Black Rose

4.

DAY 9:

"Are you sure this will look alright?"

"It'll look fine," Rayne promised me.

"I don't know about that Rayne," Tula commented, leaning up against the door frame in the bathroom.

Rayne said with me being a "wanted" person, I'd have a higher chance of being recognized in the airport. So, I had to disguise myself. Her solution to this was dying my hair color. In my hand I held a tube that read 'dark copper golden brown'. A sort of red color. Dying my hair was the last thing I wanted to do. I loved my hair color. I begged Rayne for me to wear a wig, but she thought of every possible excuse of why I couldn't wear one. "What if it falls off?" She questioned. "'Cause that wouldn't draw attention," She added sarcastically. "This would look more natural," She also claimed. "Wigs look too fake. We want less attention drawn to us."

"We don't want her hair to turn out looking like it's caught on fire," Tula added.

Rayne glared at her. "It's a deep red. Kinda brown color. It'll look great."

I closed my eyes. "Just tell me when it's over," I sighed. Rayne and Tula both snickered.

I didn't open my eyes the entire time Rayne worked her hands through my hair. Tula made the occasional comment here and there, but I ignored her. Tula has a way of getting under my skin, and after last night, the last thing I wanted is to argue over stupid things.

I still hadn't told Rayne or Tula the truth about what really happened. As far as they are concerned, I got trashed and passed out. And that's the way I was gonna leave it. Telling them would mean I would have to tell them about the owl, who I believe is a shapeshifter, and am sure is following us throughout our travels. I know I already come across as a neurotic freak 98% of the time. I didn't need to give them any more fuel for that.

The thought of shapeshifters made me think of Badge. Admittedly, he's crossed my mind less and less as the days go by. I can't say I haven't been too preoccupied with other things to think of besides him, but the fact still baffles me. Before, there was hardly a day that went by that I didn't think of him. And now...

I am furious at him for deserting me when I needed him most. I want nothing to do with him and I'm mad at myself because I know that's a lie, even though I wish it to be true. I want to say that I don't ever want to see him again or have anything to do with him. I want to say that I want to completely wipe him from my memory and be as if he never existed. The moment he walked into my life is when things took a dramatic shift. Before, everything was uniform, simple, and easy. Mostly. But now, there's so many blurred lines in my life that I don't know where one mess blends into another.

Staring back at the mirror it wasn't me. There was no longer the dark brown-haired girl with wild green eyes, but now a ruddied-hair colored girl whose bright eden eyes have been replaced with chocolate brown, courtesy of Rayne who supplied me with non-prescription colored contact lenses. I took a deep breath and looked to my left. Rayne was standing behind me, with a pair of scissors in her hand. I hadn't had a haircut in weeks, so my hair had grown even longer, now reaching my butt, but that didn't mean I wanted to cut it. I loved my long hair.

"I won't take much off. I promise," Rayne swore. I remained unmoving, staring down at the shiny scissors in her hand. "It's best if you don't look." Reluctantly, I nodded my head. A small tear escaped and rolled down my cheek. I closed my eyes, feeling my body shake slightly. I heard Rayne move behind me. A small gasp escaped from my lips. "Trust me." Again, I nodded my head. She grabbed a strand of my hair and ran the length of it with her fingers. "You ready?" She took my silence as a yes and a second later I heard the snip of her scissors. I squeezed my eyes tighter, and waited anxiously for her to be done.