The Blaze: Worlds Apart

Chapter 2

5th April 2019

"You know babe I'm not really feeling this 'man bun' phase anymore. Isn't it time you cut your hair short like every other normal guy out there?".

Brick glanced at his girlfriend. He could explain to her, once again, that it wasn't about being normal, it was about being him, but he knew it was a waste of breath. She was brushing out her tumbling blonde locks and examining herself in the mirror. Brick watched her as she leaned in closer and spotted a small red pimple, just above her well groomed eyebrow.

"ERG. I spend hundreds of pounds on bloody skincare products and I'm STILL breaking out".

"You look beautiful sweetheart".

Savannah ignored Brick's comment and continued to scrutinize every 'problem' on her face. She did so out loud.

"I hate my skin so much. It's actually impossible to deal with. It looks like a bloody mountain range. And my lips! They are drier than a desert and no matter how much lip balm I coat on throughout the day they chap. Don't even get me started..."

She was still talking, though Brick had stopped listening. He was not used to girls like this. His mum and older sister didn't care much for their appearances, they were far too busy trying to change the word with their incredible minds. As for Roxanne, well, Brick had no idea. She was still too young to wear makeup by the time she was taken away and he had had no contact with her since.

"Are you even listening to me Brick?" Savannah sighed. "All you boys are the same. Never listen, do you?". She seemed to hiss the word listen, like a reception teacher hushing a class of excited 4-year olds.

Brick had to turn around to roll his eyes. God forbid he try and argue back.

"Sorry Sav. I have a lot on my mind what with the 8-year mark of the whole Roxie thing coming up and..."

There was a bang. The pair turned their heads to see that Brick's thin wooden door has been shoved open so aggressively that the metal handle had left a small dent in the wall. In the doorway stood Mark, Brick's dad. He was pale and dizzy with panic.

"Brick. She's done it again"