It All Started with a Tweet [Zayn Malik]

15: The Gate

On Monday morning, I woke up with the bushiest head of hair. As soon as I’d gotten out of bed, I stomped down to the kitchen with my eyes firmly locked on the ground before filling up a glass of water from the tap. It was when I was walking back that I caught sight of my untameable hairdo. I accidently peeked into the mirror by the stairs, and almost dropped my glass when I saw myself.  Hair was everywhere.

                Nobody else was awake. I glanced at the living room clock. It was early, and I had heaps of time before school started. I turned on the straightener and got dressed in my tasteless school uniform while I waited for it to heat up. It beeped as I rolled up a white knee-high sock.

                I separated my hair into sections. It was going to take quite some time to get it back under control. I ran the hot plates over the first section with raised eyebrows and agape mouth, scared I would stuff up even though I’d don’t this procedure numerous times prior.

                “Avalon.” I heard a mumble from the doorway.

                I looked to the site and saw Georgia, wearing her pink patterned pyjamas while holding her much loved teddy, Anabel, with one hand and using the other to rub her eyes vigorously.

                “What?” I asked impatiently as I ran over the clump of hair again; it still showing traces of birdsnest-it is

                “You woke me up with your stomping.” she complained  

                “So?” I questioned as I proceeded to the next portion

                “I need to get the right amount of sleep every night or else I can’t function properly in the day.” she whined, hitting her foot on the ground forcefully

                “What television programmes have you been watching?” I wondered before cursing under my breath when the straightener didn’t appear to be making any difference to my hair. “And it’s better for you to be up early now. Maybe you’ll actually get to school on time this morning.”

                She huffed before stalking away with her teddy still held tightly at her chest. I rolled my eyes as I continued to use the straightener, hoping that a miracle would happen.

                “Avalon!” I heard my mum shout from downstairs just as it was starting to work.

                “What?” I asked, hardly pronouncing the ‘t’

                “Did you swear?” she asked sternly. Stupid Georgia had probably gone and dobbed on me for saying ‘shit’ under my breath. She’d most likely formulated some lie that I’d aimed the words at her, rather than the fact that the possibility of showing up at school with a frizzy mane was increasing.

                “No, ma!” I shouted back, temporarily pausing my emergency hair treatment.

                “That’s not what Georgia’s telling me!”

                “She’s lying!”

                You’re supposed to love your family, but it’s hard to when you’re born into one like mine.

                Once back in the kitchen, this time with presentable hair, I contemplated if I should make myself a nutritious breakfast. I almost reached for the avocado and the packet of those grainy crackers, but then I caught sight of the box of Crunchy Nut Clusters, so that idea flew out the window.