Flora’s P.O.V
“Ugh!” Ruth groaned as she steered the car to the right to get to another parking space. “Why aren’t there separate parking’s for bikes? They take up an entire car space!”
“There’s another opening two cars ahead!” I warned her as I looked behind me at the steadily approaching SUV. “Quick! Get it before they do!”
Ruth steadily maneuvered her truck into the thankfully ‘bike-free’ parking space and killed the gas. Hopping out of the truck after locking it, both of us stretched our hands and feet, glad to be out of the car after four whole hours.
“Damnit!” Ruth massaged the back of her neck. “We really do live in the middle of nowhere!”
“Which is for our own good,” I reminded her. “Now…exactly how much money did you manage to bring? I’m thinking of getting some new clothes and shoes, maybe? You?”
“I’m in for some spa action and a makeover.” She swayed her head from side to side, making her hair bounce around her head. “Do you think I should curl them, cut them to shoulder length or get it dyed?”
“I think you should curl and get some highlights.” I suggested as we started walking the short distance to the mall. “Long hair really suits you. Red or blue? Your pick.”
“Oh dang, gurl!” Ruth bumped her hips to mine, a sly smirk on her face. “Look who’s turning into a fashion guru!”
“Oh, come on!” I shook my head. “It was just a suggestion.”
“So why not take your own suggestion for once and dye your hair.” Ruth flashed that smile again. “I think a dark red would look fab on you!”
“You think so?” I twirled a strand of my honey blonde hair around my fingers. I’ve never dyed my hair before and it was getting pretty long. Should I get a trim and get it dyed?
What would Clay think?
I shook that thought out of my head as soon as it appeared. “Let’s do it!”
Impulsive decisions were never my thing, but I could make an exception just this once. Maybe a little adventure will help me take my mind off of Clay and his relentless pursuit. Or the fact that I was caving in. Clay was right about one thing though, we were attracted to each other.
I wish I had someone to talk to about this. Ruth was my best friend, probably the best option for me to pour my heart out. But from her earlier statement that day, it was clear she wasn’t the correct person to talk to. But then…who could I trust with this secret?
The answer was: no one. I couldn’t tell anyone about Clay’s attraction towards me. He was about to turn twenty eight soon and before he did, even our school principal wanted to have a fling with him. He was the kind of man every woman desired and every man envied. So it was best if I kept our conversations tight lipped. It shouldn’t be too much of a problem, since I wasn’t the kind of person who had to constantly keep people updated about my life.
Four hours later, Ruth and I were almost done at the spa. We had gotten our hair dyed, all red for me and a metallic blue for her, and gotten our massages while we waited with tin foils in our hair. Refreshed, rejuvenated and far too excited for our own good, the stylist finished blow-drying our hair and turned us towards the mirror for a final reveal.
“AAAAHHHHHH!”
While I could hear Ruth screaming from the other side of the room, I stared at the mirror in fascination, unable to recognize the person staring back at me.
My hair was a dark apple red in colour and it brought the icy blue of my eyes into sharp contrast. Suddenly, the pale colour of my skin wasn’t a problem. My hair looked even more vibrant because of my skin colour. I looked like a completely different woman.
“You look absolutely stunning.”
I looked up at the hairdresser as she ran a comb through my hair one last time. “Really?”
“Absolutely!” The middle aged woman grinned at me. “The colour is perfect for your skin tone. You should keep doing touch ups every three months or so and remember not to get it wet within the next twenty four hours.”
“Thank you.” I smiled at the kind lady and stood up from my chair, admiring myself in the mirror one last time before I went to find Ruth.
“AAAAHHHHHH!”
“Mother fu-fu-fudger!”
I placed a hand over my chest as my heart threatened to leap out and then gave Ruth my meanest glare possible, which faded as soon as I saw her new hairdo. “Holy cow!”
She had used metallic blue highlights all over her hair and she had cut it to shoulder length, before curling them into light waves. And the hair change had only brought out her beauty even more and I was sure she’d be even more popular than she was before.
“We look stunning, girlfriend!” Ruth whipped out her phone from her pocket and took a selfie before turning the camera towards me. “Come on, gimmi something fab.”
Since I wasn’t much of a picture person, I awkwardly posed with my hands on my hips as Ruth took a couple pictures of me and then of us together.
After we were done at the Salon, we paid our bill and then went cloth shopping. I didn’t have too much money left after the salon treatment but Ruth helped me get some awesome clothes at Target at a really cheap price. And then we got our fill of pack supplies as well as groceries for Ruth’s mom to cook her signature dished. At the end of our shopping spree, we were left with five carts of stuff which we then took with us to the truck and began loading it in.
“Sooo…” Ruth said a bit hesitantly as she placed the last of the bags inside the trunk and locked it shut. “How are things going with Clay?”
She must have noticed my weary expression because she immediately started apologizing. “I’m really sorry about what I told you the other day.” She scratched her neck awkwardly. “You’re my best friend and if the hottest guy in our pack is attracted towards you, then I’m happy for you…even though I am a hell lot jealous. But hey, Clay is his own person and if he has chosen you then he couldn’t have chosen wiser. Please forgive my big babblemouth? I hate that you’ve gone all quiet and reserve on me, it makes me feel alone.”
It felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulder as I smiled genuinely and pulled her into a hug. “Thank you for saying that. And I could never distance myself from you, pumpkin! You’re my best friend!” I reassured her truthfully. “But I was worried that I might have upset you and that you like Clay as well…”
“Honey,” Ruth pinched my cheeks before smiling slyly. “Every woman with a functional libido would love Clay; he’s one fine hunk of a man! But that doesn’t mean we start calling dibs. He is his own person and he chose you! Just…keep thing pg-13 while informing me, alright?”
“Alright!” I blushed at the mention of sex. Was it so obvious that we were going to end up in bed together?
“Oh, dear!” Ruth gasped at that moment, spinning me around to face the other side of the parking lot. “Speak of the devil and he shall appear.”
And that was when my eyes connected with emerald orbs with more than a hint of desire in them.