Friends with Benefits

Fifteen.

"Sarah? Your two o'clock is here." The receptionist, Maggie, announced to me. I thanked her, locked my phone and set it on the countertop. I walked over to the young brunette and held out my hand, introducing myself.
I have been working for one of the best salons in Dallas, Dear Clark, for three months now. The time flies when your boss loves you, clients rave about you around the town and your coworkers are your best friends. And of course, Mykie works there too.
I motioned my client, Stephanie, to my chair with my hand. I offered her the usual of tea, coffee or water.

"I'll have a piece of that!" She pointed to the framed photo of me and Tyler from Family Skate Night at the American Airlines stadium on my counter. I shyly giggled.
"Heh. That's my boyfriend, Tyler."
"Damn. The good looking ones are always taken." Mykie paused from curling her clients hair to listen to our conversation. "Does he have any brothers? Or do I need to steal him from you?" Stephanie laughed boisterously. I smiled until she dropped her eyes to her phone. "How long have you two been together?" She pried. I draped a Dear Clark gown over her and tightened it at her neck.
"Six months."

"Still fresh." She rebutted. Mykie frowned her brows at Stephanie. I shook my head at her. "What does he do?"
"He's a hockey player."
"That explains the photo. Long distance then? Canada? Michigan?"
"No, here in Dallas. He's the alternate captain for the Dallas Stars."
"Usually hockey players steal girlfriends so let's hope he wouldn't mind me stealing him!" Her deafening laugh angered Mykie again. I instructed Stephanie to head over to the shampoo station. I made sure she was out of earshot.

"Mykie, don't listen to her. I get this shit all the time from puck bunnies." I whispered violently.
"Puck what-ies?"
"Puck bunnies!" I checked again to make sure nobody was listening. "Trust me, I don't care." I was telling her the truth and she could tell. She nodded her head, returning to her client. The hockey season had started back up again a few weeks ago. This time, Tyler and I were actually official. That meant a lot of his fans finding out he's off the market. That meant a lot of interesting words being said to me on social media. And now, in person.
Regardless of what they thought of me or our relationship, Tyler and I were going strong. We spent the entire summer together. We went to his lake house on any weekends I had off from work. I stayed at his house with his dogs when he was gone for away games. He helped me get the job after referring me to the owner of the salon, who happens to be a huge Stars fan.
A few nights ago, Tyler brought up the conversation of marriage and asked if I would get married one day. Being as we were both only 24, I told him the truth. I would only get married if the person asked my father for my hand in marriage. Since Tyler was a romantic at heart, his response made me turn into mush: 'I need to meet your dad soon.'
Thinking back to that night and the amazing sex we had after the talk, in his pool, I couldn't control my cheeks filling with color and smiling  uncontrollably. I had already stopped listening to the nonsense Stephanie was blabbing about while I rinsed out the shampoo from her hair.

Stephanie praised my work. She flipped her now caramel colored hair around. I thanked her for the praise and explained how she could pay. She handed me $100 in cash.
"This is only because I got to stare at that photo the whole time. Thanks, doll!" Her loud heels clanked away as she headed up to the front desk.
I sat in my chair, exhausted. It was a long four hour process on Stephanie's hair and my feet were apparent of that. I noticed my phone lit up again. It was constantly lighting up with notifications throughout the four hours of work but I never checked as to why.
I extended my arm to grab my phone. The screen lit up again with another text from Tyler.

"Seven missed texts and three missed calls?!" I gasped. Mykie gulped down the rest of her water.
"He smelled the puck bunny." She dodged my swinging arm.
"Shadap." I said to her in a crappy Boston accent.
"Nah, you shadap!" Her fake Boston accent was better since she was originally from Philadelphia. I giggled at her, unlocking my phone to read the texts in my head: