Sometimes You Need To Let Down Your Hair

Chapter 10

       Mother came back upstairs, and I automatically tucked the picture into my back pocket. We both went to my room, and she told me to leave the dirty dishes and stuff at the bottom of the stairs that led to my room when I was done. "Don't leave this room unless there is a life or death emergency," she said as an afterthought as she walked out of my room. 

      I looked down at my food distastefully. I suddenly wasn't hungrey. I sat the plate on my desk and decided to read the strange book of fairy tales. If anything it would take my mind off of the thoughts mercilessly swirling around my subconscious. I grabbed the book from it's shelf and slid into my desk chair. Then I rolled it to the window and made myself comfortable. 

       I flipped through the pages until I landed on Rapunzel's story. As I read it I was surprised to discover how similar my story was to hers. We both have long blonde hair, although hers was positively longer. I lived a secluded life, and she never left her tower. Then she met a boy and sorta rebelled against her mother. I met Lucas and went wild. I chuckled softly despite my sour mood at that last thought. 

       Then I shut the book and my smile fell off of my face. My hand went to my back pocket, and only when I pulled the picture out, I realized it was shaking. I looked at the smiling child whose face was unfamiliar and gulped. Was my life more like Rapunzel's than I knew? Mother and I didn't even really look alike, but this girl in the picture looked like her. 

       I shook my head and tossed the picture on my desk. I needed to find out more about my mother before I made any crazy conspirital assumptions. I looked out the window and grunted when i saw the sunshine. Why couldn't it be nighttime, so I could go asleep and clear my head? I ended up drawing myself as Rapunzel in my sketchbook to pass the time. When that was finished I looked out of the window again. It was still bright outside. 

       The picture I had found left a scar on my mind. When I closed my eyes I saw it. It wouldn't be easily forgotten unless I found out what was going on. I told myself that it was probably nothing, and that I could confront mother about it tomorrow morning. Then again, if something was going on mother probably wouldn't tell me about it. I was her sheltered, ignorant little girl and she'd want to keep it that way. 

       I rubbed my eyes and took a deep breath. I was going to figure out who this chick was, and why mother hadn't told me about her. I picked up the picture off of my desk and ventured down my wooden stairs. At my bedroom door I hesitated. My heart beat against my chest as I dared to do what I was about to do. My hand rested on the doorknob as I gathered my courage. Then I opened the door. 

       Going into mother's room was not ok. Sure, sneaking out and inviting a stranger into my home were things that mother would frown upon. Well I'm sure every parent would frown upon them, but that's not the point. That was bad enough. However, going into her room and snooping around would be even worse. Her stuff was off limits. Even as a little girl I was never allowed to barge into her room, or play with her things. 

       I walked across the hall to her door, and prayed that she didn't catch me. Once inside, I made sure to shut the door silently. After all, if she hadn't already heard my heavy footsteps going across the floor, she would definitely notice a door being slammed shut. 

       I looked around mother's room nervousley. I reprimanded myself for it though. I would be fine, and if she did catch me I would show her how knowledgeable her ignorant daughter had become. I straightened my shoulders and held my head up high.