Secret Identity (completed)

Daddy Dearest

Harri's POV

Pulling my hair back into a standard ponytail I stare at my roots in the mirror. I try to brush the strands in such a way that you can't see my blonde, poking out from under the black dye but give up letting it hang down loose instead. I drag black eyeliner across my top lids making sure to flick it up at the edges for a cat eye effect. I add on a thick coat of black mascara and look at the person staring back at me. A muted, reserved, version of myself stares back at me.

I've been dying my hair black since before I moved to Chapeldown. It has kind of been my veil, my shield; the thing that has helped me hide from the world. But I'm thinking it might actually be time let it grow out.

I'll never forget the look on my Mum's face the first time I dyed it. I'm not sure if she was more upset about the colour change or the fact that I got dye all over the bathroom, staining the benchtops. I remember my brother just laughed and told me that just because my name was Harri, didn't mean that I had to look like something that belonged at Hogwarts.

Over time they got used to it and so did I. It's become my trademark. Even Jazz, my best friend, has never seen me as a blonde. She saw a photo once. I swear her eyes almost fell out of her head.

I look back in the mirror adding a thin layer of lip gloss before heading out the door to meet Jazz at Betty's Cafe. We have an hour until school starts but every time her Dad is home she does whatever she can to get out of the house. As I walk up to the coffee shop I see Jazz sitting at the table out the front. Her head bowed as she tries to hide the fact she's been crying. I place a comforting hand on her shoulder and ask if she wants to talk about it.

She looks up at me, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Know any hitmen?"

I smile sympathetically. "That good, huh?"

"Yeah. Same story. I don't know why he has to be such a dick. I mean he's only home a few weeks a year and he thinks he has the right to tell me how to live. He lost that right the minute he picked money over me and Mum," she inhails sharply waving her hands in the air.

"Do you know what he did this morning?" I shake my head but don't answer. "He told me I dressed like a homeless child and that I was damaging the family name."

I'm not surprised, it's the same thing every time he comes back. It's hard to know why their relationship is so strained but from what I've been able to piece together, Jazz and her Dad were very close until he accepted a job offer overseas. Jazz felt like he abandoned her. I guess the job is stressful too which he seems to take out on the family whenever he is home and over time it has spiralled to the point where they cannot stand to be in the same room together. I'm sure there is more to it but Jazz has never given me the whole story.

"You're right, he's a dick!" I announce. "Butttt look on the bright side, it won't be long and he'll be gone be again."

"Yeah, I guess," she replies still looking at the ground.

I grab her by the arm and drag her into the cafe. "In the meantime, there is always Betty's world-famous unicorn frappe. I'm buying!"

She pretends to resist but a few moments later it is Jazz pulling me through Betty's door. We order our unicorn frappe's and despite my intention to pay, Jazz forces the cashier to take her card. "Well, if Daddy Dearest is going to try and dictate my lifestyle the least he can do is pay for it," she announces as we take our seats.

I take a big sip of my drink. I know better than to argue.