Chapter Text
College. The bane of my existence, and my biggest challenge so far. As much as I hated it some days, I never wanted to quit. Especially on the few days I was able to get a client instead of working on the stupid mannequins we had to work on constantly. Day after day, style after style and hour by hour, I creeped closer to my goal of being a beautician. Was it grueling? Yes. Far from glamorous? Surprisingly. But was it a challenge I wanted to beat? Duh! It was like my newest obsession, and I almost never wanted to quit it. But at the same time, I was glad it was my last semester before my state board exam.
I had almost all of my evaluations, and over 1300 hours so far. My theory class was coming along nicely, only a few minor projects left to complete this semester, and I had never been faster with wrapping a perm. As hard as it was, I had to admit, the hours and hours of theory and practice had more than paid off. I had even come first in a few contests for cosmetologists, which was amazing. I was so close. I had a job at a nice salon as the receptionist, less than two hundred hours to go, and just a few evals left to do.
Now I just needed the clientele to do so.
As I was finishing up my spiral perm with a simulated product on another mannequin, the day's receptionist came up to me with a ticket in hand. “Kira! Got a client for you!” I smiled, so genuinely, unbelievably glad I didn’t have to wrap another while I waited for this one to dry. Unless…
I looked at the ticket I was given.
Haircut, highlights and a manicure.
I sighed, relieved I didn’t have to do another perm right away. They took far too long for my liking. And I was amazing at manicures, having done so many at my last job as an apprentice.
“Thanks Em.” She nodded and walked back to the desk. I went ahead and set my station up for the consultation, and looked at my evaluation list. Just my luck, highlights were on that list! “Mrs Hawks!” I called out. The instructor in question in my zone for the day came my way a few seconds later, and I showed her the ticket. “I know this is a super long one, but I was wondering if I could do it as an evaluation anyways? I need highlights still, and who knows when I’ll get another.” I reasoned, and she smiled that contagious smile.
“If you think you’ve got it ladybug, I’ll let you do it. Just let me see it after, kay?” I nodded, excited.
“Thank you!” I looked at the list, and frowned.
“Something wrong honey?”
“Who in the world names someone ‘Baby’?” I ask.
“Huh? Let me take a look at that.” She looks, and sure enough, where the name is supposed to go, ‘Saja, Baby.’ Is written. “That’s so weird. Must be an odd nickname…” She didn’t sound super sure of herself, but we both shrugged it off. I’d talk with whoever this was about giving their real name if they come in again. Although, it’s probably too late now, since they’re more than likely in the system already as ‘Baby.’ Such a weird person.
“Saja, Baby?” I called out once I was all set up. I noticed the salon reception all had male clients, which was a first for us. We usually get women, especially older ones at that. But these men looked young. Like, under thirty, young. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t put off by it, but I was surprised.
A young man stood up from the chair, his hair shaggy and looked overdue for a cut. It was a bright teal, and I wondered how the hell was I going to give this guy highlights without stripping his hair of the semipermanent dye obviously in his hair. “Hi, I’m Kira, and I’ll be the one working on you today!” I said with a smile, pushing my concerns aside.
“Yeah, hey.” From what I could see of his face, his voice almost didn’t seem to match it. But that’s whatever. He seemed like he didn't even want to be in the salon, period.
I cleared my throat a little as I made sure my smile was still in place. “If you’d follow me to my station please?”
“Sure…” Again, with disinterest. As we walk the short distance, I look over the ticket again.
“Are you guys going to a show or something? A party?”
“Something like that.” He said evasively. My jaw tightened a little. He really wasn’t giving me anything to converse with him on. He’d better start to talk soon, or else this would be a long while.
“Have a seat.” I gestured to my chair, and grabbed the neck strip from my table. I rotated him in front of my mirror, and draped a towel over my arm. “Okay, I’m going to go ahead and drape you, then start the consultation. Be sure to let me know if I make this too tight.” I say, tying it around his neck loosely. He hums in acknowledgment, and I pull the hair free from under the strip. I drape the towel around his neck. “Hold that for a second please. Yeah, just like that.” I say as he does what he’s asked. I grab my shampoo cape and finish draping him in a flash. “You can let go of that towel now. I’ll redrape you when we move along to the cut and highlights, as those require different styles of draping.” He says nothing as I grab a rat-tail comb, pumping the chair up to my level, as he was now shorter than me, not that he was much taller than me in the first place. I take his hat off, and set it on the hook, before combing through his hair, and parting every now and then to take a look at his scalp. “Any history of dandruff, itchiness or any skin conditions?”
