An unintended sequel to chapter 6 of this story. I think I came up with this chapter idea first. I literally almost scrapped this chapter because I just didn't want to write it … but then I got some ideas for my other upcoming PJO stories so we're now back here.
It was sitting in my doc manager for a while but since today is Percy's birthday (and a year anniversary of my first PJO fic), I figured why not publish it.
Story #27: Annabeth's New Hair Care Routine
"You're … joking," Silena states still in a daze.
Silena wished Annabeth was joking and Annabeth didn't care that she wasn't until she saw Silena's horrified face. Silena's face paled to a ghostly shade of white, making her dark hair and blue eyes pop even more. Still, even when resembling a corpse, Silena was gorgeous. Annabeth was almost tempted to pat some colour back into her friend's cheeks, aiming to make it look like a peachy blush.
All Annabeth did was answer Silena's question. Silena noticed the ends of Annabeth's curls were dripping since she just came from the showers so she asked what her hair care routine was since her curls were still bouncy while soaked.
Annabeth didn't think her answer of bar soap, rinsing and tying back was a bad answer. She didn't think the question had a wrong answer, but Silena looks like the gates of the Underworld were opened for her.
Annabeth had to snap her fingers in front of Silena's face to get a blink. Silena shakes her head and smiles nervously, cheeks reddening again.
"Wow," Silena states, clearing her throat, "okay then, how often do you brush your hair?"
Annabeth hesitates which is all Silena needs. Silena doesn't think Annabeth knows what a hairbrush is. She doesn't entirely blame her for that since curly hair is harder to brush and can be left alone. It just increases the potential for mats and knots.
Silena takes a breath and exhales a murmured prayer to her mother before grabbing Annabeth's hand. Annabeth doesn't get another word in before Silena starts running and she's flying behind her like a flag flapping in the wind.
Annabeth stumbles when her feet hit the ground and she falls onto a chair. When she sits straight, she notices that she's sitting at a vanity, looking at her reflection in a diamond-encrusted mirror. Annabeth catches her surroundings of the pink interior of the Aphrodite Dreamhouse Cabin. She turns around in her cushioned seat and sees Silena standing on someone's dresser, right underneath a colour-coded rack full of lipsticks, browsing the colours. It nearly takes up the entire wall, making the cabin look like a rainbow.
"Why do you have so much lipstick?" Annabeth asks.
Silena leaps off and walks over with a handful of lipsticks in her hands. She drops them on the marble countertop of the vanity. Annabeth holds her hands out expecting to catch them if they roll over the edge but they don't move. Annabeth thought the lipsticks had a square latch on the opening but the tubes were perfect cylinders. She has to jot down the architectural phenomenon that went into designing those tubes.
"'Lipstick is something you can never have enough of,' one of Aphrodite's Pearls of Wisdom," Silena states, applying a fresh coat of When in Athens.
It was a tan, nearly nude matte shade. Annabeth didn't understand the Athens name. She doesn't understand any of them. As If was a neon pink, Aestheticism was a blackish purple, Electric Thunder was a sparkly white, and Burning Love & Passion was a dark mahogany.
"Want some?"
Annabeth got distracted by the stupid lipstick names and looks up to see Silena blotting her lips behind her. She glances back at the lipsticks and shakes her head. She can't help but wonder about the other weird names.
"I'm good," Annabeth states, "Let's just let you work your hair care magic."
Silena purses her freshly coated lips in excitement. "Wouldn't that be a godly power to possess?"
-o-
Annabeth lost track of Silena's hair care ramble about before shower, during a shower, and after-shower care. There were too many products involved, probably more than hairs she has on her head. Annabeth would've preferred studying the lipsticks and their weird names than sit in a chair and have Silena wring her hand through her hair.
Annabeth almost ripped out her curls herself if Silena didn't have that in mind.
She stumbles out of the Aphrodite Dreamhouse, curls now smelling like fresh pomegranates on a Mediterranean beachside. Again, whatever that means. She understands the pomegranate scent but confused at the water connotations. The undertones of salt could be from anywhere, even the cafeteria. Silena had to test some products on her, moisturizing and adding volume as if her curls weren't already big and flouncy.
Annabeth pretended to have seen a difference in her curls by the end. Sure, they looked shinier and smelled nicer than her standard bar of unscented soap, but it was nothing dramatic or important enough to start a hair care routine. As if she would ever spend the time.
But Silena didn't have to know that part. Annabeth valued her life and her friendship too much to lose it over her curls.
"Wise Girl."
Annabeth turns at the sound of Percy running up to her. The weight of her newly treated curls nearly gives her whiplash when she turned her head so she ties it back in a ponytail. She thanks the gods Silena didn't see that Annabeth had her hair up with a rubber band. If she fell to the ground, she would never hear the end of it from Percy and would make sure Silena and the Aphrodite cabin got a low rating on their next cabin inspection. Maybe she'll dock points for the lipstick rack being out of order.
"What?" Annabeth asks.
"What happened to your princess curls?" Percy asks, bouncing one of her curls that ends up hopping to a lesser extent they normally would. "Did you run out of bar soap?"
Annabeth smirks. "No, I ran into Silena."
"Oh gods, that's even worse."
"If I were you, I'd run before she talks about the salt damage in your hair."
Percy gasps dramatically and Annabeth laughs. "Not my oceans locks!"
Annabeth, I get you. My curls come from cheap shampoo and conditioner, almost-no brushing, and air-drying.