Stolen Identity

Chapter 8

He was different today. He was warm. Inviting.

It was weird. I shouldn’t feel anything at all but I still can’t help but feel this strange attachment to him. My eyes found the scar that I now saw as beautiful, running between the top of his ear, coursing down to his cheek on the left side of his face. Whatever that was, it made him the person he is today.

As a friend told me some time ago, scars are in a way beautiful. It shows how much pain someone has been through and they still survived. That they are strong, no matter how deeply buried that strength is. I don’t have many scars. Maybe that’s my problem.

“Seriously what are you doing here?” I ask, tearing my eyes away from his scar and edging away from him, remembering that I was supposed to be seething. He stared at me for a while before turning to face me.

“You need to calm down. These people are here to make your transition as smooth as possible” he said slowly, obviously trying hard to pick and choose his words carefully. Frowning, I shuffled abruptly and glared at him harder. Transition? This isn't a move to a new college or whatever, we are talking about my whole life! Just uprooted and destroyed with a click of a finger.

And they call it a transition?!

“What if I no longer want this ‘transition’” I asked, exaggerating the connotations. I'm not gnna lie- I am fuming. How dare he? This is far from easy!

 An unusual brown thing loomed in front of one green eye and I almost had a heart attack before realising it was my own hair. My own, dark brown hair. What am I without my ginger hair? The only ginger thing I had left about me were my eyebrows, which they had momentarily forgotten about. My hair was part of who I am and now… it’s gone.

All those years of 'whats up Carrot-top' and ' hey, looks like vampire threw up on your head' or even just the mere word 'Ginger' as if I was some sort of alien; all for nothing. It was all just to finally succumb to being just like everyone else.

“Look at me” Joey’s voice whispered beside me. I hung my head, allowing the brown locks of my hair to fall and cover my face. I don’t want to look at you, I thought angrily. Not when I’m the blubbering teenage mess I am now.

“Look at me” he urged, more sternly now and when I didn’t respond I felt a hand cup my chin and softly pull it upwards. My hair fell off my face and Joey stared at me intently, his icy blue eyes staring straight through me. Sniffling weakly, I took a mental note of the warm sensation that sparked where his hand lay delicately underneath my chin.

“You can’t back down. You made your decision when you stepped foot in the training zone 4 and a half weeks ago. This is the final step, and then you can leave this place” he whispered, a new found hope illuminating his eyes. “If it makes you feel any better, I’m leaving with you, and I will be based near-by, mainly because I’m working on this as well.”

When he said that he would be leaving with me, I couldn’t deny the rush of relief I felt. He may be an arrogant piece of work but hey, he’s treated me the best despite the fact he’s the only reason why I’m in this place anyway. Softly backing away from him and his warm touch, I admitted the one thing I tried to ignore the most.

“I’m scared Joey” I hear my voice choke out finally, feeling the first stings of tears form in the back of my eye. And just like that, it all became worst. Inside, I probably always knew that fear controlled my every movement, but saying it out loud and fully acknowledging the concept...

That scared me even more.

“I'm scared too” he said simply, his stance showing the complete opposite. “Heck, we could die whilst trying to do this-“

“What?!” I shrieked, grabbing my knees in an attempt to form a protective shield. Joey grabbed my hands and pulled me closer to him, making me freeze instantly.

“Don’t be scared! We’re all doing this together okay? And I will make sure that your as okay as you can possibly be, alright?”

I relaxed immediately, the feeling of tears fading. I nodded weakly and instantly felt the tension in me release slightly. He hung his head now to my own, closing his eyes and allowing some of his dirty blonde hair to mix with my own brown locks. I closed my own eyes, enjoying the close company. I haven’t hugged anyone for several weeks. I’ve just about managed to hold on to the feel of my own mother.

He was so warm, I couldn’t help but think. So wonderfully warm...

“Go back in there soldier, and finish what you’ve already started” he whispered and my eyes opened to see him staring down at me. My cheeks flushed and I knew that I was blushing, realising that he had seen me relishing in the contact. Darting to my feet and shocking him in the process, I unlocked the door hastily. I was just about to leave when I thought to ask him something. Without turning around, I took a deep breath before speaking.

“Joey?”

“Yeah?” came his quick reply. I grimaced, knowing that I was gonna sound so ridiculous. I contemplated dropping it but I just had to know.

“Do you… Do you think…”

“Spit it out Megan” he clipped and again, I frowned at the use of her name but I pressed on relentlessly.

“Do you think brown hair suits me?” I rushed out, before hearing a little chuckle.

“You look gorgeous Megan.”

I smiled and again, the hot feeling in my cheeks spoke of my instant blush.

“Shame about the ginger eyebrows though” he said spluttering like the idiot I knew he was before stalking back to the makeover room to finish what I reluctantly started.