[@Luna Amore] Harley frowned slightly. This teacher might be pretty looking, and downright smart as a whip from what Natalia told her, but even if the boy was "late", it was just mean to lock him out. Even the many times Harley was late to classes at Celina ISD, the teachers didn't lock her out of the room or give her the cold shoulder. Plus it wasn't like the boy was being late on purpose. He had a cold for Christ's sake! Harley wasn't gonna let it stand. She couldn't believe what she was doing, but it seemed the right thing to do. [color=a187be]"Uhh...Ma'am?"[/color] She mumbled raising her hand. [color=a187be]"I...I know it probably ain't my place to speak, but don't y'all reckon y'all should let that boy in here? I mean, I know he was late and all, but it ain't his fault he's got the sniffles. Shouldn't you be just a teensy bit considerate of your students? I mean not all of us are perfect little peaches."[/color] She ended with a nervous grin, pretty much expecting this woman to give her one hell of a tongue lashing. [i][color=a187be]Aaaand I'm probably gonna get my ass whuped for this! So much for keepin' a clean record.[/color][/i] [hr] [img]https://s3.amazonaws.com/bkbrains/images/posts/000/000/180/1325766041_7409ed52cb_z_blog.jpg?1326904039[/img] Dead leaves crunched and cracked under the wheels of Helena's board as she skated down the sidewalk to her home, a quaint little housing project in the lower district of the city. It was a fairly decent neighborhood with the occasional break-in or civil dispute. Not a demilitarized zone like where most of her skater friends hung out. Sometimes you'd see a cop car blazing by with lights and sirens, but they were mostly going to where the real shit was. Skating up to her home, she noticed the blonde woman walking out the front door after giving her dad a kiss on the cheek. [img]http://www.stylesray.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Blush-Blonde-With-Green-Eyes-600x890.jpg[/img] [color=6ecff6]"Hi Helena. How was school today?"[/color] The woman gave her a bright smile. [color=f7941d]"Fine, Shawna. Just fine..."[/color] Helena answered with an indifferent look towards her then up to her dad on the steps. [img]http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/newdcmovieuniverse/images/d/d3/Willem-Dafoe.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20160628194756[/img] Her dad's smile turned sour towards her as he sighed and went in the house. Helena rolled her eyes, watching the door shut before climbing the steps and slinging the door open. [i][color=f7941d]Home sweet Hell...[/color][/i] She thought to herself trudging into her house. Her dad was already at the kitchen table, one hand grasping a shot of Jack D. while the other had his face buried in it. He looked up at Helena leaning in the doorway, scowling at her. [color=fdc68a]"What are you doing here?"[/color] He asked with a harsh, low tone to his voice. [color=fdc68a]"You're supposed to be at school."[/color] [color=f7941d]"I'm sick. What?"[/color] Helena answered bluntly ambling over to the fridge and grabbing a soda. Her father sighed throwing back his shot and slamming his glass on the table. He stood up, grumbling, [color=fdc68a]"I'm getting really tired of your attitude, Helena. For the sixth week in a row, you've skipped school. Your principal called and said your grades were slipping. He's considering expelling you."[/color] [color=f7941d]"Really? Great."[/color] Helena returned bitterly. She drunk down the last of her soda, crushing the can in her hand and turning to her dad with a glare. [color=f7941d]"By the way, what the fuck is [i]she[/i] doing here, huh?"[/color] Her dad sighed gruffly, [color=fdc68a]"Didn't I tell you? Shawna's moving in to help us while I look for a job. I told her she didn't have to, but-"[/color] [color=f7941d]"She's what?!"[/color] Helena nearly spit soda everywhere, choking down her last swallow with a coughing fit. [color=f7941d]"Oh that's real fuckin' sweet of you, daddy! Fuck the rich lawyer then mooch off of her!"[/color] She got up in her dad's face snarling. [color=f7941d]"Mom must be real fucking happy you've already replaced her when she's only been in the ground for two fucking months!"[/color] [color=fdc68a]"We are NOT mooching off of her, alright?!"[/color] Her dad yelled red in the face. [color=fdc68a]"And she is not replacing your mother! And furthermore, you will respect her and you will respect me! Understand?"[/color] [color=f7941d]"Respect you?!"[/color] Helena fired back seething with anger. [color=f7941d]"I'll start [i]respecting[/i] you when you get off your lazy fucking ass and stop getting drunk all fucking day long!"[/color] She turned to walk away upstairs to her room Her dad stormed after her, his raucous voice pretty much rattling the walls, [color=fdc68a]"Well it can't be any fucking worse than what you're doing up there in your bedroom! I know you're up there smoking pot! I oughta call the cops on you, bringing drugs into my house!"[/color] [color=f7941d]"Then fucking do it, bitch!"[/color] Helena whirled around snapping at him. [color=f7941d]"Maybe they'll gun me down in the fucking street so you don't have to bother with me anymore! You know what, fuck you!"[/color] She whirled back around stomping up the steps. [color=fdc68a]"Helena!"[/color] She slammed the door in his face and locked it. Her father, he was about to kick the door right off its hinges, but instead he sighed deeply and went back downstairs, falling into the living room couch with his head in his hands. With tired, bloodshot eyes, he lifted his face to the picture above the tv, the picture of his late wife and Helena's mother, a beautiful woman with flowing red hair...who was taken from him far too soon. [img]http://friendlyhairstyles.website/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/100-hottest-short-hairstyles-haircuts-for-2014-pretty-designs-inside-christina-hendricks-short-hair-450x650.jpg[/img] As he looked at her picture, tears welled in his eyes. He buried his face in his hands, sobbing. [color=fdc68a]"What happened to her, Juliette? What happened...to our little girl?"[/color] Beside the photo of Juliette, there was one of Helena. She had to have been around six or seven years old. [img]https://i.pinimg.com/736x/05/fd/54/05fd54d3656a0b8b7d2748594224b17d--natural-red-hair-ginger-girls.jpg[/img] [hr] [img]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/3d/f8/03/3df803210c09ea465daa49502861a7da.jpg[/img] https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=L6i38RH-FJI In her room, Helena fell into her bed after putting on some music. She reached under and pulled out a plastic ashtray with a few rolled up joints in it. Taking one, she clenched it between her lips and lit it, taking a slow drag and exhaling a thick, white cloud of smoke into the cold, dead air of her room. Already, the drug took its effect on her. She was feeling pretty mellow despite yelling at her dad a few minutes ago. She continued to smoke and stared aimlessly up at her bedroom ceiling plastered with posters punk bands, horror movies, and a few crude drawings of hers, a dull, almost lifeless expression on her face...as she tuned in and dropped out.