Break

Chapter Three

The loud buzz of my alarm rips me from my dreamless sleep too soon. It is 6:00, but it still feels like the middle of the night. The scent of fresh coffee wafts through the halls to my room. I drag myself out of bed and shuffle to my bathroom.

Pink.

I'm awake now. All I see is the bright pink pixie cut I am now sporting. I completely forgot what I had done to my hair last night. I run my hands through my new hair a few times. I look good. Maybe this is a new beginning for me. As I brush my teeth, I can't take my eyes off of my reflection.

I pull on black jeans, a white tee shirt, and a black hoodie. I grab my red plaid backpack before walking down the hall to the kitchen. My mind is set on the liquid energy brewing only a few feet away.

A loud crash rings through the house as my mom drops her coffee mug. She stands, frozen, her eyes bulging.

"Y-your hair is... different," she stutters, staring at me with an intense, quizzical look.

"I needed a change." I grab the travel mug full of coffee that my mom has already poured for me, along with a chocolate chip granola bar, and sprint out the door.

It is a warm, spring day. The sun is shining brightly over fresh, green tree tops. The new, blossoming flowers release a sweet scent into the air. All is silent except for the chirping of baby birds. I take my time in walking to the end of my street, enjoying everything around me. The bus comes early and steals me away from the paradise that is my neighborhood.