Created By

CSLimeWriter

Rate this Story

Embed

            The clock in her bedroom read 5:45a.m. when the CD she’d put in weeks ago for her alarm started playing, We were meant to live for so much mor – then Anna slapped a hand down on the snooze button. Not now, Switchfoot.

            She rolled out of bed and chose nice black pants and a pale purple shirt out of her wardrobe; this was where she kept her good dressy clothes all hung up or folded neatly. The other not so dressy clothes she threw into her closet.

            It took her over ten minutes to brush and straighten her hair and then choose a style for it. Finally she decided to pull it all up and secure it with a clip, and by then she had her make up. The next second she was applying a brush of shimmery eye shadow, her eyeliner, and mascara.

             Anna dug through her purse to make sure she had her billfold, emergency make up, her scissors and comb, and before she could make sure she had the rest her mom called, “Breakfast!”

            Glancing at the clock Anna read 6:27a.m. Shoot, she’d have to hurry if she was going to make it there by seven. Grabbing her purse she fled the room and flew down the stairs, unaware that her cell phone lay innocently on her bed stand.

            Anna ran to the kitchen and grabbed one of the waffles her mother had stacked on a plate. “Sorry mom, I can’t stay and eat – I gotta go.” She hugged her mom and yelled as she dashed for the front door, “I’ll see you later. Love you!”

            It only occurred to Anna after she’d walked out the front door that her car was parked in the garage. She turned around the corner and stopped in mid sight when she saw the garage door was up.

            “Thank you, mom,” she murmured picking up her pace and opening the door to her 2007 blue Mustang. She started the ignition and struggled to stay under the speed limit as she zoomed into town. The Schutts and Johnsons, alone with several other families, lived in the country area of Indiana. Anna loved it and couldn’t imagine living anywhere else but sometimes she wished work would come to her.

            She did manage to get there by seven, though, and after parking her car in the employee-only section of the parking lot she disappeared inside Masters. Work seemed to drag that day which was unusual for Anna, who loved her job. But her mind drifted to Josh and Emily, and then to Brennan.

            The door jingled and Anna looked up from paperwork she was filling out and stopped suddenly. Why did he always appear when she thought about him? In walked Brennan Watson, today dressed in blue jeans and a short-sleeved brown shirt. When he saw Anna a look of surprise came over his face.

            “Hello,” he said.

            “Hi.” She hoped she wasn’t blushing, and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

            “I’d like to make an appointment for a haircut.”

            Anna sat down at the computer and asked Brennan the usual questions: his first and last name (she felt stupid immediately after), his phone number, and his address. He told her and then she asked, “Would you like anyone particular to cut your hair?” She could’ve slapped herself.

            When you work at a place for over a year you get accustomed to use sayings the people before you have. But Anna’s face started to redden when she realized what a stupid thing that is to someone who just moved here. From London, no less.

            He looked at her. “You?”

            She was surprised but quickly answered, “Yeah, uh sure. I can do you right now.” Crap it all; why was she mashing all her sentences up? She led him over to a black swivel chair in one of the corners of the room. All around people were snipping and getting snipped, dying and getting dyed, giving manicures and getting manicures…

            “You can sit down here, I’ll be back in a sec,” she said leaving him to look for her scissors and comb. She came back a few moments later with them and said, “So, what are we doing today?” Stupid head! He already told you!

            “Well, I wanted to get it cut to about here–” as soon as he motioned with his fingers Anna interrupted.

            “Oh no – don’t do that!” This time she did clamp a hand over her mouth. Crap crap crap. What did he think she was – his best friend’s wife’s crazy best friend? Now she couldn’t even understand what she was thinking!

            But Brennan didn’t look at her like she was insane. No, those beautiful dark eyes of his stared at her in the mirror with… amusement? “How about a trim then?” He said quietly.

            Anna nodded, embarrassed. She’d never be able to go to Emily’s house again when Brennan was there. Why was she acting so stupid? Good thing she’d stopped herself from adding, “I wouldn’t be able to cut all that gorgeous hair.” She would’ve sunk into the ground dead.

            In a few moments she was snipping a lock of hair here, a curl of hair there; all the while getting more and more focused on what she was doing. So focused that after fifteen minutes of Brennan staring at her in the mirror she never noticed; that is, until she finished.

            Stepping back so she could examine her work Anna’s eyes caught his; they held for a moment. His eyes were so dark, so deep –

            She was jolted back into reality when Brennan said, “Thanks. It looks good.”

            Anna couldn’t decide whether she should mumble a thank you or just stay quiet, so in the end she just stick with being quiet.

            She removed the covering from around his neck and walked back to the service desk, Brennan right behind. The lady behind the desk took Anna’s paper and then said to the British man, “That’ll be ten dollars, and a tip to your stylist.”

            Brennan caught the wink in the lady’s eyes, but Anna didn’t. She said, “Oh no, Rose. That’s fine; he doesn’t have to–”

            “No, but I wan to.” He handed her a crisp ten dollar bill after paying the lady behind the desk and then he walked out, throwing a small smile at Anna as if to see, I’ll see you soon.

            Anna stood there stunned as Rose laughed, though the elder lady didn’t say anything. Anna went back to her work, and the day didn’t seem so dragging anymore. All throughout the day one thought ran through her head: I cut a British guy’s hair!