There's Always Second Chances

Chapter 6

We walked upstairs and heard Andrea shouting. She must be really upset because she wouldn't even let Anders in. I was still in shock, I think we all were. We never knew that someone would be so mean let alone actually go as far as to publicly humiliate them. 

I looked over at Søren and he looked especially mad but he was composing himself quite well. "Hey Søren, I've got an idea," I said. He looked over at me and nodded. "I need hair dye, any colour will work. I'll also need you to get her favourite snacks if you will. I'll try and calm her down a bit," I proposed my idea to him and he didn't say anything. 

He turned on his heel and left. I take that as his co-operation. I turned to Anders who was still quietly pleading through the door to Andrea. I could hear the desperate pleas to just let him in or to tell him if she knows who did this. I made my way to his side and placed a hand on his shoulder. I knew it was a long shot but I just have to try. There was no guarantee that she would open her door to me. 

"Let me try, if you'll let me Anders," I asked, almost pleading. He nodded and left for his room. He looked tired. I pitied him. It felt like something was off with him too. I took a deep breath and sat myself down with my back against Andrea's door. Delilah shot me an incredulous look as if to say that it wouldn't work. 

"Andrea, I know you don't want to talk to anyone right now but can you let me in later?" I tried coaxing her. I knew that this was just a very slim chance that this will actually work. There was silence on the other side of the door. I didn't care how long it took, I just needed to know she's okay. 

"It's not going to work," Delilah piped up. I shook my head. I don't care if it does or it doesn't. I need to try. I need to let Andrea know that I was here for her no matter what happens. I know that it used to work for Jess when she was having a bad day. I used to get her ice cream and we'd eat it while I listened to why her best friend was being a cow or who was annoying her that week. 

Maybe Andrea would confide in me who she thought done it. "Andi, it's okay if you don't want to talk, I'll be right out here if you need me," I said. I wanted her to know I was here to listen and not judging her on what happened. It seemed like forever before Søren returned. I heard his thudding footsteps coming up the stairs before he came to a stop in front of me. He looked at the door and then to me. "Any luck?" he asked raising a brow. 

I shook my head in response and got up off of the floor. I looked into the bag and saw the stuff. I took it from Søren and knocked on the door. "Andrea? Can I come in now?" I asked. There was a soft click and I walked inside. I closed the door behind me and put the bag of stuff on her bedside table. I finally turned to look at Andrea and my heart sank. 

"Oh Andi," I whispered. Her long blonde hair was knotted and stained blood red, her clothes and body were bathed in red. It looked sticky. She looked up at me, the tears from her eyes mixing with the sticky red stuff.  I opened my arms out to her and she was hesitant at first before wrapping her arms around me. I didn't care about the stuff that covered her. I didn't care that her makeup stained my shirt. 

She pulled away once she had calmed herself down. "I'm sorry Adrian," she croaked out. Her voice was hoarse from all the crying. I touched the strands of hair. They felt crispy. I felt saddened that her hair had basically been destroyed. "Let's fix you up huh?" I asked gesturing towards her. She nodded and sniffled. 

I pulled out a pair of shorts and a shirt from her drawer, I handed it to her and waited for her to get back from the shower. Her room was nice. It looked cosy and I suppose what you'd called girly. "You didn't have to do this," remarked Andrea as she came into the room. Her hair was still stained red. 

I showed her the box dye and she looked at it before sitting down on the towel she brought in. "Are you okay with this?" I asked. I'd seen Mum do Jess' hair plenty of times. Andrea nodded. I tried to brush through her hair and get the knots out but they wouldn't budge. "Andrea we're going to need to cut it," I said. I didn't want to cut her hair. I liked it flowing over her shoulder and down her back. 

Without words she raised and got scissors from her dressing table. "I don't care just make it go away," she murmured. It was quiet and sad and angry all at once. I started off cutting her hair to her shoulders, watching as the strands fell to the floor in thick clumps. I ended up having to cut it to just below her chin. That was the only part that was salvageable. I coloured her hair with brown dye and we waited. 

"Do you know who did it?" I asked hoping to get some answers out of her. She shrugged. "I keep trying to think who I've wronged but I keep coming up blank." she responded. She tapped her fingers on the floor and I could tell she was thinking hard. Suddenly I found myself looking into her eyes and I couldn't help but be entranced. They were so blue. So endlessly blue. "Anders. I think someone hurt him," she said. I know she could feel that something was off with him. 

I shrugged. The timer on my phone started to chime. "It's time to wash it off." I stated. Following Andrea into the bathroom, she knelt down over the bath. I helped her rinse off the dye. I watched the brown coloured water drain into the plughole until it ran clear. "All done, I'll check on dinner," I mumbled before leaving the room. I could tell she was tired and stressed. 

Walking down the stairs, sluggishly, I slumped into the seat at the table and just stared blankly at the food. I didn't realise how tired I was. It just suddenly came from no where. I noticed that it was deathly silent and we could all hear from the dining room when Andrea was finally making her way downstairs. Delilah let out a gasp as soon as she saw Andrea and Søren couldn't take his eyes off of her. Even Anders was taken aback by the change. I couldn't tell what Søren had muttered but I could tell it was something nice by the way Andrea gave a quick smile and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. 

We started to eat in silence. I wasn't too bothered by it. I know we were all tired especially after what happened tonight. "Your birthday is coming up soon isn't it?" asked Delilah. Andrea just shrugged. It was wasn't it. It was in a couple of weeks. 

"W-we should go out and celebrate. Maybe even set up a call with Mor," Anders stated. I noticed his stutter but I'm not about to pry into what's wrong. He'll say when he wants to. Andrea just got up and left. Moments later, we heard her door shut from upstairs. "I'll start planning a surprise party if you and Søren want to keep her busy," said Delilah. We shrugged off her idea. It was too extravagant and I don't think Andrea will want another surprise anytime soon.  

We discussed potential places and what she might like to do but we ultimately agreed on just having a picnic at the beach. Something down to earth and just concentrating on Andrea. Delilah left shortly after and Søren started clearing away the plates. "Adrian," started Anders looking up from the table. He looked like he went through hell and back. "Thank you for helping Andrea," he thanked me with a small smile. It didn't reach his eyes but I didn't question it. 

"I mean it, without you and Søren here I don't think she would've come out of her room," he spoke. I nodded listening to every word he wanted to say. Anders bid me goodnight before heading up the stairs and I went to the kitchen to help with Søren. "I don't like Delilah," he stated. He eyed up the kitchen door behind me as if the she devil herself was going to walk through. I nodded in agreement. 

Delilah was suspicious at best. Her motives were unclear and she tried to be as close to Andrea as possible but she was very hot and cold. One minute she was giving compliments to her and the next she was snapping at Andrea for a small mistake. "You're not implying that she was the one behind what happened to Andrea are you?" I asked the Danish male. He shrugged. "I don't know. I just don't trust her." he spoke. 

We finally cleaned all the plates and cutlery and put them back in the cupboards where they belonged. "We'll just keep our distance from her. Just because she lives here doesn't mean we have to play at being friends," I remarked. I was in agreement. I didn't really trust Delilah. 

"I think we should head to bed," I said looking at the time. It was nearly 10 pm and I felt shattered. We went to our separate rooms and I couldn't help but lie awake. I was so tired but I couldn't fall asleep. I couldn't help but think about how nothing added up. Anders had left the Prom and was sitting in his car. Delilah was suddenly at the back of the room when she was with the other popular girls. I didn't expect Andrea or me to be up on that stage. 

No matter which way I thought about it I just couldn't piece the pieces together and I couldn't think straight. I closed my eyes and tried my hardest to sleep.