A (Vicious) Circle of Love

"Aimy! School!" shouted Alexandria Gaskett, brand-new foster parent of troubled teen Aimy Kato. Aimy groaned loudly and rolled over... promptly falling out of bed onto the floor, rather injuring herself in the process on her vintage acid green rollerskates.

"Aims?" Alexandria pushed open the door gingerly, worried at the commotion. "Are you all right? Listen, it's your first day, and I was wondering if you would like me to drive you."

"Nnngh. No thanks. I'm fine," Aimy said, her voice muffled as she got to her feet. Aimy was tall for her age and slim for her height, making her look uncannily like a beanpole; and she had wavy chocolate-brown hair, cut in a messy bob with a fringe, and a dusting of freckles adorned her pale cheeks, below narrow grey eyes.

"Morning," Alexandria said tentatively to her new foster daughter. Aimy had a short fuse, and you had to be careful around her, or she'd run away, as she was reknowned for doing in the past. Oh, the past... Alexandria knew every bit of it, and it saddened her to see such an amazing individual subjected to a childhood of abuse.

"Mornin', Alex," Aimy grinned, showing off a chipped front tooth. "I'm going to have my shower now." Aimy had still not got used to the - well, the absolute palace she was living in now, complete with bedroom as big as the lounge at the children's home, and even an ensuite bathroom, with marble bath and shower, and the gentle, young foster carer who miraculously had taken a shine to Aimy, who was a little rough around the edges.

Alexandria nodded. "Have a nice day at school," she said, and went back to her study. The timid Alexandria suffered from agoraphobia, the fear of open spaces, so hardly ever went outside. Instead, she shut herself off in her study and would do nothing but write or read.

Aimy went into the bathroom and had a gorgeous shower, washing her hair and exfolaiting every inch of her body. When she stepped out into a cloud of steam, she dried, moisturised and brushed her teeth, then sprayed on some expensive perfume, then began her makeup. Makeup and fashion was Aimy's one vice. She could spend hours in front5 of the mirror, her only goal being to create such an individualistic look that no one, least of al herself, could ever replicate it. Today, Aimy decided to keep it simple: black liquid eyeliner, electric blue mascara, delicate pink blusher, and a slick of clear lipgloss, before going into her room to dress.

Of course there was a uniform. Aimy dressed in this, then slipped on a purple belt, a red faux-leather wrist cuff, and socks with Union Jacks on. Then she pulled on her favourite hat, a dark grey bakerboy with a little button on it. Then... glasses or contact lenses? Aimy was short sighted and needed to wear one or the other. When she was older she was determined to earn enough money to get laser eye surgery, as she found both methods a pain in the arse. Eventually Aimy decided on her smart black pair of glasses, to set the appropriate studious appearance for her first day. Tomorrow she'd wear contacts, and then she could really outdo her eye-makeup...

Slotting her earphones into her ears, Aimy laced up her rollerskates, pushing the black plimsolls she intended to wear for school into her leather satchel, and gingerly walked downstairs on her wheels. Being really into 80s music at the moment, Aimy selected 'We Are Not Alone' by Karla DeVito on her Mp3 player and, grabbing a green apple from the kitchen before she left, Aimy Kato, new girl and rebel, skated all the way to her new school.