AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Kayleigh shrugged. “Out.”
“Well, when are you back?”
“I dunno, later.”
“Oh my gosh, what happened to your hair?” Maureen gasped.
Kayleigh shrugged again, trying to shake off the fear of her mom’s disapproval. “I changed it.”
“Darling, is everything okay?”
“No, but it will be.” Kayleigh smiled wide then left the house, slamming the front door in her haste. She leapt onto her bike and pedaled as fast as her legs would go to the late-night pharmacy the next town over. When the bright lights came into view, she hopped off her bike, not even bothering to hook it up to the bike rack, just leaving it on the sidewalk.
She hurried inside the old building, scouring the shelves for hair dye.
“No, no, no!” she groaned, rummaging through the boring natural colors, the gray coverage and root touch up.
Didn’t the world understand she wantedvibrance?
Shedeservedit.
Kayleigh rounded the aisle and found exactly what she was looking for. Grabbing the shadeAwkward Peachshe headed for the register but stopped when she passed a mini make-up concession. It held only a few shades and the basics: mascara, eyeliner, and so on, but she was drawn to the dark lipsticks. Time for a complete change.
A few minutes later she made her way to the register with her hands full and covered in tester lines of lipstick in every shade, her skin striped with indecision.The clerk looked at her and raised an eyebrow, taking in her choppy haircut, flushed cheeks and wild eyes.
“Just put it all on my credit card.”
She ran out of the pharmacy, so thrilled with her purchases and eager to get home and experiment that she nearly missed it. Her eyes caught the notice board, full of local advertisements and business cards. But there was a bright pink leaflet pinned with a graphic of a female silhouette in heels, leaning against a pole.
Kayleigh’s blood pounded in her ears. It was a sign, she was sure. She had always been intrigued by pole dancing, found it fascinating to watch the way bodies contorted and moved and the strength the women had. She yearned to do something like that, something where she could let go, gain confidence and maybe even feel sexy?
She’d never felt sexy in her life but maybe it was time she started.
*
The next morning Kayleigh cycled to the bar. She didn’t stop to pick up Mr. Henderson’s paper. She didn’t offer to take Mrs. Steinman’s dog out for a number one or two and she dinged her bell repeatedly when approaching the Carsons’ two little menaces until they flew out of her way. Kayleigh 2.0 wasn’t rude but she no longer went out of her way to help others when their only response was to berate her. Waving at Ruby as she opened up the diner, Kayleigh adjusted her helmet,sansBarbie sticker. Just because Kayleigh 2.0 was a badass didn’t mean she couldn’t be safety conscious.
She made it to the bar and took a deep breath as she secured her bike to the porch, then stilled herself to go inside. Would Taylor notice she had colored her hair? Would she notice her sultry make up that YouTube tutorials had taught her to apply? Did it matter if she did?Taylor is straight and you need to get that through your thick skull, lady!She needed to get over this crush, lust, love, whatever it was before she humiliated herself even more. Kayleigh 2.0 demanded it.
She shoved her thoughts away, loosening her shoulders and pushing open the door to The Rusty Bucket Inn. The familiar scent of stale alcohol and husky rock star voice blaring from the jukebox had her instantly feeling like she was home. She stopped in front of Taylor’s office door, eyeing it suspiciously, still wary after the incident, like it might leap out and attack her.
Ben appeared carrying a case of beer, his arms flexed tightly against the weight. Today he had his hair slicked back, his T-shirt white instead of black.
“’Sup” she called, placing her hand on her hip and popping it out to the side, trying to project some sass. She’d decided Kayleigh 2.0 was gonna be sassy.
Ben’s eyes widened before he blinked rapidly. Even from where she was standing, she couldn’t miss those eyes of his. Soft green, like jade. The dynamic color startled her new cool girl persona and she smiled softly, losing her aloofness.
“Uh…did you change your hair since yesterday?” His eyes scanned her hair then down over her pushed up breasts, which were looking fabulous if she did say so herself, before sliding over the curve of her hips and resting on her thighs, highlighted by the black lace dress she’d hacked off at mid-thigh this morning.
“Yeah, I guess,” she shrugged, like she was bored. Exactly how he had done to her.
“Looks…” He paused and his mouth flapped a bit like he was trying to find the words. Her stomach plummeted. “…great?”
She squinted at him. “Are you asking me if it looks great or telling me?”
“Telling you?” His velvet-laced voice squeaked a bit at the end, but shivers still danced down her spine. Why did the thought of him not liking her new look make her want to curl up into a ball and hide?
Before she could answer, he spun away and began wiping down the back bar. The muscles in his forearms tensing with each stroke had her mouth running dry. He was a hard worker, she would give him that. Yesterday, he had done everything she asked him to do and today he had started without her instead of waiting to be given something to do. Maybe she had been too harsh on him yesterday.
