Bloom Nails Highland Park Novels & Stories

Nodding my head, I headed straight to the dressing area. Monique didn’t show me what kind of gown she got for me. So, I’m a little bit curious about what it looks like. ‘I hope it doesn’t show too much skin or else I will never attend that party.’ The assistant showed me the way to the dressing room. Admiration flashed in my eyes when I saw the gown. It’s a peach high neck A-line gown. It has rhinestones attached to the mid-length sleeve and the thin metal-buckle waistband matches the flair of the sparkling full-length A-line skirt that ends with a sweeping train.

Nina grinned mischievously, but then granted me the favor of changing the subject. “I’ve been coming here once a week lately, usually with a few other girls from work. These ladies are the best of the best. I mean, come on. This is true artistry.” She held her freshly polished fingers out in front of her, admiring the glossy hot pink polish that exactly matched her current hair color. A piece of heart-shaped gold foil was pressed carefully into the center of each nail. The two manicurists, still not looking up from their work, both smiled shyly.

Chapter 27: I Trusted Her Before I Knew Her Name The sky hadn’t changed, but Aria had. She stood barefoot in the apartment, staring at the tenth bloom. It had pushed through the cracks in her ceiling like it was meant to be there. Its petals were long, curled, slick with some kind of dew that shimmered when she moved her head. Ten of them now. Ten different blooms. Ten different colors, shapes, textures — none of them natural, none of them replicable. Each of them pulsing, quietly alive.

“You two are like vanilla and chocolate. You have pretty babies.” “Not yet.” Bunny said shaking her head no. Bian laughed as she put her phone away and started on Helen’s nails. Pearl moved to the other side of Bunny and started on her nails also. Freddie refilled their mimosas as they continued to talk. Looking at her purple toe nails with gold flowers and purple nails with gold ombre sparkles, Bunny decided that this had to happen more often. “Pearl, go ahead and book this chair every Saturday morning from today until the end of time. And about two weeks after. God, Helen, you are a genius.”

I would have never pictured myself friends with Bloom. Are we even friends? I think we are—or maybe she's just tolerating me because she has to tutor me. I don't know but I don't mind her—which is surprising because a lot of people annoy me. Bloom—she's just pure and wholesome and—I don't know. She just makes me want to keep her safe—or some ridiculous sappy shit like that. What does piss me off though—is that jackass Evan she's dating. How the hell does someone as kind and pure as Jasmine date a piece of shit like Evan.

And the blush that was barely receding was back again. "I'm not a pretty little flower, Roses are as pretty as they are dangerous." He scoffed, standing up and even from where he was standing, I could see that he'll tower over me. He straightened out his suit jacket. Eyes boring into mine. "The only dangerous roses are those with thorns Rose, and you my dear, you have no thorns. You're a pretty little flower, a harmless little flower." He walked towards me till he was standing right Infront of me, towering over me as expected, I craned my neck just too look at him. "I'll be taking my leave now pretty flower, say hi to Mr. Potter for me."

Holly had just finished packing up for the night when her phone buzzed with calls from numbers she did not recognize, followed by a barrage of crude and mean texts. Something was definitely off. Then, like a bad joke, a hashtag flashed across her screen. #PianoProdigyExposed in Racy Photos, Friends Claim She's a Total Mess# #Who Knew the Piano Girl Had Such Weird Tastes# With shaking hands, Holly clicked on the link and her heart sank. She was in the video. She was in the dressing room, changing her brassiere. Because of some meds she was on, she has been dealing with the embarrassing issue of leaking fluids.

Two other guards were stationed outside, watching from the street. The chemical scent of acetone was laced with floral notes of jasmine and rose. Everything was draped in creamy linens and warm wood. Fruit infused waters were given to us, and we were quickly ushered to a set of chairs. Fallon downed hers and grabbed one with juicy slices of kiwi floating around in it. The nail technician’s began with our feet, soaking them before scrubbing and clipping our nails. We’d been quiet for the first few minutes, soaking in the music as we watched the tech’s flit around us like a well-oiled machine.

It was a single line of stark white text on a pitch – black background. LIQUIDATION INCOMPLETE. PHASE FOUR INITIATED. Attached to the text was a low – resolution, grainy photograph. I watched the blood drain from Lolita’s beautiful face. The photo was taken from far away. It looked right through the wet windows of the Dorchester gala from last night. It was a picture of us standing on the terrace. I was holding her, entirely captivated, completely unaware we were being hunted. And in the bottom corner of the image, digitally stamped in blood – red ink, were GPS coordinates pointing directly to this building. To Sovereign Bloom Capital.