Page 46 of Destroying Everleigh

We pulled into the parking lot of some massive salon. There were a few other cars in the lot, but it didn’t appear to be that busy.

“You’re sure we don’t need an appointment?” I asked, glancing around. Once again, I was out of my element.

“I’m sure. My mom’s friend owns this place. She told me to come by anytime and she’ll squeeze me in.”

“You’re spoiled,” I shot back.

I always knew that Amber was well off financially. She wore designer clothes to school daily, and never wore the same thing twice. I must have underestimated just how well off her family really was, though. It was hard not to be a little envious. Not because of the amount of money she had, but because she didn’t know what it was like to struggle financially. She never would.

Sighing, I turned to face her. “Before we go in there, I’m setting some ground rules,” I warned. “I’m not doing anything drastic. I like my hair color just fine. I only agreed to a trim.”

She rolled her eyes. “I know what I’m doing. Now come on before the parking lot fills up.”

She turned off the car before sliding out onto the pavement, leaving me to follow. When we entered, my breath might as well have left my body. Bright lights bled throughout the room and there was a whole ass sectional in the lobby for clients to wait. Amber looped her arm through mine, not entranced by the beauty of this place in the slightest—like she’d been here a thousand times before, or she had so much money, she couldn’t even appreciate it.

An older woman, around my mom’s age, made her way toward us. Her dark blonde hair was pulled into a high ponytail.

“Amber.” She smiled brightly, her blue eyes twinkling beneath the bright lighting. She pulled my friend into a warm hug, causing Amber to step away from me. “I’m glad you stoppedin.” She turned toward me at last, her eyes assessing me from head to toe. “Who’s your friend?”

“Oh, this is Everleigh. She goes to school with me.”

The blonde woman nodded fondly. “You might know my daughter then. She’s a sophomore there.”

“What’s her name?” I asked.

“Crystal Hopkins.” She smiled proudly, like her daughter was her most prized possession and she loved to flaunt her whenever the opportunity presented itself.

I smiled tightly, hoping it looked genuine. “I’ve seen her around.” I wasn’t about to tell her that I’d also gone to high school with her, or that she was a pain in my ass.

“She’s a mess, that one.” She beamed. “But she means well. I’m Brienne. But most people call me Bri,” she rambled off, making my head spin.

“It’s nice to meet you.”

Amber snaked an arm around my shoulders. “We were hoping you had time for a walk-in. Everleigh here needs some serious help with her split ends. I’m thinking layers, a trim, and some choppy bangs.”

Brienne stepped toward me, reaching out and running her fingers through my long black hair. She hummed in contemplation before stepping away from me again. “I can work with that. Follow me.” She turned on her heels and started for one of the booths, wrapping a black tarp around my shoulders before gesturing to the chair.

I slipped into the leather seat, taken aback by how comfortable it was. Amber smiled at me through the mirror, her face glowing like this was the most fun she’s had in ages.

I suppose being rich could be boring if you had no one to share it with. Especially when you’ve had that wealth your entire life.

My hair change was simple enough, so it took less than an hour. My bangs were jagged, sweeping across my forehead, and she added layers at Amber’s request. By the time she was done, my hair looked a lot healthier and even had extra volume. The black tint in my hair shined blue beneath the fluorescence, and I was obsessed with it surprisingly enough.

Brienne handed me a business card on our way out and told me to stop by anytime—like I could ever afford it. At least I didn’t look as poor as I was.

When we got back to my house, Amber helped me put away everything before falling on my bed with a dramatic sigh. Her dark green eyes bounced toward the ceiling.

The scent of mold was potent in the air as it always was when I returned home. She was doing a banging job of pretending she couldn’t smell it. Briley was gone, presumably with Angie again, so that gave me the house to myself for a while.

Amber was scrolling through her phone when she paused, her eyes widening and lips parting. “Oh my God,” she whispered.

“What?” I asked, moving to sit beside her.

She swallowed thickly before pulling her phone toward her chest to hide it from view. “Nothing,” she lied.

I raised an eyebrow, my pulse thundering in my veins. Even without her having to tell me, I could sense that something was wrong. The air in the room had grown heavy, causing me to work twice as hard to suck in oxygen.

“Amber, what is it?” I demanded.

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