Careful what you wish for

The chop.

"NOAH" I yell from outside.
"WHaT" he says.
"STAHPPP YOU KNOW I HATE THE KERMIT VOICE" I laugh. "You need to stop procrastinating your haircut" I place my hands on my hips
"Fine. I'm comin" he stomps. "Are you sure you know what you're doin?"
I roll my eyes
"Yes. I've done this like a thousand times"
he sits upright in the kitchen chair Id pulled out to the patio.
"Fuck me up good babe" he laughs.
"Shut up." I say
I start with scissors. Chopping at Noah's lengthy brown locks, watching them fall to the ground.
it felt as if the last year and a half had just been swept away.
I turn on the clippers. It meeting me with a loud buzz.
He sat. Dead still, harboring his breath.
"Done. " I stagger, I take a strep back, allowing Noah to shake off all of the hair.
I hand him the mirror from the kit.
"Holy shit" he breathlessly says.
"Did I fuck you up that bad?" I wince. He shakes his head 'no' and I sigh as a form of relief.
he did look good with shirt hair. I just wasn't ready for him to have short hair.

LATER....
"Holy shit. Your hair." Jolly exclaimed from his room.
"Worlds best barber. right there" Noah laughed as he pointed to me.
"I'm sleepy Noah. Are you really gonna stream at 10:30 pm?" I ask with a whine.
"Yeah sorry babe." he gives a crooked smile.
"It's okay. I'll sleep on the couch." I pout grabbing my pillows and my blanket.
Noah had been doing more streaming and more music stuff to keep his mind off of other things.
I didn't blame him but it would be nice to sleep in my own fucking bed.
I lie on the pleather couch, tossing and turning to get comfortable.
Half an hour. Than a full hour.
Still I tossed and turned and could not get comfortable.
I marched up the stairs and into jolly's room.
"Noah is streaming. I tried to sleep on the couch because I'm exhausted and I can't jolly." I said as I stood in the doorway being swallowed by pillows and blankets.
"Then lay here stupid. Why didn't you do that in the first place. Take my bed. I'll go down stairs and I'll have Noah move you when he is done." Jolly states without changing his facial expression.
"you are the best ." I squeeze his cheeks.
"Yeah, yeah. Enough of your shit. Go to sleep." He lets out a half grunted laugh.
"Wait jolly." I say stopping him.
"could you play guitar for me until I fall asleep?" I ask.
God the way it sounded was like I was a four year old.
"Please."
"Of course. What do you wanna hear?" He says sitting down with a six stringed, cherry oak Gibson acoustic.
"Play, never know, for me."

As he plays, I feel my body get heavier in time to the melody. my breath had long since fallen quietly to a mere murmur jollys bed was way more comfortable than mine and Noah's.
It had dark blue silk sheets and a blanket to match, it was soft like a cloud.
I hadn't known how long I was asleep. But I knew that it came quick.
I woke up in Noah and I's room.
My phone buzzed. I looked at the time 4am.
It was Aliyah.
I immediately sat up in bed, feeling Noah shifting beside me.

L: hello?
A: hey... just made it home...
L: everyone safe? Made it where they need *i laugh*
A: yeah...
L: what's wrong 'liyah?
A: nothing. Just miss you so much.
L: I miss you girl. I can't wait till the stupid world opens back up.
A: you have no idea.
A: it's so quiet at Noah's place now.
L: that's only because he is sleeping. Him and jolly have gotten on my ever loving nerves
A: Nick is dragging ass. IF HE DOESNT GET HIS CRAP TOGETHER HE IS GONNA MISS HIS FLIGHT.
L: he would be late to his own funeral. *I laugh *
A: that's so true.
F: I heard that.
L: good... stupid.
A: enough you two.
L: I'm glad you made it home safe 'liyah. I'm going back to sleep. I love you and miss you. Get some rest girl.
A: you too Lillian. bye!!
*end call*

Morning:

"AH-" I screeched, jumping up on the table.
"NOWAHHHHH" I yell. No answer.
"JOLLYYYYY" I yell again.
"What??!" He runs into the kitchen, stopping to stare at me blankly.
"Why are you on the table Lilly?" He asks furrowing his eyebrows.
"Better view of life." I laugh.
"Where is the spider?" He cackles. I point still standing on the table.
"by the door."

"Thank you sir." I jump down from the table.
"Welcome." He says resuming his texting.
Was that a smile?

"You've been smiling at your phone more lately. Who is she?" I stand at the counter.
He looks up at me.
"what-?"
"who is she jolly??" I drag it on.
"Her name is Charlotte." He rolls his eyes.
Still smiling.
"Wait so she is like a real person?" I ask
"Yeah,"
"ARE YOU GUYS LIKE DATING?" I open my eyes wide.
"What if we are?" He shrugs.
"Ya know the guys are gonna say something stupid. Like she doesn't exist right"
"Unfortunately they have already said that. But I swear she is real." he says.
"I totally believe you." I laugh.
"Whatever. One of these days, I'll bring her around." He says walking out of the room.
jolly? A girlfriend? Damn. Lockdown really did bore us all.