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Chapter Two

"I give up, I'm not doing this!" I screamed in frustration, throwing the small bottle of fluid to the floor. 

My green eye twitched and watered as the stinging sensation grew. Mother rushed in to the bathroom, her long, silk robe billowing around her statuesque frame. There was a look of deep concern set on her face, though I knew it wasn't about the fact that my eye felt like one giant bee sting. 

"Verity, please don't do this today," she begged, her gaze drifting to the bottle rolling across the cold tiles toward the door. 

"I don't see why I even have to do this," I shot back, "I like my eye and I don't want to cover it up with this stupid stinging lens." 

I never liked arguing with my mother, but I wasn't enduring this physical pain just to follow the dumb rules of some boring old brunettes.

She struck up a high pitched whine like she always did when things didn't go her way, making her sound like a little blonde who had just lost a junior beauty pageant. 

"Please darling, this is your big chance to fit in, make friends. You might even get a modelling contract!" 

She added that last part with maybe a little too much hope in her voice. Mother was given her contract at a young age and ever since the day I could sit up and smile at a camera she has been pushing me to follow in her path. She often went on and on about how we could have mother daughter photo shoots in an overly excited fashion.

Unfortunately for her, my excitement level during these conversations tended to drop to an all time low and I found myself, more often than not, wondering what would happen if I were to throw myself over a cliff instead. Its not that I don't love my mother, nor do I think I wouldn't be very good at modelling. In fact I am quite aware of the fact that I am highly photogenic, a gift I had apparently inherited from her. It simply comes down to the fact that I can't think of anything worse than spending all day every day sitting half naked and pulling faces at a camera, I never could understand how my mother endured it.

The bottle stopped dead as it bumped into the side of her bare foot with a hollow thump. Mother bent down and gently picked it up, placing it carefully back on the bench top in front of me. 

"Please, Verity," She pleaded one last time, in a soft voice, but I simply folded my arms and turned away. 

She threw her hands up in the air and stormed off in a dramatic fashion. I didn't turn around to see this, of course, but I didn't need to. She did this every time I refused to give in to her wishes.

I held my position, staring at the pristine white tile wall in front of me, until a gentle hand was placed on my shoulder. I turned slowly to look at my father's kind eyes. Both of them blue, like my mother's but somehow softer, more understanding. 

"Hey Bright Eyes," he said warmly. 

Bright Eyes was his pet name for me. He'd always found my eyes to be quite amusing while mother had decided that they were a cruel joke. 

"I know you're nervous for your first day of school and it appears your mother isn't coping with it much better."

He said this last part pulling a face and I couldn't help but giggle in spite of myself. 

"You know she's just wants the best for you, so lets try this contact thing one more time, together. We'll make sure you have it down pat so you can keep mother happy while I'm off filming this month." 

He winked and I smiled. After a few more clumsy attempts I managed to get the tiny little contact to cover my one green eye with minimal damage. I looked up at my father's proud smile and couldn't help but break out in a smile myself.

Father had to get to the airport after that so, as he had done so often before, he kissed me on the forehead and said his goodbyes before moving on and repeating this routine with mother. He was always flying to exotic places for work and while I wished I could run off with him to explore the beauty of the world, I always found just as much excitement from sitting down in front of the television wall a few months later to see where his travels had taken him.

He grabbed the trolley with his large collection of cases on it, contents ranging from makeup to costumes to stacks of scripts, and wheeled it out through the front door. Mother and I followed, leaning on opposite sides in the large doorframe smiling and shouting our goodbyes. He threw us one last glance and waved before stepping into the grand white limousine, disappearing into the darkness beyond the tinted windows. We continued to wave, though we could no longer see him, as the long vehicle disappeared down the street and out of sight.

Mother and I turned to each other, each of us giving the other an apologetic smile. Mother and I had never actually exchanged a verbal apology, but this simple gesture had always been enough for us. 

"You look great honey!" She exclaimed, smiling widely. 

I rolled my eyes in response, catching a glimpse of this action in the mirrored glass of the open front door. It was odd to see myself looking like this, with matching blue eyes, I almost didn't recognise myself. I wasn't sure if I liked the new look, but I supposed that I had to get used to it.

"Okay honey, let's take you to school. Being fashionably late is so tacky these days." 

She attempted a weak smile, though I could still see the worry etched on her face. I mumbled an agreement and snatched up the new designer backpack mother had insisted on. I'd have much preferred a simple white canvas one and a colourful set of markers so I could decorate it myself but mother had pulled a face and bought the one she had picked out anyway.

The driver pulled our shining black town car up to the marble stairs on which we stood before getting out to open the door. I slid across the cool leather seats with mother close behind and the door shut behind us with a metallic clunk. I took one last look up at the window of the study in which I had previously received my schooling, shrinking away as we sped off. I turned back around, sinking lower into the luxurious seat, and sighed. This was going to be one hell of a change.