wozziewoo
It’s time to focus on our final new freshman. Although a bit of a mystery to her team, she does try to stay practical most of the time. Also, there may be a new budding romance or two starting to form.
If you need a quick catch up, this link will take you to the previous chapter:
https://www.hairstorynetwork.com/stories/cheerful-clips-homecoming/
Hopefully, you all enjoy this next chapter in out saga:
STATEMENT OF FACTS
Jazmine moved around a lot growing up. As such, making and keeping friends was always a challenge. Jazmine learned at an early age that she shouldn’t grow attached to anything as it wouldn’t be around long. She attended 15 different schools in her 18 years. And now, Jazmine looked forward to going to college where she hoped to be able to stay the whole time and finally establish some roots and form bonds.
As a coping mechanism, Jazmine discovered that she liked to reinvent herself. It didn’t matter what she said or did, because she never stayed anywhere long enough for there to be any consequences. She quickly realized things would be different this time, so if she planned to stay, she would need to create a persona for herself that she could live with and tolerate for at least the next four years.
If there was one constant throughout her years, it was her locks. They had been with her through most of her schools and major life events so far. They were the one thing that she carried with her from location to location. If she had to identify herself, her true self, then her micro box braids would probably be at the top of her list.
While her style changed as she adapted to each new location, her hair was her consistency. Call it her safety net, security blanket, touch of home, whatever you wish… it was one aspect that she cared about most. Ever since she could remember, Jazmine wore her hair in long micro box braids. It wasn’t easy, because maintaining her hair was expensive and time-consuming, but it was worth it.
While a change in hairstyle was the furthest thing from her mind when she first began her college career, the thought started to gnaw at her ever since she started to get to know her cheer teammates.
“I can try, but this may lie outside my area of knowledge…” Heather informed her teammate.
“Yeah, I’m used to that answer,” Jazmine sighed. “I can usually find someone somewhere that knows how to deal with black hair, but I know my options are somewhat limited here. Even if I could get off campus, I wouldn’t know where to start.”
“Well, I can check with some of my contacts, but honestly, I’m not sure it will be much good.” Heather knew it was beyond her scope of what she could handle, and it would also be a bigger time commitment than she’d be able to devote. “Do you have any other options?”
Jazmine laughed, “You mean besides cutting it all off? Not really.” Jazmine put on a strong front, but she was secretly terrified about what she just said. “I guess it would be my own fault. This was the one thing I didn’t properly research before coming here.”
“Hopefully, it doesn’t come to that, but I’m here to help out in any way I can.” Heather showed concern for the freshman, and she hoped they could find a solution.
“I got it done right before I came here so I still have some time before it gets dire, but I may not want to wait that long.” Jazmine said, as she fought to hold back tears. “Well, thanks anyway.”
“Yeah sure, no problem.”
THE GIRL IS SMITTEN
The first few weeks had flown by. Everyone was adapting to their new roles. The squad had cheered the football team to a perfect 4 and 0 season. It was about a month into the season, and they were dominant victories. The new uniforms were a hit, and the cheerleaders were more popular than ever.
When they weren’t at class or a cheer event, many of the girls found themselves working various roles at the barbershop. While they were not all comfortable working behind the chair, buzzing and shaving, they all found their own way of feeling useful. Inspired by her help with Madison, Melissa found herself offering her services to those looking for assistance with fancy updos and general hairstyles. Thanks to Candice, Jenny had grown quite comfortable with the razor, and she was often the go-to cheerleader for anyone that wanted a head shave.
Still, there was a lot of downtime at the barbershop. Word of mouth was slow to spread, as their skills were limited and they catered to a very specific clientele.
“It’s only been a few weeks. It will take time.” Janie said.
Janie and Anna were sitting in the twin chairs at the barbershop in their outfits. They were waiting to see if any customers would stop in.
“I know, and it’s really cool that we even did this. I just hate being idle. Especially when we have another away game this weekend that I have to finish preparing for.” Anna sighed.
Just then the door chime went off and the door opened. Two young men with scraggly hair entered.
“Um, hi, we’re here for a haircut.” The slightly taller one said.
“Sure! You’ve come to the right place.” Janie hopped out of her chair.
“Just so you know, we only do buzzes and shaves.” Anna added on, as she got up and cleared her chair.
