The City of Ionia

“Hey, Avery, try this.” Tim handed him a cup of coconut water from a local food cart. “Alright, ready? Three… two… one… go!” From there, they stuffed the cups into their mouths, chugging the water as fast as possible.

They simultaneously exhaled with relief. The sweet, nutty flavor hung in Tim’s mouth. He wiped his moist lips with his sleeve and slammed the cup onto the counter, asking for a refill.

The elderly woman behind the counter filled the cup to its brim. He carefully picked it up, trying not to spill it on his shirt.

“Ready?” He asked Avery as the distance between the cup and his lips diminished. “First one to finish wins?”

To Tim, winning was always a great feeling. Winning against a friend, however, was an even greater feeling.

“Sure,” Avery said, eager for Tim’s countdown.

Tim counted down from three, and the race was on. He gulped the water like a tornado, engulfing everything in sight. At this point, it wasn’t a bother if he spilled water on his shirt. Winning was the only thing that mattered. Water dripped down from his chin. The end of this cup—it was there in sight. He slammed the cup on the counter, almost vibrating the stall. His back was arched, and he coughed like a maniac.

“I won!” Avery exclaimed with friendly laughter, slapping Tim on the back.

Once he finally regained his breath, Tim said, “Rematch! I’m not going down like this!”

“I’m good. Maybe we can try other stuff?”

They made their way to stall after stall. Most of them were closing with ingredients packed in boxes, ready to be used for the following day. With that in mind, they checked out a few weapon stalls that sold the same things for different prices. Maybe the quality was different. Laughter and happiness overfilled Tim’s emotions, leaping through vacant allies. He wished this day would last forever.

“Hey, Avery, look at this place.”

“The hair salon?”

Tim nodded with squinted eyes, trying to read the sign above.

“Mia’s Hair Salon. Strange how a hair salon is open. Wanna check it out?”

Avery agreed, and together, they walked into the salon.

Gentle music played as people sipped on drinks, most likely booze. Everyone was dressed in lazy attire. Not a single person was getting their haircut, which made Tim scratch his head.

What was this even a hair salon? Did he read the sign correctly?

“Hey Avery, wanna dip? Nothing is happening here.”

Before Avery answered, a young boy around the same age as Tim approached the door and introduced himself.

“Welcome. My name is Gabe, and I am the secondary owner of this place. Would you care for a seat?”

“What exactly is this place?” Avery asked.

“Normally, it’s a hair salon, as you can see. But today, it’s a place for people to rest during the chaos outside. We’re serving booze, snacks, haircuts if you want, and a place to sit and relax from the noise and music. That being said, would you like a seat?”

Tim turned to Avery. “I don’t see why not.”

Avery agreed.

The place was packed with every table and seat taken. People napped and relaxed to the soothing music. It was a total switch from what was going on outside.

They followed Gabe through a door where a lone woman sat on a sofa.

She had over-grown hair that fell freely behind and barely visible freckles on her face.

“Sis, every table is taken, so I have no choice but to bring them here.”

“No worries,” she said. “Is it possible to give the ones who stayed here long enough a little tug? We can’t have people hogging a seat for too long.”

“Sure.”

And from there, the door closed from behind.

“Make yourself at home,” said the woman.

There was an identical sofa to her right. Following her welcoming, they both sunk into the cushions like quicksand, but except it was much more comfortable.

“Heya. So what are your names?”

“I’m Tim, and this is my best friend Avery.”

“Best friend? Cool. Well, Tim and Avery, my name is Mia.”

“I assume you’re the owner of this place.”

“Hey, Avery, what makes you say that?”

“Just think about it.”

It didn’t take long for Tim to connect the dots. He made a face of realization and wanted to slap himself.

“Yes, I’m the owner. Nice to meet you. Are you enjoying the Walisburg event so far?”

Tim answered in a heartbeat, “Yes! It’s so cool! There are stalls for nearly everything and everyone. With all these people, the giant city doesn’t feel so giant. It’s crazy crowded, so it’s great how you are doing this resting thing.”

She smiled. “I’m thankful for the compliment. It’s something I started during my second year in Walisburg. It’s a nice way for people to get a break and generates great business.”

