Blindsided 09

“I really do appreciate the help, Shar, but you know, there really is no need to go overboard here. Some old clothes and a little makeup will do the trick.” Robbie muttered nervously from the salon chair.

“Nonsense, if we’re doing this, we’ll do it right,” Shar replied as she continued to apply the face mask intended to cleanse and soften Robbie’s skin. “What if someone saw you walking out of here looking a mess? It would be bad for my reputation.”

“Come on, Shar! It’s ten o’clock on a Friday night. The shopping centre's closed. Who on earth is going to be around to see me?” Robbie moaned. “What is this gunk anyway?”

“Hey, do you want my help or not?” Shar snapped in an annoyed tone. “Here I am, after hours, helping you out of the goodness of my heart and all you’re doing is complaining.”

“I’m sorry,” Robbie replied while lowering his head. “I really do appreciate you doing this. I can’t say I’d do the same if I was in your position.”

“Well, it’s like I told you before, Robbie. It’s all about karma,” Shar said while turning away to check her equipment. “Sending you away would be bad karma, and I don’t need that while starting a new business. All I ask is that the next time you come across someone who needs help, you won’t ignore them.”

“I promise,” Robbie replied as he lifted his hand to examine his girly-looking nails.

“That's enough for me,” Shar said before looking down over Robbie’s shoulder. “You’re not happy with your nails, are you? Well, that's your own fault. I asked you what colour you wanted, and you said you didn’t care.”

(See image 15)

The sight of shiny pink nails hovering above a set of smooth hairless thighs made Robbie cringe. “I know,” he said, trying not to complain again. “They’re fine, really. I’m just not used to wearing nail polish, that’s all.”

“Really? How strange,” Shar said, raising an eyebrow. “Here, something’s been bugging ever since that comment you made about your breasts and not knowing who put them there. Robbie, Is someone forcing you to go to this club tonight?”

Robbie froze as he decided on how to answer. “I… It’s complicated,” he said, repeating his answer from earlier. “It’s a long story, and to be honest, I don’t feel like telling it. I just have to get into that nightclub. It’s really important.”

“I see,” Shar replied as she picked up the first of the hair extensions she had arranged to her right. “And why is that? Earlier, you said it was life or death!”

“There’s something I need in there,” Robbie replied while curling his lip at the sight of the long blonde strand of hair moving towards the top of his head. Almost complaining, he bit his tongue, remembering how he’d earlier begged Shar to help him. He also remembered how he'd given Shar free reign to do what she deemed necessary after conceding that he would really need to update his look if he was going to get into one of the city’s most exclusive nightclubs.

“Oh, come on! Give me a bit more than that, or I stop right now,” Shar cried before throwing a towel over the mirror to help Robbie focus on her. “I don’t have to do this, you know?”

“Ok, fine,” Robbie moaned, rolling his eyes. “I’ve been receiving these messages telling me to do stuff. The last one gave me a ticket and sent me to see some guy named Terrace. When I found him, he said the ticket was for the cloakroom, and if I dressed up sexy, he could get me in. There’s going to be some kind of message waiting for me there.”

“Robbie! Who is this guy? And what does he expect in return?” Shar asked with concern in her voice.

“A bouncer at Lush. To be honest, he creeped me out a little when he asked for a favour in return, but at least now, I have a way in.”

“Robbie! This sounds really dangerous! Shar exclaimed. “It's never a good idea to owe people favours. Why is this so important to you?”

“I… as I said, it’s complicated. Look, Shar, I’ll be careful, ok? I’m just going to head in. Get what I need and leave. And after tonight, I don’t plan on ever seeing this Terrance guy again, so whatever he wants from me, he's not getting it!”

“And what if he catches you on the way out?” Shar asked as she went back to doing Robbie’s hair. “I’ve known a few club bouncers in my time, and if he’s asked you to come, looking sexy, he’s only after one thing. You!”

“What? But I’m a guy. unless he’s gay?” Robbie blurted out in shock. He had briefly thought about what Terrance might ask from him in return for letting him enter the club, but what Shar was suggesting couldn't be true, could it?

Shar went silent for a second as if she was thinking. “I tell you what. Why don’t I go with you tonight? I can give you a ride over there and observe things from the car?”

“Uhm… really? I mean, that’s really kind of you to offer, but I’ll be ok,” Robbie replied, not understanding why Shar had offered.

“I’m sure you will but how are you going to get there at that time of night? And what will you do after? My sofa is free again, you know?”

“Uhm… ok then,” Robbie replied with a smile. “I guess I could stay one more night. That is if you really don’t mind?”

“That’s settled then,” Shar announced while clapping her hands together. “Now, let’s finish making you look the part then, shall we? And while I work, I'll tell you how I ended up owning this salon. It's a crazy story, you see It was left to me by my aunt, who died in a freak boating accident. She was on a sailboat in the Adriatic when..."

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Having attached the last of the extensions to Robbie’s hair, Shar placed her hands on his shoulders and smiled. “Ok, all done, and it’s turned out really nice. Are you ready to see?”

Having stared blankly at the towel still covering the mirror for the last hour while struggling to stay awake, Robbie sat up straight in his chair. The extra weight on top of his head was definitely noticeable, and out of the corner of his eye, he could see some dangling strands of blonde hair. “Yes, show me the damage,” he answered, eager to get the night over with.

Reaching over, Shar grabbed the corner of the towel, and with her long purple nails, yanked it clear.

“Oh my God,” Robbie shrieked, bringing his hand up to cover his mouth. “What did you do to me?”

Returning to her position behind his chair, Shar giggled as the astonished, blonde-headed man fell into a stunned silence.

(See image 16)

“What you asked for, Robbie, hun. Now you look like a person who belongs in a club like Lush,” Shar announced before clicking her fingers. “Well, you will once I’ve done your makeup. Oh, and before I forget, let me fetch my piercing gun.”