Fresh Start Fever
Anything But Ordinary
Leilani's POV:
I had blacked out in a fit of rage and when I came out of it I looked down to see what I was gripping onto so tight was actually not a what but a who. I released the grip on the tattooed giant that I had in a head lock and looked at the scared people around me, elderly people, children, even grown men were scared of me. I was scared of myself and the person I could be, I had to let go of my past and start fresh. I saw the peoples mouths move as they scurried out the door but I didn't hear anything until the guy I had just attacked looked into my eyes with his big,brown, glistening eyes. My hearing came back to me and I heard the one word that fell from his thin, chapped lips.
"How?" I just stared, why was he undermining me? He continued anyway "How did you do that? You're fucking tiny, how'd you get so strong?" He finished and after staring for a solid forty seconds I finally spoke but the words that came out of my mouth were almost uncontrollable, they just fell out.
"You don't mess with a girl like me, you don't know what you're getting into." I was so shocked with what I said I decided I'd get a coffee some where else and before I could even push out a sorry I ran out the door hoping to never see that man again. I kept walking not one hundred percent sure where I was going until I spotted the local Chemist Warehouse sign flashing in front of me. I walked in heading straight for the hair aisle. I looked up and down the shelves searching for the Fudge until I spotted it. I was bored of blonde and it was definitely time for something new to signify a new me. I walked over to far left of the aisle and picked up a tube of what looked like a peacock blue and headed to the counter.
"How are you today?" I knew the cashier didn't care it was just part of the routine but I replied anyway.
"Good thanks and yourself?" I smiled and she did back.
"Oh good thank you," I handed over the tube of dye, "Oooh something bright, that's a big change!" I laughed at the irony.
"Yeah a change is exactly what I need, anthing but ordinary," she smiled uncomfortably so I paid and left. I was never going to get used to the looks I got from everybody while in public. It hit me that I'd been in prison for eight years and I've literally been listening to the same playlist or repeat since so I headed to JB HI FI to grab some new CDs, surely Of Mice and Men had released at least one album while I was gone. I headed straight for the alternative/punk/heavy metal labelled section of the store and scanned until the yellow tag that read 'OM&M' popped in front of my eyes. As I looked down I was surprised to see two new records in their section so I picked them straight up and without looking at anything else I headed to the register.
When I got to the register I handed the CDs over to the young girl, she almost jumped when she saw what I was buying "Are you going to their concert on Saturday night?" she squealed.
"Oh, uh, I didn't know they were playing here.." she looked at me confused, "You don't know who I am?" this was a first.
"No I do, you were on TV just the other night, you got released from prison yesterday.." she spoke quietly so no one else could hear. Why was she being so nice?
"Uh yeah that's me. Well, any way I only got out yesterday, I didn't even know they had two new albums. I don't even know what they all look like," I laughed hysterically at the facials when I said that because she almost died.
"OH MY GOD! You need to and I mean NEED to Google Austin Carlile right now, he's such a beautiful man you have no idea," she was rambling about this guy but I decided to leave it for later.
"Well hopefully this stuff is as good as their old stuff. Is it?" I asked.
"Even better! That album," she pointed at the album labelled Restoring Force, "Is actually brand new, that's why they're touring. Anyway you'll love it! So that comes to $39.95 altogether today.." I pulled my Dad's card out of my wallet and pulled it up to show her. She tapped on the screen and the eftpos machines light brightened so I swiped the card and entered the PIN. It approved and she handed me my receipt. I went to turn away when I heard the girl out the register call out once more.
"How did you get onto Of Mice and Men they weren't even together when you were put away?" Good question, I give it to her for putting the maths together.
"We were allowed to be given presents from loved ones as long as they were deemed safe and all that shit we were allowed to have them. The guards went through every song to make sure nothing was like a secret trafficking message from the outside before I got it. Anyway, the last time my fiancée, uh ex fiancée, ever visited me in the prison he bought my iPod but told me he had put some new songs on their and told me to check a band called Of Mice and Men out specifically. Soon enough they were my favourite, you could say they kept me from going insane, so that's why I'm here today, sorry for the life story.." I turned for real this time and as I did I heard her yell out.
"That's rad Bennett!" Wow she even knew my name, never thought I'd have fans. I chucked to myself at the thought. I went back to my car deciding I'd head back to Dad's place and do my hair. The drive wasn't long even amongst the traffic but long enough to get through the whole track listing of The Flood which I had to admit was actually pretty fucking good. I silently thought to myself that I hated loving them because it was Bryce who got me on to them but I shoved the thought away taking in the sound of the music replaying all over again. I pulled up at Dad's and ejected the disk and walked inside.
