Bizzare

16

Violet

I was sat in between my mums legs as she finished applying texturiser to the roots of my hair. I felt 7 years old again, sitting cross legged in front of the TV in our living room.

"Thanks, mum." I said, standing up and stretching out my legs.

"It's alright, as long as Sade never tries to relax your hair again." She replied, attempting to hold back her laughter.

I internally kissed my teeth. Sade's ace at doing hair, but no one should trust her with any chemicals whatsoever, be it hair dye, or relaxer; she's dangerous in more ways than one.

"Mum, it's actually not funny." I muttered, packing up the rest of the texturiser.

"Who asked you to do busy body? That should teach you to always listen to me!" She laughed.

I gave her evils when her back was turned, remembering how Sade left me edgeless when I asked her to relax my hair in year 10 when mum was at work. It took a while for my edges to fill out, I had to make do with middle part weave.

I looked back at mum, who was really trying to cover up her shrieks of laughter, but failed and only ended up laughing even more. I rolled my eyes and headed upstairs into the bathroom, bottles of shampoo and conditioner in hand and proceeded to wash out the texturiser myself.

**

I combed my straightened hair into a low middle part ponytail, grinning at the length my hair had now reached.

"TEMITAYO?"

"YES MUM?" I called back.

No answer.

"TEMITAYO?!" She repeated, louder this time.

"YES MUM?!"

No answer. I closed my eyes momentarily and rubbed my temple with my index and middle fingers, looking up and asking God for strength. This is one of the reasons why I preferred mum to do night shifts.
I went down the stairs and met mum in the hallway, one of her eyebrows raised. I reflected her facial expression and she stifled a small smile.

"You have a visitor." She stated.

"Okay....?"

"Marie's son, Ethan?" She said, tilting her head a little as I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed.

"Is there any thing I should know?"

"No, mum. Every thing is fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Honestly. Where is he?"

She pointed at the living room door and made her way into the kitchen, probably going to eavesdrop, no doubt.
I looked up at the ceiling for a while before entering the living room, looking at Ethan sitting with his right leg over his left thigh, one arm resting on the sofa, iPhone in the other hand, scrolling though God knows what, whatever it was, it made his face screw up into a scowl.

"Ethan." I sighed.
His head turned towards me in an instant, face visibly softening.

"Vi, I-"

"Violet." I corrected.
He sighed and stood up from his seat, now facing me. I rolled my eyes and leant against the wall beside the door.

"How can I help you? You need help with some photography?" I asked.

He looked at me with confusion plastered all over his face, which I presume was because of my polite tone of voice.

"What are you-"

"Oh, you wanna go outside for a bit? Come we go." Quickly spinning around, I opened the door living room door, a perplexed Ethan following behind me.