Introducing Cassie

Keira

The wind whipped at Keira's hair as she stood at the bus stop in the darkening night. Her music blared loudly from her earphones. An empty beer can sailed past along the road, pushed along by a strong gust of wind.  Keira raised the hood of her jacket and stood as the headlights appeared on the street. Musicians screamed lyrics into her eardrums, damaging the hearing she wouldn't be needing for as long as one might hope. As the bus drew closer Keira stepped forward to the side of the road, raising her ringed hand into a pool of musty, yellow light and the bus screeched to a stop. The door opened and Keira stepped onto the bus, instinctively swiping her bus-card as she passed the driver. She flicked back her long black fringe and for a short moment her dark green eyes locked onto the ocean blue eyes of the girl sitting next to the only empty spot, before she cast them back to the floor and plopped herself down beside her. She pulled her iPod from her pocket, 19:06. Just past seven, not bad, she'd be home in time to have something to eat. As the bus continued down the empty roads Keira said nothing. Even though the girl next to her looked around her age, and friendly, Keira simply sat, listening to her music, taking in her surroundings with empty eyes. Several stops later, when the bus doors opened again, letting in a gust of cold air, Keira stood. Just as she was heading to the front of the bus a hand gripped her arm and Keira pulled it away quickly.

"You forgot this." Smiled the girl, in a strangely familiar voice, holding up her iPod. Keira could still hear the music even thought her headphones weren't in. She snatched it back quickly and tramped off the bus holding her arms close to her and putting her headphones back in. She walked quickly down the dark street, crossing the road constantly to avoid passing other people. As she walked, Keira thought over her day, which was no different from any day of her life for the past year. Her day which was full of boredom and evil glares. Her day which was full of annoying classmates, pestering her, then laughing their high pitched giggles as soon as she turned her back. Her horrible, worthless, but awfully familiar day.

At the end of the street, Keira turned into one of the driveways and slowed her pace the moment she had left the road. The security light flicked on and she jumped, but then continued to the front door, walking through to the foyer then over to the lift. She pressed the button for floor eight, and waited silently as the lift slowly rose to her floor. She went to the door marked with 89, pulled out her keys, and let herself in. She locked the door behind her and flicked the light.

"Oh. You back early." Her father emerged from the hall, failing miserably at hiding his disappointment.

"Yeah. I left halfway through, the movie was rubbish. To much romance, not enough death." She replied flatly, brushing past him and walking quickly into her room, shutting the door. Keira hand't spent her evening at the movies, but her uninterested father would never have to learn that.

After eating some two minute noodles, Keira went into the bathroom and let her bag slide onto the floor, where it lay propped up against yesterday's clothes, a hairbrush, a scrunched up towel and her hairdryer.She pulled off her black hoodie and let it fall onto the pile, then added her black, torn jeans, shoes, socks and shirt. Keira hopped into the shower and let the hot water run over her, taking all the concealor and eyeliner off her face. Then she dried her self, dried her hair and wrapped her towel around her. It took her a few minutes to open the bathroom door again, a mountain of clothing was in the way, but she managed, and went into her room to put her pajamas on. She tipped her bag upside down. Her iPod, phone, mascara, foundation, some lollies and twelve dollars ninety fell out of it, onto the bed. The money she had been planning to spend on her movie ticket. She sighed and went over to her closet, opening the door. She rummaged through her floor-drobe for a few seconds before pulling out a square mirror. Keira held it to the light and inspected he bruise on her cheek, before adding some make up to cover it. Not that her father would notice. He didn't notice when she came home with a black eye, or a split lip. He didn't notice when she dyed her hair black, or when she had cried for three days straight. He didn't notice when she came home from school with a blood nose, or grazed knees and hands. He barely even seemed to register that her mum hadn't come home one day,and he probably hadn't even realised that her brother hadn't come to breakfast just under a year later... So why would he notice a bruised cheek. Even if he did, she could come up with a pathetic excuse and he'd believe her without a second glance.