Page 43 of Cut up
“It’s actually been really nice having you here. It’s gonna be less… bright, when you’re gone.”
“You gonna miss me Emerson?” She teases as she tilts her hip slightly and cocks her head. I trysohard not to check her out right now. She’s bloody sexy when she’s being cheeky. I wash my hands as I fill the sink up.
“I promise you that I will.” I tell her honestly. Because I know I will. I like her being here. She’s kind, funny, helpful and just such a light to be around. But… maybe when she moves out and she’s not living here, she might actually be open to beingmorethan just friends.
I wouldkillto be more than her friend.
To kiss her again.
To feel her tight heat clenching around me again…
Fuck. I’m getting hard.
Dammit. Stop Lucas.
A friend is what she needs right now. I can’t fuck this up for her. She needs to know she’s safe here.
I need to think about something else, anything else. I shut my eyes and when I open them again Camille is waving her hand in my face.
I blink, “Uh, what did you say?”
She laughs. “Thought I lost you there for a minute.” She tucks a stray piece of her hair behind her ear.
“I said that I’ll miss you too. But, we are going to stay friends, even when I don’t live here. You can’t get rid of me that easily.” She nudges my hip with hers, and then she bites her lip. I swallow hard.
“Well, that’s lucky. Because you can’t get rid of me either.” I nudge her hip back softly, making her giggle.
The sound of her laugh does something to my chest every single time, it’s like my heart’s doing cartwheels. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this feeling. When she’s happy, it’s like the whole world shines. I smile and tuck the hair that’s let itself free again. My touch lingers on her cheek. She looks up at me and swallows. Her eyes dart between my eyes, then drop to my mouth. She takes a step back, smiling and turns her head to look at Danielle and Tyler.
“I might go to bed. I have an early start tomorrow.” She yawns. “And I’m super tired.”
I want her to look at me like that again.
“Alright. Goodnight Angel.” I smile. She’s not wearing any makeup, so there is no hiding the blush that flushes her cheeks when she looks at me. She gives me a shy smile then walks over to the others, saying goodnight before she goes to her room.
26
Surfs up
It’s finally my turn to sit in the hairdressers chair. Sarah’s comb is brushing softly through my hair, as she stands behind me.
“How’s that length feeling, enough off?” She smiles at me through the mirror.
“Looks great, it really needed a trim. I even thought about chopping it all off after the break up. Butalas, I love long hair.” I run my fingers through the front, feeling the newly sharp edges, and how much healthier it feels. “I’ve actually been doing it myself since working here. Every time I asked for my hair to be done by the others, they said no.” I shrug. “I gave up asking eventually. But now you’re here, I canfinally get aproperhaircut.”
“I think they’d reject me too.” She admits. “I haven’t been here long enough to judge too much yet, but boy, do those women act like they’ve got something stuck up their arses.” She laughs. “I’ve worked in other salons with women like them though, so I’ve just learned to ignore them. It’s easier that way.”
“I know.” I huff. “The people pleaser in me hated not making friends with them, but it was honestly a pointless endeavour.”
“Well, now you got me here and I definitely like you Honey.”
Her words make me feel all warm and gooey inside. I love compliments, I’m just awkward at responding to them sometimes. Which is weird because I’m not actually a shy person.
“Thanks Sarah. That means a lot. Besides work, how are you adjusting to Coevey?”
“It’s great! I love how quiet it is. Everything’s so close by. Georgia’s already made some new friends too.” She gives my hair one last brush before taking the cape off.
“I’m so glad to hear that. It’s weird at first, going from a city to something this small, but it grows on you. I don’t think I ever want to move back to Brisbane,” I admit. Maybe if I was close with Mum’s parents, then I would want to. They still live there. But Mum chose not to speak to them after their fallout, over her pregnancy with me at seventeen. When I was older, Dad told me about them. He said they never supported her having a baby so young, and she told them that if they couldn’t support her choice, then they didn’t deserve to be in our lives. So I never had anything to do with them, and it’s not like they really tried after she passed away either. I haven’t seen them since her funeral.