“Perfect.” The taller one sat down, in Anna’s chair, as the shorter one sat down in Janie’s. “Name’s Douglas, but Doug is fine. He’s Scott.” Scott nodded ‘hello.’ “He doesn’t talk much and he’s a little shy.”
“Heya Doug. Hi Scott.” Janie flirtatiously said. “I’m Janie and that’s Anna.”
“So, what’ll it be?” Anna asked.
“I like your hair.” Doug replied. “I’ll take whatever that is.”
Anna blushed slightly, “It’s a number one buzz.”
“Then I want a number one buzz as well.” Doug smiled.
“Scott, what about you?” Janie asked.
Scott nodded aggressively.
“Same for him.” Doug answered.
Janie giggled. “Comin’ right up.”
“This stagnant heat really got to us. The hair needed to go. We were gonna go to the barbershop in town. Then we heard about this new shop on campus. So, I say to Scott, how ‘bout we stay on campus and get our hair cut by a couple of hot cheerleaders? Easy call.” Doug explained.
“That’s what we were going for.” Anna grinned, as she grabbed her clippers and put the #1 guard on them.
“You think we’re hot?” Janie asked, as she did the same. Scott grinned and nodded his head up and down furiously. Janie giggled and blushed. “Aww.” She turned the clippers on and dug them into Scott’s hair.
“So, either of you have boyfriends?” Doug asked.
“Wow, you’re bold.” Anna reacted as she shaved away Doug’s hair.
“I find it’s best to be upfront with intentions.” Doug admitted.
“So, what exactly would those intentions be?” Anna asked.
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“Let’s just say it’s not.” Anna continued to run the clippers.
“Well, I’m single. Anna is too, even if she won’t admit it.” Janie interjected as she finished up Scott’s hair.
“Janie!” Anna chided.
Doug and Scott both got up from their chairs and rubbed their heads approvingly. As they paid, Doug wrote something on a piece of paper.
“Well, here’s our numbers if either of you are interested.” Doug declared, handing the paper to Anna.
Janie looked over Anna’s shoulder at the number as Doug and Scott made their way out.
“I’m interested!” Janie shouted after them.
ADAPTING
Madison was adapting to college life. She enjoyed the new independence and responsibility it led to. She was getting to know her teammates better and becoming fast friends with many of them, to varying degrees. True to her word, Melissa was available to her every morning and helped style her hair in fun and unique ways. Madison still hated her long hair, but she had to admit she enjoyed the attention and being fawned over. As long as Melissa was willing to keep styling her hair every morning, Madison was willing to tolerate it. She had expected to wear her hair in a boring ponytail every day, but she enjoyed Melissa’s creations and the attention it garnered from her classmates.
She also had a strong bond with Jessie. Jessie was the first teammate she met when she first got to school. Jessie had made quite an impression on not only Madison, but her parents as well. Just as she promised, Jessie checked in with Madison at least once every day, often multiple times a day. She made herself available to talk, hang out, or just be around. Madison cherished that time and looked forward to it. Jessie and Melissa were making her college experience an extremely positive one and she knew they would be friends for life.
Madison was also getting to know her fellow freshman teammates better, Tabitha and Jazmine. Besides being freshman, they were also the only ones on the team who started the year with long hair. Tabitha, however, had recently changed that. When she first arrived on campus, her hair was a dark, dirty blonde, super curly lion’s mane that stuck out in all directions and hung halfway down her back. However, after a visit with Heather, it was now a teal super short #3 buzzcut. While she felt a greater sense of being outnumbered, Madison had to admit that Tabitha looked amazing and seemed so much happier. At least she still had Jazmine, and Madison knew she was really attached to her hair.
A TRAIL RUN
True to her word, Tabitha made a great running partner for Heather. The Sunday after the homecoming game, Heather was about to knock on Tabitha’s door, but Tabitha opened the door before Heather had the chance.
“Hey, Heather. Beautiful morning, isn’t it?” Tabitha, dressed in a white T shirt and running shorts, greeted her teammate with a giant smile as she headed out the door and down the hall.
“You’re certainly chipper this morning.” Heather darted after her enthusiastic teammate.
“It’s a great day!” Tabitha rubbed her shorn head as she made her way down the stairs. “I can think of no better way to start the morning.”
