We're Gonna Make It out of This Town

The two girls spent the next few hours at the pharmacy, staring at and comparing boxes of hair dye. Val purchased one displaying a female with bright red-orange hair. After the dye was in a bag, Val drove to a large brick house a few blocks away from the beach. Her room was spacious, painted a pale yellow, and disorganised in a neat and tidy fashion. Everything had a place, or at least an area in which it was confined. Blake sat on the bed and stared around at the clutter.

"Sorry. I didn't have enough time to clean this morning. Michi didn't set her alarm, so we woke up late."

"Michi?"

"My sister, Michelle."

"Oh. Well, it's okay. I can't even see my floors at home."

"Nice. So come on. Let's go strip your hair then put this new dye in."

"Thank God we bought three boxes of this stripping crap," Blake grumbled as Val opened the final package.

"Yeah, no kidding."

Finally, the once-teal curls lay wet, straight, and blonde against the sixteen-year-old's shoulders, and Val laughed before grabbing a towel to dry Blake's hair.

"Well, I hate to tell you, but your hair has to wait. You can come back over tomorrow after school."

"Oh. Okay."

"You can't dye clean hair, or the colouring will come out when you wash it."

"that could be why the green never stayed in."

"Most likely."

"Thanks, Val. I appreciate it."

"Anytime. We'd better get you home before Zach starts worrying."

"Wow, it's already two-thirty?"

"Try quarter till four."

"Damn."

The ride to the Baker's residence was filled with easy chatter, laughter, and loud music. Val was definitely one of the coolest people Blake had met. Although she was at least a year older, she didn't treat Blake as if she was uncool.

"Here ya go."

"Thanks again, Val. I'll definitely pay you back."

"No problem. See you tomorrow."

"Okay. Bye."

Zach was standing in the foyer when Blake opened the door. The expression on his face was mixed: anger, concern, relief. Mostly anger. She gave a small wave and went to head to he rbedroom, but her brother stopped her.

"First, why'd you tell Principal Stone you beat the shit out of Crowley?"

"Because if you'd have gotten suspended or expelled, mom and Dad wouldn't let you be in the band, and the band's so important to you. I didn't want that to happen."

"Stone believed you caused that much damage?"

"Yeah. Coach caught me kicking and punching Taylor, so . . . yeah."

"Why's your hair blonde again?"

"Val and I are dying my hair tomorrow. We just had to strip the teal out, and now I have to wait to dye it."

"Oh. Okay. Does Mom and Dad knowyou're suspended?"

"Yeah. Well, Mom does. I'm not sure if Daddy does."

"So what exactly did Taylor say before we got over there?"

"It's not important."

"Blake---"

"Drop it. Please. I just want to forget what he said."

"Okay. Where you going?"

"My room. Cyber friends await."

"I see. I love you, Blake."

"Love you, too, Zach."