DeimonusHistorys
Since she was a child, Sofia had been raised with the idea that her long hair was sacred, a symbol of femininity and purity. Her mother constantly repeated to her: “A woman’s hair is her glory. Never cut it. Keep it intact, pure. Every morning, her mother would help her brush it, always with the same tenderness, but also with a firm warning: “Taking care of your hair is taking care of your essence”. Visits to the salon were only to trim the ends minimally and apply treatments to keep it silky and shiny. Sofia had never had the option to change her style, always following the wishes of her mother and, by extension, her family. While her friends tried colors, layered cuts and modern styles, she stuck with her long, straight, dark brown hair.
During her adolescence, this imposition began to affect her. Whenever she expressed a desire to change something about her appearance, especially her hair, her mother would look at her as if she were suggesting something unthinkable. “Cut your hair? No way!” she would tell her. The few times she tried to talk about doing something different, her mother would always reply, “Long, virgin hair is what distinguishes a real woman. You can’t betray that.” Eventually, Sofia stopped trying. She kept her desires quiet, burying the frustration as she watched her friends enjoy their freedom.
In her senior year of college, something inside her began to awaken. One day, while walking home, she saw something that caught her eye: a new unisex barbershop had opened on the corner of a street she used to pass. Through the glass, he saw a tall woman, with impressive brown hair that reached her waist. The barber was dressed in a mix of formal and sensual: a tight white shirt and tight pants that highlighted her figure. As she attended to a client, Sofia noticed her confidence, the way she handled her tools with precision and dexterity. That first sight planted a seed in her mind.
Day after day, Sofia kept passing the same corner, and couldn’t help but look inside the barbershop. Her friends also began to notice her growing interest. One day, while they were having lunch at the university, the subject of the barbershop came up in conversation.
“Have you seen that new barbershop down on the corner? I always see you stare,” Claudia said with a mischievous grin as she bit into her sandwich.
Sofia looked up, feigning disinterest. “Yes, I’ve been by there a few times. It looks… interesting.”
“They say they do extreme cuts!” added Mariana, leaning her elbows on the table. “Even full shaves – imagine that! It would be a radical change.”
Sofia let out a nervous laugh. “I don’t know if I’m ready for something so drastic.”
Claudia laughed and gave her arm a little push. “Come on, Sofia, you could use a change! You’ve always had that same look. Something different could be exciting.”
“Besides,” Mariana interjected, “it would give you freedom. You deserve it after all this time taking such good care of your hair.”
Sofia smiled, although she did not respond. The truth was that the idea appealed to her, although she still did not dare to admit it. Her friends’ words kept echoing in her mind.
A few weeks later, on her way home, something made her stop in front of the barbershop. Through the glass, she saw the barber shaving the head of a girl with long hair, almost as long as her own. The machine whirred as long locks fell to the floor, and the young woman in the chair looked calm, even smiling, as she watched her transformation in the mirror. Sofia couldn’t move, how was it possible for someone to get rid of something so precious so easily?
Without realizing it, she entered the barbershop. The tinkling of the bell brought her out of her trance. She was inside, watching as the barber finished running the machine over the young woman’s head, leaving her scalp completely uncovered. The scene was hypnotic, and Sofia felt a mixture of fascination and fear. The barber noticed her presence and looked at her through the mirror, smiling kindly at her. “I’ve seen you come by these days,” the barber said as she cleaned the machine and brushed the last few locks off the floor. “I’m Alejandra, nice to meet you.”
Sofia blinked, still a little dazed. “Sofia. I… I don’t know why I came in.”
Alejandra smiled again and put the tools aside. “Don’t worry. A lot of people come in out of curiosity, it’s normal. Would you like to sit down for a moment? You can relax while you finish watching.”
Sofia, still a little nervous, sat down on one of the chairs. Alejandra approached and watched her calmly, her long brown hair moving softly as she walked. “You have beautiful hair, I’ve seen it from the outside. I imagine you take good care of it, don’t you?”
“Yes, ever since I was little my mother has always told me to keep it long…I’ve never cut it past the ends.”
Alejandra nodded, understanding. “I get it. A lot of women grow up with that idea, that long hair is an essential part of who we are. But sometimes, changing is liberating.”
Sofia hesitated, looking at her reflection in the mirror. “I don’t know… I’ve always wanted to do something different, but my family… I don’t know if I dare.”
“It’s normal to be afraid,” Alejandra said softly as she put away the tools. “Change is always a little vertigo-inducing. But sometimes, it’s just what we need to feel more authentic. Besides, the most important thing is what you want, not what others expect.”
Sofia felt his words touch her deeply. Doubt slowly turned to curiosity. “And how is it? Shaving your head, I mean.”
Alejandra smiled with understanding. “It’s different for each person. Some feel it as a release, others as a challenge. But most, when they do it, feel like they’re leaving a burden behind.”
Sofia bit her lip, thinking about what her mother would say, what her friends would think. But a part of her felt drawn, as if this was the time to do something for herself. “I think…I want to.”
Alejandra looked at her with a warm, but also firm expression. “If you really want to do it, I’ll be here to help you. But you have to be sure. I don’t want you to regret it.”
Sofia took a deep breath, her heart pounding. “I want to do it,” she repeated, though the feeling in her stomach was a mixture of nerves and excitement.
Alejandra nodded and prepared the tools. “All right, then. Let’s do this.” She turned on the machine, the humming sound filling the small room. “Relax and trust the process. It’s your decision.”
The first pass was final, and the tresses fell to the floor. Sofia closed her eyes, feeling a mixture of fear and liberation, while Alejandra worked with precision and softness. Each pass removed years of impositions, and when she finally finished, Alejandra covered her head with foam and slid the razor with precise movements.
When he finished, he turned the chair so that Sofia could see herself in the mirror. The image the reflection returned to her left her speechless. Her shaved head glistened under the lights, and for the first time in a long time, Sofia felt light, as if a part of her had finally been set free.
Alejandra smiled as she saw Sofia’s expression. “What do you think?”
Sofia couldn’t help but smile as well. “I feel… free.”
“This is how it should always be,” Alejandra said as she gave her head a final touch. “It’s you, without expectations or limitations.”
Sofia, looking in the mirror again, knew she had made the right decision.
