All Good Things

Chapter Ten

Staring at her reflection in the mirror, Ray pulled back a braided section of hair, hiding the black clip she used to secure it beneath the short and choppy layers of blond strands. Once it was pinned, she took a long moment to observe her altered appearance. It was certainly going to take some time to get used to, but at least Mari had done a fantastic job with it. To go from her dark black color to the current white gold had involved multiple bleach sessions, and her brother's girlfriend had thoughtfully added some shades of darker blonds and light browns to make it look more natural. Under different circumstances, Ray might've been more excited. But the color change had been mandatory unless she preferred to wear wigs or hats all day, every day. (She did not.)

Sighing, she nervously swept some loose strands of hair back, and then, steeling herself, she finally exited April and Ramee's bathroom. Since Hutch, Jaylen, and herself had initially been detained and identified by the police, all three of them currently had warrants posted for their arrest. Therefore, the trio had been forced to find other places to stay while they attempted to elude ruination until the statute of limitations saved their asses. Generously, April had been quick to offer Ray a temporary room in the apartment she shared with Ramee; similarly, the Vulture Le Culture owner had voiced no objections to the short-term arrangement. She was unsure of where her two fellow fugitives were biding their time, but she had been informed by other gang members that they were safe.

In the little kitchen area, she found April burning what had probably been her attempt at breakfast in a small cast iron skillet on the stovetop. Coming to stand in the space right next to the beautiful woman, Ray inspected the charcoal mess April was trying- to no great avail- to scrape off the bottom of the frying pan with a spatula. The fact that she had managed to get food stuck to the brand-new, nonstick pan was low-key impressive, albeit in a pitiful way. Taking a shot in the dark, her head quirked to the side in curiosity, Ray guessed, "Pancakes?"

Releasing a resigned exhale, April loosened her grip on both the pan and the spatula, letting the latter fall against the still-hot burner. Hurriedly, Ray reached out and moved the flimsy, plastic utensil to the stone countertop and twisted the dial all the way off. Crestfallen, the redhead pouted and said, "It was supposed to be scrambled eggs."

Both of them now stared down at the charred disaster. "...oh," Ray faltered, trying to prevent her eyes from widening with mild alarm. Then, not able to restrain herself, she added, "Not scrambling the eggs was certainly a creative choice."

With a loud sigh, April ran a hand through her loose waves of hair, free of its typical braided crown. After another long second of the two of them studying her culinary catastrophe, she spun on her heel and grabbed her phone, announcing, "I'll just call Lucas and ask him to bring us something from the café."

However, sweeping the taller woman up in a hug before she could call him, Ray Mond told her, "Thank you for trying to make breakfast- I appreciate it. And you." Stepping back, Ray grabbed her bag and machete from the landing of the stairs. Looking back at April as she slipped both of her arms through the thin, black straps of the backpack, she added, "But don't worry about me. I'll pick something up later."

The redhead gave her a small smile. As Ray started down the wooden steps, April's voice rang after her. "Whatever your plans are for today, just please be safe and don't get arrested! Orange is definitely not your color."

Unexpected, the laugh that burst out of the short-haired woman boomed in the small space. "Love you, gorl!" she called back to the pretty influencer, whose reciprocated sentiment followed her as she left the apartment.

Outside, the early morning air was already warm and balmy, and the gentle breeze that drifted between the brick buildings felt pleasant against her exposed skin. The black, sleeveless jumpsuit she wore would be impractical in the intense, afternoon heat, but at least she looked incredible in the skintight garment. Moreover, the deep cut down the front of the jumpsuit made the outfit far showier and feminine than the outfits she normally gravitated toward, so along with her new hairstyle, it would be a helpful addition to her incognito disguise for the day. Although, in true Ray Mond fashion, she couldn't bring herself to put on the silver heels April had suggested. Instead, she donned a pair of black Doc Martens that were marginally fancier than the usual pair of scuffed combat boots that she wore every day.