“I’m sure. The location is perfect. You’re close to the busiest part of the city. The property expense must’ve been through the roof,” Avery said.

Tim didn’t understand what he meant by ‘property expense.’ He wanted to ask, but already making himself look like a fool to the owner, he backed down.

Mia responded to Avery’s question. “I was fortunate to have help.”

“Was it your family?”

“No,” she said, looking down at her fingers. “It was my best friend.”

“Was?” Avery said. “Did something happen?”

Avery was always a noisy person. He wanted to know everything about everyone, extracting information like some merchant trying to get to know his buyer better. This time, it was more on the weird side. Like, what in the world was ‘property expense?’ Who asks such a thing?

Mia responded to him once again. “I say ‘was’ because I haven’t seen her in a while. She was my best friend for years. She’s the one who gave me money to open up this salon. I’m truly grateful she allowed me to chase my dream and forever be in her debt.”

Avery smiled. “That’s refreshing to hear. Is there a reason why you haven't seen your friend?”

“She left to go on a self-discovery journey. It sounds weird, I know, but she’s the weird type.”

The conversation went on. Mia shared stories without dropping names. She spoke about her work life, her past, caring for a child and a little brother. It was challenging but manageable. But she didn’t have to work too hard after all that struggle. She ran the business with the help of a friend she met in Walisburg, who guided her through the process.

Tim could only imagine the difficulties of managing a place and people and caring for a family. It must’ve been exhausting.

But it didn’t seem that way. Mia spoke enthusiastically, always smiling broadly when given the chance. She didn’t seem tired. She looked ecstatic.

Was it because she accomplished her dream?

As he pondered on that thought, Avery and Tim dumped their stories from when they were children.

Mia followed every word, nodding and asking questions for clarification.

Tim enjoyed the moment. He relived childhood memories with his long–lost best friend, and the trip down memory lane ignited nostalgia between them.

Time passed enough for Avery to begin yawning.

“It’s getting late. We have to rendezvous with the others,” Avery said.

Tim agreed and stood. Mia did as well.

“It was nice meeting you, Tim, and Avery. I hope you enjoy your stay in Walisburg.”

“Your hospitality was a pleasure,” said Avery.

“Thank you. Feel free to come back anytime.”

“Will do.”

From there, they left the salon.

The music died, and the children stopped scurrying around. People slept on the ground. They looked to be corpses that were lined up, waiting to be tossed inside the soil.

Tim and Avery randomly made their way to an empty staircase at an ally, where they would give their feet a break. Tim tried to take a look at the moon.

The once warm, milky glow in the sky that made anyone willing to tilt their head upwards, admiring its beauty, was unfortunately obscured by the clouds.

His eyes focused on the blanket in the sky. He heard Avery’s voice. “Today was hella fun.”

Tim gave Avery his full attention. “It really has been. I kinda wanted this day to last forever. But either way, I’m glad today happened.”

Avery slumped on the steps, his chin touching his chest. “Tim, whatever happens, I just pray we’ll be friends forever.”

Tim couldn’t help but laugh. “What are you saying, idiot? Of course, we will. We’re friends till the sun doesn’t shine anymore.”

“Hopefully. You know what Mia, the woman at the salon, said about her friend. Her best friend never came back.”

“Sure, but she’s happy. Her best friend opened an opportunity to seize her dream. If her friend isn’t there physically, they’ll always be remembered in Mia’s heart.”

A small smile formed on Avery’s face—well, it looked more like a frown. Avery's lips quivered, and in a raspy, regretful tone, he said, “You’re right; it’s just stupid talk.” Out of nowhere, he shifted upright and wrapped his arms around Tim’s shoulders. “It’s just stupid talk.”

What the? What happened to Avery? Why break all of a sudden?

Tim needed answers, but for now, he would wait. He’ll simply embrace this awkwardness from his long-lost friend. Even though they only knew each other for two years, that was enough time to connect perfectly. Those two years were beyond unforgettable.

Under the blanket that the sky cast, Tim would let Avery have this moment. Without any questions, he’ll let his friend ever-so tightly hold onto him, almost like they were departing ways once again.