six; ability seven