𝑨 𝑫𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑴 𝑰𝑺 𝑨 𝑾𝑰𝑺𝑯 𝒀𝑶𝑼𝑹 𝑯𝑬𝑨𝑹𝑻 𝑴𝑨𝑲𝑬𝑺

𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑷𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝟏𝟖

"If you're lifting brown dye from your hair," Chad began in confusion, watching Delphina examine the array of hair dye in front of her while shopping bags rested on her arms. "Why would you need blue hair dye?"

Delphina shrugged at the question, picking up a brand of dye to look at its ingredients list. "Basic hair chemistry. There's a bunch of stuff about oxidation and hair follicles, but basically, certain colors cancel each other out. Green cancels out red and blue," She picked up a hair dye that finally seemed to satisfy her. "Cancels out brown." Delphina piled more boxes of the hair dye into her arms before moving on, in search of a color lifting shampoo.

"And you're sure you won't, like, create mustard gas on your scalp from mixing two different products?" Ben asked warily, making Delphina snort and roll her eyes, nodding.

"Positive. Now help me carry this stuff." She ordered, handing several shampoo bottles off to Ben and Chad.

"Do you really need this much?" Chad grunted softly, struggling to maintain the growing amount of bottles in his arms. Delphina looked over her shoulder, giving Chad an 'are you kidding me' look.

"My grandmother has been layering brown dye on my hair for ten years to get rid of my natural hair color, and you think it'll just snap back in one dye process?" She asked dryly. Audrey snorted and Chad rolled his eyes, mocking Delphina in a high-pitched, childish voice. Delphina sneered playfully, mocking him back while Ben just rolled his eyes and Audrey kept laughing.

"Oh, you're both children." Ben muttered as a pair of footsteps approached the group.

"'Children' is too nice." A familiar voice snarked and the quartet groaned simultaneously. Sam and Sloane White approached them, both fresh out of a hair appointment. "'Immature little rats' is more appropriate." Sloane teased, glaring condescendingly at the small group of friends.

Delphina feigned confusion, tilting her head at the twins. "You know insults aren't supposed to apply to yourself, right?" She asked innocently. Chad, Ben, and Audrey all stifled laughs, making Sloane's smug smile drop.

"What are you even doing here, Tremaine?" Sam cut in harshly. "This place doesn't cater to the likes of you." He spat. With the look he was giving her, Delphina assumed he was trying to stare her down, but she just gazed back at him, bored and annoyed.

"It's a hair salon, Sammy." She stated dryly. "I'm pretty sure it can cater to everyone."

Audrey gasped, as if realizing something, and grabbing Delphina's shoulder gently. "Even spoiled assholes that get off on harassing other people!" She exclaimed, eyes bright with fake excitement and shaking Delphina's arm playfully. Delphina chuckled and Sloane's glare increased tenfold.

"You're one to talk about getting people off, Beaumont." She began to laugh obnoxiously, looking Delphina up and down. "Seriously, what fetish were you feeding when you put her in this? I don't know what closet you're trying to hide in, but it's made of glass at this point." She scoffed, shaking her head and giving Audrey a pitiful look.

Delphina made a noise of incredulity, turning and expecting Audrey to return the disbelieving look, but paused. Instead of scoffing, Audrey's face had gone slack and her hand left Delphina's arm, going limp at her side. Delphina frowned softly, concern washing over her face as she watched Audrey's breathing pick up slightly.

"Audrey, hey..." She lifted a hand to rest it on Audrey's shoulder, but as soon as she did, Audrey pulled away from the contact as if Delphina had burned her. Worriedly, Delphina turned to Ben and Chad and nearly yelped at the sight. The princes were giving Sloane such a dark, harsh look, it managed to deeply unsettle Delphina and impress her at the same time.