“No.”
“Medications, like bloodthinners, or anything that prevents you from washing your hair?”
“Nothing.” I hum, approvingly, and knowing I can shampoo his hair with no issues, I’ll have to before the service, as his hair feels like it hadn’t been shampooed in a few days.
“Do you have any idea what kind of haircut you want? We can do a shear cut, clippers, razor, or a mix of shear and razor.”
“Don’t care.” My smile tightens. I don’t think I’ve ever had a client this disinterested.
“Any style you want?”
“Do whatever. As long as I look good.” I shrug. Freestyle then. I hum, thinking, and tell him my plan.
“I’m going to go in with the shears to neaten you up then, followed by the razor to add texture and maybe a couple of small layers for volume. I think I’ll do the full head of highlights, but they’ll be very spaced out. I don’t know how I’m going to get around the semiperm color, but I’ll figure something out. We may have to tone your hair down once we reach a lighter level, and then I’ll use a demiperm color as a bit of a glaze. It will brighten this up, but leave the highlights lighter since with a demiperm, I can mix in a clear color that will fill the cuticle without darkening the rest as much. And for the manicure, we’ll talk about that when we get there.”
“Sure.” I decided on a cleansing shampoo, followed by the honey-almond shampoo and conditioner combo. Sure to go for dirty hair. Cleansing will clean out the dirt, while the honey almond combo, while also smelling amazing, will give his hair the moisture it obviously needs. I can barely pull on a strand without it snapping, telling me it craves moisture.
“Is it okay for me to take a before picture? I like to post them so employers can see what I can do.”
“Do whatever.” I snap a few photos on my phone, before putting it away.
“Alright, stand up and follow me please.”
“Huh? Where?”
“The shampoo bowls. If I clean your hair, the haircut will go smoother. Of course, I’ll do so again a few times today, for the coloring bit, but it’s easiest for me to cut, then color, that way I’m not wasting product.” I sit him down in a chair, and take a look from the side, before going in front and pulling the chair to me. He’s about as light as he looks, so I have no trouble moving the chair with him still in it. “I’ll be back in a moment. I’ve got to grab the products I’ll be using to shampoo your hair.” He says nothing as I walk to the dispensary to get what I need, and I come back just over a minute later with two towels, citrus spray, two shampoos and a conditioner. Leaning him back in the chair, I start the water and get to work.
He adjusts himself, and I hear chuckles as a guy with long pink hair walks by with my best friend, Lorey. “Well, someone’s getting the princess treatment.” He teases, who I’m assuming is his friend. I smile.
“Don’t sound so jealous. Lorey will be sure to give you the same.” She giggled.
“Kira, focus on your own client. He looks so tense.” I glance down.
“Alright, alright.” I turn my focus on him, as Lorey and the pink haired man walks to her own station. “Go ahead and close your eyes, okay? I’m gonna take good care of you.” I chuckle. “But I’m more than sure the last thing you’d like to see today is my chest in your face. It’ll make this less awkward, and more enjoyable, okay?” He sighs, and does as I ask. “Let me know if the water is too hot or too cold. I may ask you to lift your head every now and then so I can get your nape.” I warn as I adjust the water for my own preference to start, before easing it to his hair. He flinches, but I decide quickly to say nothing, as he’s not complaining. And once his hair is wet, I stop the water, open the cleansing shampoo, and start a lather in my hands. I start stroking his hair, working my fingers along his scalp, and I can almost see him relax. I start to gently scrub, and he sighs. “Feels good?” I ask, a slight chuckle in my voice. “Lift your head a bit, okay?” He does so and I scrub the hair at the back of his neck, and I can feel some sort of grumble. That’s… new. I shrug it off though, and keep going, before rinsing his hair.
“Is it over?” He asks, sounding disappointed.
“Nope. One more round of shampoo, and then the conditioner. Don't worry your pretty little face, you’re not done here yet.” I can see him smile a little, and I smile too.
