Note:

I extended this chapter based on a special request to prolong the girl bonding moment. The new part starts after the === mark.
I hope you like it ;)

******

For the next couple of days, Vivian didn't show her pretty face in the café again - Thank God, not even in our dorm room- and it made me more at ease that my paranoid thoughts might be untrue.

Akram did show up as usual.

He'd come in, walk to the front counter and greet us. I would reluctantly come out of my obscure corner and say Hi, then I'd return to prepare his cappuccino. Nothing much to be said. Only he seemed to have this worried expression on his face when he'd ask me how I'd been. A soft wrinkle between his dark eyebrows that engraved an intense gaze in his eyes.

It could be test anxiety, I supposed. I knew how it felt to have important exams even though I'd never been to college. I'd wanted to but... The fear of failure could sometimes translate into an insane freak-out moment that would freeze up your mind and then you'd eventually fail just as you feared.

That was just me, of course.

Friday at work was like any other day, except for the growing anticipation for tonight. I thought I got over this feeling but obviously I was wrong. The thought of Akram and I sitting next to each other in a dark movie theater sent a strange wave of tension down my stomach.

Akram was late for lunch but I figured, well, I hoped that this was intentional in order for him to pick me up after my work hours.

"Hey, Melo. Ready to get ready?" Asha asked in a singing voice, her grin bulging with enthusiasm.

My eyes snapped up to look at the paralyzed wall clock. 5:03 , it said.

I let out a breath. "Yeah!"

Almost there!

"Ok. Go change in the ladies room, I'll be right behind you," Asha demanded.

"It's ok. I can manage," I replied.

"Hey! I know what I'm doing, just go... Wait!" She rummaged inside a tote bag on the floor with Superman logo printed on it. She brought out a bottle of shampoo and a small blow dryer and tossed them towards me, " wash your hair before you change."

My jaw dropped open.

"But there's no time for..."

"There's plenty of time, " she cut me off impatiently, "go get dressed pronto! "

I went along with Asha because, really, there was no choice. No one could tame her stubborn mind. Plus, it was just too sweet and touching how she'd been trying to help at every chance she'd got. She was such a true friend and I had no other means to repay her but to let her have her way.

After freshening up and washing my hair, I donned my new outfit and I attempted to blow-dry the short wet strands when I heard quick raps on the door.

"Open up! It's me," Asha said.

I unlocked the door and Asha rushed inside.

"Asha, you can't just leave the counter unattended!" I exclaimed.

"Relax! The new girl, Lucy, is here for the night shift. " she gave me a reassuring smile, " let me handle this. You gotta be spruced up this time. "

She placed a small make-up kit on the marble vanity and expertly took over the blow dryer that overheated the back of my neck.

======

"Hunker down, Gigantor!" Asha demanded.

"Hey! I'm not that tall, midget," I teased, doing exactly what she said by clinging to the edge of the vanity.

"You'll listen or you'll go out with purple hair tonight, capeesh?" She purred through the noise of the dryer.

"Alright! I surrender!"

"Good girl!" She ruffled my hair with her fingers, " nice hair you got here. Blow dries fast."

"THANKS!" my voice was too loud as she switched off the dryer all of a sudden.

We laughed quietly at the same time.

"You should let it grow," she suggested.

"Nope. I can't. "

"Why not?"

"Too much work," I said, picturing how long it would take me to shower and do my hair in the godforsaken showers back at the shelter.

Asha grabbed a tiny bottle and massaged a small amount of hair product into my hair.

" I wish my hair looks like yours though," I said.

"Oh no! You don't!" She shrieked.

"Why not?" I repeated jokingly.

"Too much work, smarty! I have to wake up every day at 4:30 am to get it done. I'm dying to cut it shorter but my mom would kill me."

"Really? There's someone who can actually bridle you?" I chuckled.

" Ha ha! Very funny. Where d'you think I got my superpowers from?" She continued chattering while grooming me. "When I was four momma convinced me that long hair has superpowers. I wanted to be a superhero, you know. I thought when my hair is long enough it can work like a cape."

I stifled a laugh at the cuteness she must had been as a kid. " So, does it make you fly? Or does it glow when you sing?"

"Yeah! right! Turn around, smarty, or you'll face the wrath of my frying pan!"

I turned around to face a smirking Asha.

"Go sit down on your favorite toilet and don't you even think about looking in the mirror until I'm finished." She demanded, raising an eyebrow and pointing to the stalls behind us.

I rolled my eyes and obeyed.

Asha was really fast and skillful as she started moisturizing my face- dabbing concealer, powder and eyeshadow mostly with her fingers like a hand painter.

"Hey! Stop blinking!" Asha protested while she tried to apply eyeliner alone the rim of my eyelids.

