The Silent Request

————

"Snip-snip".... Goes the sound of the scissors.

Layla's hair fell to the floor chunk by chunk.

Her eyes were glued to the mirror, focused on her hair that's been cut off by herself.

Yeah, I got tired of my long hair.

I think short hair is the trend now.

I just want to know what short hair feels like for a while.

It's gonna grow back soon.

Those are the words she's gonna say to the people who ask right?

Who's even going to?

Does anyone even care about her?

They are going to mock her instead, but she doesn't care anymore.

Gone are those days she cries whenever she was been mocked.

Gone are the days she hides by her desk to avoid being seen and taunted.

And gone are the days...

"Layla! What are you doing" She heard her aunt's shrill voice.

"Cutting off my hair" She replied drily, knowing Philia, her late mother's younger sister doesn't even care what she does to herself.

Philia hates her like she hated her father.

And if it hadn't been for the death of her mother and brother, Philia would never have taken her in.

Philia hated her like everyone else just because her father is black.

"Why are you cutting it?" Phila asked as she walked closer to Layla.

"Do you even care?" Layla asked slowly.

"Of course I do, I won't allow you to scare my customers away with your looks, you are ugly enough..and now cutting your hair. Darn, it! you should just say you're tired of helping me in my coffee shop!" Philia said, with a raised voice, she wished Layla was indeed ugly.

Who would even believe Layla was the daughter of that ugly black man? Of course, Layla had taken after her mother in looks, no one would ever know she has a black father until they are told.

Her fair skin, flawless even more than those whose both parents were whites, she was born with rare hazel eyes, and her lips, were pink and plump, her nose isn't left out in the perfectness of her looks, and her brown-golden hair that was long enough to her back was now being reduced to a bob which still stood fine on her head, it changed her look a bit.

Her height is perfect for her age and she only took after her father in body shape, she isn't as skinny as most American teens, Layla has a great and admirable body and her boobs were even bigger than Philia's which always made Philia mad all the time.

"I'm not going to scare your customers away and I'm not tired of helping you in your cafe," Layla said, already used to Philia's hurtful words.

"You wouldn't even dare stop helping me in my cafe except you're ready to go meet your father's poor relations in Africa to fend for you!" Philia said.

"And why always speaking of Africa like it's the worst place in the world! Why always speaking of my father like he's less human, why do you hate me so much just because my father is black? You were on bad terms with my Mum till she died just because she married an African, a Nigerian. Philia, do you always have to be this way? You always claim most Africans are inhumane. If there's anything..you're the one acting inhumanely here" Layla said, with a look, Philia has never seen before.

She stood there, shocked at Layla's outburst.

Layla has always been mute and even cry at times, whenever her father or his relations was spoken ill of.

"So great to see you're finally acting like the black! you are!" Philia said, not sounding as shocked as she felt.

"Ohh? I truly how blacks speak up, then I'm so proud to be one" Layla smiled, now trimming the Bob she had made for herself.

She ignored Philia's stabbing glare.

"I mustn't get to the shop before you!" Philia yelled before slamming Layla's door.

Layla laughed, it felt so surprisingly good to have spoken up for the first time, and seeing Philia look so upset was so satisfying...she made the right decision but she wondered sadly if she would ever have decided to stand up for herself if it hadn't been for what happened yesterday.

She shrugged sadly, having promised herself never to think about it.

She carefully and slowly trimmed the uneven edges of the Bob, she knew Philia isn't gonna get to the shop before her because one of the men who do shag her is waiting in her room and they do spend hours at it.

***

"Oh..well" Layla shook her head slowly, making her neatly cut Bob bounce.

She was a bit surprised to have done a good job, although she had always helped Bryan, her late younger brother trim his hair, she ever thought she'd do so great on her own.

She rose to her feet and winced at the pain she felt in her leg.

"Gosh, that motherfucker" She swore angrily.

A guy who had come to get coffee had spilled a cup of hot coffee on her leg and had left without even turning to look at her or apologize.

The hot coffee had bruised her skin and it hurts so much that she now limps.

"I'm so gonna kill him whenever I see him," She said as she packed the chunks of hair on the floor.

She hadn't even seen his face, just his brown hair, and then a scar on the back of his neck.

She lit the fireplace in her room and then started burning the chunks of hair.

She stood in front of her mirror after freshening up and getting into fresh wear.

Her short wet hair clung to her cheeks and she felt a bit sad to have cut her hair.

She's missing her long wavy hair already but then it's for the better.

Of course, she wouldn't have reduced her hair to a bob for no reason but for now, things are better left unsaid and even unthought.

She dried her hair with the dryer and then comb through it.

Anyone would think a professional had helped her with her hair.

Perhaps, she should go for a hair course in the future..she thought and laughed.

***

Layla limped-walked into Philia's coffee shop and headed to the counter.

