The taunt.

Mark's latest song was airing on one of the American radio stations at the time of 9 am, but he had no single idea about it. He had no idea 'cause he wasn't listening to the radio at that moment, in fact, he was preparing to visit his hairstylist salon at that moment. Normally, the hairstylist does come to his house to style his hair whenever Mark needed his service. But today, Mark decided to visit his salon 'cause he wasn't gonna be needing his service for the meantime as a result of his upcoming travel to South Africa.

Mark had dressed up already, he didn't wear much of fashionable clothes 'cause after he was done styling his hair, he was gonna be coming back home immediately, he needed to start selecting and packing some of the clothes he would be taking along to South Africa. Dylan had already told him on phone that the preparations for their visas and the rest of other things needed for the travel were gonna commence today, so he wanted to start arranging his clothes and shoes in a traveling bag.

He arrived at the salon, and thank goodness, his hairstylist was in. The inner and outer part of the salon was pretty, but the inner was prettier. It wasn't that spacious though, but it was really cool. Mark stepped into the salon, the hairstylist was busy with a guy's hair, he was trying to style the hair according to what the person told him.

The hairstylist glanced at Mark and smiled at him, Mark smiled back before taking a seat on the long chair present in the salon...an indication of acquaintance. After about 4 minutes more, the hairstylist was done with the guy's hair. From the way he barbed and styled the guy's hair, it was evident that he was good at what he does. The guy's facial expression indicated that he was pleased with the way the hairstylist styled his hair, so he willingly paid him before departing from the salon.

Mark stood up from the long chair he was sitting on and sat on the chair facing the mirror. Sitting on that chair would make it easier for the hairstylist to do a perfect job on his hair, that was the chair where all customers were to sit.

"Why didn't you call me to come do the normal home service for you in your apartment?". The hairstylist asked Mark, he was asking this 'cause it's been long since Mark last visited his salon. The normal stuff was home service, so why did he decide to come today?

"After today's styling, I wouldn't be needing your service for the meantime. So I decided to visit your salon today instead of you coming to my apartment". Mark retorted, his eyes were fixed on the mirror in front of him.

"Why wouldn't you be needing my service in the meantime? is anything wrong?".

"I'm gonna be traveling soon, to be more precise, I'm gonna be traveling to South Africa soon". Mark responded taking his gaze away from the mirror and looking up to the hairstylist.

"To South Africa? I shouldn't be asking this, but I gotta ask, to do what?".

"You know that I am an artiste right?". Mark inquired of the hairstylist.

"Yeah, I know that, a talented one at that". Said the hairstylist, yeah, he knew that Mark was an artiste, he had even listened to many of Mark's songs, and he knew that Mark was really talented. He had been styling Mark's hair for long now, and he had gotten to know a lot about Mark. He knew that Mark had an immense passion for music, he knew that Mark was still an upcoming artiste, he knew that Mark hadn't attained the fame he deserved as an artiste....yeah, he knew all of these.

"And you know my plight as an artiste, you know what I'm passing through as an artiste". Mark stated to the hairstylist once again.

"Yeah, I know all of that".

"My travel to South Africa is part of the step I am taking to break free from those plights. It's part of the step I am taking to achieve my topmost heart desire. So that's what I am going there to do, I think I have answered your question now?".

"Yeah, I wish you the best of luck as you travel to South Africa to achieve your topmost heart desire. And I hope you achieve it 'cause you deserve it". Uttered the hairstylist, all he said now was from his heart. He wasn't saying it for fun or out of a pretending spirit, he truly cared.

Mark glanced up at the hairstylist once again with a smile on his face, he said, "Thanks bro, I really appreciate that".

The hairstylist just smiled back at him and questioned, "So, how do you want me to style and barb your hair this time?".

Mark told him exactly the way he wanted his hair to be styled and barbed, and the hairstylist did just that. Before he could finish styling Mark's hair, two more customers had entered his salon waiting for him to climax with Mark's hair.

Mark stood up from the chair after the guy was done styling his hair, the customer that entered the salon first took a seat on the chair immediately. Mark paid the guy, then said to him,

"We won't be seeing each other for long after this, so I want you to stay healthy and cool. Keep up with your hairstyling craft 'cause you are really good at it".

The hairstylist shook hands with Mark and stated, "Once again, I wish you the best of luck on your travel to South Africa. Hope you attain your topmost heart desire".

With that, Mark departed from the salon heading back to his apartment, he's got some work to do. On his way back to his apartment, his phone began to ring. He took out his phone from his pocket to check the caller ID, but there was none, which shows that the number wasn't stored on his phone.

Not wanting to leave the phone call unanswered, he picked it up even though he doesn't know who the caller was.

"Hello, who is on the line?".

"Without saying my name, I think, you should be able to recognize my voice".

It was Darcy calling, Mark recognized her voice immediately. What does she want again? Why was she calling? How did she even get his phone number?

"How did you get my phone number? because I don't remember giving you my phone number". That was the next statement that flowed out of Mark's mouth after discerning that it was Darcy's voice.

"It's much of a long story, you wouldn't want to know". Darcy retorted.

"What is it? why did you call?". Mark inquired of her, he didn't like calls from people like her, people with her kind of attitude.

"I am fucking popular Mark, remember the statement I made to you at the rap contest that I was gonna blow up as a rapper as soon as possible, I'm pretty sure you doubted it. But men, I'm f**king living up to that statement already, my first single under the 'Cool Boiz' label is making waves across USA and other countries, it might even make it to the music billboard chart soon. People have gotten to know how talented I'm as a rapper. This is just the beginning, I am gonna keep on dropping hit songs for as long as possible. First of all, I proved you wrong that I'm not a wack rapper. Secondly, the same label you were signed into for years and couldn't still blow up as an artiste, I got signed to that same label and blew up with just my first single".

Surely, she was taunting and making fun of Mark, it was evident. She was no different from John and Henry, she was making a mockery of Mark the same way John and Henry did. What Mark couldn't understand was if Darcy was like this towards him only, or to everyone. Was her bad attitude reflecting on his life only? or was it reflecting on other people's lives also. He couldn't comprehend that.

What she said now was enough to make Mark angry, so she called him on phone just to tell him this shit. Like this girl does know how to get on his nerves, they might never get along though they are signed to the same label.

"So you called me just to tell me this piece of crap?". Mark asked her with anger in his tone of voice.

"Yeah". She replied so calmly.

"Well, all I want to tell you is get the f**k off". Mark uttered lastly before ending the phone conversation.

The zeal to travel to South Africa was really high now 'cause of what Darcy said. He needed to attain this fame, the people he needed to prove wrong was piling up.