There's Something About Juvie

Prologue

I never knew my father.

The faintest glimpse of a memory I had of him was a plastered on, dazzling smile- and then he was gone.

Hence, even the word "father" is a taboo topic to my mother and I(I'm an only child).

It's funny how Lila McCarthy bustles about life as if we lived perfectly, even though she is a single parent with no income coming from my father, and she is a waitress at a family hell diner: Buster's. Funnily though, we have a large house and we can afford a maid to come and tidy up our idle mess every day, but I learned not to ask questions. The more questions you ask, the more confused looks and fumbling excuses you receive. 

The sad part is, she was a beautiful woman-just from another time. She had silky raven-colored hair, the brightest green eyes like a sea of emeralds, and a voluptuous figure. But now her mane is streaked with gray, her eyes are light and sad, and her once fun figure is thinning out. 

I'm Ashlynn McCarthy, 16, and I too used to be beautiful. My hair was dark and sleek and shiny, and it cascaded down to my ribcage. I have my mother's eyes, but a couple shades darker, like a the foliage in a dewy rainforest. Heck, I even had her figure!

But I soon came to hate the attention I received at school. Boy eyed me when I walked shyly through the halls, girls hissed curses and judgments into each other's ears, and Dorian Grey, my boyfriend at the time, always whistled at me whenever I passed him. So one day, I changed it all. 

I dyed my hair bright green, but left a few black streaks sentimentally. I self pierced my face; a needle through my right eyebrow, a stud on the nose, and a black ring through my bottom lip. I couldn't afford colored contacts, so I let my green eyes be. Mom signed me up for a gym membership at the Y, and as weeks passed by, my body lost it's squishy softness, and became all bone and muscle. Along with my appearance, my wardrobe and music taste also changed. A leather jacket cutoff, tight black leggings, short black shorts, band tees, and Converse became the norm. I used to adore pop, like Selena Gomez and Ariana Grande, but now I love rock, like Ghost Town, Fall Out Boy, and Black Veil Brides because I realized what garbage I had admired. 

I was never treated the same again. Boys ignored me, the girls laughed at my change, and Dorian Grey hated me. He had rammed me into a locker.

"Are you trying to embarrass me?" He'd hissed in my ear.

"What! No! This change is not for you!"

"I don't need my girlfriend to go dressing out like a stoner. Change-NOW. Something more..provocative."

"NO. Screw off, Grey. Besides, I don't wanna be your fucking girlfriend anymore. I'm tired of it."

"Is your emo starting to get to your brain? I've never heard such mean words come from such a pretty mouth...."

"If you don't get away, I will beat the crap out of you. Get AWAY."

He smirked. "You know, you're still kinda hot when you're pissed, but just freakish." His fingers traced down my hip.

"That's it, punk." I shoved him down as hard as I could, and his head cracked against the floor. I dove on him, then started beating every inch of bare flesh on his body. My fist connected with is nose, and blood spurted everywhere. I froze. I had done that. I was a-

"MONSTER!!! FREAK!" I screamed.

He groaned, and I stood up. I kicked him hard in the gut, and he cried out. 

Arms tugged me upward, and I was pushed into a locker. Bright turquoise eyes flashed into mine. 

"Are you okay?" The voice asked, as if I was the one sprawled on the floor oozing red from my nose.

I swiped hair from my face. "Fine."

Suddenly, Dorian Grey shoved the blue eyed boy away, then clawed at my face. His fist collided with my gut, and I was one with the ground, unconscious.

I was suspended for a full week for that one. Mom had screamed and cried at me. "After all these nice things I do for you! You have a nice home, all the food you could imagine, and your father-" She had broken down, sobbing. 

A month later, she signed me up for TDI. "It'll be a good experience! You need it!"

"But I don't want to! What if I don't go in?"

"Then you are grounded for the whole summer."

"WHAT?"

She tossed me a camera, smiling. "Take a video of one of your talents, and give it your all.  You have a beautiful voice, so do me proud. Sing a song for me, okay?"

So I sang "This is Your Life", her favorite song by her favorite band, "The Killers" 

And one week later, I was invited in to TDI. My voice had won them over, apparently. Mom burst into tears. "Oh, honey. Do us proud, okay?"

"Us?" I had asked.

She smiled, shaking her head. "You'll see, my darling."

She drove me out to a loading area, where a small, dumpy ship awaited me. I threw my suitcase(bookbag)  on board, but kept my laptop bag along my hip. I can't leave home..not yet.

"I love you!" Mom called, as the ship honked. It began slowly moving through the water.

I nodded, shouting the same words back. "I will win the hundred grand!"

I turned away. If I had seen one more minute of her, I would start crying, and that would not be good. 

And so my adventure begins.

******

Hey, ya'll! The video at the top is the song called "This is Your Life" by The Killers, my all time favorite band. Check out a few songs, maybe you'll like....;3

Please comment! I accept critique very well! If you have any suggestions, they are very appreciated!

Also, I'd like to thank @SimpleSprinkles and @TariskenTheKing for helping make this story come alive! Please check out their pages, and maybe read a few books! 

Also, I'm not counting the Prologue as a real chapter, so when you see "End of Chapter 1" or something on the bottom, just note that prologue isnt counted

~GG