The silence was awkward because for as long as Mona could remember, and from her memories of all the salons she had visited, none of them had been this silent.
It was as if their boss gave strict rules for them not to familiarize themselves with their customers.
At the moment, she was painting her nails with the help of a man she had been staring at ever since she had entered the salon. Mona glanced behind her to smile at her friend and then signalled to her to have a look at the handsome man painting her nails.
The silence wasn't bothering her enormously as she was spellbound by the looks of the man painting her nails. Soon, she realized that she wasn't the only female dazzled by the man. Women, who were being tended to, were also staring at him. However, he never lifted his head or eyes from her nails.
Eventually, he finished painting her nails the colour red. And before Mona could scrutinize it, he brought her knuckles close to his nose and inhaled but he was actually admiring her skin. "It suits you well, black and red. I love those colours." The man flashed her a smile that made her heart beat faster.
Mona was a brown-skin girl, so even if she blushed so hard, her cheeks would never turn red. "Thank you." She was ready to flirt with the Mister, who was obviously older than her but after smiling, he signalled to the next customer to take her place on the chair.
Mona was disappointed at the validity that he didn't acknowledge her effort to seize his attention.
Perhaps, that was the only gesture they could offer to their customers, a smile.
Mona paid for the service and walked out of the salon with her friend. "He kissed my knuckles. So cute." Mona misinterpreted but her friend, Gina didn't play along.
"I saw everything, he didn't kiss your knuckles. Not even close to that."
Mona frowned. "I just…I wish he did." She then daydreamed about it. "He's just so handsome, my prince charming." She grinned brightly.
Gina, her friend, was a white-skin girl. She stopped by the bus station and waved at her friend goodbye. It was Saturday so the school wasn't open.
Mona returned home and still wasn't able to relieve the thoughts of the man she met from her head.
Mona turned eighteen two months ago and was a second-year student.
When she was twelve, her parents left Africa to come to stay in Europe.
They planned to settle in the country for ten years and expected their last two children to find their spouses in Europe. And perhaps, after they've achieved that, they'd return to Africa.
Mona was the last child.
The first child of her parents was a man, and was married while the second child, a lady, was in her last year of college.
The third child, a female as well, resumed college two years ago.
So Mona was the fourth and last child.
Every night, she slept with her parents because she was scared of the dark.
Her imaginations were always wild as everything she saw were images of ghosts and nonhuman creatures
The next day, Mona fatuously stopped by the salon again, hoping to meet the handsome man but the result she received was negative as the man had resigned.
Strolling back home as the salon wasn't that far from her house, she pondered about why he'd resign now when she wanted him.
Why hadn't he resigned before she met him?
Mona was frustrated. Why did he have to resign? He should have waited until she had his phone number. Yes, she was shameless to admire... No, crush on a man who was probably going to be eight years older than her.
But Mona was phlegmatic about his age! Her happiness comes first before anyone's opinion in this case.
While taking a selfie with her phone as she decided to do that because the day was bright and to stop thinking about the handsome man, she bumped into someone, thus her phone fell to the ground.
Oh no! iPhones were so expensive, how was she going to persuade her parents to get her a new one now? This was because of the man with cheap shoes. Mona screamed in her head.
Then she lifted her head to rant at the stranger who couldn't focus on the road.
However, her words hung up in her throat and slowly a smile curled up on her lips.
No, she needed to compose herself and act like an adult. She was an adult!
She then bent to pick up her phone which was also the same time the stranger aimed to do the same.
That caused her hand to touch his. Her body was electrified.
It felt as if her world had stopped but he was quick to get the phone and wipe the screen with his hands.
"I'm sorry," he uttered with that voice she didn't secure well in her mind the first time she saw him at the salon. Oh, who was going to catch her as she was falling over heels?
"It's…" she outstretched her hand to receive the phone he was extending to her.
Mona lowered her head as his intense gleaming emerald eyes were weakening her knees. "No, it's…actually my fault." Remarking, she straightened her braids and tucked a strand to the back of her ear.
Not that the man didn't notice her effort but he just walked away. However, Mona tagged along even though it wasn't the direction to her house.
"Why are you following me?" He asked without turning to look at her.
"I—know this—is— shameless but—can I have your number?" Oh, this was crazy, how could she be asking a man older than her for his number? She was being foolishly shameless.
"Aren't you a student?" He turned to face her. Mona immediately straightened her back and regretted not wearing make-up.
"It's obvious that I'm not."
The man eyed her while she swallowed. "Obviously," he said simply and turned around to leave.
"What about your number?!" She yelled and was about to follow him when he voiced out.
"I don't give my number to girls."
"Why?" She stopped and he turned around.
"You have a phone, do your research."
Mona looked down at her phone and wondered if she would actually get an answer.
When she lifted her head, she saw him walking away and then she frowned and tapped her feet to the ground in utter disappointment.