Bend and Break(poly)(bxb)

Eighteen

It smells like acetone and powder.

The Koreatown nail salon feels too exposed. Neon lights shine inside and out. The large windows show businessmen going to Korean barbecue restaurants, two police officers standing outside of a sauna, and most importantly the windows show us.

The entire storefront is just these huge bare windows. One sign showing the business is open as if any passerby couldn't tell by the multiple customers inside, the basins being filled with purple and blue water, the wall of nail colors being picked and scrutinized.

"What shape would you like?" The woman asks me. On her station, right beside the blinding white bar of light, a dainty little sign with green fur tells me her name is Sookyung. She has kisses of crows feet in the corners of her eyes. She's not too old, not too young, just experienced. Diana picked her for me so she has to be experienced.

"Coffin." The same safe shape I'm used to. I've been getting my nails done consistently since I was fifteen. I don't care how many guns I hold or how many lives I take, that's not changing any time soon.

"She'll take stiletto," Diana says as if I never said anything at all.

The woman nods with a pleased smile, I realize she was never talking to me.

"What about the color?" The woman asks next.

I usually get nudes and pinks.

"Black," Diana says. She's getting her nails done beside me, the exact same way as if the set is too good not to share.

I gaze out of the window again and the police officers from earlier are still there. They're people-watching, having small talk, while two murderers are getting mani-pedis a few yards away.

"I own this nail salon, I own this district actually. People can't come in without it coming through me, so calm your ass down." Diana says.

"I'm calm," I lie, realize my knee is tapping incessantly.

She takes her gaze from it to look directly at me as Sookyung starts pushing back my cuticles.

"Lying to me will never end well for you. I'm surprised the guys haven't told you this yet."

I think the woman working on Diana's nails is moving twice as fast as the woman working on mine.

"I'm sorry–"

Diana cuts me off by putting her hand up. It's a subtle gesture but my entire body stiffens. She's powerful, that's all the guys told me. They didn't tell me exactly what she has power over.

"I won't take you out anymore unless I own the place, not after last time." If I didn't know any better I'd think Diana was being apologetic. But no. Prideful stare and tight lips, she's being forewarning.

"So this entire district is safe?"

"I wouldn't go as far as to call it safe."

The cold acrylic is getting shaped to my real nail. It keeps me grounded. It lets me know I'm in a nail salon, not an interrogation room.

"I got it a few months after I got Seven. He helped me actually, still has quite a few friends here." Diana continues. "He and Romero are the only two who helped with acquiring districts, well now we have Kimori too. The other two didn't know shit about the world outside of the orphanage. Their roots don't stretch far enough."

Diana speaks in the same nature analogies Von does.

"You never found their parents?" I ask.

"I am their parent," Diana says curtly. Suddenly I feel like not only an idiot, but an insensitive idiot.