ꨄThe Debutanteꨄ

69.

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Day 6

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"Yah' look so good!" Anika exclaimed, running her fingers through her Cookies freshly-braided hair. Anika opened the salon door, Cookie walking out behind her. "Really?" She asked. Anika nodded, fanning her hand towards her the moment she felt the blazing heat on her forehead.

"I haven't had my hair braided like this in so long. Tired of wearing wigs when I need to tuck my hair away." Cookie replied. "Okay, now yah' makin' me wanna get mah' hair done too." Said Anika. "I like to see it growing out, but what would you do to it? Dye it?" Cookie questioned. "Possibleh'. I like lil color in mah' hair, I think it bland." Anika shrugged. "It's not. I like the curls coming in." Cookie replied.

"Thank yah'." Anika said. "Welcome." Cookie replied. "So, the day is just starting, but I'm in the mood for a drink." Cookie continued. "Plus, our last day is tomorrow and I want to see what the bars have to offer.." She said. "There a place 'round here 'dat has realleh' good piña coladas." Said Anika. "Oh really?" Cookie asked, turning to look at Anika with a raised brow.

"Yes ma'am." Anika replied. Cookie chuckled. "I could use one, or two." She said. The two women began to walk in the direction that Anika guided them after she informed Cookie that it was walking distance from their current location. Moving through the busy crowd of people, the two women were often for to get within close proximity of each other to squeeze through. Although this wasn't usually an issue for the two of them, for the public it had to look purely like being smushed within the crowd and nothing more.

During this, the two women felt their hands brushing together multiple times. Each time they did so, Cookie would look down. She would stare at their within such close proximity. So close, yet forbidden to touch. Cookie wasn't rushing to display any sort of public affection, especially with how she only just recently got comfortable even showing private affection.

Cookie didn't know if it was impulse that she was feeling or not, a sudden blank thought process due to her still feeling absolutely bewitched from the intimate session she and Anika had the day before yesterday. But she wanted to hold it. But she knew she couldn't. At least a finger. Something.

Anika had noticed her staring. That particular look in her eyes and on her face. She knew she was thinking. And she knew exactly what she was thinking.

Anika raised up her hand to flick the back of it against Cookies hanging braids. Cookies eyes shifted for a moment, trying to analyze the meaning behind this gesture. She looked back at Anika, staring at her eyes. For the flash of a moment they made eye contact, she noticed Anika give a quick wink towards her.

Cookie looked away, her head tilting down. A faint smile formed on her lips.

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"Thank yah'." Anika said, flashing a thankful smile up at the server. A tall glass was placed in front of her, and one in front of Cookie as well. Once the man walked away, Anika puckered her lips as if she was excited to take a sip from the Piña colada. Cookie smiled, then starting to take a sip from the drink.

She scrunched her face with a look of satisfaction. "Hold on, this is pretty damn good." She said. "See, I knew it." Said Anika. Music from the bar played loudly, echoing a far distance outside the building. Cookie swayed back and forth as she bobbed her head to the upbeat tune.

"Yah' feelin' it alreadeh', Huh?" Anika joked. "Who? Me?- Yeah, you- I'm convinced you're a lightweight after that night we went clubbing-" Anika smacked her lips. "Whateva'." She said. Cookie laughed. Anika took a sip from her drink.