Bad For Me

CHAPTER 1 - Ponytail

"ARE you planning on leaving your hair down today?"

The hand holding my silver hairbrush paused as I registered those words. Through the reflection of my mirror I saw Luca was watching me expectantly. I resumed brushing my hair.

"That's the plan."

He made a noise at the back of his throat, causing me to stop and turn to him.

"Why? You don't want me to?"

His response was a small shrug. "I just thought you should wear your hair in a ponytail today."

I turned back to the mirror, glancing over my reflection. "Wear a ponytail? I'll check in my wardrobe for one."

"That was a terrible joke and you know it."

It was my turn to shrug with a small smile. "It's not even 9AM. You can't blame me if I'm off my game."

Luca's eyes narrowed at me playfully. "No one forced you to stay up late, extensively planning today."

"I will not apologise for being organised, one of us has to be. Anyway, I've had a ponytail for the last two days."

Luca adjusted himself on my bed. "It's pretty, and I like it."

"My scalp doesn't." I responded, shrugging apologetically. He inspected his silver signet ring and I was able to breathe a bit easier with his intense gaze off me.

"It's the first day of school, Fallon. Year 13 at that," I was reminded. "You need to look sophisticated."

I didn't respond, continuing to brush through my hair softly. Luca watched my reflection intently. Many were intimidated by the stare of his piercing blue eyes but over the months I had gotten used to it. Mostly.

He eventually stood and stalked towards me, bending down slightly. I tensed when his large hand gathered my hair at the nape of my neck.

"See? Sophisticated."

I sighed. "Will a low ponytail do?" He nodded in response and pressed a kiss to my cheek, his expensive cologne flooding my senses.

"I'll wait for you downstairs, alright? Fifteen minutes then we're leaving."

I nodded, turning back to my reflection and studying it. A face with blemish free brown skin, almond-shaped dark eyes, a button nose and full lips stared back at me. Framed with my pin straight black hair, I was the 'picture of beauty' as Luca loved to say.

But all this beauty couldn't distract from the emptiness in my eyes.

I sighed as I gathered enough hair gel needed for my ponytail to be sleek. Ignoring my scalp's protests I got to work. Even though I had planned to leave my hair down today, Luca wanted otherwise. He usually did. And why would I argue?

I was here to please and appease. So I did just that.

Making sure to accessorise with the simple but expensive golden necklace Luca had gifted me, I grabbed my handbag and was prepared to leave when something caught my eye.

I hurriedly approached my journal, calculating how long it would take to write down the thoughts occupying my mind. A glance at the clock confirmed there was not enough time.

Picking it up anyway, I placed it in my handbag among my textbooks. There was always break time, or lunch to let my emotions spill on the page.

With one last look in the mirror I let out a deep breath and forced a smile on my face. Let the performance begin.

The hollow sound of my footsteps was nothing new to me as I walked downstairs and towards the front door. With parents for workaholics and brothers I barely saw, I was used to waking up alone. Today was an exception with Luca agreeing to a sleepover, even if it was just to get away from his family.