Chapter 9: Dirty
She stumbled her way up the stairs, wide eyed and shaking. Robotically, she opened her door and collapsed on her bed. Her eyes burned, still unblinking. Quickly she bolted up and ran for the bathroom, only to empty her insides into the toilet. She washed her face, avoiding her image in the mirror. She failed. The red and blonde streaks made her feel sick again. Her eyes were blood shot, her lip quivering. Nothing could be this painful. Nothing more shameful. Dirty, that's how she felt. Dirty it was. The word 'rape' was so vile, she could hardly bare it. Amber was right, her father had another reason. He stole her innocence. He stole her strength. Nothing could make it go away.
The smell of spoiled milk filled Hayden's room when she awoke. She was sore to say the least. She was broken.
"I have to get out of here."
She stepped out side in her pajamas and walked where her feet led her. She came to the park. She sat down on a bench and cried. She sat for what seemed like hours. She unsteadily stood to walk again. Coming up to a small duck pond. She looked at her pitiful reflection. She hated it, but most of all she hated her red and blonde hair. Throwing a rock into the pond, she watched the ripples fade herself away. She ran for the little market. She bought black hair dye. She walked out just the way she had last night. She looked at the spot where she was grabbed and dragged behind the dumpsters by Amber's father. She shuddered and ran away from the thought.
An hour later the sickening red and blonde streaks were gone. Her new reflection revealed a black mess and eyes in between a dark lining. She new what her friends would say. She knew they would suspect something. She didn't care. She just swept it away and went to sleep.