Eternal Sunshine ✓

18. Braids & Chill

"So, you knew they were dating this whole time and didn't even think to tell me?"

Steven shrugged. "Yeah, he lowkey threatened me. I swore I wouldn't."

"Wooow, great friend you are," Tasha said surprised, and shook her head in disbelief.

Steven stopped his movements, and reprimanded her, "Hey, hey, stop shaking your cute big ass head, I'm trying do something."

She halted shaking her head to slap his thigh. "Me? Big head? Such a jerk."

"Would a jerk so generously offer to do your hair, Tasha?"

She just waved him off and sat up so he could better reach her head. "You're not doing anything, Steven. More like taking off. And you didn't offer to do it, remember?"

Steven laughed and got back to carefully loosing the braid he'd been working on. "Yeah, right. You tricked me into helping you."

"I wouldn't say I tricked you. It was more of a given that went untold. You asked me to come over and I said I was busy taking off my braids, then you said you would come over to my house instead. I figured you knew you'd have to help me since you were coming over."

"Yeah, I'm sure you did."

Tasha shrugged innocently. "Excuse me for assuming friends help each other in times of need."

Steven was holding in a smile. This girl was always arguing about everything, you literally couldn't win an argument if she was in the room.

"You should be glad too, I taught you a skill today. Before you know it you'll be a pro at taking off box braids!"

Tasha clapped her hands excitedly, her eyes on Tyler Perry's The Haves and The Have Nots that was playing on her TV. She had a weird obsession with that show, dramatic and over-the-top as it was, she enjoyed it quite a lot.

"Okay, your majesty, you're right. I'm grateful to you for taking the time to teach me such a timeless skill as box braids removal. I'm humbled."

Tasha chuckled but played along. "Of course, peasant. You still have a lot to learn though, cause the way them big ass hands are pulling my hair, I'm gonna get a headache soon."

"Shit, I bet you'd be very happy if these big ass hands were pulling your hair in my bedroom. Wanna try it sometime?"

Tasha looked up at Steven. She was seating on the floor as he sat on the couch so he could reach her hair easily. A pillow sat underneath her butt for comfort though, which gave her a little of a boost.

"So you really trying to get slapped, Steven Gilbert-Albert Morrison?" She pulled out his full name, knowing it would piss him off.

"You promised you wouldn't bring my full name up ever again, Tasha."

She shrugged again. "And you promised you'd tell me when my sister was in a whole ass relationship for THREE YEARS without my knowledge. But you didn't, so I guess we're even now."

Steven scrunched up his face as he put the hair from the braid he'd just loosed in a plastic bag. "But I never promised you th-"

"You did when I slept over at your house for the second time. That means that we became actual friends, and friends don't withdraw information like that."

Steven chuckled and started on another braid. "You're impossible, Tasha."

"What? I gave you a bite out of my Popeyes spicy chicken sandwich and I always let you try my food. You know I have privileges to secrets if I do that."