23: feelings and color

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Two weeks later Y/N POV:
All of the leaders had gotten new phones quickly after the meeting. We all exchanged numbers and texted weekly, if not daily.
Poppy had texted me that they were all done with renovating pop village and was decorating for when all of the tribes was coming to visit and she desperately needed my help with the stage and lights. I had told her that I'd come the day before to help her set everything up. And that day was tomorrow.

-Hey Y/N? Barb asks and I look up. She stands in my open doorway and holds a box in one hand and a pair of scissors in the other.
-Hmmm? I ask and put my magazine down.
-Could you help me cut my hair? This rainbow Mohawk has been fun and all but my natural color is coming through, she asks. I perk up.
-Yes! Oh my stars, how fun! I clap and hop out of my bed. Barb leads me into her room and into her bathroom. She hands me the scissors and sits down on a chair. I was feeling nervous about this. At home I cut Poppy's hair all the time and I always trimmed dads beard. But this is my best friends hair, what if I ruin it?
-How short do you want it? I ask and hold her head straight towards the mirror. My eyes couldn't look away from hers in the mirror.
-Uh pretty short, to about here, she points and shows me.
-Ooooo changing it up, I like it, I say. She grins as I start chopping the biggest parts off. How was she letting me do this?
-And don't you worry about it being too perfect, I really don't care, Barb says.
-You sure? I ask confused.
-Yeah. Honestly no one around here walks around with perfect ends. Well except you, she says and leans back to look at me. I smile and blush and she turns back forward. I take a deep breath before I continue cutting but my face grows warmer.
-Is this good? I ask nervously. Barb combs her hair out with her fingers and it was kind of dirty so it stood right up.
-I like it! She says.
-You want it shorter? I ask, maybe she didn't like it at all.
-No this is good, she smiles at me.
-Alright, I breathe out in relief.
-Now time for bleach! Barb announces and opens the box.
-I can mix it up while you put on the gloves, Barb says and hands me the pair of plastic gloves that come sun the box.
-Are you sure you don't want the gloves? I ask.
-I'll be fine. Normally I do this myself but I've noticed that that doesn't look very good, Barb explains and shakes the bottle that now has all the products in it. As she does I see her scrunched and concentrated face and I feel small. She was so attractive and she was basically not doing anything. I try to look away but my eyes are drawn to her arms and I see her arm muscles working as she shakes the bottle. I blush profusely and look at the floor.
What is wrong with me? I don't think like that about trolls, I- she's my best friend for god's sake!

-Here you go, Barb says and stops shaking the bottle. I calm down and take it and start applying it to her hair.
-Should I bleach everything but the sides? I ask.
-Yeah sounds cool, Barb says. How was she doing this to me?
-So eh, how's practice going for Poppy's party? I ask as I make sure I get all of the ends in her neck. She didn't know that I had tricked her about performing with Carol and Riff. They were gonna practice together alright, but as Barb left their rehearsals I would come and practice with them.
-It's going great, Carol is helping out with backup vocals and Riff has got his solo down, she says excitedly. And tomorrow before they leave, Carol and Riff will say that they can't perform because they're rock and scared of being judged... foolproof plan.
-Riff's getting a solo? I ask impressed and smile at her as we lock eyes in the mirror. If she only knew...
-Yeah! He's the best drummer in the city, and I've worked with a lot of them, Barb says proudly.
-Isn't this just for college credit? I ask.
-Well I'm planning on keeping him after college too, she determinedly says.
-Well that's great! I say and that giddy feeling fills my chest. I carefully start to do her roots.
-And how about you? Any news from Popcorn? She asks.
-Well the village has had some changes but I don't think it's too big of a change. Poppy hasn't learned how to send photos on message yet so I guess I'll teach her that, I say and Barb laughs.
-The only thing that she's worried about is where to place everything since she doesn't have everyone's instruments on hand, I say.
-Ah so that's why you're leaving tomorrow instead? She asks.
-Yeah I say and make sure everything's coated.
-Ok now this will sit in for about 20 minutes, I say and carefully take off my gloves and throw them in the trash, together with the box and the bottle. When I turn back to Barb she's wearing a funny looking shower cap.
-Why are you wearing that? I say and try to hold in a laugh.
-What do you mean? I always wear this when I color my hair, Barb says confused.
-Well it's just uh... you look a little... I start.
-A little what? She asks.
-A little funny, that's all, I say.
-You're the one who looks funny, Barb says and runs at me and starts tickling me. I burst out laughing and I beg her time and time again to stop.
-I'll stop when you apologize, she laughs along with me.
-No I will not! I tease.
-Then I won't stop, she says.