"Sorry," I replied, trying to not ruin her perfect work. Although I was really curious about the results but I tried to be patient, "you always do people's make-up? You seem to enjoy it."

"I wish! I told you my family is high in the testosterone level and I really wish I had a sister to practice with. My classmates thought I was a creep when I asked them." She shook her head, turning her lips down.

"Lucky me," I beamed.

"You bet you are!" Asha stated proudly while she curled my lashes and started working on the lipstick

=====

Even with such small hands, Asha was really fast and skillful. I was impressed by the countless things she could do. I guess the arty-crafty people fascinated me because I'd never been gifted this way. With Akram being in Juilliard and Asha in The Institute of Art I felt truly useless, but also proud that these guys thought, for some irrational reason, that I was worthy of being in their lives.

Twenty minutes later, I was gawking at the mirror, astonished of the sudden transformation. The dark zombie circles were gone, the paleness of my skin was replaced by a subtle natural glow. My dull blue eyes didn't look as dead as before. They were lined with a thin layer of eyeliner that wasn't too shocking but made them look nicely bluer. My cheek bones were rosy and lively and my lips were fuller with a matte tinge of pink. Even my bleak hair looked healthier even though there was no such thing as hair make-up.

"Wow!" I whispered.

"I know, right? I hardly used any make-up on you by the way. Your skin is like a baby. "

"Really? I thought I was like a zombie." I teased, making a face and glancing at my reflection one more time.

"Not tonight, Cinderella! Fairy godmother is here to the rescue." Asha bowed in a theatrical gesture.

I suppressed a giggle with my hand just to remember I was wearing lipstick so I dropped it to my side.

"Thank you, Fairy godmother. " I curtsied, a grin dancing on my lips.

" No problem, buddy." Asha winked and grabbed me by the elbow to get me out of the ladies room. She picked up the plastic bag that I left my old clothes in. "I'll keep this with me."

I smiled gratefully.

We got out just in time to find Akram coming in through the door. His face shone when he saw us approaching.

"Don't forget what he owes you." Asha leaned in and whispered into my ear, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "Go get em tiger."

A sweet smile touched Akram's eyes when I shuffled closer and smiled back, tucking my hair behind my ears, all my stupid thoughts of the past 2 days long forgotten. Even if he lied- which I believed he didn't- so did I. In this case, he didn't owe me anything because we were already even.

"Hi!" He looked me straight in the eyes, his forhead lifted for a second as if in amazement, his smile extended, "ready?"

"Ready." I nodded nervously.

"Ready for what? What's going on, Asha? Melody?" A quiet voice Interrupted.

Twirling around, I stared anxiously at Mrs. Charan, who stood a few steps away, crossing her arms and lifting her thin eyebrows quizzically.

My mind stopped working for a moment. I gave Asha a pleading look to help me out. I couldn't guess what kind of trouble I was in but I was afraid it might be really bad.

"Melody is just... going out." That was all that Asha could say. She tossed her arm in the air and scratched her head nonchalantly as if there was nothing wrong.

"Is she? Is he your boyfriend, darling?" Mrs. Charan asked me with a vague smile.

"No! Well...uh!..." I stammered, turning my face up to glance at Akram's blushing face that matched my own.

God! Did I just embarrass him?

"Hello ma'am. My name is Akram. I came to take Melody out if that's alright." Akram stepped forward, his hand extended steadily to greet Mrs. Charan.

I noticed how he quickly shook off the embarrassment and the confident way he introduced himself. I was impressed. I wish I could do that.

" Hello, Akram. I'm Chandra Charan. I own this place and I don't allow the social life of my employees to interrupt their work," my boss said calmly, shaking his hand.

"Sorry, ma'am. I thought her shift was over." Akram turned his gaze to me, there was a reassuring look in his eyes.

"It is. I just want to get this straight before you leave." Mrs. Charan turned her face and winked at me, a smirk on her lips.

I blinked, too stunned to believe my eyes.

I guess this means I'm not in trouble?

"Sure, Mrs. Charan. " Akram nodded, giving her a broad smile.

"One more thing," she said.

"Yes?" Akram raised his eyebrows.

"Take good care of her." Mrs. Charan grinned and gestured towards me with her head. "Now go! you're blocking the entrance."

"Yes, ma'am."

Akram nodded politely and held out his hand to me, simply, as if it was something he'd done a million times before.

I let out a breath of relief.

And when I gave him my hand, the delightful buzz returned and washed my worries away.

*****

Hello again

That's Another short chapter for you. Nothing much is happening but if you like Asha's character you might enjoy this BFF bonding moment ;)

*What do you think of Mrs. Charan so far?

*any expectations of how the coming "friendly date" is going to be like?

*do you think Asha is a little too bossy at time? ;)

Please let me know what you think it means the world to me. And please point out any errors to help improve this chapter.

Thank you ♥♥