Ashes to Ashes

prison and happiness

When we got home I flopped on my bed and slept for a good 8 hours. When I woke up again, my head was pounding. It was dark outside and the clock said 1:30. I had school tomorrow. I burrowed my face in my pillow and tried to sleep.

I gave up after an hour and decided to go and get ready. I got in the tub and shaved my legs and "accidentally" cut my legs in the process.

I got out and dried and straightened my hair. I teased and sprayed it, followed by a dousing with black makeup. I got into my skinnies and my sweater and grabbed my backpack.

I walked down to an AM-PM and got a taquito that would later turn to heart burn. But it filled my stomach so it was good enough.

I had later left the school building with geometry, language arts and history homework. I would do none of it. Next year I was going to drop out anyway so doing this now didn’t seem important.

“Oh look it's the skinny little scene girl again! Back from the hospital you emo freak?" Ashley Peredo's voice screeched.

“I don't have the time of day for you. Nor do I have the money for your time." I said not bothering to stop and look back.

“Why? Got to go back to your whore mommy?" I kept walking, "And your druggie sister?" I was getting hotter, "Or your fag friend!" What! Oh no! No one messes with Robby!

I turned around. I dropped my backpack. Pulled off my jacket and threw it on my backpack. She stood there in her leggings and brand name highlighted jacket and I stood there in skinny jeans and a black tank top.

She was showered in fake tanner and eye liner with perfume and jewelry and I was drowned in scars, scabs and bruises.

Everything she had said to me came at once and I charged for her like she was a matador. I tackled her to the ground. She hit her head and a look of shock came over her. I pinned her arms to the concrete with my knees. She made faces of pain and discomfort. Her legs were flailing behind me. I pulled down her shirt and yanked out tissue stuffing that lay neatly folded in her bra. She kicked me in the back and I punched her perfectly sculpted cheek. I punched her over and over till she bled from her mouth and nose.

I heard other kids behind me saying, "Call the cops" “she’s going to kill her!" "Fight! Fight! Fight!” I got up and ran her into a tree. I pulled her hair and made her hit her head into the bark.

I heard 2 different sets of sirens. I felt strong hands pry me away from the sobbing bleeding girl. She got I'm front of me and smiled. I knew why. Her dad was a cop. I escaped the strong hands and tackled her again seeing that her bleached hair was turning red. The hands grabbed me but I was stronger. Two more cops held me and cuffed me. I was pushed into a car and my stuff was thrown into the passenger seat.

I called Karen later that evening and she agreed to pay my bail in a week as long as I didn't do anything like this again.

I agreed to spend a week in juvy.

I walked around closely watched during the dinner hour.  I saw no one I knew (meaning none of Megan's friends). I sat alone till two other girls and a boy came and sat next to me.

"We like new meat" the girl with blonde hair smiled trying to sound intimidating.

I finished chewing before giving a head nod in her direction.

“What’s your name?" the red head asked and cocked her head to the side, again trying to scare the tiny pale freak.

"Quill" I said emotionless

" I'm Raven and that's Amber and Blake" said the red head.

"Cool" I said showing no interest hoping they would leave.

"And here comes Isaac." Blake smiled. My eyes shot up to see the boy who shared true thoughts with me. He saw me and smiled.

"Hey Quill" he smiled.

"Oh my god!" Amber smirked. "He usually only talks when he is high! How did you do that?!"

I laughed. "Hi Isaac"

"Why are you here?" he got quiet.

"I beat the shit out of this chick" I said simply.

"No kidding? Awesome! So how long are you here?"

"Till next week. What about you?" I said biting into a carrot.

"3 weeks." he said gloomily.

"Oh” I said truly upset, “I bet I can get my sister to get you out!" I smiled like I had the world in my hand. His eyes got real big.

"Really?" he smiled

" Yeah! Karen’s a good spirit."

"Sweet!" he smiled showing a side I hadn’t yet seen.

We continue to eat and chat until lights out time. In the morning the lights came on 6. I continued to lie on my mat. I only had 4 more days of this hell hole, only 4 days till I could again be with Isaac.

*****

" Quill!" Karen shouted

" Hey." I said still tired.

“Are you ok?" she hugged me

"Yes, um how much was my bail?!"

" Well then, you’re getting straight to the point.  I don't remember, why?"

" Well I have a friend..."

"No quill."

"Please Karen I need this. He is the only person I have left. I don't know how I will go on" I said throwing in some drama. “He keeps me thinking about tomorrow which is more than I had before” I said suddenly serious.

She sighed. " Alright what's his name?"

" Isaac DeGregory" I smiled. The smile was unfamiliar on my face but felt good, like an old friend.

When I got home mom scolded me for not being home last week and Karen scolded mom. Isaac looked uncomfortable so I took him upstairs to Megan's room and luckily she was here. And without Brady I might add.

"Hey Megan" I greeted her, "Where's..."

"Don't say his name!" she sobbed

"Are you guys ok?" I beckoned Isaac into the room.

"No! He and his stupid brothers want him to go clubbing this weekend and I didn't think it was a good idea and we started arguing and now he is with his brothers."

" I'm sorry Meg" I was the only person who could call her that, when she wasn't high anyway.

"It's ok, why is Isaac here?" she said noticing him.

" Oh well I was arrested and I got Karen to bail him out."

" Nice" she smiled and sniffed. "Well Johnny and his bro are back from Mexico" she said with an exited smile I had scarcely seen.

“I’m in" Isaac smiled

They looked at me. I didn't want to go but I wanted the ease and the pain free hilarity of anything we came across.

“Of course I’m in” I smiled

"Cool we are going to Johnny's trailer this time."

I smiled a nervous smile as Megan and Isaac talked. Then Isaac put his arm around me without thinking twice. My heart fluttered. I felt an unfamiliar tug on the sides of my lips.