Page 11 of Brutal Days

With the academy in my rearview mirror, I sped away with Gia bawling in the passenger seat of my tiny black Fiat that used to be Mom’s. No one was home at my place, so we headed there. Mom was at work, and we had no old man to worry about because my dad was in prison for beating Mom almost to death. He was supposed to be out soon, which created a constant worry at the back of my mind.

But right then, I had to deal with Gia’s hair-tastrophe. “What the hell happened? I thought you weren’t going to go all ‘beauty school dropout’ and try to dye your hair.” I turned down our street, bypassed her house, and pulled into my driveway. After hurrying her out of the car, I took her into the house.

By that time, she’d gotten more control over her spiraling emotions, meaning the tears had stopped, which was helpful. I got her seated at the kitchen table and set a glass of water in front of her. Holding up my finger, I pressed the button on my phone to call Mom. She answered just before I thought it might go to voicemail, and I sagged against the chair.

“Mom, Gia messed up her hair trying to dye it blond. Is there any way you can fit her in today?”

“What was she thinking?” Mom groaned. “Never mind. I don’t have time to hear it. I’m at the end of a cut and color. But I have a break in an hour and, lucky for you two, a cancellation before that. Be here at the salon in fifteen.”

I thanked her for both of us then hung up. “Mom’s going to fix it.”

Gia’s lip quivered. “I know I shouldn’t have done it. But the box was calling out to me. I wanted to be a blonde.”

“This is getting out of control.” Her drive to accomplish the things on her senior goals list would end miserably if I didn’t do something to help. And I didn’t just mean getting Mom to fix her hair.

“I knew I shouldn’t have done it when my head started stinging then burning. And now Damon has seen me looking like I dipped my head in a vat of pumpkin spice.” She buried her face in her hands, her words and sheer misery muffled. “I thought the plan would work better and I would have had more fun if I were blond and could snag his attention.”

“Well, you’ve gotten his attention twice now.”

Gia’s head whipped up, and she glared. “Not helping.”

“You’re being dramatic. It isn’t that bad.” It was. I knew how Damon and his crew were. They were assholes who pounced.

“It isn’t that bad?” She stood, her hands flying around, as she liked to talk with them. “I’ve ruined everything. I might as well give up and crawl into my bathtub and hide until graduation.”

“It’s going to be okay. I promise. And if anyone teases you or says anything, I’ll pummel, pound, or annihilate them.” Not that I’d ever hit anyone before, but I had a reputation for being a badass since I’d yelled at Portia Mulligan and threatened to shove her head in the toilet in fifth grade for calling Gia an Italian sausage.

Gia gave a watery smile, and I grabbed her hand, pulling her back outside to my car.

“We need to go. Mom’s probably about ready for you.”

Mom worked at a salon in town, where she rented a chair that she said cost so much because of where the salon was located—right on Main Street. It was a good thing she was so talented because that meant she had plenty of clients. I parked, and Gia and I walked in with a wave to Tiffany at the front desk. Everyone knew who I was because I looked just like Mom, just a younger version. We were even the same five-foot-six height.

Mom turned and then lifted some of Gia’s hair. “Oh, honey. What did you do?”

More tears welled in Gia’s eyes, and Mom patted her arm.

“Have a seat. This is fixable.” She met my eyes in the mirror over Gia’s head. “Sky, you need to get back to school. I’ll call Gabi to come get Gia when we’re done.”

“Thanks, Mom.” I smiled then rushed out. If I hurried, I would make it in time for chemistry—one of the classes I happened to have with Damon.

I raced back to the academy, shocked that I didn’t get a ticket. Luck was probably on my side for that. Unfortunately, it might not be much longer. I planned to tempt fate with a proposition for Damon. Because the shit with Gia needed to stop. She was putting herself in too many compromising situations, and I didn’t want her epic senior year to turn into a monstrous nightmare that made her cringe every time she remembered it. That wasn’t what she had in mind, and I might have a way to fix it.

In the halls, I grabbed my Chem book then headed to class as the bell rang. The hallways flooded with people, but I only needed to find one.

Shrill laughter skated unpleasantly along my spine, raising the hairs on the back of my neck as Jessica, Damon’s usual arm candy slammed her locker. Tracey and Eve, friends of hers, fell into step beside her as she pushed away from her locker. Our eyes met, and an evil glint eclipsed hers.

“Did you see the thirsty fool with the carrot dye job slobbering around Damon?” Jessica’s smile turned downright evil. “We’re gonna have some fun with her.”

“Puh-lease, was it possible not to miss?” Eve’s high-pitched voice shrilled through the hallway chatter.

“It’s hilarious.” Tracey fluffed her blond hair. “Gotta run. See you two bitches at lunch.”

“Later.” Eve turned down the foreign language hallway, leaving Jessica too close but alone.

Anger rolled through me in dangerous waves, and I smirked at Jessica, stepping in front of her and forcing her to stop. “That’s not gonna happen because I can mean girl you right back. Only”—dark intent swirled through me in a cauldron of pleasure—“it’ll be in print, and the entire school will know about it.”

Jessica’s hand found her hip, and she glared with a confidence possessed only by the upper echelon in our stupid school. But she didn’t fool me. My comment had found its mark, evident by the slight pallor to her skin.

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