𝔼𝕂𝕀𝕃𝔸

9

None of it was in her head.

Not the feeling of someone behind her, not being held in a spot with an object pressed to her neck, definitely not the pain she felt as the object inched down her neck.

What was in her head was the aftermath of the incident. The sudden disappearance of the unknown attacker. Perhaps even the sense of relief that arrived with Chikaima's appearance.

She knew then that she was missing something and three days later as she sat staring at her reflection she was certain that that was one thought she hadn't gotten wrong.

Then the question came snaking into her mind, crippling all her thoughts and leaving her to question reality.

What did she miss?

Other than Chikaima's sudden appearance saving her, it served one more purpose. A distraction.

The perfect distraction for the attacker to flee.

Maybe she was overthinking the situation but there was definitely a link.

No matter how she tried to look at it, if Chikaima hadn't appeared the attacker wouldn't have fled. But that would have meant her end... Or would it?

As far as she knew if the person wanted to kill her, they'd have done it straight away. In retrospect it felt more like whoever it was tried to scare her.

Several questions surged through her mind at the same time, each competing to find answers which inched further away from her grasp as the questions kept cropping up until her head began to hurt.

Her thoughts ended when she caught someone's reflection behind her.

She turned around and watched as Chikaima entered the room.

"Hey. Are you done?" she asked Chidiogo stopping a couple inches away from her.

"Almost," Chidiogo said turning back and picking up a straightener from the top of the white vanity dressing table.

"That can damage your hair!" Chikaima said just as the metal tongs clasped around Chidiogo's hair.

Chidiogo shrugged running the straightener down a section of her hair. "I know but it's just this once."

Chikaima stared at her as she continued the act for a while before she called out, "Chidiogo?"

"Yeah?"

"Oh. I thought you were-"

"Of course"-she held her gaze through the mirror-"What changed your mind?"

"Neme would rather burn than let anything happen to her hair."

"What?" Chidiogo said chuckling, "You guys noticed too?"

"Yeah. She's freaking obsessed with her hair. It's creepy sometimes."

Chidiogo's voice was enthusiastic, a grin present on her face as she spoke.

"Right? I thought it was just me because she..."

Her smile faltered as trailed off.

"She did what?"

Chidiogo could see Chikaima's raised brows from the mirror. She shook her head a bit giving a small smile before she continued working on her hair.

"Weird," she heard Chikaima say before shuffling sounds took over.

She took her time straightening out the rest of her hair, letting the silence lull her. When she was done, she stared at her reflection for a while until a voice caused her head to snap to the right.