Addicted (OITNB)

43- Forgive And Not Forget

I WALK INTO Sophia's salon not feeling as nervous as I thought I would be. I've never had a short cut but maybe that's why I don't find my appearance as appealing as I used to. I need something new. And besides, it's just hair. It'll grow back. And if it turns out that I hate the hair more than I expected then I'll just get weave. I'm sure Sophia can fix anything.

"Evie, come sit down." Sophia turns her back to me as she prepares the tools she will be using. I slowly take a seat in the black chair in front of a long mirror.

"So, how short do you want it?" Sophia asks as she starts to run her manicured fingers through my hair, flattening it out.

I stare at my reflection as if I'm looking at someone else. My lips twitch with uncertainty before I place my fingers on my shoulders.

"So, like a bob?"

"Uh, a bit longer than that. I don't want the front to be longer than the back."

"Right, so just straight across. I got it." She places a black sheet over my chest and it covers my entire body.

"So, is it true?" Sophia asks without moving her eyes from my hair, dampening it all over with a spray bottle.

"Hm?" I tilt my head up to peer at her through the reflection.

"That you and Nicky are engaged?" Sophia asks and I feel heaviness in my gut.

For some reason I'm not sure about telling her the truth or going along with the lie, even though that was what we agreed on. If Nicky is taking this so seriously then why can't we just be engaged for real? And why would she tell Sophia, I mean they're not that close.

"I didn't think Nicky was the type to get engaged." Sophia mutters. She's not, I want to say.

Then I start wondering, could I tell Sophia the truth? Sophia's a lovely person and we are both kinda close... I feel bad lying to her, even though I'm basically lying to everyone.

"Can I tell you something?" I say quietly.

"At the salon you can say anything." She smiles, not averting her eyes from the back of my head. I can hear the scissors slicing through my dark hair but my mind is too occupied with other things to care anymore.

"You know my sister?"

"Uh, not sure I do." She replies.

"Well anyway, long story short, I'm pretending to be engaged so that I can get back at her." I say, and I feel some relief.

Sophia stops cutting and stares at me in bewilderment.

"That's a bit... Crazy, don't you think?" She looks like she's asking me if I'm joking.

"That's not crazy, my sister is crazy. If I told you everything she has done you would probably go into cardiac arrest."

Sophia smiles to herself, running the scissors through my hair again. "I can stand here for a few hours."

I bite my bottom lip, contemplating if I should go into detail of all the things Millie has done. What if she sees Millie around and beats her up? Actually, Sophia couldn't do that. She's like a delicate little flower.

"Let me just tell you how she ended up in here. She purposely robbed a store just so that she could reunite with me again." I say, expecting Sophia to gasp or at least look shocked. However, she just frowns.

"Aw, that's sweet." She says and I scoff.

"It's really not. She might as well have been sent here in the first place."