Lacey
21.
Jealousy is a bitch. I fucking know that because I’ve met her several times over my life, but she can’t be compared to the one I met just now. Nothing prepared me to see Koa with another woman. A woman he’s been together with, who he kissed and told her things he told me. Who he fucked, which she openly told everyone, including teens and preteens, in this room. A hand touches my shoulder, and I flinch away. Ledger pulls his hand back first, but lets it wander over my neck a second later again, massaging me so at least a little tension is leaving my body.
“Relax, Lacey. He hates her.”
Why is hate sex the first thing that comes to my mind? It makes me even more crazy with jealousy, knowing they are outside alone. My mind wandering to them both on the hood of his car, where I was just a few days ago.
“Rachel is a bitch, Lacey,” Malika, one of the pretty fifteen-year-old girls I was talking to, tells me, an apologetic look on her face. I can’t help but let go of my anger when I look into her innocent eyes.
“She really is,” another girl agrees.
“She was here with Koa and Ledger a few times, but she was always so nasty.”
My heart sinks even deeper. So they brought her here too. Ledger tenses behind my back and starts massaging my neck with even more force. It drives me nuts, because I kind of like his touch, but I’m kind of not in the mood for any fucking touching.
“She accused Koa of cheating, wanting to know where he’s up to, in all of his free time, so we took her here to show her that he was faithful,” Ledger adds, trying to make amends, but making it worse instead.
Koa told me she was no one important, that it didn’t last long and he didn’t love her. So why all of a sudden do I feel as if she was a huge part of his life.
“You really don’t have to worry, Lacey. He never looked at her the way he looks at you,” Malika says, a shy smile spreading across her face.
I almost laugh at how ridiculously stupid I must look right now because I haven’t responded to anything, just stood still like a jealous idiot. That I am, but still.
“I’m fine, guys. Please don’t worry about me,” I assure the girls first and then turn around to Ledger, whose gaze looks worryingly to the door my now worst enemy and Koa just exited. Mixed with jealousy is now another feeling, fear. What if she is dangerous? What if he fell into a trap?
“Will he be OK?” I ask Ledger, who quickly stumbles out of his thoughts, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.
“Sure, babe. Don’t worry.”
I melt like a puddle on the ground from his affection and the way his eyes wander over my lips. When I finally come out of my foggy brain, I turn around and see the girls swoon at him too. Who can blame them.
Ledger looks a bit uncomfortable when he sees them looking at him with starry eyes, so he takes a step behind me, putting his hands on my shoulder, as if he’s holding me like a shield in front of him. If this wasn’t so cute, I would straight out laugh. The only way I know to respond to uncomfortable situations is to avoid them and get busy with something else so I look around.
“Who’s next?” I ask, waving my scissors around.
“Shit, be careful with those,” Ledger mutters, taking a step back from me.
I giggle and get busy on my next client while Ledger watches my every move as well as the damn door Koa disappeared through. And every damn second he is outside feels like a frigging hour. The jealousy is fucking eating me alive. I’m waiting in here patiently while he is outside with his ex-girlfriend doing god knows what. I’m glad I have the kids around to keep me occupied. They are actually really annoying clients who want several different cuts and logos engraved into their hair. After I’m done cutting out yet another sports logo with my razor, I’m officially done with the majority of the boy group.
“Uh, Lacey?” Jenny, a small, very petite girl with blonde shoulder-length hair and pink bangs, asks.
I can’t help but smile at her. She’s very shy and although the haircut and color aren’t quite the most professional I’ve ever seen, she’s still very pretty and it suits her.
“Yes, Jenny?” I reply, and she grins because I’ve clearly not forgotten her hair.
“Uhm I don’t want to sound rude, or be annoying but… uhm… do you think you could do something to my hair as well?”
Now it is my turn to grin, as I clap my hands together excitingly.
“Well yes. I’m actually looking for someone to practice on. I swear you won’t be my first hair model and that I know plenty of techniques by now, so you will be safe. You would have to come to my beauty school though, so you will get the right treatment as if you’re in a real salon,” I list off, and Jenny’s eyes go round like saucers.
“Really?” she asks happily, jumping up and down.
I almost mimic her, but Ledger puts another hand on my neck, reminding me that I’m a woman, not a girl.
“But do I have to pay something?” Jenny asks, her cheeks getting red, and I shake my head no.
“No, honey, it’s all covered. I just need you to bring a permission from your parents or legal guardian.”
She grins again. “That’s not an issue,” she tells me and then jumps into my arms bumping us against the man behind me.
I didn’t know the petite girl had so much power but I hug her back and pat her back, rubbing it as she mutters a million thank you’s.
“How about Tuesday, are you free in the afternoon?” I ask her.
She grins up at me nodding her head, seeming completely happy. Other girls have lined up behind her, asking if they can come get their hair done too and my smile grows even wider. I’m honestly so happy to make them happy.
“You don’t know how much I want to kiss you right now,” Ledger mutters into the shell of my ear.
I freeze, goosebumps erupting all over my skin as I turn around to look deep into his eyes. Jenny lets go of me giggling, because she probably heard what he just said to me even if it really was frigging quiet. He gazes down to my lips, and I lick them because my mouth suddenly feels as dry as the Sahara. I knew we had chemistry and that there was something, but he never really openly said anything like he did just now, well besides my first day of work, and it makes me fucking gaga with emotions.
Right when my eyes land on his lips, the door opens with another loud bang. We both look to it. Ledger looks pretty concerned, and I feel like the guiltiest woman alive for even thinking the way I just did. Because damn, wasn’t I jealous of another woman just a second ago? What the hell is wrong with me, with my body that it feels connected to Ledger as well?
Koa looks furious as he comes back inside. His eyes are on the ceiling though, and I don’t know what the hell is wrong. When he sees us this close together, the scowl on his face disappears, a little smile tugging at his lips. And there goes my heart again, beating almost out of my chest. Shit shittity shit…
He comes up to us and stands directly in front of me, his eyes wandering over every inch of my face before they land on mine. The deep brown of his reflecting in the light coming from the ceiling. It should be very loud in a big hall like this, filled to the brim with teenagers, but suddenly it is so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
Koa clenches his fists, still looking at me, and I don’t know if he is wild with emotions toward me, or toward his ex he just talked to outside alone. And I know I shouldn’t be jealous, especially not after just almost kissing his best friend, but the fire inside me bubbles up to the fucking surface, and I want to lash out at him. But I stop myself, crossing my arms in front of my chest. I don’t say anything, but I must still give off a vibe because Koa looks down to my crossed arms and then back up into my face, grinning like a little boy, who got caught with his hands in the cookie jar.
“Oh baby, keep that energy up for when we’re at home tonight,” he tells me, leaning down to kiss my mouth before wandering off to the donuts.
I hear shouts, kids bellowing, girls fawning, and I swear I hear a faint bitch somewhere, as I turn around and all eyes are on me.
“I can’t wait to take you home tonight too,” Ledger says, walking past me, smacking my ass as he goes.
Yes, the bastard smacked my ass.Another set of goose bumps dot my arms, and I hate them—both of them—for making me feel this way. I’m left behind with Jenny and four other girls who look between my glare and the guy’s asses that it’s directed at.
“So, uh, should I give you my number so we can discuss the time and place?” Jenny asks, snapping me out of my stupid jealousy in a heartbeat.
I replace the glare with a smile. “Sure, why don’t you all put your information in my phone?” I ask the girls, handing them my iPhone. They all but forget about the little handsy battle I just had with their heroes.