Third In Line

Chapter Fifty Seven - The Runaway Returns

Ellie glanced back up at Scarlett, wanting to stop feeling sorry for herself. Scarlett was examining her like a science project, her gaze focused on Ellie's hair.

"What now? What's wrong with my hair?" Ellie asked. The summer heat had mostly dried her soaked hair whilst they had been talking, but it was still a wild mess. She could feel strands of it standing up seemingly miles above her head, a tangle of bobby pins and hair spray.

"Nothing." Scarlett told her. She had already stood up, hairbrush in hand, and started cleaning up Ellie's hair for her.

"It's obviously not nothing." Ellie stared up at her.

"Just let me fix it up for you, okay?" Scarlett said, removing a stray pin occasionally and storing them in her mouth.

Ellie let her continue. She pretended to be put out, but she was secretly loving the attention. It had quickly become her dream to be remade in Scarlett's image, and her dream was coming true.

"I used to know someone who did their hair this way, all the pins, the side part, the curls." Scarlett told her, disappearing out of Ellie's view as she worked.

"My... friend Anna did it for me."

Anna has her titles, but I don't want to look even more posh in front of Scarlett by calling her my maidservant. She is really just my friend.

The styling suddenly stopped. Scarlett seemed to just vanish without a word. Ellie waited for a moment before she turned around, yet Scarlett was still there, albeit a few feet further away. Her face had gone completely pale.

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah, fine!" Scarlett brushed it off and quickly resumed brushing her hair. Ellie pulled away, concerned and not wanting to ignore it.

"You've gone completely pale. Are you sure you're okay?"

The colour was starting to return to her cheeks as Scarlett spoke once more. "Yeah, yeah. Think I just got an electric shock off your hair."

"Well, I do have a lot of pent up energy." Ellie snorted out a little giggle while Scarlett visibly relaxed.

"Hah." Scarlett returned to brushing her hair. She seemed glad to break eye contact and made a point of staying out of Ellie's view for the next five minutes.

I didn't feel a shock.

Time kept passing, the sun was starting to set, and a relaxing silence settled in. The only noise being the hairbrush making its way repeatedly through her hair. Neither of them said a word as Ellie had gradually grown more and more uncomfortable. Scarlett was a mysterious girl who seemed to be holding onto many secrets, and as much as she wanted to be her friend and learn more about her, Ellie started to feel like she'd had enough mystery for the day.

"There, you look great. A proper rebel girl now!" Scarlett ran her hands through Ellie's hair to lift it up a little more.

Ellie quickly grabbed her shoes and stood up just as Scarlett was about to sit down. She intended to be brief, say her goodbyes and make a quick exit, but the weight of her hair surprised her. It felt so much bigger, fluffier, like a lion's mane.

I don't want to go.

But sensible Eleanor was starting to step in. "I should get back, it's getting late."

"Oh, yeah, that's cool." Scarlett looked dreadfully disappointed.

Fuck.

It was as if they both had conflicting sides, fighting to keep themselves restrained and yet eager to explore what could be an exciting friendship. Ellie lingered, her brief exit becoming more and more drawn out. Scarlett waited, watched, hoping she would change her mind.