Taken by the Ice King

Ep3: Daphne

By the time I'm satisfied that I don't look like I just crawled out of a gutter, I hear a rapid knocking at my door. I can feel the energy of the 100 sun rays that emit from Sonya on a daily basis before I even opened the door.

"Oh my god! Oh my god! You finally did it! You're finally free! We can celebrate a new start for you!" She dances into my apartment, pulling me along with her, bouncing up and down. Pretty sure I can hear my brain rattling around.

"Sonya, there is no new start yet. I quit literally an hour ago. I have no idea where I'm going to work or what to do." I sit in my old recliner and put my head in my hands. My friend kneels down in front of me, her sun beams dimmed a bit by my despair.

"But you'll figure it out, you always do! I'll help you! You know I will," She smiles and takes my hands in hers.

"Sonya, you've already helped me so much. I wouldn't have even known how to dress for interviews without you. I couldn't ask you to do anymore for me." Sonya rolls her eyes and sits back on her legs.

"Well, it's a good thing I didn't ask. Come on, try one more time!" She pumps her hands in the air with each word to emphasize her message.

"I try so hard, Sonya, but I just can't get anywhere. It's like my mother left a hole when she died. My father fell down it, and he is dragging me along with him." I run my hands through my hair as the reality of my life sets in. I don't want to be stuck in this town for the rest of my life, but everything I do to try to get out gets me nowhere. I look up, and I see Sonya looking down at me with a stern stare with her arms crossed over her chest. Once she sees that I'm looking at her, she throws her arms up and puts the back of her hand against her head as if she is feeling faint.

"Oh, poor little me, poor Daphne. Life has dealt me a bad hand, so I'm going to give up hope of things ever getting better." She remains still for a few seconds before stealing a look. Annoyance must be apparent on my face because she collapses on the floor in a pile of giggles and curls. I've always been envious of her blonde curls and her chocolate brown eyes. She is just so pretty and happy and for the life of me I will never understand why she chose to be my friend.

It was like one day she just noticed I was there. That day in the cafeteria was a pivotal day for me. We had just finished our mile for P.E. and, like usual, I smoked most of the boys, but my hair had become a sad rats' nest. This was normally the point that I would just cut it short. I had gotten decent at cutting my hair since I could never untangle all of my hair after running a mile or playing a game of soccer or whatever. Between the wind, rain, and sweat, it was just impossible. Or so I thought.

I remember she came up behind me and took my hair in her hands. I froze, anticipating her to bully me, degrade me or to harass me in some manner. But instead she took her time, detangling, brushing and then braiding my hair. Not saying a word. Just caring for me, then walked away. The next day, she brought a bag with a fruity shampoo and conditioner, detangler, a leave in conditioner, and a hair oil.

I never knew my hair could feel or look so good. She showed me how to use everything and in what order. She even got me a cute little hair towel to help dry it after a shower. I had gotten so used to the snarls and tangles that I thought that was just my life. All my dad ever bought was a 3 in 1 shampoo/conditioner/soap. Sonya opened up the world of feminine body care and hygiene for me. More and more afternoons were spent over at her parent's house when I wasn't working at the little chicken place in town.

My first job wasn't glamorous by any means, but it was what I needed to buy my own things and to feel like I had finally come alive. I had been living in the shadows for so long that it was like I didn't really know who I was. I found that I did not like men's hand-me-down clothes. I preferred twirl skirts, sparkles, hair accessories and so much more I never knew about. I often think about what my life would've been like had I not met Sonya.

"Hello? Earth to Daphne? Your chariot to epic fun times awaits!" Sonya says in a sing-song voice as she breaks me from my trance.

"Right, yeah. Okay, well, let's escape for a little while to a winter wonderland," I say reluctantly as I give her my hands. With a squeal, she pulls me up before twirling me around to push me to the door. She probably thinks I'll change my mind if she doesn't keep the pressure on me. While I would love to stay home... I owe her. So much more than she'll ever know.

We make it down the steps and to her SUV. Her dad honestly spoils her, but she has such a big heart you would never know she is a daddy's little girl.

"You are going to die over your dress, you're gonna look like an ice princess!! Oooo we could even do your make-up icy/frosty vibes, ya know?" I have to admit. It all does sound fun. Why not have one night to myself to have fun? I think I can muster up enough strength to make it through a Christmas party. At least this one has ball gowns and not ugly sweaters.

"What does your dress look like?" I ask eagerly. Sonya always has some of the most outrageous outfits for Christmas, and she is always trying to outdo last year's looks.

"Girl, I'm going to look like a piece of Christmas candy in hopes that maybe someone will appreciate how delicious I am." She licks her lips while waggling her eyebrows.

"You are insane," I laugh.

"And you're no fun. Maybe tonight will be the night for you to have some horizontal bugaboo fun with a handsome man," she says in an overly seductive but cheesy voice. Oh right, because I am soooo desirable. Being the social outcast of the century means that only men like Jimmy find me attractive, and he's literally been the only one to pursue me at all.

There was only one other man. I met him in the park a few months back. We met a couple of times, and I was hopeful it could turn into more. But I suppose when you just sit on a park bench and smile at each other, it makes sense when it goes nowhere. I haven't seen him since the last week of September. I still go to the park sometimes to see if he is there so I can work up the courage to talk to him but... he never was.

"I don't think that will happen but, maybe a dance would be nice." The car comes to a stop and Sonya looks at me at the stoplight just before her parent's road.

"Girl, if any man can resist you with how good you're going to look... It should be a crime. In fact you will look so good that it will be a sin for them to resist you!" She laughs as she makes the final turn.

"If you say so," I say as I roll my eyes. I can hardly wait to see what this dress looks like.