You Were a House on Fire | Harry Styles

eight

"Are you okay?" Sara asked as she stirred the melting wax.

"Fine. Why?" Roe leaned back in Sara's leather salon chair.

"You're all," she paused and gestured widely with her hands. "I don't know, tense, I guess."

Roe gently closed her eyes and tried her hardest not to move as her friend began applying the warm wax to her brow bone. She bent over Roe, and a single braid consequently escaped from the scrunchie gathering them all at the base of her skull. Roe barely noticed, too caught up in the twist of her gut. She could have responded to her at that moment; talking doesn't require much movement, nor does it interfere with Sara's skilled hands. Yet, she sat there as if nothing- or no one, more accurately, plagued her thoughts.

"Is it one of the kids? I thought they were doing well in school and everything. River's healthy?"

"They are, he is. It's not about them. Or not directly," Roe yelped the last word, the pain of Sara ripping off the wax surprising her.

"So, there is something."

"I've been seeing someone," Roe sighed.

"What? For how long?"

"A month maybe?"

Sara's shoulders slumped and she nearly set down the waxy spatula but continued her work anyway. She shook her head, "Why didn't you tell me- especially if she's making you feel like this already."

"Well, first, it's a man-"

"Okay, there's your problem," Sara interrupted. Roe swatted her thigh but continued nonetheless.

"And there's an issue of privacy, I guess?"

"Mhm, " she encouraged, waving the spatula in Roe's face.

"It's not that big of a deal, we just fuck."

"So then what's with the scowling face in my chair?"

"He wants us to tell the kids so we can stop sneaking around."

Sara tilted her head to the side as if saying 'What's the problem with that?'. Roe could nearly hear it in her voice.

"I love Demi to death, but she's a blabbermouth. Our 'secret' wouldn't last a week. Plus, it's none of their business. It hasn't been that long and we haven't talked about being anything more than fuck buddies. So I don't see the reason to inform my kid siblings about what I do with my life while they're asleep or at school." Roe shrugged, pulled her arms across her chest, and rubbed her biceps. "And I don't want them to get attached to someone who I'm not even in a relationship with- someone who's famous," she lowered her voice, "because he'll probably leave quicker than everyone else does. I can't keep doing that to them."

This time, Sara did put her utensils down. She rested both hands on Roe's right shoulder and said, "First of all, you are not to blame for other people fucking up. Anyway, they're strong kids, they can handle their big sister living her life. And second, famous? Girl, I thought we were talking about some slumpy Joe Shmoe," she chided, her eyes wide.
Roe cast a glance around the salon ensuring their conversation was not being overheard before continuing, "Remember that certain celebrity that came into Keystone like a month or two ago?"

"Rosalie Byrne, you slut!" Somehow Sara's eyes grew even wider in realization. "I take back my anti-men comment, he's my pass." She lifted her hands in defeat.

"And what does Annie have to say about that?"

"Oh I wrote that shit in our vows, she knew what she was getting into, " they both belly laughed, much to the dismay of the woman getting highlights done, two seats down.