Chapter Sixteen
Celia How could you go from being on the high of your life to down in the dumps in the span of a week, I wondered as I sat on a park bench by myself. I’d left my phone and my laptop in my bag, buried at the bottom, so I wouldn’t have to hear them if someone sent me a message. My hand went up to my hair and touched the frazzled ends that were left.
It was too ugly, too horrible to look at. Tears streaked down my face, but it was early morning, nobody cared. What was I supposed to do about this shit?
Keith’s face popped into my head, and I sobbed. He loved my hair, he’d twirl it around his fingers, let it fall over his face, he’d even jerked himself off with it wrapped around his cock once. I’d watched, lost in lust and fascination as he did it.
Now, what would he do? He’d look at me, cringe, and probably walk away.
I’d had a week of bliss, of being so high that even Rachel’s increasingly snarky attitude hadn’t bothered me. I’d just smiled, flipped her off a few times, and gone about my day. Or evening as it had been a few times. She’d told me I was fat, ugly, unworthy of being her friend in response, but I’d just walked over to Keith’s place and let him fuck her nasty words away.
He made me feel beautiful, loved, and desired. She hadn’t mattered.
Until I woke up this morning. I had to get up early, for an exam, and I’d seen her standing over me, a pair of scissors in one hand, most of my hair in the other. “Let’s see how long you smirk now, you fucking fat whore.”
I’d stared at her, horrified, and even a little afraid. How had the sweet girl that I’d thought would be my friend suddenly turned into such a nightmare?
The air was cold, and a breeze started up that all but froze the tears on my face. I couldn’t sit out here anymore. I swiped at the tears and picked up my school bag. It had my notes in it. I’d try to study, I decided.
Rachel had run out of our room after she’d spoken and had taken the evidence with her. I’d dressed in a hurry, determined to report her. To have her arrested for assault, to have my dorm changed. But she’d taken the only evidence there was. Who would believe me?
She was a beauty with the face of an angel, on the verge of joining one of the most popular sororities on campus. I’d be labeled as a jealous bitch that only wanted to get Rachel in trouble. Her new ‘sisters’ would rally behind her, support her. They’d probably put her up to it as some initiation ritual, the mean fucking bitches.
I’d talked myself down from righteous anger, but now, shame seethed through me, and that made something else come alive in me. A new kind of anger. A need for revenge09 even.
I didn’t know how, but I’d pay her back for this shit.
As soon as I could stop crying, I might even be able to think of a way how.
“Celia,” a voice called out that made me freeze as I stepped into the building where I had to take my exam. “What the fuck have you done to your hair?”
I looked into Keith’s face; my eyes miserable. His face went from shock to sympathy. “What happened?”
“Rachel happened,” I whispered and sobbed as I fell into his arms.
“What does that mean?” he asked a note of cold anger in his voice. I knew it wasn’t directed at me, but even then, it was a little scary.
“She did this while I was asleep this morning,” I said through the hiccups that came with my tears. “I woke up and she’d cut all of my hair off.”
“Did she, indeed?” I could feel anger now, coming off him in waves. I snuggled closer, in need of his warmth and the comfort he offered to me. I’d been made fun of before in my life, I’d been stared at by the boys when I grew breasts, called a whore and a skank by the girls, and had learned to stay to myself, to study. I hadn’t let it bother me back then.
This had become physical. She’d touched me. Cut my hair off! My fucking hair!
And rather than turning away, Keith had embraced me and tried to comfort me. I’d been so afraid he’d shut the door on me when he saw me, or that he’d walk away if he saw me on campus but he hadn’t.
He’d supported me instead and I felt loved in a way I hadn’t felt since my first day here when I got the boxes from home. Even if we’d only been seeing each other for a week and neither of us had dared to say a word about love. I clung to the safety and comfort he offered like a woman that was on the verge of drowning.
“I don’t know how I’m going to take my exam, or even go back there tonight. The look on her face when I woke up, Keith. It was so scary.”
“Being away from home for the first time does some strange things to people, I’ve noticed.” He leaned back, and I smiled at the knit cap on his head. It was black with a little ball on top. I liked it.
He was a couple of years older than me, a senior here, in fact, so he’d had more experience of the places and the people than I had. He stroked my cheek and looked at me as if it was the first time he’d ever really seen me.
“What’s up?” I asked, confused. I’d only seen him the night before.
“Nothing. I’m sad about your hair, but don’t doubt that you’re beautiful, Celia. With or without it, you really take my breath away.”
“I’m glad.” I looked down at my feet, embarrassed. “I guess I better get to class and get this exam over with, even though I know I’m going to bomb on it.”
“Do that and don’t let this bother you too much, alright? I’ll figure something out for you. You won’t have to worry about her again today.”
“I fucking hope not. This is the limit of what I’m prepared to take from her.”
“Let me help you, and you won’t have to go back to that room again. Alright?”
“Alright.” I sighed, leaned into him to kiss him, and prepared to walk away. “Thanks, Keith. I really appreciate it.”
“No problem.” He looked a little sad for a moment, but then he smiled and walked away. I had to wonder exactly what he had up his sleeve, but for now, I had an exam to focus on. He’d made my day brighter, but I still had no hair and a life to get on with. With a deep breath, I headed for the class I had to get to.