Redemption

A CHANCE TO START OVER

Joey was right. I missed out on a lot of things. I never went to school events and my home life made it difficult to make friends. Other kids got a chance to shop for prom dresses, go to sporting events, and make memories they'd have forever. It's not that I didn't want any of those things for myself, but I craved survival and focused more on escaping. I didn't get the opportunity to worry about much more.

I watched her straighten my curls until I became unrecognizable. The girl staring back at me in the mirror is someone I've never seen before. Her dark circles are gone, and there's a slight glow to her skin. I guess skincare is as important as Joey says it is. The bruises reminded me she wasn't fake, but the change was enough to make me feel more comfortable in my skin. I don't look like my father's daughter. I look like I'm getting a chance to start over.

Joey readjusted the wrap on my ribs before she started searching for clothes in the closet. She promised I wouldn't get hurt, and oddly, I trusted the words she said.

"I look different."

She stared at my reflection in the mirror. "Good different? Because quite honestly, you're like the most beautiful person I've ever met beside your brother."

"Yeah," I contained the happiness in my chest. "Good different."

She shot me a smile before sifting through the closet, shifting hangers until she found something. I wasn't sure if she wanted my help or not. I'm not a fashion icon nor have I ever cared what I wore, so I stayed in front of the mirror, trying to understand how I'm the same person I was an hour ago because I look like a normal adult. Like I attend college, and never knew what it felt like to be hurt by my father.

"How did you know college was for you?"

Joey let out a large breath. "Honestly? I didn't. I just knew I wanted to help people, so I enrolled in classes, and hoped I made the right choice."

"Did you?"

"I think I did," she shrugged. "There's days where it gets hard, but my love for helping people is larger than that."

"Have you wanted to give up?"

"All the time, but I have goals. If my plans don't work, I'll change the plan, never the goal."

"Do you think I should enroll?"

"What do you want to major in?"

"Whatever helps kids like me get out of homes like the one I lived in."

I watched the light flicker in her eyes before she gave me a soft smile. "Everything is worth trying. So, why not?"

"Could you help me?"

"Of course. Whatever you need, Sawyer."

I watched her pair clothes together and it made me silently thank whoever made our paths collide because I've been searching for a sign that everything will be okay and that's when I met Joey.

As I slipped off my seat, I promised the red-headed girl I'd be back after using the bathroom. She promised she'd find something before I made it back. I left the bedroom, listening to the music she played get further away.

"Woah, woah, woah," a familiar voice called out in the silent hallway. "Where are you going?"

My hair flipped over my shoulder as I turned to find the hazel-eyed boy leaning against his doorframe, studying me from head to toe. I couldn't help but look at him too. The satin black long sleeve buttoned up on his chest, covering the tattoos on his arms, but not the one on his neck.

"Your football game."

He looked stuck as if he wasn't sure what to do, and I didn't mean to make him uncomfortable, but I didn't have to go if he didn't want me to.