Over the summer, Gilbert was okay with wallowing in his own filth. He didn't have to leave his room and he didn't have to deal with anyone. He'd hide in his room for weeks at a time, emerging pale and weary on occasion for meals. He'd once gone a month without bathing before his father barged into his room, dragged him upstairs and locked him in the bathroom.

Sometimes, Gilbert could find ways to avoid his father when these instances occurred. He'd hide in various places around the house, though by this point in his summer routine the smell could give him away, so he would have to find more out of the way places to hide. He'd hidden in the crawlspace for nearly five hours last summer. Anything to get out of taking a shower.

It wasn't that Gilbert had anything against showering, or being clean or not smelling like a sewer. It was his own body he couldn't stand. He didn't want to have to look at himself. He didn't want to have to deal with what came after; Gilbert wasn't a fan of crying. He avoided it as much as possible, but smelling like he had curled up next to something dead was not an option during the school year. So, he forced himself to endure it once a week; the bare minimum he could get away with.

Tomorrow he would start his senior year.

He was barricaded in the bathroom for his mandatory pre-school shower. He wasn't so unhappy about it though. It gave him less of a chance to chicken out. His long white hair was pulled back into a ponytail. He held the scissors open, poised just above the band that trapped his hair. He took a deep breath and cut. The long strands still caught in the rubber band fell limply to the ground. He ran his fingers through his new, shorter locks, and he felt lighter. He met the eyes of his reflection, and smiled. He continued to snip away at his hair, evening it out. With each little strand that hit the floor, he felt the vice of his body lessen just a little. His smile stretched into a grin.

Tomorrow he would start his last year of high school, but he would start it on his own terms. He would be Gilbert tomorrow for the first time out in the open. He would be Gilbert and he would be so awesome that no one would even remember Maria.

This the prologue for a story I am in the midst of writing. If any of the ideas or implied ideas in this story offend you, I'm sorry. It was not my intention. It is however my story, and I will include whatever I like in it. Thank you for reading.