Shadows In Durango

*****Sofia's POV*****

"Say that again?" Vincent asks, as I stand by his car at the end of the day with Emma by my side - where he had told me to meet him to go home.

He hadn't shown up for our storage room duties and so I figured he had ditched us, but here he was - waiting.

"We were going to go to the mall for a while before going back to your place... oh and can Emma come over again tonight? Daryl said you guys are busy..." I feel like a child asking for permission but know that at this point, Vincent was in charge.

I had to respect that it was his space he was so openly willing to share with me.

He looks between us both, before nodding his head slowly when Daryl approaches us.

"I'll drop you off at the mall but I can't wait around, get in." Vincent states, as I grin at Emma and we rush into the back of the car, allowing Daryl to sit in the front seat.

I chat with Emma about her Moms salon, growing excited about the different packages and things they offer, while Daryl and Vincent seem to discuss something a little more serious in a hushed tone.

It was hard to listen in with the radio playing and with my own conversation going on with Emma but I could tell from the looks on their faces that they were tense about something.

"How are you both going to get back?" Vincent turns down the volume of the radio and questions us, as we notice the large mall coming into view.

I hadn't shopped at a mall in so long...

"Uhh..." Is all I can respond, as Daryl watches me in the mirror - waiting for me to recite my plan to them both.

"We could get the bus?" Emma steps in and suggests, as the pair remain quiet.

I wasn't overly bothered about how we would get back there, knowing that it would be worth the fun visit to the mall - we would worry about that later.

"I'll come back for them." Daryl suggests, as I suddenly feel like I was becoming a problem.

"No please don't worry! We will figure it out, I know you are both busy so don't stop your plans for us!" I detest the idea, as Vincent pulls up to the front doors on a part of the road that I didn't believe was actually a parking space...

"I'll go with you and when Reid gets there I'll come pick them up." Daryl tells Vincent who seems to agree.

"Phone Daryl when you are both done." Vincent tells me, as we all knew he had the final say at this point. Every time I tried to disagree with him it ended nowhere and would only be a waste of everyone's time.

"Thanks!" I chime, before Emma opens the door and I shimmy out of her side.

Closing the door, we hurry inside, hearing the rev of Vincent's fancy car taking off in the distance.

"This way!" Emma points towards the dress up store, as we rush through the centre and head inside finding a variety of costumes and colours displayed on the rack.

Spotting the cowboy boots on the far wall, we move towards them and find the rest of the accessories nearby.

"These little shorts! How cute!" Emma holds up a pair of brown leather hot pants and a pair of black leather hot pants and gushes.

Finding sparkly waistcoat style crop tops we grow more excited than what was necessary - as I lost it for a split second and almost forgot to check the price.

For a moment I had fell back into my old life style, my careless spending and normal teenage ways...

Breathing out a sigh of relief, the stuff was reasonable, as I decided to push my thoughts aside knowing I had more than enough money now to spare - at least for one day! "I'll take the black shorts with the red sparkly waistcoat, what do you think?" Emma pairs them together as I smile and nod.

"Yes with the black cowboy hat!" I say, grabbing the hat and placing it on her head as she laughs.

"I'll do the brown shorts with the pink sparkly waistcoat! Should I do the pink hat or the brown?" I hum, weighing up the options.

"Pink! You'll look like a little Barbie, especially with your hair all blonder!" She states as I laugh knowing I looked nothing like a Barbie doll - but I wished!

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We head into the dressing rooms to try on the stuff, counting down from three behind the curtains before doing the big reveal.

Shrieking when seeing one another, we laugh and prance around - happy that we both looked the part now.

After twirling around in the dressing room for a few more minutes, Emma and I decide to purchase our new outfits.

We head to the checkout, pay for our selections, and then make our way towards her mom's salon.

As we approach the salon, I can see through the glass windows that it's a bustling place, filled with customers chatting and stylists working their magic.

A cheerful woman with curly hair and a big smile is at the reception desk. She looks up as we enter, her eyes lighting up when she sees Emma.

"Emma! And you must be the famous Sofia?!" she exclaims, coming around the desk to greet us with open arms. "I'm Linda, Emma's mom. It's so nice to finally meet you, Sofia. Emma's told me so much about you already - we are ecstatic that she has been getting out more." Linda beams, as I enjoy her warm tone.

"It's nice to meet you too," I reply, feeling instantly welcomed by her warm demeanor.

"So what do I owe the pleasure of my daughter visiting me at work today?" She looks to Emma with a smile.

"Mom, we want to get our hair done," Emma explains. "And maybe our nails, too. Do you have any space for us?" Emma looks around at the busy salon while her Mom waves her off.

Linda's smile grows even wider. "Absolutely! For you two, I have just the thing. We've got a special package deal for hair and nails for seventy five dollars. Of course, I'll do yours on the house Emma - I couldn't dare to charge my own daughter - and I can give you the deal for fifty Sofia?" she adds with a wink.

I glance at Emma, who's already grinning, and I nod eagerly. "That sounds perfect!" I state.

"Great! Let's get started," Linda says, guiding us to a couple of empty chairs at the back. She hands me over to a stylist, who begins discussing my preferences while Linda gets to work on Sofia knowing already what she wanted. Emma opts for a trim and some light highlights to freshen up her look, while I decide to brighten up my dull blonde hair.

As the stylist starts working on me, I feel a sense of excitement building. It's been a while since I've treated myself to something like this, and I can't wait to see the results.

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As our hair is being processed, we move to the nail station and get started there.

Meanwhile, Linda flits around the salon, chatting with customers and making sure everything runs smoothly. Every now and then, she stops by to check on us, her bubbly personality making the experience even more enjoyable. The nail technicians help us pick out colors - Emma going for a red to match her outfit, while I choose a soft pink.

As they work on our nails, Emma and I chat and laugh, enjoying the pampering session together and passing the time smoothly.

I wiggle my fingers as soon as they are freshly done, enjoying their new shape and shine before Linda ushers us over to the sinks to have our hair washed and rinsed.

After a quick dry and style, my stylist turns me in my chair to reveal the final result - causing my eyes to widen in surprise.

I look at myself in the mirror and barely recognise the girl staring back. My hair is a vibrant, bright blonde, and my nails looked perfect.

I feel like a new person.

"What do you think?" Linda asks, coming up behind me and placing a hand on my shoulder.

"I love it so much, thank you!" I exclaim, turning to thank my stylist before thanking her too.

"You're welcome, sweetie. We are so glad you like it," she replies, her smile genuine and warm. "You girls have fun now, and don't be strangers - be sure to do this more often!"

"Mom can I stay with Sofia again tonight?" Emma asks as I move to pay at the counter; while her Mom nods and doesn't think twice.

"Of course, just text and let your Father know." She smiles, as Emma nods and fishes out her phone.

As we say our last goodbyes and leave the salon, I feel a newfound sense of confidence. Emma and I decide to take a few more laps around the mall, showing off our new looks and enjoying the rest of our day.

When it's finally time to call Daryl, I can't help but feel grateful for moments like these moments that remind me of the good things in life and the wonderful people I'm lucky to now know here in town. I just hope it lasts...