Rue's Mad World

Chapter 8

a/n: I hope that somehow someone actually enjoys these stories and that they see that it isn't as hard to put your wacky imagination to paper as it looks.

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Okay Rue don't panic. He's just a boy. An obnoxious boy. One you don't even like in the slightest......right?

I was standing in front of my mirror trying to figure out just how to do my hair for work. This problem I had never had before. Usually I just placed my long curly hair into a messy bun on my head and walked out of the house looking pretty rough. No make up, and on most days unkempt eyebrows  because really who in their right mind wants to put effort into looking good for the animals?

I had stolen some of my mom's taming hair gel to try and get my hair under control and it was somewhat working. I settled for a half up half down style .  When finished I looked at the mirrior to examine it. I thought I looked nice. Then again I was never one to pick apart my appearance. I liked how I looked. I figured out early in life that it's not like I could just magically change my looks so why hate what I am if I'm stuck with it for the rest of my life? Brown hair. Brown eyes and brown skin. A British american citizen who had family roots in England, America, Haiti, Germany, Spain and Fiji. I was that girl who on culture day would bring a new dish every year --  my culture kind of spread across the globe and I loved it. But today was different, for once I was actually concerned about what someone thought about me and it made me nervous.

"Oh honey are you going out somewhere?  You look nice! Oh and you did your hair all pretty!" My mom had popped into my room as I sat there staring at the mirror.

"If you mean to The Little Bitty Pet shop then yes mom I am going 'out'" 

"Really? Darling I've never seen you do your hair before for work, you look so lovely I wish you did it that way more often."

"MOM" I groaned, "This is a one time thing okay. Why can't I look nice for work? Is that so weird?"

My mother came over grabbing the brush off my shelf before gently brushing my hair.

"Rue. Now you are justified in looking nice anytime you want but you told me you would rather ' live in a hole for 3 weeks' than look fancy for those 'bratty rascals' last time I suggested you at least comb your hair."

I rolled my eyes"Mom that was then. This is now. I just want to look decent." I gave my mom a look hinting that there was another reason but also hinting that I did not want to discuss it yet therefore she should not ask. She nodded understanding (My mom had always been good at the whole mother daughter telepathy thing)

"Fine but here let me just highlight your cheekbones I'll grab my bronzer. You have such lovely cheek bones Rue bear you might as well go big or go home. " 

"Thanks mom" I said planting a light kiss on her cheek. You are the best."

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I'd arrived to work a good 20 minutes early than I had to. Ash seemed like the type to be really early for things instead of late -- or just someone who was always there when you didn't want them to be. I wanted to make sure I had time to mentally prepare myself for spending a whole day working with him.

"Aunt Polly! Can you help me with the hamsters we just got in? I don't really like hamsters that much so if you could help put them in their enclosures I would be really grateful!"

"Oh deary you don't like any animals!  Hamsters are sweet gentle creatures and they need love to be truly happy." She said shouting from the back room."Remember what I told you. Speak words of life to the creatures. You don't want to ruin their aura."