A Beautiful Forever

chapter 5

Elliot

The next morning starts with a living area littered with hung-over bodies. A new housemate was a call for a mid-week celebration at

one of the local pubs. Our flat is only a five-minute walk from Waterloo station, so we took the train (although maybe I should call it

the ‘Tube’ now) to London Bridge and walked to a place called the Southwark Tavern, it was amazing – I felt like I was in a movie or

something because pubs just don’t look like that in Australia. Well, not any that I’ve come across anyway.

It’s on a corner and has this round tiled façade, with leadlight windows and these old-style lamps that were awesome – they looked

like the old gas lamps that had to be lit manually every night. I felt like taking photos but didn’t want to stand out as a tourist when

everyone else was acting as though they belonged. Inside it was wood panelling as far as the eye could see with leather cushioned

bar stools set around high tables.

We ate my first English pub meal and drank to our heart's content. It was a great initial night and my roommates all seem to be really

nice people. Naomi is a bit full on, but if I can just call upon the old Elliot from when I was a solicitor, I can manage to keep her at arm

’s length.

All up there are six of us in a three bedroom flat, two in every room. I’m with Brian; he's an accountant working in the city – he seems

alright; he's a pretty small mousy looking guy with glasses and a pointed nose. Naomi and Petra are the only two girls, and they

share the largest room. Gavin and a guy called Shane, share the third room. Shane looks like your typical Aussie surfer stereotype.

He's a little shorter than me - around six foot, has longish blond hair, blue eyes and a medium build. He talks in a slow laid back

manner, sounding as though he spent a lot of his teen years with a bong in his hand, he says he works in advertising – doing what; I

have no idea.

Work wise, the rest of them are all in hospitality – either behind the bar or waiting tables at a restaurant. I guess that means that the

flat will rarely have all of us there at the same time – a good thing I guess as it could start to feel pretty crowded if we were constantly

on top of one and other.

I don’t start work until Monday, so I have a couple of days to hang out and sight see. I’m planning on taking the tube in, so I can do

one of those London open top bus tours. That way, I'll be able to shamelessly take tourist photos to send home for my mum, who is

already begging me to post pictures on Facebook for her.

Naomi decides to invite herself along, saying that she has only been here a month herself and hasn’t really done the tourist thing yet.

“Listen Naomi, I was kind of hoping I could just do this one alone,” I tell her, trying not to sound completely rude.

“Oh, well… that’s ok, I’ll go another time,” she says, looking completely disappointed.

“Oh come on Elliot, be a good sport – what’s the harm in taking her with you?” Shane puts in.

“Fine,” I sigh, “Just be ready to leave in ten minutes.”



We head off early and get to Waterloo station before most of the shop fronts have opened. It kind of reminds me of the train stations

in the City Circle back home because it’s almost a mini shopping centre.

As we follow the signs to the station entrance, I’m surprised when I see a girl, who looks just like Paige, standing in front of a

hairdresser, I almost stop and go to her, but I realise that I must be mistaken – this girl’s hair is sleek and straight, not that mass of

curls that Paige has.

Walking away, I'm filled with disappointment, it makes me realise how much I wish I could see her again.





Paige


I’m a little on the early side this morning for my trial shift at Stylz. The roller door isn’t even up yet. So, I stand around in front of it with

my jacket folded over my arms. The shop front is inside on the main level of the station so at least I’m not standing outside in the

cold, freezing my arse off.

I gently run my hands over my hair to make sure everything is in place. I used plenty of product and straightened it to a glossy shine.

When I do my hair this way, I feel like I should be in a Pantene ad, flicking my hair around and talking about how fabulous their

conditioner is.

It’s not long before a girl comes walking towards me, fiddling with a set of keys. Her smile appears to be friendly and her curly black

hair bounces as she walks. As she gets closer she extends her hand. “Hello, you must be Paige. I’m Andrea; we spoke on the

phone yesterday.”

Reaching out to take her hand, I smile brightly, it’s show time. “Hi Andrea, it’s lovely to meet you,” I say as I look her over, she has a

small, slim build and smooth light brown skin with dark chocolate coloured eyes. On closer inspection, I notice her hair has red

highlights scattered through it. She wears little more than lip gloss for makeup and is dressed in a pair of black pants and a fitted

shirt with ‘stylz’ written in poison green letters across the bust.

Unlocking the roller door, she presses a button, and we stand back to watch it rise. She gestures me through the glass door, and I

follow her in, looking around as I do.

The inside is like any other salon you’d visit, with chairs and magazines in front of a reception counter. It kind of reminds me of the

Just Cuts I used to go to before I started my apprenticeship.

“You called at the perfect time,” she tells me as she bustles around preparing to open. “My other stylist up and quit on me two days

ago, and I have been run off my feet. The other girl, Amanda, can’t do Wednesday through Friday, so I’ve had no one! We get a lot

of walk ins in this location, so I have actually been turning people away,” she looks at me pointedly; her eyebrows raised, “which is

not good for business.”

“I can imagine it wouldn’t be,” I respond astutely.

She walks over to me with a t-shirt in hand, “Here, put this on. We have a fairly busy morning ahead of us. I really hope you’re good

because I booked knowing I’d have you here today.”

“It’s fine,” I say. “I mean, I’ll be fine. I’ve worked in busy salons before.”

“So you’re in the UK indefinitely did you say?”

“I did say that, I have dual citizenship, so there’s no visa to force me back.”