She said hi to Aria, Philia's only worker before dropping her bag.

Aria gasped..."You've cut your hair"

Layla nodded.

"Why?" Aria asked she's one of the few people who remained nice to Layla even after knowing her father is black.

"I..just wanted it" Layla shrugged.

"Ohh..it looks nice on you by the way," Aria said and Layla said 'thank you' with a smile.

She washed her hands to start helping when she saw Philia walk out of her small office.

Darn it.

No dinner for her tonight.

"Phil, I'm sorry. I was.."

"I warned you, Layla," Philia said, cutting her short.

Layla nodded and Philia walked away, smiling at customers and touring her shop like she normally does.

Layla groaned, blaming the man for not fucking Philia long enough, or had Philia requested for a quick...

"Layla! Customers are waiting!!" Philia shouted and Layla set to work immediately.

***

Her rumbling stomach woke her up the next morning.

She sat up on the bed and clutched her knees to her chest, staring at nothing in particular.

Her eyes were laced with tears, she missed her mum so much.

Her Mum would never have starved her to punish her.

Of course, Philia hadn't given her dinner yesternight.

And if she doesn't get up quick enough to make breakfast before Philia wakes up, then there'll be no breakfast for her before she leaves for school.

She threw her blanket roughly to a side like it was the cause of her problems and then carefully slid her feet into her footwear.

Her leg is still hurting, she hadn't even applied anything to make it heal faster.

She walked to the kitchen and started making a sandwich, she prepared her sandwich while the coffee was brewing.

And by the time she was done, the coffee was ready.

She doused it with cream and sugar, stirred it, and then placed it on a tray beside her sandwich.

She quickly cleaned the kitchen and then picked up the tray and left for her room.

She sighed in relief when she got to her room safely without seeing Philia.

She gently dropped the tray on her bedside table and then grabbed a towel before heading into the bathroom.

Her heart does beat fast anytime she prepares for school because she knows she can't escape being mocked throughout the day but not anymore, she's not going to allow that anymore.

***

She smiled as she stood under the shower, the tiny slash of water hitting her skin.

She had even wanted to stop going to school at some point but what kept her going was...

Dylan.

Her crush or rather, every female's crush.

She always looked forward to seeing him every day, his handsome face had this way of making her heart flutter, she always wish he would just look at her with those striking eyes of his for once, sadly..he doesn't even spare her a glance, it's just like she doesn't exist, even if they were not sitting too far from each other.

She wants him to notice her and she's gonna make sure that happens today.

Of course, he knows her, who doesn't know Layla Moremi Williams, the only girl in Ocean high school who has a black father?

And almost everyone knew she had a crush on him and he knows too just like he knows other girls are crushing on him, yet he doesn't glance her way.

Perhaps she's the last girl he would ever consider having as a girlfriend.

Having a girlfriend?..Lol.

He wouldn't even think of that, perhaps she's the last girl he would ever consider glancing at.

And she has seen Dylan laugh several whenever she's being mocked, although he has never mocked her directly she doesn't even care if he laughs whenever she's being mocked, she loves him and would do anything to make him look directly into her eyes, she would do anything to make him see she's in love with him.

She isn't gonna hide anymore, not when...

She sigh as she stepped out of the shower, she grabbed her pink towel, wrapped it around her body, removed the shower cap from her hair, and walked back to her room.

She dried her body and started dressing up for school.

***

Her coffee was almost cold by the time she was done dressing up but she took it anyway.

She sat on her neatly spread bed, smartly dressed for school, and started having her breakfast.

She picked up her backpack when she was done and left her room with the tray in hand.

She dropped it in the kitchen sink and planned to sort it out after she's back from school.

She needs to get going now because she's gonna be walking to school and she always like to cover a reasonable distance before time runs out.

Her school is damn far from the house.

Philia does give her transport fare of course but she saves the money and uses her legs instead.

And now...she now has a huge amount in her piggy bank.

She met Philia in the living room sorting dollar notes like she does every morning.

"Good morning Phil," Layla said.

"Morning Layla" Phil looked tired and Layla knew she was probably shagged all night.

Of course, Phil isn't doing it for money, she only enjoys doing it like she had told Layla.

"What?" Layla asked as Philia's eyes scrutinized her.

"You look so ugly!" She scoffed before handing Layla some dollar notes.

"Thanks, Phil," Layla said, ready to leave.

"Come" Phil stopped her and she turned to her.

"Have this" Phil handed her more dollar notes.

"You want me to get something for you?" Layla asked.

"No, just have it, use it to do whatever you want," Phil said and Layla stared at her, stunned.

"Take it and leave, your ugly face is scaring me" Philia groaned.

"Thank you so much Phil" Layla said, touched.

She took the money and then left for school after saying bye to Philia.

She thought about Phil's sudden kind act as she ran to school, ignoring the sharp pain in her leg.