DayDreamers Anonymous

Prologue

-Mags-

Khaki pants. Maroon polo. Disgusting black sneakers. Hair must be in a ponytail or down, no unique styling allowed. So many rules to follow, too many in Magnolia's eyes. It was unbearable that her parents would force her into all of this.

Her parents, oh how they loved her. Loved her enough to send her off to a private school that she doesn't belong in, where her friends are nonexistent. Loved her enough to leave her in the empty house, all alone, for weeks on end. The only company she got was from the weekly cleaning lady, who never spoke to Magnolia once.

All for what? To fit in? Sure, that was all her parents wanted of her. They wanted a carbon copy of all the other preppy blondes that go to Westchester Catholic Institution for Girls. Magnolia sighed inwardly, getting into her Honda, obviously paid for by her parents. They wouldn't want the world to see their only daughter get a job and buy her own things. They were too good for that. She checked her bag one last time, ensuring that she had the money she had saved up from birthdays and miscellaneous chores. She drove off, a peak of emotion riding on her face.

The blow dryer shaped door handle was looming in front of her, and she had to take a deep breath before entering the store, a small chime notifying the receptionist. Magnolia clutched her wallet like a lifeline, and looked up meekly at the receptionist. A few minutes later, she was in the chair.

"Just cut it," she whispered, barely heard above the noise filtering through the rest of the room. The woman holding her hair met her eyes through the mirror, and raised her eyebrows as if asking for a final confirmation. Becoming a little more sure of herself, Mags spoke up, louder this time. "Yes. Just chop it off."

With a single nod, the hairdresser closed the scissors on the beautiful blonde locks. Mags watched with a small smile on her face as the long strands fluttered to the ground, quickly forming a large pile as the sound of clippers shaved along the back of her head. She followed the commands of the hairdresser pliantly, and was done within the hour. Curious, she finally looked up into the mirror to see what had happened to her once long, curled hair.

She wasn't... she wasn't Magnolia any more. She really was Mags. All it needed was some color. Her initial unsureness skyrocketed into pure confidence at the realization of how enraged her parents would become over this. "How much does color cost?" she asked simply.

After a brief shopping trip, she was proud of her complete transformation. Silvery hair with lavender tips, dungarees and crop tops. She piled her clothes into the trunk of the Honda and drove off, a new person entirely.

It was worth the shouts of anger from her parents when they got home that week. It was worth the After all we've done for you!'s and the You look like a disgrace to this family!'s.

It was still worth it when she was sitting on the gross, abused benches of the school bus, on her way to summer camp with a duffel bag tucked under her feet, packed with her new array of clothes to wear over the month. It was worth it, she smiled to herself as she watched a long-haired girl step easily onto the bus.

~~~

-Lola-

Stay calm. Breathe in deeply. Feel your breath travel through your body- She cut the video before it could continue trying to lull her into a calm mindset. It wouldn't help her. Why did the therapist think that meditation would help? Fire surged through her veins, and her eyes darted desperately across the room for an outlet for the flames. Spotting the large pillow on her bed, she pulled it down to the ground and started punching. The pillow flattened beneath her fist in defeat and she ended up just punching the hardwood floor with all her might, leaving nicks and scratches in both the flooring and her knuckles.