HAVING 13

6. See you monday

MISSY
January 14th 2005

Yesterday after school, I'd gotten a job at a place called Biddies. I now worked at the diner on weekends and also at that bar every day. That's how I would earn the money back.

I ran into Johnny and his friends there. I was nervous to talk to him, but he was the only person I knew just enough to go up to and ask about this place.

I also just couldn't stay away. I remembered that taste of freedom. I needed more. The only way I'd get it was by chasing after it.

I was calming down a little bit, uncomfortable as I was in a room full of drunk men like my Da. Johnny was grounding me, almost making me let my guard down. He just had that effect, I couldn't explain it.

But then, he asked about my hair. He had to go and ruin it. He didn't know, of course, so I didn't blame him. In fact, I should've handled it more politely.

But I couldn't be upfront and tell him 'oh, yeah, my Da's a drunk asshole so I dye it to look less like him', so I just put up another wall.

Friday, I had to pick up my uniform at Tommen. I had to skip another school day. Don't get me wrong, I'd take any chance to miss school, but going home early wasn't a great idea.

This also meant I had to get the early bus again. This would be my life from now on, so might as well get used to it.

"I'm here to get my uniform, please," I said once I reached that secretary's desk again. This time I'd surprisingly found the office myself.

"Sure thing, pet. You're Theodora Lynch, right? It's right over there." She pointed to a plastic package in the corner, which contained my uniform.

Theodora. My first name. My fucking curse of a name.

Mam named Darren. Granda had named Joey. Figures that our Da would get to choose my name, and what else a better option than the female version of his own?

I was fucking lucky Darren gave me a decent middle name, unlike Mam who gave Shannon 'Maud' for a second name. Melissa was just fine.

Eight year old Darren decided, before I was even conscious, that I would be called Melissa rather than Theodora.

My parents refused to go along with this, but the people who did now called me Missy. Sean called me Kitty, which made the rest of my siblings call me that as well.

Missy. Melissa. Kitty. Whatever.

Just not Theodora.

I'd also gotten his blonde hair and his eyes.

Since this summer, I started dyeing my hair brown with pound shop box dye, and refused to look in the mirror when I didn't have to.

Snapping back into it, I ignored the secretary saying my name, and just smiled.

"Thank you." I walked over to the uniform, picked it up with a slight wince from bending over. My hips still hurt from the harsh handling Da had given Wednesday.

When I was back out in the halls, they filled with people as class was about to start. And due to my fucking luck, I ran into him again.

Freedom boy; Johnny.

"Missy," Johnny said, confused. "Are you following me?" He joked.

"I'm getting my uniform," I deadpanned, acting nonchalant. "No idea how I ended up at this posh rugby school."

Johnny was so fucking beautiful. How could he stand in front of me and not remember? It was all I ever thought about.

"Jaysus, Missy-Miss," His blonde friend approached us. We stood in the middle of the hall. "I knew you could be vicious, but that was uncalled for."