Scissors

By Ashley Diaz

Rosa sat behind the main desk in the foyer of the community center. The multi-purpose room closed for the day but the basketball courts and the teen lounge remained open and a few people trickled in and out every so often, but for the most part she sat alone at the desk. To keep from going mad from loneliness, she surfed the Internet for ideas for crafts for the next day. Anything to keep busy. She heard the door to the center open and close but she did not look up. People were coming in and out as always and she figured just a group of teens came to play basketball.

“Hey there, shy girl!”

Rosa could feel her stomach tighten. She recognized that horrible voice. Trying her best to keep her attention focused on the computer, Rosa fought to stay calm as the man who entered walked over and leaned over the counter.

“What are you doing, Rosa?” the guy asked as he read the computer screen. “Looking at crafts? That’s cool.”

Rosa nodded to try to stay polite.

“Girl, why don’t you talk to me?” the guy laughed. “I know you love me, what are you doing after work?”

“I am going home,” she said, attempting to sound as rude as possible.

“I’ll join you. We can have a conversation of the body. You know you’d like that.”

Rosa ordered herself to keep focused on the computer.

“I promise I don’t bite,” he said with a smile. “Unless you like that. Then I’ll bite whatever you want.”

Rosa zipped her jacket all the way up in hopes to hide the disgusting feeling crawling on her skin.

“Was that a smile? That was a smile. Girl, you love me. You're not talking to me, but I’ll get you. you want it.”

As the guy continued talking, Rosa took a side glance at the long pair of scissors in the pencil holder next to her.

     Ashley  graduated cum laude from the University of La Verne in 2014 with a degree in Creative Writing and has publications with the university's literary magazine, Prism Review, and finished as a finalist in such writing contests such as the Payton James Freeman Essay Award.