For the Love of Nancy (on hold)

chapter two

Two.

                Peter pan collars. Nancy absolutely loved the feel of them and the design around her neck as she buttoned up the navy blue shirt. The sleeves slightly puffed and the material felt like silk in her hands. Five white buttons line the shirt vertically; high-waist sailor skinny jeans to match.

                In the morning light her brown hair glowed like a halo, curls tucked behind her ears while bangs stopped at her eyebrows. The curls cascade down to the ending of her jaw and the beginning of her neck. It was a last minute decision during the summer – to cut her hair. Before it was long and gorgeous – flowing down her back like the waves of different seas - but she started to hate it as time passed.

                Her mother immediately rejected her request to have her hair chopped off, but grew to the thought. It was a nice change, a weight lifted. Nancy watched excitedly as Drew expertly cut piece by piece in the bathroom, joking about her sister suddenly becoming a nineteen twenties figurine. In a way she could see the trails of the roaring era in her eyes and mostly in her hair. Undoubtedly, she loved it.

                Slipping on a pair of brown flats, she grabbed her bag and jogged down the steps of her home. An aroma filled her nose, a warm one that reminded her of the time her mom cooked Italian cuisines. She wore a t-shirt and pajama shorts, hair wild and sticking out in random places.

                “Morning’ mom”, Nancy says as she quickly kissed her cheek.

                Her mom nodded in acknowledgement.

                “Where’s Drew?”

                “Um, Nathan and Drew went out for breakfast”, her mom stated, her voice barely above a whisper. “Want any bacon?” Nancy glanced at the skillet. Burnt pieces were evident in the pan.

                Nancy shook her head with a smile. “No thank you, Fay and I will just get some from the caf”.

                “Alright”.

                While heading for the door, jacket in hand, Nancy couldn’t stop that feeling, the feeling of a heavy jolt of anger towards her dad. Her mom doesn’t deserve his problems and he had no right to blame it on her. Sighing, she slips out the door. In the driveway, a girl with honey brown locks and light brown skin waved at Nancy like she hasn’t seen her in ages.

                “I haven’t seen you an ages”, Fay cried wrapping her arms around Nancy’s neck.

                “It’s only been two months, Fay”, Nancy laughed. At arm’s length Fay skimmed over her best friend’s new due, loving it with every flick of the eye.

                She smiled. “I can’t believe you cut your hair and didn’t tell me”.

                “Well”, Nancy began, “it’s no easy task when your friend is all the way across the world, hiking in Europe”. It was true; Fay and her older brother spent the entire summer taking in the foreign countries, rocky scenes, and different cultures. She sent Nancy postcards from every region.

                Fay shrugged but kept the smile wide and happy.

                “Now that we got ‘new hair, old summer’ business out the way let’s hurry to the bus stop so we can get the backseat before Janine Jerkson gets it”. Hurriedly, they walked to the bus stop. The sun was tipping over the pine trees that sprouted behind neighbor homes, the sky turning a light orange and the color of blue colliding with it. In five minutes flat they made it to the corner sidewalk, other kids from different grades are already there - either bobbing to a song from their headphones or sitting on large instrument cases.