Sister, Sister.

XIX. Dust

FOUR MONTHS AFTER

Karlie

The day Jared and I became a couple, I sent Naomi a message telling her the good news. She called me minutes later hooting and cheering like I had won a trophy.

"I always knew you two had the hots for each other!" She said on the phone.

Today, one week later, I am waiting on her doorstep for our trip to the salon. I am ready to part with my red hair and get cornrows instead. Naomi wants to get a weave-on fixed. And Jared has been forced to tag along.

He stands by the Mercedes, surveying the compound with an unreadable expression on his face.

Finally, the door open and Naomi hopped out wearing all black. Black sweater for defense against the biting wind, black trousers and black flats.

"You took ages!" I said, bounding off the steps to the car.

"Sorry," she apologised, "I was searching for my flats."

"Karlie!" Daniel called out from behind me. I twirled on my heels to see him taking two steps at a time. He stopped in front of me, grinning sheepishly. "I think you should have this," he said, opening his palm to show me Kat's silver ring sitting in it, gleaming at me.

Looking at the ring now, I don't want it. I don't know what bewitched me into wearing it before.

"Don't bother, Daniel," I begin to say, "you should have it. It belongs to you."

Daniel takes my right hand and slips it on my forth finger with a pleased grin, his emerald eyes sparkling with satisfaction. The ring felt like it weighed tonne. Gripping my finger tightly like a vice. "There," he said with a flourish, "Katherine would have wanted you to have it." I sincerely doubt that. Kat is currently tossing and turning in her grave.

"Th-Thanks," I stammered in feign appreciation.

"I asked him to give it back to you," Naomi whispers into my ear from the backseat as Jared reversed out of the compound.

I visit the salon Kat took me to when she wanted to dye her hair. Arit greets me with open arms, beaming at Jared too and giving me a knowing look.

Arit began washing the dye off my hair, telling me stories of her toddler at home while Naomi browses through weave-ons, another hairdresser waiting for her to make a choice.

Jared sat on one of the plastic seats, fiddling with his phone. Sometimes, our eyes meet in the mirror and sets my core sizzling with pure excitement. He winks then goes back to his phone.

Some customers fawn over my hair, touching it and questioning me about my hair routine. Naomi rolls her eyes at them, shaking her head.

Three hours later, I am flaunting my new hairdo and Naomi is whipping her locks of her weave-on.

"They are expensive here," Naomi says to me as we make our way to the parked Mercedes. Jared follows wordlessly.

Ever since he stretched out a wad of notes to Arit and her colleague, paying for our hairdos, I can't meet his eyes. He has done so much for me since I knew him and I have done so little. I mull over the thought as I draw the seatbelt across my breasts and lock it in the buckle.

"We would have to make a quick stop," Jared says, turning the key in the ignition and adjusting the rear view mirror, "I have to pick Jesse up." He turned and gave me a look, suggesting Jesse will not be alone.

I know Jesse and Grace got back together. I was not sure when exactly but Jared told me about we broke the news to Jesse that we were now a couple.