Secret in the Heart ||Descendants|| (♡Ben)

22

Kara let out a sigh of relief as she stepped through the door into the familiar confines of their old hideout. The place, though dusty and worn, felt like home. Her eyes roamed over the walls adorned with Mal's colorful paintings, each stroke of the brush evoking memories of days gone by.

As she walked around, her gaze fell upon her reflection in the window. The sight of her blond hair reminded her of the wig she had grown to loathe. Resolutely, she decided it was time for a change. She nodded to herself and headed towards Lady Tremaine's Curl Up & Dye.

Arriving at the salon, she found the door closed with a sign reading "Closed Until Midnight." She had forgotten about the salon's hours. She glanced around and, seeing no one paying attention, slipped inside. The entrance was divided by plastic flaps that she pushed through, revealing the familiar, cluttered interior with paint splashes and salon equipment.

Dizzy was sweeping the floor, her headphones in place as she danced to the rhythm of her music. She spun around with a joyful twirl, but when she noticed Kara, she quickly pulled out her headphones and rushed over. "Kara!" she exclaimed, her face lighting up with surprise and delight. She enveloped Kara in a warm hug, which Kara returned gratefully.

Pulling back, Dizzy glanced behind Kara. "Is Evie back, too?" she asked hopefully. Kara chuckled softly. "As if," she replied. Dizzy's smile faltered slightly, and Kara, sensing her friend's disappointment, quickly changed the subject. "I, um, forgot that you guys don't open until midnight," she said, trying to distract Dizzy.

Dizzy nodded, her smile returning. "Yeah, but the place looks great," Kara remarked, and Dizzy laughed as she looked around. "So, what's the deal? Has your grandmother given you any customers yet?" Kara asked.

"Ah, just a witch here and there. Mostly it's a lot of scrubbing, scouring, and sweeping. Lots and lots of sweeping," Dizzy replied with a wry grin.

Kara frowned sympathetically. "Sounds like the old Cinderella treatment," she remarked. Dizzy sighed, "Yeah. She's gone from wicked stepmother to wicked grandmother." They shared a laugh at the comparison.

Kara took a deep breath and then asked, "Dizzy, can you help me with something?" Dizzy's curiosity was piqued. "With what?" she inquired. Kara lifted her hair to reveal the wig. "With this," she said.

Dizzy's eyes widened in disbelief. "How did they do it?" she asked, astonished. Kara chuckled. "Don't worry, they're not more skilled than you are. It's just a wig."

Dizzy laughed. "Ah, that's cheating!" she said. Kara smiled. "Can you spare the time?" she asked. Dizzy's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Always," she replied eagerly, grabbing Kara's hand and leading her to the chair.

As Dizzy examined Kara's light pink nail polish, she asked, "Bored to Death Pink?" Kara laughed. "Do your thing," she said with a smile. Dizzy nodded, and they set to work.

Dizzy carefully removed the wig, letting it fall to the ground. Kara felt a sudden lightness as her natural hair was freed. Dizzy then took out the pins holding Kara's hair in place. When the last pin was removed, Kara's hair tumbled down to her waist. "Wow," Kara said, surprised by the length. "I didn't realize it had grown so long."

"How about we go a bit shorter?" Dizzy suggested. "Do what you want, girl," Kara replied, trusting Dizzy's judgment. Dizzy set to work cutting and styling Kara's hair. She then removed the pink nail polish and replaced it with a sleek black. "This is so much better," Kara said, admiring the change.

"I know, right?!" Dizzy agreed, her enthusiasm evident. After drying and curling Kara's hair, Dizzy spun the chair around to face a broken mirror. Kara stood up and approached one of the broken mirror shards. She touched her newly styled silver hair, which now fell just above her shoulders in bouncy waves.