such colors were meant to be seen , to help find a mate lost in a storm . i 'd found a black hair in my dessert-apple crumble with custard-and i could n't be sure if it was one of my own hairs or a lunch lady 's . my dad mentioned it last night . '' the door behind me starts shaking within its frame . now , she was gripping the covers beneath her chin and forcing her eyelids together , afraid of what she might see if she opened them . 