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Indigo was chillin' by herself in "Timeless Beauty," her salon that looked mad fly with the soft lighting and dope decor. It was early morning, the place still locked up, givin' her a rare moment to breathe. But after what went down last night, she couldn't shake the heaviness in her heart; it was like she was drained and conflicted all at once.
The low hum of the AC and the sounds of Chicago traffic were the only things breakin' the silence. Indigo was deep in her thoughts when the door swung open. Kordell and Katrell, the brothers runnin' the barbershop side of the biz, strolled in lookin' serious. They came in early to set up their spots and get ready for the day.
Kordell, always peepin' things, noticed right away that Indigo was off. He exchanged a quick look with Katrell, who nodded slightly before headin' to his station. Kordell walked over to Indigo, concern all over his face.
"Yo, Indi, what's good? You here early," Kordell said with a soft smile.
Indigo nodded, fatigue all over her face. "Can't sleep," she admitted, her voice low. "Just got a lot on my mind, you feel me?"
Kordell took a seat across from her, his gaze steady and calm. "Wanna talk about it?" he asked, his tone gentle.
Indigo paused for a sec, then sighed. "It's just... life, I guess. Too much goin' on lately, and I'm feelin' overwhelmed."
Kordell nodded like he understood. "I feel that. Sometimes everything hits at once. But you ain't gotta handle it all alone, you know?"
Indigo looked up, meetin' his eyes. "Thanks, Kordell. I appreciate that. It's just hard to shake this feelin' off, you know?"
Kordell smiled warm. "You one of the strongest people I know. Whatever it is, you gonna get through it."
As they chatted, Katrell joined them, droppin' a box of supplies on the counter. He gave Indigo a concerned look. "You good, Indi? You seem a lil' off today."
Indigo forced a small smile. "Yeah, just one of those days," she replied. "But I'm here, and we open for business, so let's make the best of it."
Kordell and Katrell exchanged quick glances, both pickin' up that it was more to Indigo's mood than she lettin' on. But they respected her space and didn't push it.
Then, outta nowhere, the door chimes rang as Aniyah, Jayde, and a few early clients walked in. But right after that, a crew of dudes in dark clothes busted through the door, their faces covered with masks. The whole salon froze as they pulled out weapons, causin' panic among the staff and clients.
"Everybody, get down! Now!" one of the masked dudes shouted, his voice cold and demandin'.
Indigo's heart raced, fear takin' over as she slowly ducked behind the reception desk. Kordell and Katrell exchanged tense looks, their eyes goin' wide as one of the intruders turned to them, liftin' his mask just enough to show his face.
"You think you can mess with us and get away with it?" the dude sneered, pointin' his weapon straight at Kordell and Katrell. The room went silent, the air thick with dread.
Indigo, crouched down behind the counter, could hear her own breathin' goin' rapid. This felt like some surreal nightmare she couldn't wake up from. She peeked around the corner, seein' Kordell's hands risin' slowly in surrender.
"Look, we ain't do nothin' wrong," Kordell said, tryin' to keep his voice calm. "Let's not do anything crazy."
The leader of the masked dudes stepped closer, his eyes sharp. "You two owe us," he spat. "You know what we here for."
Indigo's mind raced with confusion and fear. What did these men want from Kordell and Katrell? The brothers, always so professional, now seemed caught in some dangerous mess she never knew existed.
Katrell spoke up, his voice strained. "We was gonna get you your money. Just needed a lil' more time."
The leader scoffed. "Time's up. We want our cut now, or things gonna get ugly."
Indigo's head was spinnin'. A cut? Money? Reality hit her like a brick. Kordell and Katrell must be involved in some shady business—something dangerous. Her salon, her safe space, had unknowingly turned into a front for their dealings.
As the tension rose, Aniyah, Jayde, and the clients huddled together, fear all over their faces. Indigo knew she had to do somethin', but what? She couldn't let this spiral outta control.
Before she could make a move, the intruders turned and bolted out the door, leavin' it swingin' open. The silence that followed was deafening, broken only by everyone's shaky breaths. Indigo stood up, her legs shakin'.
Kordell and Katrell stayed frozen, their faces drained of color. The reality hit Indigo hard. The brothers had put everyone at risk, and now the truth about their secret life was laid bare.
Indigo took a deep breath, her voice barely steady. "What the hell just happened?" she demanded, starin' directly at the brothers.
Kordell looked down, not able to meet her gaze. "It's not what you think, Indi," he started, but Indigo cut him off.
"Not what I think? NIGGA! You brought danger into my salon!" she shouted, her fear turnin' into rage. "You lied to me!"
Katrell tried to step forward, hands up like he was tryin' to chill the vibe. "Indi, we never meant for this to happen. We was just tryin' to make some extra cash on the side."
Indigo shook her head, her voice thick with betrayal. "This ain't just about money, Katrell. It's about trust. And you've shattered it."
The room fell silent, the weight of the situation pressin' down on everyone. Indigo's mind was a whirlwind of emotions—fear, anger, disbelief. She had to make a decision, and fast. The safety of her friends, her clients, and herself was at stake.
Taking a deep breath, she looked at Kordell and Katrell with a steely resolve. "Y'all need to leave. Now. I can't have you puttin' everyone in danger."
Kordell opened his mouth to protest, but Indigo's glare shut him up quick. Katrell looked defeated, shoulders slumped as he nodded. The brothers gathered their things, movin' slow and heavy.
As they left, Indigo felt a mix of relief and sadness. She had trusted them, and they had let her down. The salon, once a place of joy and community, now felt tainted by their secrets.
Aniyah and Jayde walked over, their faces full of concern. "Indi, you good?" Jayde asked softly.
Indigo nodded, though her heart was heavy. "I'll be fine," she replied, her voice firm.
As the salon slowly got back to normal, Indigo knew things would never be the same. The trust she had built with her team was broken, and she'd have to rebuild it, brick by brick. But for now, she had to focus on keepin' everyone safe and findin' a way to move forward.
