"Maybe this shade?"
Harper lifted the delicate bottle of pastel pink nail polish between her fingers, holding it up for the nail technician's approval. The woman glanced up briefly and nodded, her hands already expertly filing Harper's nails into a perfect almond shape. Harper exhaled softly, grateful for this rare self-care moment. It had been a long morning filled with therapy sessions that dredged up more feelings than she was ready to face, and now all she wanted was to indulge in something simple and normal—something wrapped in glitter and gloss.
Her phone buzzed softly on her lap, lighting up with a message from Vivienne.
Harper smiled, the familiar warmth of friendship settling in her chest just as the salon door jingled.
A blonde girl swept inside with an effortless confidence, her red knit sweater layered neatly over a crisp white blouse, tucked into a pristine white skirt. She wore sheer tights and ankle-high winter boots, perfectly styled for the biting chill of November. The girl exchanged a few words with the salon owner, then settled into the chair beside Harper. They shared a polite, almost hesitant smile before settling into the quiet comfort of their treatments.
Harper tried to focus on the gentle scraping of the file against her nails, but her attention kept drifting to the girl next to her. Suddenly, the blonde started chatting loudly with her technician, her voice dripping with casual excitement.
"So yeah, I've kind of started seeing this guy." she said, flipping her golden hair over her shoulder like it was no big deal. "He's into sports, trying to get into college to play professionally—super sweet, and totally loaded. He even offered to pay for my nails today. Isn't that the cutest? Met him at this party."
Harper's ears pricked up at the mention of sports. She glanced discreetly at the girl's phone lying on the table, its screen flashing with an incoming message.
"Aww, he just texted me—he's on his way now!"
Before Harper could process more, the door chimed again.
She looked up—and froze.
Scott St. James.
Her heart lurched violently in her chest, like it had forgotten how to beat steady. Scott—Harriet's boyfriend—walked in casually, his familiar easy smile lighting up as he approached the blonde. Harper's breath caught in her throat, a cold, sick knot twisting in her stomach.
She instinctively shifted in her chair, angling her back toward him, fingers suddenly trembling uncontrollably. The nail technician clicked her tongue sharply and muttered something in Korean, tightening her grip on Harper's hand as if to steady her.
Harper's mind spun, scrambling to understand what she'd just seen. Scott, her sister's boyfriend, was clearly here for the blonde. He leaned in, kissed her cheek softly, fingers brushing her shoulder in a way that was intimate—far too intimate.
Her heart pounded harder, each beat hammering out confusion, disbelief, and a fierce sense of betrayal.
What the hell is going on?
The shock froze her for a moment as Scott disappeared down the hallway toward the bathroom, leaving Harper's world tilting dangerously off-center.
Fight-or-flight surged through her veins. Without thinking, she yanked her wallet from her coat pocket, slapped a handful of cash on the counter without waiting for change, and practically bolted from the salon, her bag slung carelessly over one shoulder.
She didn't stop until she was halfway down the street, the cold autumn air doing little to calm her racing heart.
Inhaling deeply, Harper tried to shove the image from her mind, but it clung stubbornly to her thoughts—Scott, that easy smile, the tender touch meant for someone else.
"Harper!"
The voice pulled her from the spiral. Vivienne was jogging up, cheeks flushed, eyes bright.
"You good? You look like you saw a ghost."
Harper forced a shaky smile, exhaling slowly. "Yeah. Yeah... Just—rough morning, you know how it is."
Vivienne's expression softened with sympathy. "Well, let me see the damage!"
Harper held up her freshly done nails, still slightly trembling. Vivienne leaned in, inspecting.
"Ooooh, these are cute. Though—hold up—is that one crooked?"
"Fuck off." Harper shot back, rolling her eyes but unable to keep the tension from her voice.
They laughed together, but Harper's gaze kept flickering between Vivienne and the salon they'd just left.
Vivienne brightened suddenly. "Hey, are you coming to the fair tonight? They've got a PhotoBooth and everything's free—like, actually free."
