Under The Mask

Chapter 6

My eyes flick open as the sunlight breaches through my thin curtains, blinding my eyes before I’ve even adjusted to the room. I look over to my clock – 7:15. Time to get up I guess, get the second miserable day over with. I sit up and stretch my arms out to the side, yawning at the same time wishing that I could go back to sleep. I slide off my bed, sliding my feet into my slippers and making my way downstairs.

As I walk downstairs I touch my neck where the blistering had started. I don’t even need to look to know that the red-raw skin is there. The pain is horrible and I know that if I touch it with ice it’ll only hurt more. Ugh, I’ll just leave it.

“Morning darling. You feeling better today?” Mum asks me with those big eyes that seem to make me feel better no matter what was up.

I nod to her and she brings over a freshly cooked plate of toast and scrambled eggs. The smell is brilliant as it reaches my nose. I feel my tummy rumble so I did straight into the food which tastes delicious.

As I finish I rush back upstairs, opening my wardrobe to find something to wear. Let’s see… if I’m going to have more lasagne poured on me, I need something that won’t really matter to me. Suddenly, my eyes are caught by two bags sitting next to the doors to the wardrobe. I open them up finding the pink trousers that I bought yesterday. Okay, these will do, I’ll wear these. I love them but I want to be flamboyant, show the college who I really am.

I quickly run into the shower, turn the radio on that is in there and get the shampoo into my hair. Ke$ha, crazy kids, comes onto the radio and I start to dance a little in the shower. As I put my hair under the shower to rinse off the shampoo, I squeal in pain as I remember that I’m burnt all on my scalp and my neck. How did that not hurt when I put the shampoo on?

I stand backwards out of the water, turning it down cold and forcing my head back under. Good, this is punishment for being such a pathetic idiot and running away from college. I can practically feel the burns sizzling on my scalp and neck but I deserve it so this isn’t a bad thing.

Conditioner slapped on, shower gel rinsing down my body and moisturiser done. Okay, all done. Shower off, towel wrapped around me and let’s get today over with.  I stumble out of the bathroom and hastily rush to my bedroom, closing the door quickly and grabbing the first pair of boxers I find in the drawer. I slip them on and quickly get my pink trousers on along with a checked purple and pink shirt. I stand in front of the mirror and gussy-up before turning towards the door.

‘You look disgusting.’

‘Why are you even going to college, you look hideous and you’re just annoying everybody.’

‘Just go away, nobody likes you.’

I pick up my bag and make my way out the door, realising at the end of the street that I didn’t even say “Bye” to mum. Oh well, she’ll be fine, only one time and I just want to get the day over with. I reach into my bag and take out my timetable and see that I have two hours of maths in the morning and two hours of music in the afternoon with a free lesson before dinner. Lovely. For once, I hope I get some homework so I’ll have something to do.

The college gates look even worse than they did yesterday. What’s his name, Liam Payne? He’ll be in there, probably waiting by the front entrance to trip me over or smack me. A chill rips down my spine just as it did yesterday. Music. I have two hours of music and he will be in there. Louis won’t want to be seen with me now; he’ll run away from me because I’ll get called loads of names now.

I walk up to the front doors, walk down the main hallway and notice that Liam isn’t there. He isn’t waiting for me, to attack me, to jump me. No, he’s nowhere to be seen. I let out a little sigh of relief after signing myself in for the day and make my way to the diner – the last place I want to be but my throat is bone dry as it is.