just ash

chapter 12

Ash lifted a hand to cover Susie's face as she spritzed hairspray into her roommate's freshly dyed hair. After letting the product dry for a couple seconds, she ran her fingers through Susie's rainbow bangs, carefully giving them texture before jostling the rest of the tiny woman's bob, which was a deep, inky black. When she was satisfied, she stepped back.

"There. Damn, I did a good job!"

Susie turned to the mirror, pursing her lips and squishing them up, making her nose wrinkle. She examined the finished product, and then worriedly looked back at Ash.

"Are you sure it looks okay?" she asked, and Ash raised her eyebrows.

"Would I lie to you?"

"...No."

"You look cute and hot and beautiful and all of the other good things. Stop worrying. Who is this guy that has you so nervous, anyway? You're never nervous for a dick appointment," Ash questioned, crossing her arms suspiciously.

"Who said it's a dude?" Susie challenged, her eyes flashing, and Ash felt her eyebrows raise even further up into her hairline.

"Oh, okay. I didn't mean to assume," Ash mumbled. Susie giggled, letting her face relax into a smile.

"I am just messing with you, babe. But you're right, I shouldn't be nervous," she said cheerfully, the worry on her face dissolving away. "So. You sent the message, right?"

Ash felt her airway constrict a little bit, and she looked down at the floor to avoid Susie's stern stare.

"Um...no," she said sheepishly. "I have a draft, though."

"Lemme see."

Ash reached into her pocket and pulled her phone out. Once she had it unlocked and her messages pulled up, she placed the device into Susie's tiny hand. Her eyebrows scrunched underneath her colorful bangs as she read what Ash had typed.

"'Can we talk tomorrow morning aka tonight for you?'  That's it?! Ash. For fucks sake, why don't you just send it?" Susie asked incredulously.

"Cuz I'm scaaaaaared," Ash whined, throwing her head back dramatically.

She had spent the entire day with her nose in her phone, typing and retyping a message to Drew. After Susie had scolded her the night before, she couldn't shake the heavy guilt in her gut, so she planned on chatting with Drew about her situation with Namjoon. But she didn't know how to bring it up without him freaking out.

"Do you want me to send it for you?"

"No," Ash sighed, then reconsidered. "...Yes."

Susie rolled her eyes, but the gesture was accompanied with a giggle, and she pressed send before unceremoniously handing the cellphone back to Ash. Ash squealed and sprinted to her room, plugging her phone into its charger and setting it on her bedside table. She rejoined Susie in the living room after quickly shutting the door to her room.

Out of sight, out of mind.

"Alrighty, lover, I am going to go get my dick wet. Be smart tonight...don't do anything I wouldn't do," Susie quipped, winking at Ash as she headed to the apartment's front door.

"That is terrible advice!"

Susie giggled and stuck her tongue out at Ash as she slipped through the door.

"Be careful, Suz. Let me know if you need me," Ash said seriously, and Susie assured her she would be fine.

Once the door closed, Ash felt butterflies swirl around in her abdomen. Namjoon would be coming any minute, and she was very aware that this would be the first time they hung out alone in private.