Blinded By The City Lights.

My alarm went off at 9a.m. and I rolled over lazily to turn it off. After three years of going to bed at three and getting up at nine I was used to such little sleep. I stretched in my tiny bed, my back popped loudly and I groaned in agony - my mattress was in desperate need of a replacement but all my money was spent on essentials like food, utilities and rent. I grinned to myself as I remembered the previous night. The hazel eyed man named Shadows had slipped two fifty dollars bills into my underwear, enough to buy me food for at least two weeks. I hoped he’d be back soon.

I rolled out of my uncomfortable bed and prepared myself for my day-job at the small hair salon located beneath my grubby apartment. After showering I tied my cherry red hair into two plaits. I had dyed my natural brown hair to the bright shade of red when I first started working in the strip club. I hadn’t wanted to give anyone the chance to recognise me as Phoebe Williams from Oak Vale. That teenage girl was dead. She died the night she ran away at age seventeen. My new hair had also inspired the name I used in the club, another way to be unrecognisable.

My work as a stripper disgusted me, I despised every moment I spent in the dirty, smelly club. Working in the salon though, that was a dream come true. The clients were all sweet and, although I didn’t earn a lot, it was enough to buy me food. It was so relaxing when compared to my nights spent being mauled by dirty men.

“Hey Tony,” I greeted my boss, Antonio, as I stepped into the surprisingly busy salon.

“Oh! Phoebe, darling,” Tony all but ran to my side, his brown eyes frantic. “Melanie called in sick and I don’t think we’ve ever been this busy.”

I laughed as I kissed both his cheeks, “Chill dude, you’ll cope. Just take a deep breath.”

He did as I told him before turning back to me a look of pure terror on his face, “I can’t do this all on my own! You’re going to have to help.”

“B… but I’m not qualified.”

Most of the time I just spent my time making tea and coffee for the clients and cleaning up. Sometimes I’d wash their hair, but that was only if we were super busy.

“I know babes, but I need you to help me out. Just this once,” Tony looked at me with puppy dog eyes and I groaned.

“You know I can’t resist those eyes. But if I mess up anyone’s hair, it’s all your fault.”

I heard him chuckle as I went into the little office at the back of the salon to find my uniform.



My day passed in the usual mindless blur. Working as an actual hairstylist was a lot easier than I had expected. The customers were all nice and understanding of the fact that this was my first time styling and cutting hair, they made it a hell of a lot easier.

“I’m gonna have to go soon Tony,” I told my flamboyant boss who was currently trying to convince an grey-haired elderly woman that going bright blue would make her look ten years younger. “I have my other job to go to.”

Tony knew that I worked in the club. I had to tell him after a while. He kept asking why I couldn’t hang out with him and the other employees when they went out for drinks after closing. He didn’t like it but he understood that I had to do it if I wanted to keep a roof over my head. A job was a job and I would work my ass off at it if it would pay the rent.

“I know darling, but could you just do one last client?”

I smiled and shook my head, that man tried to work me into the ground sometimes. “Yeah sure, who?”

With a hand brandishing scissors he carelessly tossed it over his shoulder to point at an unfamiliar woman with brown hair, “You can deal with her. She’s a new client though, so be nice.”

I laughed and approached the young woman, “Hi, I’m Phoebe. Would you like to sit over by the sinks?”

“Valary,” The woman replied as she did as I asked.

“Hi Valary,” I smiled as I began washing to young woman’s hair. “What can I do for you today?”

She shrugged and smiled a little up at me, “To be honest, Phoebe, I haven’t a clue. I want something that will make my boyfriend take notice.”

I nodded, this was quite a common reply from women in the salon. Many of them thought that by changing their hairstyle their uninterested boyfriend would suddenly begin acting like he had when they first got together. Honestly, I thought they were being stupid. If a guy wasn’t in love with you anymore getting a new hair style wasn’t going to change anything. But, of course, I kept my opinions to myself.

“Why don’t we just give it a trim, with some choppy layers?”

She made a face and scrunched up her nose, “I don’t know, I don’t think that’s enough. He liked my hair when it was blonde before, could you bleach it for me?”

I looked at the brunette and wondered if blonde would suit her. I couldn’t really tell but seeing as I wanted to get out of work as fast as possible I decided not to argue with her. Instead I just finished washing her hair and got the bleach to dye it with.

Whilst doing her hair Valary - ‘please just call me Val’ - told me all about her ‘amazing’ boyfriend. His name was Matt and he was 'gorgeous' . He was in some local metal band and, according to Val, were going to get discovered any day now. I just smiled and nodded along to her mindless chatter. I had no time for love and even less for music. My life revolved around trying to survive. It was ironic to think that ’following the music’ had led to me having no time for it anymore. Coming to the city had been a big mistake.

“I just think he might be up to something y’know?” Val’s voice brought me out of my negative thoughts and I actually felt a little guilty for zoning her out.

“Shit Val, I’m sorry, I totally spaced there. What were you saying?”

She shook her head, smiling, “It’s okay. I was just asking for advice about my boyfriend. If I’m honest, I think Matt’s cheating on me.”

My brow furrowed, was this not the same woman that, mere minutes ago, had been gushing about her ‘perfect’ boyfriend?

“Why do you think that?”

I tried to sound interested and concerned. When women come to salon they expect their stylist to be like a therapist and so, even if you really didn’t care about their problems, you had to act concerned and give them advice.

I began washing the bleach out of Val’s hair, the smell still irritating my nose. She closed her eyes so none would get in her eyes and continued to talk to me.

“It’s just… he’s never home anymore. And when he is, he’s distant and acts like he’d rather be anywhere but with me. I don’t know what’s happing to us. We’ve been together since high school,” A tear rolled down her cheek and my heart actually broke a little at the sight. This woman was hopelessly in love with her boyfriend and it seemed like he just didn’t care anymore. “I love him Phoebe, with all my heart. I don’t want to lose him.”

I sighed and finished washing her hair in silence. What advice could I give her when I didn’t believe in love myself?

“Honestly Val, I don’t really know what to say,” I told her as I brushed her now blonde hair. “I’ve never been a situation like that.”

The truth was I’d never been in a situation like hers because, if I'm honest, I’d never been in a relationship long enough to have any problems. Relationships meant trusting someone and loving them with all your heart, I couldn’t do that.

“It’s okay,” She smiled at me in the mirror as I began to blow dry her hair. “I shouldn’t have burdened you with my problems.”

I returned her smile, I had started to warm to the young woman. She wasn’t as shallow as I had first assumed, “It’s fine, all part of the job.”

She laughed and we lapsed into silence as I finished her hair. The silence was comfortable and left me to think. About my life, about love, about my hometown, about work. I glanced up at the clock and realised I was already twenty minutes late, I was due on stage in half an hour.

“Shit! Tony!” I called the tanned man who was currently chatting up the attractive UPS man that was delivering supplies.

“What darling?”

“I’m late for my other job,” I stared at him meaningfully. He knew how horrible Pete, the club owner, could be when I was late.

His deep brown eyes widened and he began ushering me out of his way, “Go Phoebe, go.”

I smiled, “Thank you. See you soon Val.” I waved at the blonde woman and she returned the gesture. Then I grabbed my bag and practically ran all the way to the club.