For What It's Worth

Chapter Eleven : Fantasy

"Yep?" I call out, moving the wand onto my other eye.

"Some of your washing was stuck in the dryer." Thomas slinks into the room. I frown, glancing over the top of the mirror.

He's swinging a black pair of lacy underwear around his finger with a low whistle as he saunters towards me. Standing up, I manage to snatch them off him, my cheeks sucked in like something sour is sat on my tongue.

"Sexy." He wiggles his eyebrows.

"Thanks." I respond, unimpressed, stuffing them into a drawer.

"Got anymore of those?" He peers into it, towering over me. I slam it shut, turning back on him like I'm guarding it. He smirks at me. "Fancy modelling some?" He suggests with a cheeky shrug.

I roll my eyes, ignoring the fluttering butterflies in my stomach by busying myself with shoving everything I need into my bag.

"I've got work." I throw the strap over my shoulder and stand right before him. It feels like a challenge. His green haze of a stare makes my knees feel weak but I stay strong, shifting taller.

"So later?" Typical Thomas King.

"Fuck you." I return with half a smile that I'm desperately trying to repress. His tongue edges out between his teeth cheekily.

"Yeah? When?" He tilts his head, biting on his lip, toying with me. I keep my composure even when my throat tightens. I pass him.

"Right, get out." I hold the door open for him and thankfully, he leaves.

"That wasn't a no by the way." He laughs, moving forward as I click the door shut behind him. Flicking my hair out from underneath the bag strap, I pace down the hall away from him, heading out.

"Don't go in my room." I instruct over my shoulder.

"Still isn't a no!" He calls as he falls out of sight. I smile to myself, letting out a heavy, shaky sigh.

**

The first hour of work is fun, we aren't usually too busy until midday so we spend the beginning of my shift catching up and talking. We often reference back to Wesley's party, especially that jackass who gave Eva hard time. Both of them laugh it off, finding it hilarious. The bell on the front door rings and Eva goes off to deal with the customer. While she's away, Violet lowers her voice.

"I never had chance to thank you for sticking up for Eva." She leans into my side. I smile.

"Of course, no worries." The sound of high heels against the floor interrupts the conversation and we turn to see Eva leading three girls into the salon.

The first of them, a slim blonde girl that I don't recognise. She has her long hair tied back low, the front of her bangs framing her pale oval face. She has thin pinks lips that match her rosy cheeks. The second is Lara Hyden. She her has wild ginger hair out of her usual bun, bouncing on her shoulders. And the third – of course – is Cassidy.

You've got to be kidding me.

"Here you go." Eva motions to three chairs in a row, in front of their own mirror. The girls take their places, Violet asserting herself behind Lara who sits in the middle.

"You again." Cassidy exclaims, dissatisfied. I throw her a polite but fake smile. She pulls her chair out, sitting down in it, flicking her hair around in the mirror. "So... I need these extension taking out, a deep conditioning, a bit of a trim, some honey tones added and then a blowout."

"Gotcha." I reply, running her hair through my fingers. It really does need a conditioning.

The three girls tap their nails against their phones while scrolling through their feed and answering text messages. They make sure to take a video so Instagram can see that they're best friends and went to the salon together.