DYSFUNCTIONAL • [ D. BOSTICK ]

|1.| buzz cut

|1.| buzz cut

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"Make sure you get behind the ears." He says over the noise of the clippers, holding it flipped down for her.

"I still can't believe you're making me cut it all off." Nora mumbled. She liked Devon's hair long and curly. However, he didn't feel the same. The older he got, the more he hated it.

"You always cut my hair, Nora." Devon points out, letting go of his ear as she moved on from that section. "Yes, but never this extreme." Devon chuckled at her.

He felt itchy as all the fallen hair was on his shirtless body, he didn't like the sensation it gave. Nora had hair all along her arms as well, even some on her shirt. She didn't notice it as much as Devon did though.

"I think I'm done." She says softly, turning the clippers off. She tries brushing the hair off of him first with her hands, not getting very far. There was still a few small strands on him but for the most part, they were gone.

She worked on getting all the hair off of herself as Devon stood and inspected himself in the mirror.

He honestly almost didn't recognize himself. He didn't look like a geeky teenager anymore, he looked more like an adult in his early twenties despite the fact he was only nineteen.

"I look like I just got out of juvy." He says, brushing some hair off that was on his neck. "Thanks, Nora." He says, turning around and smiling at her. She looks up at him from brushing herself off.

"Don't get anyone pregnant." She says, smirking. Devon scoffs, "Oh, come on. Our kids will be cute." He jokes, holding her hips. He bent down and gave her a small kiss on her cheek and walked out of the small bathroom to get the broom.

Nora sighed softly, shaking out her shirt and brushing off her pants. She didn't realize how hairy he was until just now.

Deciding to just change, she walked over to her and Devon's bedroom. She closed the door halfway, seeing as he went into the bathroom with a broom and dust pan. She removed her shirt from her body before digging in her drawers for one, settling on an old graphic t-shirt. She didn't plan on going anywhere, and it was just her and Devon at the apartment.

She felt comfortable with him for some reason, it was rare she felt comfortable around anyone. She had walls miles high and a fragile heart, she wasn't going to let just anyone break it.

Devon was already done sweeping, he was making it back to their room. She was shuffling through drawers shirtless, he didn't mind the view.

She closed the drawer and he walked over to her, knowing she hadn't even noticed him. He pressed himself against her, earning a small gasp from her.

"Next time cut my hair wearing only this." He whispered in her ear, snapping her bra strap lightly.

She hummed lightly, turning around she she was facing him. There was a smirk plastered on his face. She stood on the balls of her feet and pressed a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth. "My mom will be back soon." She says, moving away from him and pulling her shirt over her head.

He sighed softly, looking at his watch. He groaned, "It's never fun when Melina's here, no offense." He whines.

"None taken." Nora says, sitting on her full sized bed that was against one wall. They shared a room for the most part, but there was only one bed. They alternated between who got the couch and who got the bed every night, or so their parents thought.

"Put a shirt on." Nora says, before going towards the kitchen.

They lived in a small two bedroom apartment, five people simply didn't fit in that space but nonetheless, they somehow made it work. Devon's father and Nora's Mother, Clayton Melina, both shared a room. Nora's little sister Kenzie usually slept with them unless Nora had the bed and she wanted to sleep with her.

However, lately, Kenzie had been staying at their grandparents house. They knew of the situation and didn't want Kenzie in that small cramped environment. Although, Kenzie came to visit fairly often.

Despite the arrangements, their parents weren't married. They had been together for over three years, but they never made anything official. In those years, they had ups and downs very many bumps.

They loved each other, but they were both dysfunctional.

Meanwhile, Devon and Nora got along well. At first, it was awkward, but when Clay got laid off and they had to squeeze into a smaller space, they were forced to see eachother more often. Through that, they became closer. An awkward sorta step-sibling relationship turned into a close friendship.

However, it was now more and more flirting. They both stayed home unless they were at their part-time jobs, and in that time, they were usually alone. They never did anything, but they did try or think about it.

Their parents were together, not married but together, and it made Nora apprehensive. Hell, the only reason their parents let them share a room was because they'd assumed Nora was a lesbian.

She had a girlfriend in the past, but knew she was bisexual. She didn't explain it to her parents because she barley was able to tell them about her girlfriend, but both Melina and Clay were accepting.

Devon, on the other hand, was a handful. He was a huge flirt, but most girls never showed any interest in him and the ones who did got their hearts broken. Devon was a teenage male, he could barely love himself let alone anyone else.

Nora was eating a bowl of cocoa pebbles when she heard a key enter the lock on the door. She soon heard it open and turned her head to see her mother. "Hey, mom." She says and Melina closes the door. Nora's mother then placed a small kiss on her forehead, "Hey, sweetheart." She says. She sets her keys in the bowl they held practically everyone's keys and let out sigh.

"I'm so tired." Melina says under her breath. Working double shifts at the hotel front desk had been taking a toll on the woman, but she had no choice. Clay still couldn't find a job and so she had to pull all the weight.

Yet, he was never home. She didn't know where he went other than to Alan's place and she barely knew if that's where he was for sure.

Melina then went to her bedroom, closing the door and locking it. She plopped down on her bed and kicked her shoes off, already dozing off.

Devon was on his phone, in his and Nora's room, when he noticed Melina was back already. He saw her go into her room from the corner of his eye and then went to the living room where Nora was.

"We should go somewhere." He says as he sits on the other side of the couch. The TV was on the Create channel, it was one of the few channels they even got. It was some cooking show Nora seemed to be into.

"I'm broke." She said, keeping her gaze at the television. It was a large flat screen, they got it as a gift. They usually watched movies or played games as they didn't have cable, but none of them minded much.

"Who says you need to be rich to have fun." Devon claims. Nora looked at him finally. "Where the hell do you even want to go? I have to be at work in a few hours." She puts the empty bowl of cereal on the coffee table, awaiting his answer.

"Just come on. Change into your work clothes." He says, getting up and then going into the bathroom. Nora sighed, knowing she wouldn't win against him.

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