Jamais Vu

Chapter 10

Nessa squinted in the bright sun, staring around the crowded park for Lulu. A burst of unexpected sunshine had taken over the city, and from the dark corners of every office and apartment, people had poured out into the streets to enjoy the warmth and light while they lasted. The beautiful day meant that the quiet picnic Nessa had planned was being overrun with hundreds of happy sun seekers, and it made locating Lulu almost impossible.

Where are you? typed Nessa into her phone. At least this phone was good for something. Nessa was carrying the supplies, but Lulu was the blanket-bringer and her text said she'd reserved a space somewhere among the masses on the wide green lawn.

Honey, look to your left, came the reply.

Nessa swung around, hunting for the familiar sight of Lulu's white blonde mane. Where?

OMG WALK FORWARDS

Nessa did so, still searching. "Lulu?" she called out loudly, her voice carrying over the din of a cluster of toddlers chasing after a balloon and half a dozen college age guys playing with a LED Frisbee.

"Nessa - what are you, blind?" came a voice beside Nessa's feet.

Nessa sprang back, clapping both hands over her face. "Oh, Lulu! I didn't recognise you!"

"I'm not surprised," drawled her friend. Instead of the shining platinum locks she usually sported, her hair was tucked underneath a sunhat, and the ends that did creep around the edges of the brim were a fetid orange colour, like a rotten mango.

"What happened?" asked Nessa, horrified.

Lulu pulled the hat down lower. "It happens sometimes when you dye over the top of blonde, it grabs the orange in the brown dye. My stylist says I just need to let it rest for a week, and they'll fix it up the next time I go in and see them. Then it should be the mahogany colour I asked for in the first place."

"What are you going to do until then?"

"Hide. Wear scarves." Lulu grimaced. "I threatened to sue the salon, so they've said they'll throw in some hair extensions for free."

"I'm so sorry, Lulu. I know how important your hair is to you."

"I'll survive."

"Do you want to come over to my house tonight? We can drink wine and commiserate?"

"Are you an idiot?" said Lulu, her voice high and cutting. "I just told you, I don't want anyone to see me like this, so there's no way I'm letting James near me until I'm perfect!"

"Okay, sorry. Well, at least we can sit here and have a nice lunch and chat." Unperturbed, Nessa turned away and tried to hide her grin as she began to unpack the reusable bag of food she'd brought along. She felt bad for Lulu of course, but it was only hair, and Nessa wanted to talk about more important things. Dan related things.

In the three days since she'd been in his bed, Nessa hadn't been able to stop smiling. Her body had hummed with a thousand different sensations, and she'd find herself reliving their love making at the most inappropriate times; when she was speaking with her professors or buying mundane items from the store like toilet paper. She wanted more, wanted him, over and over again, wanted to practice her newly-learned moves, and maybe try a few new ones she'd dreamed up during her hours of obsessing.

Layered underneath the haze of sexual longing was the thrill of his final words to her. I love you. Nessa hadn't even dared to process that statement yet, or how she felt about the return sentiment. Because she did love him, in an intense fashion that was reminiscent of hero worship – only this was a hero she could touch and speak to and kiss...