Striped

1

I walked home from school to see my father crying. I dropped my bag and ran towards him, his black hair was clumped and damp at the edges from tears.

"Dad? What's wrong!" I asked once I reached him, kneeling down to get a better look at him. I placed a hand on his back and rubbed in circles, trying, (and failing) to comfort him.

"Oh Mercy..." my father said, his voice cracked and he looked up at me. His blue eyes were blood shot and puffy from crying and his face and hands were soaked in salt water.

"It's your mother..." his voice was full of pain as more tears sprung from his eyes.

A feeling of dread worked its way into my stomach and lay there like a rock. I took a step back, "no..." I whispered, placing a hand over my mouth as a silent scream made its way up my throat. I crumpled to my knees as the horrifying realization of what happened settled in.

"She was killed earlier this morning going to work." My father moaned.

"Father, we have to get you inside." I said, placing my hand back on his back. He nodded and I helped him get up and into our blue house. I helped him onto the couch and fetched a blanket from the closet. Then went outside to fetch my bag and headed upstairs to cry to myself.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I woke up to see my pillow stained and smeared black with mascara and eyeliner. The events of last night hit me like a rock and I felt like something died inside of me. Biting my lip, I decided that I can't mope around in bed all day especially since I have school today. I got up and went to the mirror that as propped up on my wall. It was a full body mirror with intricate silver swirls around the edges. I tried not to gasp at my appearance. My black hair was disheveled and my face was streaked in black making me look like some kind of freaky goth who completely misused their make-up. The black on my pale skin was like ink on paper. My hazel eyes had purple circles under them.

I sighed as I looked into my mother's eyes. I had gotten her figure and eyes along with my mother and father's hair. I had my mothers curls along with my father's black hair.

I reached for my purple brush with yellow bristles (an antique my mom gave me) and yanked it through my hair.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Smile honey!" I grinned up at my mom with frosting covering my face as she snapped another picture. "Alright, now lets open the present I got you." My mother produced a small box covered in pink wrapping paper. My eyes lit up as I took it and started to tear through it to find a white box. I opened it and my eyes became a Christmas tree. My mother snapped another picture as I picked up the beautiful wooden brush. It was painted purple with small carvings in it. I looked up at my mom then back at the brush and my grin grew wider.

"I had it repainted for her." My mother said to my dad.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The memory faded as I finished brushing my hair. Deciding that it looked good enough, I grabbed a purple ribbon and tied my hair up, wrapping a bow around it. I slipped on a gray tank top and a red skirt and left. I kissed my dad on the forehead goodbye before I did. I shut the door and locked it then set off, casting a worried glance over my shoulder. I ran down the side walk and skidded around the corner, racing to school. I bumped into the back of a girl and heard a high pitched protest.

"What the hell?" My heart dropped at the sound of her voice.

"S-sorry Melanie." I mumbled.

"Oh, you better be sorry." Melanie snapped.

"Yeah freak!" Her friend Miracle sneered.

"Loser." Sabrina said, crossing her arms over her fake implants.