~Orange Perfect~

Bonus: An even poutier Levi

Do As You're Told,

Not As You Want

I was trying to tell myself that it didn't or wouldn't bother me, but this time was different. Hearing that a black girl in her twenties, who writes would be flattering. If it was aimed at me, but it wasn't. It was aimed at a truly amazing era defining woman at the Inauguration right in front of me.

So you can see why this is bad and why makes me feel horrible. I doubt myself a lot as it is and now, I don't believe anyone when they say I'm a "good writer". My own family has shown me that a girl they don't know is a better writer than me. How can I depend on anyone to tell the truth when my own mother wouldn't?

I live my life in constant comparison of others, from myself and those around me.

"Your skin is too light for a black person, you should be darker

Your hair is too straight, it should be curly

You should play an instrument like someone else

Even you could paint something that simple

Be like your brothers

Cook like me

Make things like me

Be more like me…"

Hearing that over and over through the course of your life makes you wonder if you're even your own person anymore.

Why should I care for others? They don't care about me. They care about an idea of me, an image of a person they want to love and cherish.

They care about a daughter who has straight A's, a girl who is painting pictures to be hung up and cooking when everyone else is tired. A sister who cleans up everyone's mess. A wife who doesn't complain, smiles all the time and only says the nicest of things and a daughter who is pretty not happy.

~~~

Cassie's eyes gazed off in the corner of her darkened bedroom. She could see something but… what was it? She kept her eyes on it as her hand slowly moved to get her phone. She was able to turn it on and flashes the light at the corner quickly while yelling:

"Who's there? I know you're there!" She, indeed, did see a person, but they didn't look normal. Appearance wise, they just looked like someone she could have seen from her highschool years; but it was the appendages on her back that made the woman stand out. "I knew it." Cassie began and stand up in her room while still holding the light to see the woman, "Screw all that nonsense about guardian angels, I knew I had a demon." The woman smiled and hopped down from the corner of the room, now standing in front of Cassie she spoke.

"You're pretty perceptive… that or you're just nosy as hell, asking all these damn questions about stuff that doesn't concern you. Look, why can't you just be concerned about getting a boyfriend or getting a job like everyone else?"

"I am, but it's hard to do anything like that when you keep getting screwed and now I know why!" Cassie went over to the lamp in her room and turned it on.

Now Cassie could see the woman in full, she couldn't see her facial features before as her skin matched the darkness of the room, as did her hair. All she could see was her bright red eyes that were darker when the light was off, but now was illuminated even in the light, "I can't believe I got a demon to look over me. A demon! How can you even help me?"

"Will you relax? We haven't even introduced ourselves."

"You should kmow my name."

"I do already, but you don't know mine."

"And I don't think I care to." Cassie looked to the woman, "What, is it like universally done, for even creatures of hell and heaven, to hate on women? Because I'm certain if you were a guy I'd likely have the best life ever!"

"What makes you say that?"

"Because women were always the people in my life who were evil, and spiteful for no reason. Since I'm assuming you were there, when I was in middle school, a girl who wanted some fucking candy from me got mad when I didn't give her some and she scribbled all over my notebook runing a month of my work!"

"Then the next time you saw her, she had a broken leg!"

"And that means?"

"Her guardian punished her for being evil." Cassie sighed.

"A temporary punishment."

"A punishment nonetheless." She said back.

Cassie felt like she'd get nowhere with the woman, instead she decided to move on. Cassie's hand went to her forehead.

"What is your name?"

"The name I was assigned to give you was Pura."

"Alright, Pura, can I have an explanation as to why nothing I've ever done that's good was rewarded?" Pura stared at Cassie before she sighed and crossed her arms. Her eyes shut and Cassie watched her.

"Guardians are a different section in the world of Angels and Demons. We don't care about our class… at least we shouldn't. We work together to bring harmony with people by rewarding their good deeds and punishing their bad ones. This way people will only do those good deeds to each other."

"But what's good to a demon?"

"I guess you figured out what I mean past all that prettying up. You're right if you're thinking good deeds are bad to guardian Demons, doing good things only gets you the worst of our punishments."

"So you mean because I held the door for someone…?"

"I caused that same door to slam on your finger later."

"Because I helped my mom…?"

"I told her guardian to cause her pain so then she'd get mad at you."

"Because I comforted a friend…?"

Pura took her time with this one, "I… caused you to get an overuse injury." Cassie lowered her head and let out a dry chuckle, "You've recovered from it haven't you?"

"Yeah, but only a month ago. I've had this injury since my birthday eight months ago!" Cassie sighed and looked around the room. Pura let her think and the room was silent now. Cassie came up after a moment of thought and stood up staring Pura straight in the eyes.

"I don't know who's the one who cursed me; honestly, I don't even know why they felt I needed a guardian demon, but I won't let you or them beat me." Pura's mouth turned up into a smile at her declaration.