Protective Arms (Completed)

1. Harassment

The weather outside makes for today to be a beautiful day. The drive to my one pride owning, Hair Expressions, is a peaceful one.

Our town of Eestes Springs, is a place on the map I never even knew of. That was until I was a eighteen year old girl that just needed to get away from the big life packed up a huge clothes bag got in my car and drove. It is a four day trip from my hometown out in the East, but that was just taking it slow and enjoying the sites.

I finished high school and attended beauty school the following week. After I graduated, I took my inheritance and just drove.

My parents never seem to be around as I was growing up, having been raised by nannies just so they could go out to parties and work their high paying jobs. Not the life I wanted, but I never wished for anything growing up other than to have my parents around more.

Everyone in this town when I first pulled up shown nothing but kindness. It hooked me so quickly that I found an apartment that same day.

I still live in said apartment. I opened up my hair salon a few weeks after being here. One of the ladies was retiring and wanted to sale everything, so I bought it from her with my money. The only thing I have done through the years is repaint the walls and updated the styling chairs.

My best friend Bethany made the move to town once I opened my shop. We have been friends since we were small kids and even attended beauty school together. During my teenage years, I spent most of my time at her house when we wasn't in school. Her parents are the sweetest ever, but now living a nice life overseas I think.

I am setting up my section when Bethany walks in.

"Good Morning, girlie!"

"Morning! Ready for some coloring today?" I smile.

"Always! It is part of what I live for."

I laugh some because it is true Bethany loves coloring hair more than anything. She calls it making a masterpiece each time, which it is. No hair is going to be exactly the same as before, since there are so many hair types. We both strive to make the customer happy.

Bethany clocks in and looks at her schedule, before setting up her station.

I have just finished recleaning my scissors when Chasity walks in.

"Morning!" I smile at her.

"Good morning. It is a gorgeous day out."

"That it is. I was thinking the same when opening up."

Chasity is a new friendship that has formed between the three of us when she applied to work here a few months back. I ended up hiring her on the spot because it just felt right and her portfolio was spot on showing her work.

"Do you have many bookings today?" I ask her, since I haven't checked her schedule.

"I have three regular clients for cuts but that is it. So I will be free for walk ins."

"That sounds great. We may need to start sectioning out our appointment slots because we have been getting quite a bit of walk ins over the last few weeks."

"Sounds good to me. Plus it would help to give us some breaks during the day if we are slower." Bethany chimes in.

There has been many days we are eating bites of food as the color sets or in between hair cuts.

Our first clients walk in and the shop is full of laughter and smell of hair products. The morning goes smoothly and had many happy customers. It warms my heart when they smile looking in the mirrors at the work they want done delivered.

My cell phone kept dinging and I caught Bethany raising an eyebrow at me.

These are the times I enjoy. Talking with my clients over everything and anything, while doing their hair. I love the fact that when they sit in my chair they know it is safe to talk to me about whatever they may feel like and I have listening ears.

I swipe the floor after finishing the last hair cut, Bethany makes her way over to my counter.

"You're having an awful lot of notifactions today."

"It's only because I forgot to put my phone on silent this morning."

"Is it your parents? You only seem unbothered when they text you."

"No, I talk to them about once a month and that is it. They are back busy with work. Just recently, I started having some weird number calling and texting my phone. I attempted to text back they had the wrong number but it has just continued so I have ignored it all." I shrug.

Bethany picks my phone up, being the overly protective friend she is.

"Uh, Athena. You need to go get a police report made up. This is harassment and none of these messages from today are just the nice friendly ones that it seems they were before a few hours ago." Her voice telling me she is in serious mode and not the carefree Bethany she is ninety percent of the time.

I put the broom down and she hands my phone over. I read through and sure enough it is threats and not the simple 'Hi, Hello, Please talk to me' texts I had gotten prior.

Looking up even Chasity finished her clients hair and came over.

"If it is threats you definitely need a report made. Never be to careful when it comes to that stuff. Be one step ahead and safe."

I move over to the computer and check my schedule. "Well that was my last client for the day. If you guys could handle things, I will go down to the police station now and get a report made."

"Girlie, you know I got your back. Go, and if your not back by closing hour I got the key to lock it up." Bethany gives me a hug and hands my purse to me.

With my car keys in hand, I start up my small car and drive straight to the police station.