-Ok I can't take it anymore, I'm sorry! I shout and she stops, my laughter lingering in the air. I watch the clock, then Barbs hair.
-I think you're done, I say. We walk over to the bathtub/shower and she takes off the shower cap and I hand her the shower head. I turn on medium hot water for her and she bends over the edge of the bathtub as he washes out the bleach from her hair. I blush once again when I realize how childish we had acted. I look at Barb. She was so confident... I really like it when she's confident. It's attractive, it's sexy almost. Why am I thinking this of my best friend? That's not how normal best friends think of each other... or is it?
Barb finishes washing her hair and puts away the shower head. She flips her new blonde hair up and I grab a towel and carefully dry her hair by hand. She closes her eyes and smiles in satisfaction as I carefully massage her scalp. I blush and try to finish the drying process as fast as possible.

I then open the color box and just start shoving it in her hair.
-Is this your usual color? I ask.
-Yep. Best in volcano rock city, Barb says.
-It kind of reminds me of a color we have back at home. But we don't really have red, I say and massage the color around to get it everywhere.
-Huh. Maybe you should start with that. You'd look awesome in red hair, Barb says and I smile secretly as I reach forward to wash my hands.
-Thanks but I like my hair, I joke and Barb jokingly shoves me.
-Maybe I'll let you color my hair one day, I say.
-Oooo sweet, Barb says.

We wait the designated time and was the color out. This time I help Barb with her neck and it was then that I realize that the color stains.
As Barb dries her hair and looks up in the mirror, I hold my breath. She had small red dots all over her shoulders because the coloring went flying.
-What the...? She says and I start laughing again.
-I'm sorry I didn't know it stained this bad! I apologize and Barb smirks and starts chasing after me, trying to tickle me again.

The next day:
I arrive in pop village and I take off my helmet.
-Y/N! A flock of pop trolls rush at me.
-Hey guys! I greet and hug them all.
-It's been such a long time, how have you been? I ask. They all start blabbering at the same time and just when I needed it, Poppy came to the rescue.
-Guys let her breathe she's traveled a long way to get here. Which I'm so happy for! Poppy say and we hug. We part and Poppy starts showing me the new pop village. It looked... different. I mean not a lot but some trolls actually lived in houses in the trees. It was... sad. I don't know why but I expected it to be the same as it was when I left but... that was about a month ago. It was a long time ago.

-Poppy why didn't I get a house? I tease and point to a family living in a small tree nook. Poppy shoves me and I laugh.
-Ok so I desperately need help with the stage, Poppy says and shows me the stage. Branch was there, checking a list.
-Hey Branch-io, how's it going? Poppy asks and hops towards him, embracing him.
-Hey Poppy, he laughs and then he sees me.
-Y/N! You're back! He says happily and we share a hug.
-Poppy said she needed my help, I say.
-What? Psshhhhh nooo I'm fine, Branch says and me and Poppy share a look. Then we look at Branch with that same look. He leeks sheepishly at us.
-Ok so maaaayyyyybe I'm having a hard time, Branch admits.
-Hmm, maybe, I say and Poppy tries to hold a laugh. I roll my eyes, but smile nonetheless.
-Actually Branch, why don't you take a break to eat lunch and we'll take over until you're back? Poppy says and shoves him away, all while taking his clipboard.
-Uuhhhh yeah sure, he says confused.
-Great, have a good lunch! Poppy says as Branch takes off by himself. He sends Poppy a blow kiss, and she pretends to receive it and put it on her cheek.
-Ew, I say.
-What? We're boyfriend and girlfriend now, that's what we do, Poppy says and walks off to look at some speakers.
-Yeah but that was a lot... I say.
-Wouldn't you like to do that with someone one day? Poppy asks and looks at all the cables that are connected to the speaker. I blush and turn quiet. Poppy gasps.
-There is someone! She says loudly.
-Tell me EVERYTHING! She says and stops what she's doing.
-I don't know Poppy I'm scared you wont like it, I say unsure.
-Oh pssshhh, who don't I like? She asks.
-True, I confirm.
-C'mon just tell me, she urges. Butterflies fill my stomach and I wrong my hands together.
-Well I Think I might have a crush... I start and look at Poppy. Poppy nods for me to go on.
-on Barb, I end the sentence. I purse my lips and look expectantly at Poppy.
-You like Barb!? She asks happily. I nod and sigh in relief.
-Oh my god, Y/N that's great! Poppy says.
-It is? I ask.
-Yeah! Poppy nods.
-Why? Do you know anything? I ask hopefully.
-Nope. But even if I did, I wouldn't tell you, Poppy smiles and walks over to the next speaker.
-Oh Poppy c'mon, I say disappointed and walk after her for some scoop that she has on Barb. Maybe she knew something I didn't, I don't know unless I ask.

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