Harper nodded, a faint spark of normalcy returning. "I'll be there. Got these claws now, so you better be ready."
"Love you, weirdo!" Vivienne grinned, squeezing Harper's hand.
"Love you too."
But inside, Harper's mind churned with questions she wasn't ready to answer—about Scott, about her sister, and about the cracks she suddenly saw in everything she thought she knew.
Later that evening...
The carnival had cast its magic over Glenwood. Children's shrieks of laughter filled the air, blending with the sweet, nostalgic scent of popcorn, hot dogs, and spun sugar. The night sky shimmered with stars as the fairground buzzed with life and color.
Harper stood by ferris wheel, arms folded as she waited for Vivienne. Her eyes scanned the glowing lights, soaking in the chaotic joy.
From the top of the Ferris wheel, familiar voices echoed down. Harper turned her head to see Camille, Josie, and a few others stepping out of a cart, still laughing from their ride.
"There you are, stranger!" Camille called, hurrying over and wrapping Harper in a hug. "I was starting to think you left town and changed your name!"
Harper chuckled. "Well... never say never."
Camille looked over her shoulder and waved at the group behind her. "You girls remember Harper? From my Halloween party?"
One of them squinted. "Wait—what were you dressed as again?"
"Hermione. From Harry Potter" Harper replied.
"That's right!" Camille beamed. "That's the one!"
Harper smiled, but her thoughts flickered back to earlier—to the salon, to Scott, to the secret she was burning to share.
And maybe tonight, she just might.
Camille chuckled as Harper's eyes briefly met Josie's. The pair shared an awkward glance before both looking away. Harper was the first to break the eye contact just as Camille gasped and pointed toward the hot dog cart before dashing over to be first in line. The rest of the girls quickly followed, leaving Harper and Josie alone, standing face to face.
"Hey..."
"Hi."
"I didn't know you were coming." Josie said.
"Yeah, well... I wasn't gonna, but Vivienne said I had to come, so..."
"Vivienne?"
"Yeah, she's my best friend. She's up on that wheel somewhere."
"And why aren't you on it with her?"
Harper gave a small, tight-lipped smile, sinking her lips inward as she shrugged. She let out a quiet, nervous laugh.
"I don't really like heights..."
"Ah. Well... do you maybe wanna get a photo in the Photo Booth? I heard the pictures are free this year."
Josie's eyes flicked toward the still-turning wheel, then over to Camille and the other girls, now distracted and flirting with some guys in the hot dog line. Harper hesitated a second, then nodded, taking the lead as they walked toward the Photo Booth, which sat off by itself, untouched.
They stepped inside. Josie pulled the curtain closed behind them as they sat down. Harper leaned forward and pressed the button to start it up, squinting slightly as the screen lit up and displayed their reflection. Harper tilted her head, adjusting her posture as she looked at herself, then slowly turned to Josie, catching her already watching. Harper's lips curled into a shy smile before she looked down and laughed nervously, her cheeks flushing pink.
"What should we do? Like... pose-wise?"
"Let's just smile. You have a beautiful smile."
Harper scoffed softly, brushing off the compliment but still smiling. She hit the button as they both prepared for the shots. The screen flashed as they grinned, pulled a few silly and serious faces, clearly relaxing into each other's presence. When the final photo came around, they hesitated, glancing at one another, unsure of what to do.
Then, without warning, Harper leaned in—bold and impulsive. Her hands gently cupped Josie's cheeks, pulling her in for a kiss just as the shutter went off.
They melted into the moment, kissing deeply, forgetting entirely about the camera. When Harper eventually pulled back, her eyes searched Josie's face, still flushed and breathless. Josie's grip on Harper's waist was firm, her eyes hungry for more. But Harper, resisting the urge, stood and slipped out of the booth quietly, snatching the printed photos from the tray.
Josie peered over Harper's shoulder, giggling softly as she pointed out how cute they looked in the strip. Harper smiled, handing her the extra copy.
"One for me, and one for you."