April 1973

My life had become a constant routine of working at the record shop and then walking straight to the bus stop to go to Josh's house for rehearsals. Harry must have noticed I didn't want to go home because I would try to keep him at the diner every night longer and longer.

I learned so much from him and began picking up bad habits like cursing and sitting the way he does. I saw different sides to him, sometimes he was funny and charismatic; other times he was a perfectionist who didn't tolerate stupidity.

"You okay?" He asked one night as I stared at the front door of my house. At this point, I kept contemplating if I should even go back home. How could a man of God be so evil?

It began with him trying to kiss me and then his hand on my ass when we sang in church. He began yelling at me and my mother wouldn't say a word, because suddenly she didn't have to work and he had all the bills paid. I would purposely wait to come home late and even slept with the door locked, too afraid of what he might do.

"I'm fine, thank you for the ride." I pulled out ten dollars for gas.

Of course, he shook his head quickly. "Don't worry about it Deb, I'll see you tomorrow at practice. Remember we have our first show on Saturday." I gulped and nodded. "What are you planning to wear?" I shrugged. "Well, I'm sure you'll look great." He touched my knee and I flinched away.

"Don't touch me!" He backed away quickly and apologized. "No- ugh I'm sorry I just- I have to go." I opened the door and ran inside.

It was now Friday and I was nervous because tomorrow we had the first show, and I had never felt worse about myself. My hair was ugly and bland, my clothes sucked, and I felt sick. I packed a bag for the next day and quickly shoved it under my bed as my mother walked in. "Debra, time for dinner," she said sternly.

"I'm not hungry." I heard a dramatic sigh from her as she shut the door and sat on my bed.

"Debra I don't know what your issue is these past few weeks. You aren't eating, you're working and coming home so late." I looked away. "Your father thinks-"

"My father is dead! How fucking dare you call that sicko my father!" I had snapped. She gasped slapping me across the face. At that moment I lost my temper and slapped her back. I never wanted to hurt my mother but she had it coming with all her rules and cruel jokes.

She stared at me with tears in her eyes and left the room. I couldn't stay here anymore, and I knew that the moment I heard loud footsteps coming up the stairs.

I locked my door and ran to my closet getting some extra clothes and my records. I grabbed the photo of my father and opened the door to my bedroom to be stopped by Roy.

"Where do you think you're going!?" He shouted.

"Anywhere the hell away from here!" He grabbed my arm but I kneed him in the balls. "Don't ever touch me again you sick fuck!" I grabbed my things and pushed my mother out of the way towards the front yard. With my bag in one hand and my Led Zeppelin albums in the other, I began running down the street. I ran until I reached the record store and ran in.

Scotty stood by the counter talking to a group of guys I soon realized was the band. Mitch turned when he heard the bell of the door go off and smacked Harry's back. "What?" He turned and saw me quickly going to my side. "Deb- hey what's wrong? What happened?"

I dropped my bag and placed the vinyl down on a table hugging him. "She slapped me- he kept touching me- Don't make me go back!" I cried into his arms. I felt his arms hold me, protecting me from the world.

"No one will ever touch you, Debbie, I'll kill them, do you understand." He whispered walking me towards his car.

Harry

Debbie always talked fondly of this Scotty person and since I needed to hear this new Pink Floyd album that was supposed to be really good if you get stoned; I decided why not go and support Debbie's job. Maybe I hoped to see our lead singer there and maybe drive her to rehearsal.

Mitch made fun of me the whole way there and giggled with Josh when I asked where Deb was.

But then when she came in crying I was angry because someone had hurt her and I could tell by the mark on her face and the bruises forming on her beautiful pale skin.

I drove her to our apartment even after she insisted she was fine to rehearse for the show the following day. "Let's get some food in your system and you can stay in my room." She smiled and nodded as we walked into our ugly empty apartment.

I wasn't a messy guy but I was still a guy and had a bunch of crap thrown around. I didn't have sheets on my mattress so I pulled some new ones I got from some girl that liked me and wanted to be nice. Debbie ate quietly after a shower in my oversized t-shirt. I may have run to the diner down the street and asked for a stack of pancakes for her.

After she ate them and sipped from my flask- weird combination but can't say I haven't done it- she placed the take out box aside and looked up at me. "Do you want to talk or do you want to sleep?" She began playing with the ends of her hair and looked down.

"Do you know I'm not allowed to have short hair, because women have to be in pretty dresses and have long hair and wear stockings- fucking stockings." She slurred.

"That's bull, you look way better with your cool striped pants." She giggled and I had a thought. I could tell she hated her long hair and it would always get in the way. "Deb, you should cut your hair." she smiled pulling her long light brown hair forward and looking at it.

"Do you think I'll look okay?" I nodded.

"You'll be beautiful." She stood carefully walking to the half-broken mirror in my room. The damage was done during a night drinking. She looked at herself in the mirror and sighed.

"I want my hair like Marilyn Monroe, blonde and short." I raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah?" She nodded turning to me. "We can do that, you'll look cool." She smiled big running and jumping into my arms.

"I feel safe with you Harry." I smiled picking her up and hugging her tightly. She was becoming my favorite person to be around.

"I'm glad. Do you want me to call Lana over? She bleached pink's hair." Her eyes widened and she looked again in the mirror.

"Okay then, yeah I'm gonna do it." I nodded as I watched her nervously play with her hair. "I want to be like a rockstar Marilyn, would be so cool." She got giddy and then something seemed to get her attention on her arm. Her smile faded as she gently touched the bruises that scattered her soft skin.

I walked up to her and lifted her chin to look up at me. I leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her nose making her blush. "You are my priority as of now Debra May." She rolled her eyes. "Debbie, my bad."

"Call Lana, I want to do this now." She walked past me to the bed where she took another swig of alcohol.

Lana was happier than a child on Christmas when Deb told her how she wanted her hair. She had tied Deb's hair in sections and placed the scissors to the bundle in the front but was stopped as Deb yelled. "Wait no! Okay-" she took a deep breath. "Okay go." She shut her eyes as Lana snipped off a chunk. I heard a squeal from Deb who reached for my hand and squeezed it.

Piece by piece she cut it and began adding the chemicals to a mix. It was getting late and sooner or later I fell asleep in my bed while they stayed up with Mitch and did her hair.

I was awakened the next morning when I felt someone poking my forehead. "Harry?" I groaned and felt a fingernail digging into my skin. "Ow, what?"

"We just finished fixing it how does it look?" I opened my eyes and she looked at me with big eyes and a head full of blonde hair.

I stared at it as I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes. "What time is it?" She rolled her eyes.

"You hate it?" Her voice flat.

"No it looks- wow you look so- wow." She giggled pushing the hair behind her ear and smiling.

"Thank you." She leaned in and I moved forward to press a kiss to her lips. She gasped pulling back and awkwardly giggled. "I was uh- I was going to kiss your nose- like you did."

"Oh shit sorry." She yawned and sat on the mattress. I could tell she was bothered so I apologized. "It was just a kiss, no biggie."

Then I heard her whisper. "It was my first kiss." I felt bad because she seemed like someone who wanted her first kiss to be special. I pulled her back as she laid beside me and stared into her eyes.

"I'm sorry." She smiled gently. "Can I give you a do-over?" She bit her lip and nodded. Slowly, my head lowered so I could run my lips against hers gently at first. I captured her bottom lip between mine and moved against hers. Her hand went to the back of my head as she kissed me back.

She was all I could think about now.

Thanks for reading. Xx

-k