Heartstrings, Part one (Solo | Closed)

It hurt knowing that the only reason Nadia was visiting her friend from the Inn, Bridgett, wasn't actually to say goodbye. Bridgett didn't know what was in store for Nadia, and Nadia couldn't tell her. In truth, it was a much more mundane reason.

"I can't believe you're doing this this late- right before the party. You must be trying really hard to impress or surprise someone. Is it your boyfriend?" Bridgett was saying as Nadia looked into the mirror, wearing only her bra from the waist up. Bridgett was behind her, wearing gloves, massaging the contents of the hair dye product into her hair.

"Yes... I thought it would be good to be more...spontaneous." Nadia replied, easily, offering a small smile to the girl standing above her.

Bridgett giggled. Nadia was thankful that the other girl hadn't brought up the incident with Yuri from earlier in the day. She was doing a decent job of taking this time to not think about what awaited her in just a few hours. Would her letters reach their intended recipients? Would it make any difference? What was awaiting her with Jest. She was prepared for death, but that didn't mean she wouldn't fight like hell to keep breathing first. with any luck, this whole mess wouldn't even be necessary after tonight. But, on the other hand, it was good to be prepared, and to have goals and plans, instead of just waiting for the next horrible thing to happen. This was a step forward, even if that step forward was into an early grave.

"Nadia?" Bridgett's voice broke Nadia out of a trance she didn't know she'd entered. "We already bleached it, now we've just got to wait for this dye to set in, wash it out, and you'll be all done. It's a good thing you came in here so early. Why'd you pick this color anyway. It will certainly send a statement, that's for sure."

"I picked it because it's so different. It isn't me. Nobody will even recognize me like this." She commented, with a mild shrug.

"Going for the myserious route eh? It's like you're going off the grid in one of those action movies!" She chuckled a little. There was a note of something else in the laugh as it faded though, and Nadia felt herself feeling very tense in the silence that followed. Finally, the silence broke. [color:b8ba=#orange]"Nadia, does this have anything to do with what happened earlier? You're gone for a few hours and then show up here with hair dye and colored contacts. What's going on? Are you in some kind of trouble?" Bridgett's voice was stern, as she cleaned up a few of her utensils.

"Just a party. A costume party." Nadia lied. The dull monotone of her voice was hard to gauge, but in her heart she felt the pang of knowing that Bridgett knew she was lying. She had to. And Bridgett's reply, though it sounded like a simple off-handed comment, was the nail in that coffin.

"Bit late for halloween, isn't it?"

The rest of their conversation revolved around Bridgett's new boyfriend. He was clingy, but in a cute way that she didn't mind. She liked a guy who made her feel wanted but not in a creepy way. Nadia could relate. They talked only as long as it took for Nadia's dye to set, to wash out the dye, and to see the final product. Lastly, Bridgett took a blow-dryer to her hair, fluffing it out and brushing it. The brush felt good on her scalp, which was tingling in places after the rough, hasty dying session.

When it was finally time to leave, Bridgett asked again. "Hey, are you sure you're okay? If something's going on, you can tell me. You can trust me."

Nadia smiled.