Two sides to Every Story

Chapter Nine: Memiuex

I landed on my bed with a thud; my soft blankets immediately surrounding me. Tonight had been the craziest night of my life. I should have been happy that Vice trusted me enough to tell me about his father; but the truth is that just a few moments before he’d said anything I was having the best dream of my life.

About his best friend.

I refused to think about it anymore and I bounced off my bed and walked over to the hall closet to get the vacuum. In less than two hours the whole apartment was spotless and I am still thinking about it. Mom is standing in the doorway to the living room giving me ‘the look’.

“Meems what’s wrong?” she pads across the carpet in her bare feet and wraps her arms around me.

I bury my face in her hair. “I can’t take it anymore mom! I’m about to explode.”

She rubs my back and says in an all knowing voice, “Honey I know what you mean, I was once a teenager too. I think what this family needs is a vacation. Vice’s moms come back tomorrow and then we can leave before your winter break ends.”

My eyes filled to the brim with tears and I sighed totally relieved, “Are you sure you want to mom?”

“One hundred percent. We’ll go up to the mountains to grandpa’s hotel and we’ll just spend the rest of the week skiing and drinking hot cocoa.” She smiled down at me and wiped away my tears.

Even though I hated skiing I was more than happy to see grandpa, “Ok mom.”

After we talked for a little longer I went to my room and got changed for bed. That night Vice’s room was dead silent.

The sun broke through my curtains and warmed my face; I got up and looked in the mirror. There was something about myself I just didn’t like. I hated my dull brown hair. I hated my fake eye color. It was time for a change; this just wasn’t me anymore.

I popped out my contacts and my sky blue eyes stared back at me; ever since elementary school I’d worn grey contacts because I knew they’d make me different than everyone else. I hated the thought of getting lost in a sea of people. My vision instantly blurred but was soon as sharp as before as I placed my thick framed back-up glasses on. Grandpa had given me the glasses for one Christmas, and after wearing them for one day so he’d be happy, I stashed them in a box under my bed. Until today I’d never thought to wear them. I was feeling better but there was still one thing I needed to change; I took out a pair of scissors and started cutting off locks of hair. When I was finally satisfied it was a lot shorter but I still wasn’t done. I ripped through the bathroom until I found an old box of black hair dye. I applied the dye and waited 40 minutes for good measure and then jumped in the shower with my pajamas still on.

Once the dye had been washed down the drain I stepped out of the shower and walked over to the mirror. For once in my life I looked like the person I was when I was a little kid. I’d always seen the girls at school with beautiful brunette hair and pretty eyes and then there was me; the dork with glasses and straight black hair. I was quiet and shy but when I’d transformed myself in grade school I felt like a new, more confident person. But I’d also turned into a serious person who never had any fun and always was a stickler for rules. I didn’t want to be the responsible one, I didn’t want to be the irresponsible one; I just wanted to be me.

I took out my blow dryer and went to work on my hair. I was ecstatic with the finished product and bounced out of the bathroom. Continuing with the sudden burst of energy I had, I went into my room and started packing my suitcase with thick sweaters, shoes, my favorite pajamas, and other articles of clothing. The current clothes I had on were still sopping wet so I pulled out a black tank top, black jeans, and a heavy black hoodie. As I came out of my room with my bulky suitcase my mom stopped dead in her tracks and put her hand to her chest.