According to Baby, the shampoo treatment is over too soon. “Why’d you have to stop?” He all but pouts.
“Well, first off, your hair is all clean, so there’s no need to keep doing this. Second, we can't continue the service if I don’t finish this. Also, there’s only so many shampoo bowls, and there’s like thirty students on the floor today alone. I can’t just hog one.” He sighs as I towel him off. “Do you remember which station is mine?” He nods, and I keep the towel loose around his neck. “Head on over to it then. I have to clean this up a little.” I say, reaching for the clean towel and the spray. I watch as he walks over, and see another one of the men he was with at the bowl next to me. He was Kim’s client if I recall correctly.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Baby act like that. You must be really good with your hands.” The one with black hair says. I shrug.
“I guess. Just don’t go around saying that randomly. Sounds weird.” I say as I finish up. “Also, why do you call him Baby? Is that really his name?”
“Oh, uh, we all just call him that cause he’s the youngest in our group. I guess he just got so used to being called that, he put it down to the girl up front.” I brush it off. “He likes it. Just go with it.”
“Alright. But if it starts to get weird, I’ll be reporting him to an instructor.”
“Sure thing.” Kim comes back with the products she’s going to use on him, and I’m quick to make my leave.
“Sorry about the wait.” I say, grabbing a detangling comb. “Time to get started.”
An hour and a half later, I’m doing the final shampoo of the toner from his hair. I did the manicure while his hair was being processed, and his nails were now a lilac purple. “This must be what heaven feels like.” I laugh a little.
“I doubt it. It’s just a head massage to get the last of the product out. Surely, it doesn't feel that amazing.”
“No, it does.” He insists.
“Whatever you say then.” I help him up and into my chair, a paddle brush in my hand. “Time for the final look.” He’s fully relaxed and pleased as I dry his hair with the blow dryer after adding some heat protectant. He hums happily as I make my final touches, and I grin. “Go ahead and open your eyes. Tell me what you think.” He blinks his eyes open, and his jaw goes slack. “Well?”
“I…” He sputters. “What the hell? This is amazing!” I snap a picture of his smiling face in the reflection, and he hesitantly touches his hair. “How did you manage that?”
“Lots of practice.” I take the drape off him, and hold his hat to him. “Don’t put it on yet. I have to get my instructor over here so she can give me my grade on my evaluation.” I pat his shoulder gently, and walk away to grab Mrs Hawks. She comes over, and beams.
“Oh my goodness! You did amazing! Did you get some pictures for your portfolio?”
“Yes ma’am.”
“And what do you think hon?” She asks him. He blinks up at her, and turns back to the mirror.
“I can barely believe that’s me I’m seeing.” He said in awe.
“I expect nothing less from the national champion.” She said, nudging me, making me blush.
“Mrs Hawks!”
“It’s true!” She signs my paper, and I beam, seeing a perfect score. “Seriously though, amazing work. Be proud of yourself.” She walks away, and he stands up.
“I’ll walk you to the reception desk. I need to turn in this ticket anyway.” I say. He nods, a smile still on his face.
Baby was the last to finish, but he also got the most. The one with silver hair perks up, noticing him first, and grins. The one with long pink hair that was talking about princess treatment whistles. The one with black hair smiles approvingly, and the one with cropped pink hair claps him on his back. “Well, would you look at that! Baby actually looks like a person!” He points to me.
“Can we keep this one?” I laugh, thinking it a joke, and turn around to give my ticket to Em to file.
“No, we can’t kidnap her.” I laugh harder.
“I’m sorry, but I’m just not for sale.” I joke back. “It was really nice to meet you. Thanks for letting me work on you.” His grin turns gentle.
“I might just come back for you.”
“I get that a lot.” I say. He hands me something. A bit of cash with a slip of paper. “Oh, thank you! We hope to see you again soon!”
“And I hope I see you here.” He says, giving me one last bit of paper, and winks. “Come by tomorrow, kay? Later.” He says as he and his friends all start to leave. I furrow my brow, unwrapping the larger piece first. On it, is a park and a time with the word ‘performance’ on it. On the smaller is a number.
‘Call me <3’
I can’t help but turn bright red.