"Pretty Girl"

02 - cold

Malorie's POV:

"Hi, Malorie! Good mornin!" Baylie says, coming into my room. I look at her with sleepy eyes and turn the other way.

"Oh- come on, Mal! It's 11 am! I've been up since five!" I glare at her and sit up. She notices my tear stained face and sits on my bed.

She's in a pastel purple sundress. Her sunburn is starting to peel.

"What's wrong?" She asks.

"What are you talking about?" She licks her thumb and wipes my cheek. I back up.

"No, no. You can't do that, Baylie. That type of shit isn't accepted. No," I say.

"Oh- I'm sorry! I didn't know! You have tear stains, Mal! What happened?"

"Nothing. I yawn and they fall."

"You sure? I'm not really good at the whole comforting thing- but I can damn sure try!" My dad calls. I pick up.

"Hey, kiddo. I'm out front."

"Dad it's literally Saturday," I say.

"I know. But we need to talk. I'm not taking you back, yet. We're taking you out to brunch."

"No," I say.

"Yes. This isn't something you can debate, kiddo I'm sorry." I groan.

"I don't want to go! Can we just do it in here?"

"No. You can go in your pjs for all I care, Mal. But we need to go."

"Fine. Give me like 10 minutes." I hang up and look at Baylie, who's looking around my room in awe again.

"Do you have a phone, Baylie?" She shakes her head.

"Nope!"

"Okay. Well. I have to go. Those were my dads, so."

"You have two dads?"

"I'm a surrogate baby." I go into my closet and pick out black shorts and a black crop top. I put on my vans and look in the mirror.

My skinny, bony figure. Box-red dyed hair. Short. Hair still curled from yesterday. I meet my eyes in the mirror. Light brown like my mom's.

I walk out. Of course, Baylie's in my room. Looking through my vinyls.

"Baylie, you have to go now. Come on."

"Right! Sorry!" We walk out, and I see my mom and dads talking.

"Ready," I say.

"I'll see you later, Malorie!"

"Bye Baylie." I get in the car and roll my eyes.

"Hey! Be nice to her!" My mom says.

"I am. I let her stay in my room and talk my ear off last night. She's lucky I didn't kick her out then."

"She's been alone her whole life, Mal! The least you could do is give that girl some comfort!" She says.

"I just fucking said I did mom!" I say, raising my voice.

"Who are you taking to? Cause I know it ain't me, Malorie. You better watch your fucking tone. And don't fucking swear at me again."

"And when you stop being a goddamn hypocrite maybe I'll take it into consideration!" I say.

"Okay. Okay. Not now. We'll see you later, Janelle," dad says.

"She gets on my fucking nerves. I hate her house. I fucking hate her! Why would you choose her to be my mother?!"