“What made you want to leave Australia; it sounds like the ideal?”

“Time for a change,” is all I say. She tilts her head in a ‘fair enough’ gesture and starts to direct me around the salon to help her get

things ready. When we flip the sign to say we are open there’s already a customer waiting.





Elliot


God I wish we had open top buses in Australia; they really are a great way to travel around. We see pretty much every landmark you

have ever seen on tv before, the palace, Big Ben, parliament, and a whole bunch of other amazing places. It’s astounding to see

them all in real life, even though you recognise them all, they’re now a three-dimensional object in your mind instead of the filtered

image you normally associate them with.

It’s lunch time by the time we’re finished, so Naomi and I go and find a café to have something to eat.

“I can’t believe I have waited so long to do that,” Naomi says, in between bites of her open sandwich.

Nodding, as I chew my mouthful steak sandwich, I wait until I can swallow to speak. “It was number one on my list. I wanted to get a

bunch of photos to send back home before I start working.”

“Well you certainly did that,” she responds.

“Yeah, I got a little snap happy I think,” I laugh as I start flicking through the photos and post them to my Facebook page, there is

already a message on my wall from my mother reminding me to send her my UK phone number, I remind her that I installed Skype

on her computer and phone, but private message my number to her anyway.

Naomi starts chattering away about all the culture and history in London, but I’m not really listening. I nod my head occasionally as

some of her words reach my ears, although I’m mostly in my own head. Images of both the girl I saw at the station and Paige flit

through my mind and the more I think about it, the more I think that girl was Paige.

I suddenly feel a great need to return and push back from the table. Naomi stops speaking mid-sentence and looks at me in wide-

eyed surprise.

“I’m ready to go back, I’ll see you there?” It sounds like a question but I'm actually telling her.

“Oh,” she says looking around at her half-finished food, “um, I’d like to go back with you, but I’m not really finished yet… actually, don’

t worry. I'll come now.” She gathers her things off the table, and I pick up her bag, handing it to her.

I make polite conversation with her all the way back to Waterloo station, avoiding any personal questions. I’m not being mean to her,

but I don’t want to be overly nice and mistakenly give her the impression that I’m interested.

Nerves build up inside my chest as we walk towards the hair salon. Without warning Naomi, I stop walking and look in, hoping the

girl I saw is still there. When my eyes find her, I watch her movement as she talks to a customer while taking their money at the

counter. I’m now positive it’s Paige. She’s smiling and animated and well, beautiful. An odd feeling overcomes me as I watch her, it’

s like I’m being enveloped in some sort of mist, and she’s the only person I can see around me.

“Do you know her?” Naomi asks from beside me. Turning towards her voice, I need to blink a couple of times before she comes into

my focus.

“What?” I ask in return.

“That girl in there, do you know her?”

“I think I do,” I say as I start moving toward the entrance of the salon.





Paige


“Just make sure you keep up your weekly treatments. You've over bleached your…” I stop talking as the bell above the door jingles

and a person I never expected to see again walks through. Betraying my mind, my stomach flits about happily as I look back to the

customer and try to finish. “Sorry, you’ve over bleached your hair. We will have to cut it really short if you don’t take good care of it.”

“Well I don’t want that!” she says as I hand her the bag full of products she’s just purchased.

“That will all help it stay in good condition until your next appointment,” I say before bidding her farewell.

As I watch her walk out the door, I have to force myself to look over at Elliot, I don’t know why, but it’s really freaking me out that he’s

standing in front of me, smiling like we’re long lost friends.

“Long time no see,” he says to me.

“If you call yesterday morning a long time ago,” I deadpan. “Are you here for a haircut or are you just passing through?”

He looks around and sees the other customers sitting on the chairs waiting, “Um, yeah; I want a haircut. Can you fit me in?”

“Ah,” I cut my eyes to the clock upon the wall while I think, “it could take a good hour - I have two clients ahead of you.”

Drumming his hands on the counter he nods. “That’s fine. I'll wait.”

A small blonde girl walks up behind him and touches his shoulder, “Um, what are you doing?” she asks, looking slightly irritated.

He inclines his head to me slightly, “I’m getting a haircut,” he tells her as a matter of fact.

I stop listening and call my next client, a chubby redhead named ‘Christine’, leaving Elliot to deal with his friend. As I shake out the

black cloak to drape over her, I glance at Andrea, who raises her eyebrows at me and mouths, He’s gorgeous! Do you know him?

Nodding I make the ‘sort of’ sign with my hand. She glances at him again and nods appreciatively, practically licking him with her

eyes. Laughing at her, I shake my head and turn to focus on my client.





Elliot


“You don’t have to wait for me,” I tell Naomi, who is standing next to me with her arms crossed over her chest. “I can find my way

back on my own.”

“It’s fine. I can wait,” she says.

“Naomi, I’m fine. Go home.”

“Oh, um… ok,” she says hesitating a little before starting to leave, regret rises within me as I start to feel bad for dismissing her so

rudely.

“Listen, thanks for joining me today Naomi. It ended up being nice having someone to sight see with,” I tell her. She smiles brightly,

happy with my acknowledgement and tells me she’ll see me at home.

Nodding, I look over at Paige, who is pinning up a woman’s hair so she can cut underneath. She cuts with great concentration and

skill, only speaking when she needs to. I’m impressed she’s functioning so well, right now I feel like I could pass out.