Runaway

Rachel walked through the mall and stopped in front of the salon. She pushed open the door and walked over to the desk. Rissa was sat behind it tapping a pen between her teeth. Rachel smiled as Rissa looked up at her.
“Hello,” Rachel said.
“Hi Rach,” Rissa smiled.
“I’m not late. Am I?” she asked.
“Nope, K isn’t even here yet. And she has a booking in half an hour,” Rissa thought.
“I’m here,” a woman said and walked inside. She was tall, thin and had trademark electric blue hair. “Who have I got, Rissa?” she asked.
“Mel at 9.30,”
“Okay, ready Rachel?” she asked.
“Sure,” Rachel nodded.
“Sorry, it’ll have to be quick,” K said. “Let’s go through to the back room,” she said. She started to lead Rachel into a piercing room and gestured for her to sit down. “By the way in case Rissa didn’t fill you in, I’m K,”
“Nice to meet you,”
“We haven’t long lost Becky but we need someone. Rissa said you seemed very enthusiastic and that you previously worked at a place like Carter’s which is always gives you a good shot,”
“Thanks. Carter’s was great but I think I’m ready to move on,” Rachel explained.
“Now, the only real way to decide whether I want to employ you is to give you a trial. Simple stuff with clients that won’t throw a bitch fit if you screw up,” K said.
“Great,” Rachel said.
“You can have Lauren. Just a full colour and cut,”
“Okay,” she agreed. They walked out and K gestured to a woman with brown hair and blonde roots waiting. Rachel approached her and smiled. “Hi, I’m Rachel. I’ll be doing you today,”
“Oh hey,” Lauren smiled.
“Why don’t you come over and tell me what you wanted,” she said and guided Lauren over to a free station.
“I normally have a really dark colour but I want to go a shade lighter this time,” she explained.
“We can do that,” Rachel replied as she put an apron and towel around her. “I’ll take a look at your file and mix up a colour for you,” she said and walked into the back room. Rachel asked Rissa for a hand and started to look for Lauren's file.
Rachel went into the back to wash her hands before K spoke to her. She saw her waiting by the till for her and walked over. “How did I do?” she asked anxiously.
“You did great actually,” K smiled. “Don’t worry,”
“So?” she urged.
“We’ll see you tomorrow,” she said lightly.
“Really?”
“Really. You know what you’re doing and gel well with us and the customers,” she explained. “Same time, you’re taking over from Becky,”
“Wow, thank you,” Rachel grinned.
“We’re happy to have you,” K said as he grabbed her bag. “You okay to lock up, Rissa? I need to get going,” she added.
“Sure,” Rissa shrugged.
K made her way out of the salon and Rachel waited for Rissa. Rissa turned everything off and grabbed a set of keys.
“What are you doing tonight?” Rissa asked casually.
“Looking for apartments,” Rachel replied as they walked out. Rissa locked the door and Rachel helped her pull down the shutters.
“Where are you staying now?”
“Oh, with a friend I recently made,”
“Do you want a lift there? I know public transport sucks,”
“That would be great actually,” she smiled.
“Cool. I need to go into hot topic first,” Rissa explained.
“Okay, what do you need?” she asked politely.
“My ass of a boyfriend put my Of Mice and Men shirt in with his stuff. He then shrunk it,” she rolled her eyes.
“Okay,” Rachel laughed.
They walked into hot topic and Rissa walked over to a section of band shirts. Rachel looked through them lazily and stopped in front of one. She looked at it and laughed. There was a picture Vic, Mike, Jaime and Tony on it.
“You a fan?” Rissa asked.
“I’ve never even heard them play,”
“They’re awesome, you have to listen,” she said as they went to pay.
“I sort of know them,”
“You know them?” Rissa echoed.
“I met them on my way out of LA. That’s the friend I’m staying with. It’s Vic,”
“Oh my gosh,” she muttered as she handed her money over. “How great am I at choosing friends,”
“Don’t go stalking them or anything,” Rachel joked.
“I’m considering it,” she replied. “What are they like?” she asked as they walked out of the shop.
“They’re great. All so friendly and open. And Tony is the best,”
“Who’s your favourite?”
“I don’t have a favourite,” Rachel laughed.
“Come on, who would you hook up with given the chance?”
“Rissa!” she gasped.
“There’s got to be one you think is really hot,”
“I’m not saying,” Rachel smiled slyly.
“I’ll tell you,” she said as they reached Rissa’s car. “I would happily get on Mike. He can do whatever he wants to me,”
“You have a boyfriend,” Rachel reminded her.
“If Dan wants to watch he can,” she teased. “Rach?” she urged as she drove out of the car park.
“Fine, Tony,” she sighed.
“I knew it! And the great thing is you actually have a chance with him, unlike everyone else on this earth!”
“Take a right then left here,” Rachel instructed. “I don’t know, I’m not good with dating and he’s a little shy as well,”
“Just run up to him, grab his face and make out with him,”
“You’re not very subtle,” Rachel mocked. “It’s just here,” she said and Rissa pulled up against the sidewalk. “Thanks,”
“Be ready at eight. I’ll pick you up tomorrow,” Rissa offered.
“Sure,” she said and got out of the car.
“And if you see Tony, remember by advice,” Rissa said.
“Bye,” Rachel said and rolled her eyes. She waved and Rissa drove away.
She walked up the path and knocked the door. Vic answered and smiled. He let her in and followed her into the sitting room where Tony was watching t.v. “So?” Vic urged as she sat down next to Tony.
“I got the job,” she told them.
“That’s brilliant,” Vic said and hugged her briefly. Once they had pulled away Tony looked at her and frowned stiffly. Vic walked to the kitchen and Rachel looked at Tony again.
“Are you okay?” Rachel asked gently.
“I’m fine,” he shrugged.
She shuffled closer to him and placed her hand on top of his. He looked down and then away. She gently stroked his fingers and felt him shiver. Rachel saw the hairs on his arms stand up and she stroked them down.
“There,” she breathed.

Notes

Hey! What did you think? You've met Rissa more. Do you like her? And what's going on with Tony? Any predictions? :)