Darren is shaving my head with his electric hair clippers and has got a basketball game playing in the living room. Every once in a while he'll swear at the tv, but for the most part, he concentrates on my hair when he's done he told me to go take a shower.
When I get out to get dressed he's laid out an outfit for me all ready to wear. I put it on and wipe the steam from the mirror. I take in my new haircut and I scream in shock. My hair. I'm bald. What are they going to say at school? I'm going to be the laughing stalk around school!
Darren comes down the hall at the sound of my screams and chuckles at my expression.
"What's the matter? Don't you like it?"
"No," I say tears welling in my eyes.
I regret saying it because he grabs my arm and pulls me out of the bathroom and into the kitchen. He throws me to the floor and tells me to clean up the mess. I grab the broom and start to sweep everything up. I've collected everything in the dustpan, and I carefully walk with the pile of hair over to the trash can.
Just as I stand up from the ground I bump into Darren's elbow with my head and drop the dustpan. Hair goes flying all over the place and I look at Darren for him to respond. He purses his lips and shakes his head at me.
"Look what you did?" He yells kicking the dustpan across the room. "
"Look at this mess! You know I have people coming over, and look what you do," he says scoffing at me.
I start to cry and apologize but that only makes him angrier.
"Shut up!" He shouts kicking me to the ground.
One kick wasn't enough, and he continues to kick me again and again. I can barely breathe as he pulls my limp body up from the ground.
He drags me over to the kitchen cupboard and I scream at him to please stop. He shoved me inside and latches all the locks on the outside.
After singing to myself to pass the time, I start to get light headed from the lack of air. I freeze when I hear footsteps and just about pass out when someone knocks on the cupboard door.
I hear someone yanking on the locks and shield my face as the cupboard door opens. When I feel someone reach inside I start kicking and screaming.
I hear an unfamiliar voice telling me that it's okay over and over again and I finally take a moment to take in who is holding me.
When I stop thrashing the arms release me and I'm standing in a room full of police officers.
I sit up and take in my surroundings. My breathing is heavy and my hair is damp and sticking to the back of my neck. I hear someone talking and in a daze, I look at Ash's concerned face.
"What?"
"I said you're okay, it was just a bad dream," he hushes.
I nod and accept the glass of water in his hands. After chugging it down I smile apologetically.
"Sorry for waking you up," I say handing him back the empty glass.
"That's okay," he says rubbing his face, "you want me to stay?"
I shrug my shoulders and he places the cup on the bedside table. He jumps onto the bed avoiding my legs and plumps the pillows next to me in bed. He rests his head on his hand and turns to look at me.
"It all makes sense," I say thinking back to my dream.
"What does?"
"Everything. I think Darren was trying to sell me that day the cops found me."
"Oh," he says looking down at the blanket.
"I mean him shaving my head, why would he do that? And he had people coming over that day too."
"Hmm," Ash bites his lip in thought.
"And when he got the cash from Gino, he said "we're even now" like he owed him. I don't know..." I trail off.
"No, it makes sense. He was in a lot of debt when he went to prison. I know that much."
We sat in silence and I sighed as I leaned back into the pillows.
"I can't believe it's over," I say relieved.
"I know," he says equally relieved. "And I'm sorry for what I said about you not coming to me if he hurt you..."
He stopped speaking and I looked over to see a tear run down his cheek and hit the pillow.
"No I'm sorry, he told me that he was going to kill you, that he had people, friends from prison, and if I told you...I couldn't risk you getting hurt. Not because of me."
He sniffed and cleared his throat.
"Can we just promise no more secrets?"
He stuck out his pinked and I linked fingers, "I pinky promise. No more secrets."
We laughed and he wiggles his brows.
"Speaking of secrets, what's with you and Ryder?"
I rolled my eyes and groaned.
"Nothing," I said not wanting to talk about boys with Ashton.
"Come on, you just promised no more secrets."
He raised a brow and I caved.
"We're just friends. I swear."
"But do you like him? 'Cause he's totally in love with you."
"What?" I say shoving his shoulder playfully, "he is not. We barely know each other."
"Hello, I think he knows more about you then anyone. Come on. He told me how he found out."
My eyes grew wide in fear. Sh*t.
"I need you to promise me, promise," he emphasized with his eyes, "that if you ever, ever feel like dying is the way out you talk to me or Ryder first. Okay?"
I nod and he repeats the question, "okay?"
"Okay," I say awkwardly, "I promise."
"Good," he says smiling, lightening the mood, "I kinda like you, so if you left, I'd probably miss you. Who else am I going to tease?"
We laugh lightly and a yawn escapes my mouth.
I smile and he says to go back to bed. I get comfy and fall back to sleep quickly, aware of the warm safety of his body on the bed next to me.