70| reborn

Kelly

I rinsed my face off with ice cold water, finding satisfaction with the temperature of the water. The more the tears streamed down my cheek, the more I forced the cold water onto my skin.

I lifted my head up and the first thing I saw was my reflection. My eyes were puffy and red, I didn't know how else I was going to explain myself to Angelo. The water was slowly drying up the more I stared at myself in the mirror.  I quickly patted my face dry with the nearby towel. I grab my usual face lotion  and applied it on my face.

"Kelly?" I heard his voice from downstairs.

I take one more look at myself in the mirror, forcing a smile as I came out of my bathroom. I exit my room and spot him over the balcony. "Angelo," It had been the first time I had seen him months. The rest of my Uni years were bittersweet.

And like always, I'd  ruined everything.

I walk down the stairs, barefeet in a white hoodie. All my blonde strands were tied up into a messy bun. I shoved my hands into the hoodie for warmth. I inhaled the scent that wasn't mine and tried calming myself.

I wanted to jump in his arms and cry. I wanted to let it all out and tell him I wasn't okay.  I wanted to to tell him I needed help.

"You still have it," he gestures to his hoodie that was like a blanket for me. "Yea, it's my favorite," I mutter. I hadn't dared to look into his eyes because I  knew he'd be able to see right through me. I didn't want that now. But I  knew he wouldn't make it easy for me.

"Look at me," The words come out of his mouth. My heart begins beating at a faster pace. "Kelly," I flinch. He inches closer to me and I stay put on the same spot. "Kelly, look at me," His hand makes contact with my neck, and like it hurt me, I moved away.

My eyes flicker up and that's when our eyes lock. He looks hurt but that all changes when he scans my face. "What happened?"

He moves closer and I move back.

"What happened to you?"

I wanted to tell him.

So badly.

But I couldn't.

"Who did that?" He asks, his eyes plastered on the bruise that was on my cheek. "And don't you dare tell me it's Serine because I know it wasn't,"

"And how would you know?" I raise my eyebrows. "Because I know,"

"Serine's so innocent  now huh?"

"Kelly- please," He almost seems exhausted. "You're right though. It wasn't her," I tell him. "It was an accident,"

"You really expect me to believe that? An accident doesn't look like that," I bite my lip.

"You can't fool me, Kelly,"

[FLASHBACK]

Her mother's hand flew directly across her face, making contact with her cheek. It sting but she was used to it. "Do it again," she yells. "Do it again because that's the only thing you can do. You're nothing but a sl-" She couldn't even finish her sentence and the hand flew across her other cheek once again.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that," her mother points at her. "I work my ass off for you to go wear those clothes that you're wearing. Your dad is an alcoholic. I have to take care of you, so don't you dare disrespect me because I don't deserve it,"

She knew her mom was right, even if she disapproved of what she did for a living there was nothing else she could do. "I'm sorry mom,"

"I'm sorry too," she apologizes and she find herself in her mothers hug.

/\/\/

[ANOTHER FLASHBACK]

Everybody saw me as heartless bully. And yes I was one, but I was far from heartless.  University may had been a had been good for some but it wasn't that great for me.

My shoes made a sound with every step I took down the hallway and everyone's eyes were on me. Something I was used to.

I saw a familiar figure that stood next to my locker. "How are you?" he asks and I shrug. "Same old same, I guess," I shut the locker with a thud, chewing the bubble lightly and carried my one book in my hand. I turned to walk and the person trailed behind me. "I'm sure you're doing better than me," I say not bothering to ask how he was.

"I'm alright, so long as you are," he went ahead placing a kiss on my forehead.

It didn't feel the same.

I ignore it as I keep on walking. I keep walking until I notice a blonde in my sight. "If it isn't you, Sab," the girl rolls her eyes as she lands right in front me. "I thought we were over this?"

"Nothing is over- until I say so," I tell her.

"Kelly, you needs to stop this. This is not you," She begins with the same old song.

"Stoo with that. You sound like a broken record," I state. "And plus, what the hell do you know about me? Because as far as I know, you don't know shit about me,"

"We grew up together. I know you more than you will ever know yourself,"

"I don't give a damn," I shrug nonchalantly. "If you're no longer in my life, you're not in it for a damn reason. You don't anything that's going on in my life. You know that girl of over three years ago, not the one standing before you now,"

"Clearly Kelly," She shakes her head, tears threatening to spill over her chocolate colored eyes. "Because this is not the person I used to know. They Kelly I knew, would never ever wake up in the morning just to bully someone. The fact that you're doing it to innocent people is sick! You're supposed to better! These people here shouldn't feel like coming here is a risk because they're afraid that Kelly Anderson will get in their face and start running her mouth. Popularity. Insignificant high school -- Uni or college popularity gets you nowhere, you going to graduate as the most miserable person on earth because you invested you whole life in bullying people. Where's all that going to take you? It's insane how someone can have such great potential, such talent, such a brain but a dark heart. Wouldn't you want them to proud of you because they're surely not happy about this?"

"You wanted that to hit home huh?" I tilt my head up. "No, I just really wanted to tell you the truth- that nobody, even your dumb boyfriend had the balls to," She glares at him and I'm pretty sure he was doing the same. She looks back at me, her eyes softening. "have you ever thought of how these people suffer? In your words and your actions?"

"Don't ask questions you already know the answer to," I glare. "I've suffered! Nobody listened to me, nobody,"

"Then you must understand them Kelly, " she takes a step closer. Usually I would just glare while she'd just stare with hope. Hope that I would one day change- or go back to who I was.

There was no way I'd go for second.

Never.

"I miss you, the real you." She whispers and since whenever, I actually feel like I can give in. For the first time. Every thing she said was true, popularity was nothing without a good heart.

High school wasn't shit, it wasn't anything. It was just there so I can go to collage or university. It was 5 years of continuous drama and people getting lost in that 'power' they believed they have. The power I believed I had.

□□□

"I didn't know all that," He says.

"I know,"

"It still doesn't explain what happened to your face,"

"There's no use in me telling you. You can't do anything,"

"Just give me the name," His jaw clenches. "It was my mother,"

Right when thought I won, he jokingly utter the words,

"I don't have girlfriends for nothing,"

□□□

"I wanna go somewhere," I say sitting upright. "Any place in the world for you,"

"Really?" I look at him. "Anywhere,"

I bite my lip, excitedly. "Well," I play with my fingers. "I wanna go to the hair salon," I beam.

He stares at me for quite some time, most definitely baffled.

"Okay?"

"Angelo, you said anywhere," I pout. "I know, I know it's just-- Jeez," he chuckles. Showcasing those dimples I loved seeing. "Who else would have the choice of going anywhere and chooses the hair salon,"

"Only me," I smile.

The drive to the hair salon is a peaceful one and I was able to take my mind off a number of things because of him and his presence alone.

Today I knew I'd be fixing things and I'd finally be getting my shit together.

I was done being unhappy.

I was tired and I was going to do something about it. He was my happy place. I couldn't deny that.

We reach the hair salon which he had the directions to, due, to the GPS. I drag Angelo along with me inside.

Did he really think he was just going to stay in the car?

I greeted and hugged Michelle who was the one who usually did my hair. "Hey, it's been a while girl,"

"Yeah I know," I sigh.

"So you want me to do your usual while we talk about life?"

"I actually want something different,"

"How different?" She squints her eyes. "I want to chop it off. Not bald but I want a nice, sexy, reborn type of short hair,"

"Color?"

"Oh it's always going to be blonde," I smirk and I take my seat and she immediately gets to work.

I was ready to feel alive and reborn again.

I was ready to be happy again.