Textbook Romance

"Seriously?" he asked as I pointed to a picture in one of the hairstyle books.

I nodded, "It's cute!" I claimed, watching as he glared at me.

"No," he said as he shook his head, "Just a trim. I don't want to turn out looking like a pansy."

I rolled my eyes at him and 'humphed' but allowed him to tell the stylist what he wanted as he sat in the chair. When she went to go get something I followed her without Max noticing.

"Can you do me a favor?" I questioned with an easy smile on my face.

The stylist started to shake her head. I stopped her by explaining what I wanted quickly before she could start to object again. I put on my nicest expression.

She bit her lip and nodded. "That's do able. But will he be angry?"

I shook my head automatically. "He'll like it, I promise. I just want it to be a surprise, that's why I asked you without him near."

She smiled lightly. She had to be in her late thirties and I thought it was slightly funny that she was intimidated by Max, since he was probably ten years younger than her. She walked back over to him and asked him to follow her over to the sinks so they could wash his hair.

"It's not dirty," he said with a cocky grin, "It smells like Nev's strawberry shampoo now that she's infiltrated our bathroom with all her girl products."

The stylist began to wash his faded hair as she asked, "You two live together?"

I crossed my arms lightly as I stood them watching them. "Yeah," I murmured, "I guess you could say that."

She smiled at the two us. "How long have you two been together?"

I shook his head as Max smirked. "We're not," I said before Max could cut me off, "I, uh, I work for him."

Max rolled his eyes. "We're friends," he told her.

"I was going to say," she murmured with a grin, "Any employee who takes you to get your hair cut has a pretty detailed job."

I shrugged as Max smiled and closed his eyes so she could wash the shampoo out of his hair.

"So what do you do?" she asked the two of us.

I kept my mouth shut as Max came up with a story in that split second. "I'm a millionaire," he said, "She's my assistant."

When she looked to me for confirmation, I shook my head no. She smiled then and turned to listen to Max again who continued to explain himself. He wasn't being serious and he knew she didn't believe her but when he finished he said, "Nah, I'm just kidding. I'm in a semi-famous band, touring the country with my best friends, other bands, and a hot girl who works for us."

This time when the stylist looked to me for confirmation, I nodded. I was pretty sure that the first story was more believable.

"That's amazing. So are you in town for a show?" she asked, her eyes wide as she led Max back to her station so she start coating his hair with dye.

She let the dye sit for awhile, washed it out, cut it, brushed, and blow-dried his hair so that it was straight before she asked him to close his eyes. While she started cutting off the stray ends. I grinned as Max's hair started to becoming nice and healthy again. I didn't have much length cut off seeing as it looked nice long, but it was dyed completely black again and hung past his shoulders. It's silky appearance was back and it laid in waves as it dried completely.

When the stylist was finished Max's eyes were still closed, seeing as I had been telling him that it was fine. So he sat back and rested, trusting me that she was only taking a little bit off.

"Okay," I said as I bit my lip hard, "Open your eyes."

"It looks good." Max admitted as he stood up and leaned over to look at his hair closer in the mirror.

"You like it?" I asked as I reached out and touched the silky strands. "You look cute," I added hoping to charm my way in so that he wouldn't be angry that I had it fixed up even though I told him I was just getting the stray ends cut off.

Max smiled before turning back around to face me. The stylist was watching the two of us with cautious eyes, nervous that Max was going to flip out even though the change wasn't too drastic. "Why?" Max asked.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Why what?" I questioned as I took another step back from him, trying to hide my smile at how much healthier he looked compared to just an hour before.

Max shook his head. "Nevermind," he murmured as he glanced back at himself in the mirror.

"I like it," I said as I reached over and fingered the black strands.

Max turned to me and grinned cockily, "I know, you think I'm cute."

My smile disappeared from my lips and turned into a scowl as I reached down into his front pocket quickly.

"Woah," he said as he jumped back, causing my hand and my wallet to come out of his pocket. "A little too close, there, Nev," he said as he pushed his own hands into his pockets.

I smirked and him and turned to walk to the front of the store. I handed the woman working 25 dollars.

"Oh no," Max said as he tried to snag the money from the receptionist.

I shoved his hand back down. "Yes, Max," I said, offering the receptionist a smile and then turning back to the skulking 27 year old. "I'm the one who got your hair cut, so I'm going to pay for it." I shrugged, "Plus now, we're even."

Max smirked at me. "You never did thank me for dinner."

I shrugged. "You never did thank me for your haircut."

"You didn't do much to it."

I grinned at him. "You're just lucky I didn't have it shaved."