The Old You

4: My 2nd Home

Waking up finally to silence the alarm on my phone, that I forgot to turn off last night, I groaned and got ready for the day ahead. I did the normal morning routine, but then realized I had packed all my bathroom essentials. I dragged my feet on the floor and grabbed my luggage.

Two hours later, I was done with my shower (I fell asleep…) and was blow drying my hair. I stared at my reflection in the mirror and smiled gently. My bright blue eyes were my most dominate attribute, and then it was followed by my beautiful pale skin.

I finished one side of my head and I gave a disapproving look at the puffy afro. Finally finishing my hair I pulled out my straightener and plugged it up. When the straightener heated up I swiftly pulled it down the strands of my hair in all the layers making sure it’s all straight and that nothing was sticking up. I smiled at how my blonde hair just caressed my shoulders. Suddenly my phone went off causing me to jump and drop the hot straightener on the carpet below my feet and burning myself in the process. Not thinking about the straightener, I stuck my hand under really cold water only making it burn more. I then remembered what my uncle used to tell me every time I got a burn.

‘When you get a burn and you put it under cold water, it closes the pores and keeps the heat in the burn.’ I recited the words in my head perfectly.

I groaned and just stood there waiting for the burn to ease up on the pain. I walked out of the bathroom and walked down the stairs to the kitchen as gracefully as possible. I poured a tiny glass of milk and put my finger in that hoping milk took out pain of burns like the books and movies say it does. I walked back up to my bathroom and surprised hit me when I flung the door open. I let out a scream at my rug that was covered in orange and red flames, and my ceiling quickly filling with smoke. I began to panic and without thinking I threw the milk into the flames only making it worse. Quickly I covered my mouth and nose and squinted my eyes; I dashed to the shower and pulled the shower head off the hook. After a few minutes the flames began to die down, resulting in me to cry in relief.

“What’s gong on up there?!” My mother screamed. That’s when I heard the smoke alarms going off, which was the cause of waking her up. I must’ve been so scared, that my brain blocked off the noise. Calming down I walked to the stairs and stared at my mother with a gentle look.

“Sorry mom. I was straightening my hair and it began to smoke badly because my hair was wet.” I had no problem lying to my mother because she didn’t need any more stress put on her shoulders.

My mother crossed her arms across her chest and she sighed disappointingly.

“Honestly, Dani. You need to be more careful and you should know by now not to straighten wet hair. What exactly was running through your mind when you did that?” I could tell me mother was worried just by the way she was looking at me right now. I quickly tried to think of a lie to tell her and at the moment nothing came to my mind except the wet to straight hair commercial.

“This morning as I was getting ready I saw a commercial for a wet to straight straightener and I wondered if mine could do the same thing, you know, so we could save some money, because those things  are extremely expensive.” The beeping finally stopped, but mother was to busy trying to decipher if I was lying or not. Since I have become so good at lying she wouldn’t be able to tell.

She turned her back to me and stalked back to her room. I didn’t move until I heard the click of her door closing. My back hit the wall and I slid down it, burying my face in my knees. I really did hate lying to her, especially when it’s something I just want to break down and cry to her about, but she doesn’t need anymore to deal with than what she’s already got.

“Mom, I’ll be home Monday after school. If you need me, then just call me. I charged my phone all last night and am taking my charger just in case. Bye, I love you.” I called to my mom who was in her bedroom like always.