Destiny

2: Same Old and Something New

Niomi's POV: 

When I get to the shop the next morning, Lana isn't there yet, so I unlock the front door and put up all the display racks. I flip the sign in the window, so we are now officially open for the day. I boot up the computer, checking on the scheduled appointments for the day, then set out my needed essentials for anything and everything. 

My list includes my shop apron, which has pockets for my hair brushes, cell phone, and dye and color charts for hair and nails. A few minutes before my first appointment, one of our employees, Lindsey, comes in, dragging a large box with her. 

"The new colors are in!" She practically screams as I take the other side of the heavy box. We drag it into the back room, where all the hair dye and extra nail colors are kept. I hear the bell over the door ring, and I know that it's Mrs. Corsman. 

"Hey, can you unload this stuff? My eight thirty is here." Lindsey nods, and I head back to the front of the store. 

"Good morning, Mrs. C. How are you?" I ask as I check her off the list of clients. 

"I'm fine, dear. Ready for a change." she says, getting herself situated in her favorite chair. I walk over to her, and pick up one of her dirty blonde locks. 

"What were you thinking about? A cut? Or maybe a dye?" I ask, messing with the thinning hair. She ponders her words, then speaks. 

"Well, I really liked the strawberry blonde you showed me last time, but.... I think I want something a bit more bold. What color is your hair? I like the shade. It's very shocking, very bold." I cringe at this, as I'm asked about my hair color fairly often. 

"Well, my hair color is natural. We don't have anything this white, but we have a few other choices. Let me get a few colors you might like." I say, venturing to the back room. 

I take down a few colors, Platinum Record, Rose Gold, and Vanilla Lavender. The first one is a platinum blonde, a bit like mine, but a few shades darker. The second one, Rose Gold, is one of my favorites. It really is the color of rose gold. Vanilla Lavender is a pale white with highlights of light purple. It's for a more daring crowd, but I think Mrs. C. will like it. 

"Alright, so here's what I've got." I say as I walk back to her chair. I hand her the three tubes of gel-dye, and she studies them closely. I then hand her my color chart, that has a hair sample with the dye in it. She picks through them, then hands me back two of the tubes. 

"I really like this one." Is all she says, and she holds out the Rose Gold. 

"Great choice. That's one of my favorites. Okay, so let me get the starter fluid, and a few brushes, and then we'll get started. Here," I say, handing her a comb, "just run this through your hair a few times to get any natural or artificial particles out." 

I go to the back sink and run some warm water into one of the dye cups, then add the starter fluid, then a healthy amount of the dye. I mix it with a brush, then walk back to my client. 

"Alright, so I'm gonna section off your hair, then start applying the dye. Do you want me to layer it, some parts darker or lighter?" I ask, starting my sectioning. 

"No, I just want it all the same color, if that's okay." she says. I nod to her in the mirror, then tie off the sections of hair. I grab my dye cup, then start applying the beautiful color. There's no need to bleach her hair, since this dye is a natural, strong substance. 

"It already looks great." I say, smiling to myself. 

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As I'm finishing up Mrs. C's hair, I notice something keeps flickering in the corner of her mirror. It's quick, just a dark blur, then it's gone. I shake my head, cause I know I'm imagining things. When I've finished wrapping the last section of hair in tin foil, I take my dye cup to the back to wash it out. 

My mind keeps drifting back to that blur, and when I'm done cleaning up, I tell Mrs. C that it will take about twenty minutes for the dye to set. 

I head to the front of the shop, and enter all the treatments in for Mrs. Corsman. After I finish, I turn around and put up the new do-it-yourself coloring kits on the wall display. We just got them in, and they're really nice. I hear the door open, and I am about to finish with the boxes, so I just keep going. 

"I'll be with you in a minute.' I say, then put up the last box. I don't look when I turn around, and get into the client files on the computer. 

"Name?" I ask, and I look up at the person as they speak. 

"Killian. Killian Gaunt." 

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O.O