"How'd it go, you were gone for a while?" He looked down and saw the shopping bags in my hands, "Little bit of retail therapy to cheer you up huh?" I wished he'd stop with the questions.
"Uh well my finger feels pretty naked but it feels good," that was a lie, it didn't feel good, the love of my life cheated on me for like a solid five years without the courage to even call it quits, "and uh yeah just a bit, decided on a new look," I pulled out the tube of blue die for Dad to see, he smiled.
"I remember the time you had bright red hair bub! Have fun, I don't want to get involved in the messy job that was your Mum's job," I laughed and rolled my eyes at his objection to helping me. Mentioning Mum reminded me I'd have to get down the New South Wales to see her but I didn't know how I could with the parole rules. I was out one day and I'm already sick of walking on thin ice. I headed to the bathroom and half an hour later walked out a new woman. I stared at myself in the mirror loving the results of the blue stained in my long hair. It contrasted well against my pale skin. I walked out to the lounge room where Dad was and did a twirl to show off my new look.
"How do I look?" laughing as I spun in circles.
"Beautiful darling, now stop spinning before you fall over," I fell back into the couch as he laughed.
"Dad, I don't want to put you out but uh, can I stay for a while? I mean until I figure something out.." I hated asking for help but I needed it right now and if anyone was going to it was Dad.
"Of course, stay as long as you need!" My smile lit up as he blew me a kiss, I jumped up for the couch and kissed him on the forehead.
"I'm going to crash Dad, thank you," I squeezed him into an awkward hug on the couch and walked away.
"Good to have you back!" he yelled.
I grinned, "Good to be back Dad, good to be back."
I walked into my room and slid my clothes off and threw them hastily at the ground, sliding on a white tank top and my old Pooh Bear pajama bottoms and climbed into bed making a mental note to buy some new clothes. As I laid down in my old bed I had memories of me and my old boyfriend from high school, Rhys, he was such a nice boy and then the not so good memories of Mum's boyfriend flooded into my head. I rolled over trying to push the thoughts out of my head and tried to get to sleep but before I could close my eyes my Dad walked in with his mobile flashing a message at me that alerted me of my first parole meeting tomorrow with Mrs. Lyell. Great.
I had blacked out in a fit of rage and when I came out of it I looked down to see what I was gripping onto so tight was actually not a what but a who. I released the grip on the tattooed giant that I had in a head lock and looked at the scared people around me, elderly people, children, even grown men were scared of me. I was scared of myself and the person I could be, I had to let go of my past and start fresh. I saw the peoples mouths move as they scurried out the door but I didn't hear anything until the guy I had just attacked looked into my eyes with his big,brown, glistening eyes. My hearing came back to me and I heard the one word that fell from his thin, chapped lips.
"How?" I just stared, why was he undermining me? He continued anyway "How did you do that? You're fucking tiny, how'd you get so strong?" He finished and after staring for a solid forty seconds I finally spoke but the words that came out of my mouth were almost uncontrollable, they just fell out.
"You don't mess with a girl like me, you don't know what you're getting into." I was so shocked with what I said I decided I'd get a coffee some where else and before I could even push out a sorry I ran out the door hoping to never see that man again. I kept walking not one hundred percent sure where I was going until I spotted the local Chemist Warehouse sign flashing in front of me. I walked in heading straight for the hair aisle. I looked up and down the shelves searching for the Fudge until I spotted it. I was bored of blonde and it was definitely time for something new to signify a new me. I walked over to far left of the aisle and picked up a tube of what looked like a peacock blue and headed to the counter.
"How are you today?" I knew the cashier didn't care it was just part of the routine but I replied anyway.
"Good thanks and yourself?" I smiled and she did back.
"Oh good thank you," I handed over the tube of dye, "Oooh something bright, that's a big change!" I laughed at the irony.
"Yeah a change is exactly what I need, anthing but ordinary," she smiled uncomfortably so I paid and left. I was never going to get used to the looks I got from everybody while in public. It hit me that I'd been in prison for eight years and I've literally been listening to the same playlist or repeat since so I headed to JB HI FI to grab some new CDs, surely Of Mice and Men had released at least one album while I was gone. I headed straight for the alternative/punk/heavy metal labelled section of the store and scanned until the yellow tag that read 'OM&M' popped in front of my eyes. As I looked down I was surprised to see two new records in their section so I picked them straight up and without looking at anything else I headed to the register.
When I got to the register I handed the CDs over to the young girl, she almost jumped when she saw what I was buying "Are you going to their concert on Saturday night?" she squealed.
