Dark Shadows

Rude Prude and Practically Nude

To say that my day was awful was an understatement. My day was hell. After the syphilis bombshell first period everyone had determined that I was more of a nutcase than already suspected. It did not help that I skipped second hour and came back with periwinkle hair. I mean it. Periwinkle. That was the selected color Verity put on my head. The box literally said 'Periwinkle Twinkle'.

At first she didn't show me the box, so I assumed that it would be powder blue, like her hair. God I was so so sooo wrong. We had both skipped second hour and set up shop in one of the bigger girl's bathrooms in the east wing of the school. Verity had wasted no time in stripping me of my shirt and bending me over a sink with her already gloved hand.

"Good Lord I feel like I'm about to give you a prostate exam," Verity had giggled.

"Prostate? What is that?" I had been confused but Verity just laughed me off and began to apply the dye to my already light hair. My hair was a light dove gray naturally. Weird right?

Like most hair dye this mixture was purple, a deep mauve dripping into the sink as I leaned over with Verity carefully going around my hairline and I held my ears away from her strained fingers. Since my hair was trimmed Kimburton short it didn't take long to coat it all. Verity went through my hair with a small fine toothed comb to make sure it was evenly covered with the dye.

After she used the weird conditioner packet in my hair and blow dried it, she finally let me look at myself in the mirror. I wanted to murder her. Who gives a guy Periwinkle Twinkle hair! I'm already bullied enough and she gives me this hair color? I was so dead.

Any sort of normalcy in my life was gone, evaporated with my last shred of dignity. Goodbye peaceful lunch in the cafeteria, goodbye my piano career. Goodbye gorgeous Eve girl with your haunting eyes. I would've asked you to the winter ball, but I look like a fucking FAIRY. She wouldn't have said yes anyway. Shut up prick.

Without saying a word to Verity I gathered up every scrap of self respect I had left and got the hell out of dodge. Third period was a disaster, with everyone staring at me and whispering. When the bell rang I all but launched out of my desk and immediately began my hasty retreat.

"Kairou can I see you for a moment?" Mr. Gilcrest requested. Mr. Gilcrest was one of the younger teachers here at Kimburton, and one of my favorites. He didn't treat me weird like all the other teachers did. Verity told me once that he was a fag, but I had no idea what that meant.

I turn away from the doorway and navigate around the mob of students rushing out of the classroom. Mr. Gilcrest is my height, even looks like me a bit, but he has dark brown hair and concerned hazel eyes. I briefly wonder what he wants, before he wanders over to the door and shuts it with a firm click.

He returns to his position in front of me, and leans against the edge of his desk.

"Are you having any problems with home or school Kairou?" he asks in a hushed voice. His eyes are flickering from my hair to my mouth, and I don't understand what he means, so I stay quiet.

"I had problems when I was your age too you know, about coming out, " he pauses and I nod, even though I have no clue what's going on, "Maybe you're just rebelling because you feel trapped in the closet you're in and that's normal, but policy dictates that I reprimand you for the dress code violation." His voice is soft and halfway through his monologue he reaches out one hand to grasp my own. I feel agitated about the contact, and I have no clue what is being said.

"Mr. Gilcrest-" I start.

"Please, call me Wyatt." he gives me a light smile and squeezes my hand.

"Wyatt I don't understand what closet I'm in. I am currently in the classroom with you, not any closet." Confusion flickers across his features before understating takes over.