Happiness Is In Being Held

Akko ran the comb smoothly through the woman's hair, removing any remaining tangles to complete the look. Putting the black ebony comb back onto one of the shelves Akko withdrew a shiny square mirror residing within a plain black plastic frame.

The woman spent a long time scrutinising her cut; Akko held her breath and gave the TV, stuck on the music channel, a quick glance. In the bottom right, beneath 5 girls dancing in stripy jumpers in a white studio, the time was imprinted on the exclamation rich blue footer running product promotions.

12.04

Akko muscles tightened with tension. Her present customer had already asked to have her hair shortened twice and then the style tweaked at the front, so that the fringe ran at a slightly different angle.

"Hm. It'll do," the woman said stuffily. Akko's smile widened a little too far as she placed the mirror back under the counter, imagining how the women would look with her long black hair cut to shreds by a rampaging pair of scissors.

Instead she took the dusting brush and carefully dusted the loose hair off the customer; who looked like she was in her late thirties or early forties. Probably the wife of some relatively well to do business man. She had the attitude of someone with something to boast of, but not the grace of someone who was truly abundant in riches.

A status symbol. Someone who is tied by duty. Someone I don't want to be.

She thought of a certain dark haired, brown eyed girl and smiled.

And won't be. Shoot! I need to hurry.

Removing the gown from the woman she moved over to the till. Payment was a mercifully short and uneventful affair and the woman was soon striding out of the shop; Akko resisted the temptation to stick her tongue out, instead grabbing the dark green plastic brush from behind the till.

I'm not a kid anymore after all.

Hastily she started brushing the hair about the chair her customer had been in into the back right corner of the room.

"Hey I'll take care of that Oohashi-san," Angela said as she emerged from the back room. Angela was a blonde American girl who was apparently on some sort of abroad scheme for a year. Akko wasn't terribly sure of the details but it seemed she was working part time to pay for traveling; regardless she had proved a very useful source of new styles and tips.

"You're supposed to be meeting your friend, right?"

Akko nodded and handed over the broom with a grateful smile.

"Thanks," she said, dashing past Angela and into the back of the store. The back rooms were a bit cramped with a box kitchen on the right, the toilet beyond that and then the storage and dressing room at the back; Akko made her way into the latter.

There were a handful of beanbags and wooden chairs gathered around a flat glass table in the right corner. The table was littered with circular tea stains and a variety of older fashion magazines; the later magazines were all out in the front. The room wasn't large though, with the table and chairs taking up a third of the room. It was also poorly lit, two small rectangular windows set high to either side of the metal back door.

Akko headed past the cabinets and mirrors on the left side, stuffed with styling products in tubes and bottles, to the back wall where her sky blue puffa coat with puffed white sleeves was hanging; her shiny black shoes making no sound on the dull cream carpet.

She glanced at the clock above the door, a plain black ring encircling the black arrows that mercilessly marched onwards with no regard to those who milled around.

12.12

"Arrgh" Akko muttered under her breath and conjured up a vision of the fussy women she'd just served being shaved bald.

She grabbed her purple handbag, threw it over her left shoulder and took a few steps backwards to the large oval mirror on the left wall. Frowning, she smoothed out a few strands of hair sticking up or out of place and wondered whether to put on some more face powder. Another glance at the minute hand edging past the 3 convinced her otherwise.

I'd text but I'll be there in 5 minutes and I'll get there pretty quickly. No time to dally.

She strode over to the door and twisted down the cold metal handle, jerking the stiff hinges to life and pulling it back to allow sunlight to flood the shop.

Glancing left and right she stepped out onto a narrow tarmac alleyway, wide enough to squeeze a car down and no more; the car park for this row of shops and offices was further down on the right where various cars glinted green, silver and blue like futuristic beached whales.

In front of her ran a weathered wooden fence with a rickety gate; the depth of the buildings concertinaed on the other sides so that whilst some were pressed up against the roadway others had a rear area used for storage, or gardens or just derelict land.

Akko was more concerned with the weather though, having ascertained there was no traffic approaching. She glanced up and was relieved to see bright blue sky. It was what the weather report had said it would be and she did have a jet black umbrella in her handbag but nonetheless it made things easier and the world a bit brighter.

She walked quickly up the driveway and past the white pole barrier, providing a deceptively strong guard to the car park, before turning right onto the paved streets amid various stores and the occasional skyscraper.

It was busy and crowded and her steps didn't feel as fast as they should be. She had to resist the urge to shout at one guy who moved in front of her whilst texting on his phone.

Mari will be waiting and worrying you moron! Don't hold me up! Well it's that women's fault really.

She looked across the road. Further down she caught sight of a flash of white outside the restaurant they had chosen to meet up at.

I bet that's Mari, I think I see her dark hair too.

Akko crossed over the road, weaving and ducking the lunch time crowds; closer and closer to the bob of dark hair that remained outside of Sukiya.

About 3 metres away she got her first clear sight of her. A white summery dress shifting against a body she knew so well; hands that stopped hers shaking that day typing on a pink mobile that still held their charm; spotless white trainers and socks from which smooth legs flowed and a face framed by mid-length, smooth and silken chocolate hair that shimmered in the sun.

I need to see her eyes though to make the picture complete. She's typing a text, presumably a 'where are you?' message.

Akko practically sprinted the remaining distance between them. Mari spun to face her as she heard running footsteps, to find Akko flinging arms about her shoulders and encasing her lover in a tight hug and an impulsive, delighted cry of 'Mari!'

Akko's hands felt the warmth of Mari's shoulders as they molded about them, arms criss-crossing behind Mari's back. A more direct warmth flowed from Mari's right cheek pressed against her right; a familiar, soothing and pleasant sensation. Her body relaxed into Mari's and she felt her girlfriends tension from being jumped upon melting away in turn; Mari's arms moved up her back to hold her, be it only the left one was palm open.

She recalled Mari's words so long ago: 'I never thought I would get so much happiness just from holding you' and smiled.

Mari always says just the right things to make life seem so special. Like this I'm the happiest girl alive. But then love is in a way quite simple.

It seemed they stayed like that for a long time before Mari broke the silence.

"Ah, Akko," Mari sighed in happiness and pleasure by her right ear, followed a few seconds later by a slightly more chiding,

"You almost made me break my phone just now you know."

Akko laughed.

"Sorry. And sorry for being late. When I saw you I couldn't help myself. I had to run."

Mari's arms began loosening from around Akko's back and her head started moving away. Then it paused and her lips hovered by Akko's cheek before moving quickly and softly to deliver a gentle kiss.

"You're forgiven," Mari whispered, "but you'll have to make it up to me later, okay?"

Akko's eyes widened and beetroot red she nodded.

That's the first time Mari's kissed me in public, be it only on the cheek. But so bold! So...God help me; I have to wait a whole day to make it up to her! It's not fair!

For a brief second she suddenly found herself lost in Mari's eyes that bored into hers, wondering yet again whether they were more hazel or chocolate. Then the moment passed as Mari grabbed her left hand.

"Come on, lets get some lunch. I bet you're hungry."

Akko's stomach answered before she could and laughing they turned and pushed open the glass doors leading into Sukiya.


Altho it's taken a while I've managed at least to get them to meet at last as well :D Thanks also to those who R&R - your comments are, as ever, much enjoyed & appreciated :)