Between cuts and confession

Maxime Kidd has always been the opposite of her older sister, Stella. Where Stella is disciplined, steady, and pragmatic, Maxime thrives on creativity, emotion, and spontaneity. With her dark blue hair and fearless personality, she's the kind of woman who walks into a room and immediately changes its energy. She owns a small but thriving hair salon in Chicago, a place filled with laughter, music, and the scent of fresh coffee and hair dye. Her salon isn't just a business - it's her world, her passion, her proof that she doesn't need anyone's approval to stand on her own.

Among her regular customers is Lieutenant Matt Casey, a quiet, thoughtful firefighter who's become part of the salon's routine. At first, he's just another client - polite, charming, and always in a rush. But lately, Matt has started to stay longer after his appointments. A quick haircut turns into a half-hour conversation. Coffee turns into laughter. And laughter begins to feel like something more.

Maxime feels it too - the slow, magnetic pull toward him - but she tries to ignore it. Falling for one of Stella's colleagues could complicate everything. Yet, the more time Matt spends at her salon, the harder it becomes to pretend it's nothing.

When Stella begins to notice Matt's visits stretching longer and Maxime's smile lingering after he leaves, tension quietly builds between the sisters. Stella, protective as ever, worries her impulsive little sister is headed for heartbreak. Maxime, tired of always being seen as the reckless one, starts to feel caged by her sister's judgment.

One impulsive evening, after an especially heated conversation with Stella, Maxime does something she knows will push her buttons - she gets two new piercings on a whim. It's her way of taking control, of reminding herself she doesn't need permission to be who she is. But when Stella finds out, the argument that follows cuts deep.