straight back to it ⇉ central cee.

reawakening.

Michaela clocked out as soon as Oakley and Shanel had left the salon, feeling as though she may explode if she stayed in this place any longer. Normally she found comfort in the shop: it was a little small, intimate and decorated daintily, but now it was the last place she wanted to be. The entire appointment with Shanel was a mess really. It was obvious that the woman really hated having her touch her face, or even be within her vicinity; she didn't try to hide it at all. She held a grimace for the entirety of the forty minutes she was laid in the chair. Michaela had made glances at Oakley occasionally as she worked and accidentally made eye contact with him far too many times for it to not be coincidental but he never seemed too bothered. More like flustered, maybe a teeny bit embarrassed from being observed by every woman in the building as well. They never really got men in their salon, though they were more than welcome and actively invited to the place, it was still uncommon for them to make an appearance so when they did of course everybody stared. The girl had made a small smile as she thought back to the times when she had to hold his hand because he felt like he was being stared at too much, which in all fairness he was, it was just rather funny to her. Endearing really.

It felt weird reminiscing on her past with him after all this time apart, that horrific break-up just adding to the strange feeling. The girl spent so long bettering herself and forgetting about him it was rare he ever crossed her mind these days. Even when she came across him on the internet she never made more than a glance - she was finally healed. Though she will admit, it took a lot of intensive therapy to not only get over him but also her past traumas she somehow attached to him too. Amanda had even congratulated her on her progress over the past year a few weeks back as they celebrated their last consistent session. But now it seemed all of that progress was crumbling again because that silly man she was once so mesmerised by had walked into her place of work and rocked her fucking world somehow.

What was doing the damage here though was what she witnessed after the appointment had ended and before the couple had left. Michaela had already recognised the relationship back last year and accepted his fate so seeing them together was nothing new, but seeing their dynamic was. She'd heard some dodgy things about Shanel in the past, especially from Marvin but she thought it was probably biased with them being exes and all. However now, she had begun to believe the rumours she'd heard about her being secretly aggressive and toxic. The girl had recognised the tell-tale flinch of her shoulder in preparation for a slap at the very least and the sudden tenseness in the man's shoulders and arms at the same time. It was blatantly obvious and she wondered if any of her coworkers had noticed as well because this was sad. She found herself worrying about his well-being and wondering how was coping in a relationship like that, watching as all of her progress just fell further around her and became pointless. A lot of emotions she hadn't felt for so long were rushing back and it was making her dizzy. She hadn't even started her car yet she soon realised and was still sitting in her designated parking space around the back of the salon with the key still in her hand and not the ignition.

While she was thinking all about him, Oakley was doing just the same. He'd let Shanel drive home seen as she had the keys which he quickly regretted as he remembered how recklessly she drove - not to mention she wasn't licensed either - he just wasn't bothered enough to argue. His mind was stuck somewhere completely different and almost foreign now: Michaela. After all the sinful thoughts he'd conjured back at the salon, it lead him down a sickening route of their entire relationship together; all the highs and the lows were flooding back like a tsunami. He wouldn't say he enjoyed this flush of emotions at all, but remembering the sweet moments they used to share did put a suspicious smile on his face.

"What you got a gob on for aye?"

Shanel was still just as tight-faced as she was when she was having her brows done by Michaela, but she'd begun to make a weird toothy grin at him. He was preparing for her to say something stupidly outrageous as she always did because god forbid he did anything at the cause of something other than hair, but instead she simply made a face of questioning and focused back on the music blasting through the radio. Wanted You by NAV was playing on cd, which she'd bought him for his birthday last month, but he hadn't had the chance to listen to it himself yet. He'd wanted the Reckless album for a while beforehand but now that Shanel had become obsessed with it his love was tainted. Though he couldn't say he was paying too much attention because he was still stuck on Michaela. The way her hair had bounced when she walked earlier, having taken it out of the box braids she previously had, was mesmerising. It reminded him of all the small beauties she held, like her plump lips or the piercing on her stomach, even her thighs. She had a tattoo at the top of her right thigh, probably more on the hip bone than anything really, of little black swirls engulfing a pink heart. It was a small thing that you wouldn't notice at first glance and most people probably hadn't seen it because it was in such an intimate place but Oakley adored it. He'd accompanied her when she'd got it done on her 20th birthday, even paid for it as a gift; that just made him love it more. It was like his mark had been made on her, right where he loved to leave a kiss too, and god he'd give his last penny just to kiss it again. He really shouldn't be thinking like this though, or about her entirely, but he couldn't help himself despite his girlfriend sitting right next to him

This really was an unfortunate thing, Michaela was doing so well. And so was he, but that didn't mean anything now. Nothing at all.