Elle's fictional prose

Rise Up (18+)

Each piece of armour, selected with precision and ridiculous overthought, sat in a pile on the corner on my bed. I stood in my underwear and tried to inhale peace and tranquility, but only managed to suck in a faint taste of dust and desperation. This was it. This was the point of no return.

I drew on a pair of jeans that were so tight they redefined the term 'skinny jeans'. I nearly fell, and ended up in an ungainly sprawl across my unmade bed. I tugged until my fingers ached, inching the jeans up my thighs. There was something ridiculously satisfying about gliding the zip up and pushing the button through the hole. I stood up and did a few knee bends, reminding myself that walking like a bow legged cowboy wasn't part of the plan.

A white crew-neck T-shirt followed. It had that brand-new, straight-off-the-shop-shelf blindingly white glow, but I'd run through it through a wash cycle so it had that comforting fragrance of fabric softener. It smelled like home, even if home was an illusion. Maybe I just liked the smell. Was it lavender? Jasmine? I tugged it on over my head, wondering at the train of my own thoughts. Was I really contemplating fabric softener perfumes right now? I smiled a little, kind of amazed that I even could.

I left the jacket for now, and reached for my pride and joy - a pair of knee high vegan-leather boots. They'd cost me a shitload, but they were perfect. As I slid one foot in, then the other, I felt my smile grow. Hell yeah, I loved these boots.

I sat down on the chair that accompanied the desk in my room, and reached for the items I'd set out earlier. I started with the tinted moisturiser. I'd thought about using a proper foundation, but I found the moisturiser had a more natural feel. I could forget I was wearing it. Nothing about this look was supposed to be subtle, and comfortable wasn't what I was going for either, but damn it, I wanted to be... me. I wanted to feel real. Fan-bloody-tastic, but real.

I applied the eyeliner with a steady hand, grateful for the wonder that is Youtube and the people who put makeup tutorials on there. You really can find anything online these days.

I finished my makeup and speared gelled fingers through my hair. I was going for that carefully mussed look, the one that says I don't mind getting dirty, but also screams 'You want this!'

When I was happy with my hair, I anointed myself with a cacao and amber scent that made my senses tingle. I grabbed the jacket that matched the boots, and glanced around the room before sweeping the few items I'd used into a backpack and reaching for the door handle. Shoulders back, chin up. I looked amazing, and I knew it. Tonight was my night.

I walked down the stairs, and was nearly at the front door when my father yelled my name from the living room. "Liam!" I spun on one heel and cocked an eyebrow. "What the hell are you wearing?" he growled, looking me up and down. "You look ridiculous. Are you wearing makeup?" I nodded, smirking. "Boys don't wear makeup! You look like a goddamn girl! Tell him, Margaret. Tell him he looks like one of those pansy sissy boys. I didn't raise no goddamn pansy. Get back upstairs and wash your face."

I reached for the handle behind, and swung the door open. "No," I replied. I wasn't wasting emotion on this argument. Tonight I was embracing myself, and anyone who didn't like it could go screw themselves. I'd had enough of caring about other people's opinions.

"If you walk out of here like that, you can forget about coming back," he spat. I smiled. Goddamn predictable as always. Good thing I'd packed my shit and had somewhere else to stay.

"Don't wait up," I tossed over my shoulder as I sauntered down the drive. I ignored the blustering and smiled up at the evening sky. Oh yeah. Tonight was definitely the point of no return.


Written 9 July 2017