"Oh, uh, I didn't know they were playing here.." she looked at me confused, "You don't know who I am?" this was a first.
"No I do, you were on TV just the other night, you got released from prison yesterday.." she spoke quietly so no one else could hear. Why was she being so nice?
"Uh yeah that's me. Well, any way I only got out yesterday, I didn't even know they had two new albums. I don't even know what they all look like," I laughed hysterically at the facials when I said that because she almost died.
"OH MY GOD! You need to and I mean NEED to Google Austin Carlile right now, he's such a beautiful man you have no idea," she was rambling about this guy but I decided to leave it for later.
"Well hopefully this stuff is as good as their old stuff. Is it?" I asked.
"Even better! That album," she pointed at the album labelled Restoring Force, "Is actually brand new, that's why they're touring. Anyway you'll love it! So that comes to $39.95 altogether today.." I pulled my Dad's card out of my wallet and pulled it up to show her. She tapped on the screen and the eftpos machines light brightened so I swiped the card and entered the PIN. It approved and she handed me my receipt. I went to turn away when I heard the girl out the register call out once more.
"How did you get onto Of Mice and Men they weren't even together when you were put away?" Good question, I give it to her for putting the maths together.
"We were allowed to be given presents from loved ones as long as they were deemed safe and all that shit we were allowed to have them. The guards went through every song to make sure nothing was like a secret trafficking message from the outside before I got it. Anyway, the last time my fiancée, uh ex fiancée, ever visited me in the prison he bought my iPod but told me he had put some new songs on their and told me to check a band called Of Mice and Men out specifically. Soon enough they were my favourite, you could say they kept me from going insane, so that's why I'm here today, sorry for the life story.." I turned for real this time and as I did I heard her yell out.
"That's rad Bennett!" Wow she even knew my name, never thought I'd have fans. I chucked to myself at the thought. I went back to my car deciding I'd head back to Dad's place and do my hair. The drive wasn't long even amongst the traffic but long enough to get through the whole track listing of The Flood which I had to admit was actually pretty fucking good. I silently thought to myself that I hated loving them because it was Bryce who got me on to them but I shoved the thought away taking in the sound of the music replaying all over again. I pulled up at Dad's and ejected the disk and walked inside.
"How'd it go, you were gone for a while?" He looked down and saw the shopping bags in my hands, "Little bit of retail therapy to cheer you up huh?" I wished he'd stop with the questions.
"Uh well my finger feels pretty naked but it feels good," that was a lie, it didn't feel good, the love of my life cheated on me for like a solid five years without the courage to even call it quits, "and uh yeah just a bit, decided on a new look," I pulled out the tube of blue die for Dad to see, he smiled.
"I remember the time you had bright red hair bub! Have fun, I don't want to get involved in the messy job that was your Mum's job," I laughed and rolled my eyes at his objection to helping me. Mentioning Mum reminded me I'd have to get down the New South Wales to see her but I didn't know how I could with the parole rules. I was out one day and I'm already sick of walking on thin ice. I headed to the bathroom and half an hour later walked out a new woman. I stared at myself in the mirror loving the results of the blue stained in my long hair. It contrasted well against my pale skin. I walked out to the lounge room where Dad was and did a twirl to show off my new look.
"How do I look?" laughing as I spun in circles.
"Beautiful darling, now stop spinning before you fall over," I fell back into the couch as he laughed.
"Dad, I don't want to put you out but uh, can I stay for a while? I mean until I figure something out.." I hated asking for help but I needed it right now and if anyone was going to it was Dad.
"Of course, stay as long as you need!" My smile lit up as he blew me a kiss, I jumped up for the couch and kissed him on the forehead.
"I'm going to crash Dad, thank you," I squeezed him into an awkward hug on the couch and walked away.
"Good to have you back!" he yelled.
I grinned, "Good to be back Dad, good to be back."
I walked into my room and slid my clothes off and threw them hastily at the ground, sliding on a white tank top and my old Pooh Bear pajama bottoms and climbed into bed making a mental note to buy some new clothes. As I laid down in my old bed I had memories of me and my old boyfriend from high school, Rhys, he was such a nice boy and then the not so good memories of Mum's boyfriend flooded into my head. I rolled over trying to push the thoughts out of my head and tried to get to sleep but before I could close my eyes my Dad walked in with his mobile flashing a message at me that alerted me of my first parole meeting tomorrow with Mrs. Lyell. Great.
Notes
Feel free to comment if you have any suggestions to improve the storyline guys :)
Wooooow I can't wait for the sequel now that you posted this "spoiler" !! Such a good idea to make a sequel that starts like 15 years later and not a few months later haha. I can't wait :D
7/28/14