The Space Between a Rock and a Hard Place- 5SOS

Chapter Eighteen

Video Games- The Young Professionals (honestly don't read too much into this one lmao)

Aviana Ross:

"Hey, Ash, I'm headed over to Mike's now, I'll be back soon," I call, heading out the door of Ashton's house.

"Bye, sunshine," he responds, catching me at the last second for a quick kiss. Ash has been very touchy and cuddly the last few days I've stayed here. I don't think I'm used to it yet, it all feels like it's happening too fast. I guess I didn't think we were just going to pick back up where we left off months ago, but he seems pretty able to do so.

Anyways, it's the beginning of August now, and the air is a bit cooler as I make my way to my car. It's so nice out.

I definitely felt guilty as I drove over to Michael's. I told Ash we were just going to play some video games. That was not the case. I just wasn't sure how he would react, I feel like I'm getting to know him all over again. I'm happy, just not as comfortable as Ash is.

Mike's excited to see me, it's been so long since we've hung out like this. Honestly, it's so dangerous that we're friends, we just pull our shared incredibly impulsive instincts out of each other even more.

For example, today.

"Mike, I'm literally going to burn all your hair off, I have no idea how to do this," I say, brushing the bleach into his hair.

"I'll still be getting a new hairstyle either way," he jokes.

"Well, I don't want you to burn my hair off!"

"Probably will... what are you gonna do about it?"

"Mike, this isn't funny! I shouldn't even be doing this in the first place..." I add. We just went straight into the process, coating each other's heads in bleach. No regrets, I guess. At least I was only doing the underlayer... but still, the bright blue dye is really going to be kind of obvious.

"Eh, what've you got to lose?"

"A lot of hair, Mike!" I say, not attaching my current connection to a certain man in the statement.

He starts to coat the bottom section of my hair in the bleach mixture. His is already fading, and mine will be there soon.

"Shit, Av, I look like a ghost!" he says, his bleached hair sticking up in spikes like a child would do with shampoo in the tub.

"Rinse it out before it all falls off now, and we'll put the dye in," I order, "You'll be even scarier than a ghost if you end up bald,"

"What if I shaved my head?"

"Absolutely do not do that!"

Neither one of us can contain our laughter as we insult each other and wreck our hair. It's natural with us, but probably not a behavior to be proud of.

I smear in the blue dye, starting with the brush again, but then just giving up and lathering it on. We're not pros at this, but it was too late to look back now.

Switching, Michael adds the blue dye to my hair. Ash is gonna flip, isn't he?

"What if I just put it on all of your hair?"

"Michael, I swear, if you do-"

"I'm not, chill out, Aviana," he jokes, "you wanna play a game with me while we wait for this to work?"

So technically, I did do what I told Ash I was coming here to do. Thanks to Mike, I've basically got this hidden talent of just being really good at a whole variety of games. I say hidden talent, because I only play with Mike, so like, nobody knows this incredible ability. He's still better than me though.

After an hour or so, we rinse out the dye, both left with bright blue hair, as we had attempted. It was definitely something to get used to for me, but the colored hair was kind of Michael's thing.

"Looks good Mike,"

"Thanks for not burning my hair off, I guess" he pokes.

"Thanks for not burning my hair off!" I return, and we proceed to blowdry the finished product of today's events.

"I'll see you soon, Mike,"

"See ya, Av!" he yells back at me as I approach my car.

Time to go face my actions.

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Michael and Av really do have that top-tier friendship...