Safe Word: Rosé

Chapter 17

Cara- 

I headed up to the room I shared with Cindy, and found her sitting on the bed with her legs crossed, while she scrolled on her phone. There was a soft smile on her face, which reminded me of what I witnessed in the mall earlier today. 

Cindy looked up from her phone while I closed the door and walked across to my bed. 

"Hey girly, everything okay?" She asked me. 

I nodded, "I guess. I'm gonna need your help tying my hair in a bun. You okay with that?" 

"Yeah sure. Just let me know when you're ready." She replied, before her phone pinged, bringing her attention back to it's screen. 

I headed over to my bed, placing down my purse and shopping back, then I walked to the bathroom. I kept the door open but stood in front of the mirror while I started to undo my cornrows. 

"So who's the cutie from the mall earlier?" I called out from the bathroom. 

I looked in the mirror to catch Cindy's attention.

She looked from her phone for a quick second and asked, "Who?"

"That guy you hugged from across the hall when I was trying on the dresses." I clarified, while running a comb through the first freed half of my hair. 

I winced, my sensitive scalp reminding me that the comb and I weren't exactly friends. 

"Oh, that's Dennis." She called out. 

"Oh yeah?" I replied, hinting that I needed more context. 

Cindy laughed at my snooping tactics before sighing, "He's a kid that grew up in my neighborhood. When Jason hired me, I couldn't let him come around cause you know how Monique and Simone are always starting something. I just use random opportunities to see him."

I finished taking out my second cornrow, and was now using a large tooth comb to blend my hair together. 

"That hug hints that maybe you were more than friends." I replied after fully combing from root to tip with the large comb, and witching over to a medium-sized comb. 

"Nah, he's just a good friend and we share a... interesting relationship." Cindy hesitated towards the end. 

"Interesting enough that you have to keep it under wraps?" I wondered, while brushing and combing my hair towards the top of my scalp. 

"Exactly." Cindy said, still looking at her phone and typing every once in a while. 

"But you took a risk with Vincent there though." I noted, while taking out a small part for my side bang, then applying gel and brushing it into my hair. 

"Yeah, but he's cool. I'm telling you girl, that's why I'm happy you're here. Before then, only Vincent and Thomas were my main friends. I mean I talked to Lexi and Tyra and them, but with Monique and Simone walking around like they own the place, I mostly kept to myself." Cindy ranted, while I retrieved an old lone shoelace and approached Cindy. 

I squatted in front of her and leaned my head in her direction. She gathered my thick, gelled coils into her strong palms and held them in place. I brought the shoelace up towards the back of my head, and hooked it on my hair, then I wrapped it around, tying it once, then returned it to the back where I tied it again and secured it. I breathed out, and Cindy let go of my hair. 

"Thank you." I said. 

"Yeah, hurry though lunch is in about five minutes." She hurried. 

"Yeah, I just have to tie my hair, I'll do the bun after." I explained while heading back to the bathroom to put away the items I used for my hair and turn off the light.