Otherworld

Olivia

I sat there until morning. I realized that I was sleeping when I was jolted awake by the heavy thump and bump that sounded like it was coming from the floor above. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, feeling a more than little swollen. When I stood, I spotted the box from last night. I placed my finger on it, and it was warm. I popped the lid and it was stuffed with new food. I still felt kind of crappy about last night, considering his personality.

I closed the box, picked it up, and began walking. For some reason, I felt like I was capable of leaving the castle today. I felt a hot mess, though-my head was really heavy, I hadn't showered in God know how long, and I needed to use the bathroom. Luckily, I found a bathroom. I walked in, undressed, and rinsed the bath tub. I washed my underwear and set it on the glass sink, and wiped my feet on a grey bath matt. I got in, rinsed myself off, and already I was having good luck. There was liquid soap and some fancy looking shampoo and conditioner.

When I got out, I was freaking. My hair kept growing at an accelerated rate, and I don't even remembering it being black. It reminded me of all of those beautiful boys gathered together-their hair so dark, like the ink you buy in China Town. I quickly dried myself and put my hair-still growing, now down to my hips-in a braid, tying the end of it to the level of the nape of my neck. I threw my clothes back on, and I was thankful my panties were half dried out.

I grabbed the box and ran through the halls, hoping to bump into someone, anyone. I ran through turns and twists, until I slammed into a tall, dark figure. "What the fu-"

I grabbed Goth Boy by the collar. "My hair won't stop growing," I breathed, panicking and talking and desperately drinking air in at the same time. Where I tied my hair was already halfway down my back. I'm in for one hell of a hair cut. "I was taking a shower and there was this shampoo and-"

He cut me off by his laughter. My hair tie was inching toward the small of my back. "I can't believe this," He said. "So you found your maid?"

"Maid? No," I said, still worried about the amount of damage this may be doing to my body. "What maid?"

He looked taken aback. "Then You found your room?"

"No," I said slowly.

His eyes widened. "So you just picked any bathroom you came across?"

"Yeah," I said simply. "So, about that-"

He grabbed me, and pressed his face into my neck. He breathed in, and hot blood flooded my face. "You washed yourself with Luke's hair growth potion. It'll wear off, but you can't cut your hair for a while." I was rigid. Silence. "So you're embarrassed when I smell the potion, but you're fine with siting on a guy and pulling his newly bought shirt."

What he said sunk in, and I looked down. Surely enough, I was sitting on him open-legged, with a thin, white dress on and half dried panties probably soaking his pants a little. I jumped off, and tripped, conveniently, over my own hair. With a single, fluid motion, Goth Boy caught me.

He scoffed, set me upright, and walked away. "You're so lame."

I couldn't think of a comeback-and if my brother saw me now he'd be shocked too (I usually have something to say). I just watched him walk away, trying to figure out why I was being stupid. When he turned a corner, I shrugged it off and gathered my hair. I walked, a little calmer now, trying to find someone so I could locate this 'Luke.'

Every so often, I had to grab even more hair, and at one point, I got fed up and stopped to braid it. By the time it stopped growing, I was already a freaking Rapunzel. I wrapped most of my now inky black hair around my arms, and I realized that I forgot to ask Goth Boy why my hair's this way now. I didn't have it in me to freak about that again, though.