Heather was certainly impressed by the attitude but couldn’t quite tell if she really felt that way, or if it was some kind of front to make the best of the situation. Even though Heather loved her morning runs and looked forward to it every morning, even she didn’t show quite the eagerness that Tabitha displayed.
Tabitha was a worthy companion. She wasn’t quite on par with Emma, but she managed to keep up and Heather was able to almost maintain her normal pace. Far from a single complaint, Tabitha seemed to embrace the opportunity.
“Same time tomorrow?” Tabitha confirmed as she raced back up the steps to the house.
Heather nodded in agreement as she smiled at the young co-ed and only wished she had responded that way when she first started to run with Emma.
The next day went exactly the same. As Heather went to knock on the door, Tabitha was already ready and waiting. Dressed the same as the previous day, Tabitha had the same greeting and same chipper attitude. Heather continued to be impressed, as Tabitha once again said “same time tomorrow?” as she headed up the steps of the house upon the conclusion of their run.
This continued for the entire week. Tabitha was always ready when Heather came to get her. Tabitha never uttered a single complaint and kept up with Heather. Then the end of the week approached and as Tabitha once again headed up the stairs back to the house “same time tomorrow?”
“Well, actually… Today was the last day. You have tomorrow off. You only have to come every other day now.” Heather reminded her.
“Oh.” Tabitha seemed a bit disappointed. “Alright, I guess that’s okay…”
“Tabitha, did you WANT to join me tomorrow?” Heather asked.
“I thought I might.”
Heather wrapped her small arm around her teammate. “You’re certainly welcome. I enjoy the company and would never want to discourage anyone from joining me, but I know we made an arrangement and wanted to honor that.”
“I know.” Tabitha smiled, “but I don’t want this to be about paying off a debt or thinking about this like it is some kind of punishment.” Tabitha rubbed her head, “Don’t get me wrong. I love this look, and I will forever be in your debt. Never did I ever think I’d have teal hair, but I’m actually growing quite fond of it… And I’m not sure I’ll ever let my hair grow longer than this again, at least not any time soon… but I’ve also really enjoyed these morning runs with you. I never thought of myself as a runner, and when we started, I had no intention of doing anything more then what we agreed to, but something changed…”
“It’s addicting, isn’t it?” Heather grinned. “Well, I go out every day no matter what. I’d love to have you join me any day you wish. There’s no obligation, and I would understand if you didn’t want to come.”
“No,” Tabitha began. “You can count me in. I’ve had an amazing week. I don’t know if it’s the hair or the morning run. Probably both. But it’s working for me, so I see no reason to stop.”
Tabitha put out her hand. Heather reached for the hand and pulled her close as they hugged.
“See you tomorrow?” Tabitha asked again.
“Looking forward to it.” Heather smiled back.
A WARNING?
Jazmine was tough. She learned long ago that most things were temporary, and attachment was a sign of weakness. It made life easier, and she was able to make clean breaks when she inevitably moved. She was used to starting over. This would be different though. She’s never needed to “reinvent herself” after she’s already established herself somewhere. And her transformation had never involved her hair. It was the one part of herself that had always stayed the same.
If she was going to do it, she might as well go all the way. She wasn’t doing it to fit in. She was doing it for her own sense of confidence. If her hair couldn’t be cared for properly, it wasn’t worth holding onto. If she wasn’t keeping her long micro box braids, she might as well not have any at all. She would rock a completely bald head and never look back. The fact that the rest of the team had similar hair was a bonus but had no effect on her own desires. It was not an easy decision, and one she still wanted to hold off a bit longer. But the thought was there, which it hadn’t been before. It would be all or nothing and it would probably end up being nothing.
“Just so you know, you might be the only one with long hair soon.” Jazmine was sitting at the kitchen table eating her breakfast.
“What?! Why?” Madison shrieked as she entered the room. She had just come from Melissa’s room where her hair was intricately braided into a design. It was Melissa’s most creative style yet. “Don’t –, I thought you loved your hair.”
“I did… I do.” Jazmine confessed. “I do love it, and it’s not what I would choose. But it’s a lot of upkeep and maintenance. It’s not something I can handle myself and no one around here knows how to deal with my hair. I’m probably better off just shaving it all off.” Jazmine saw the look of horror forming on Madison’s face, “but only as an absolutely last resort.”
“I’ll help!” Madison desperately tried to make Jazmine feel better.
“Really?” Jazmine looked at Madison sarcastically. “Madison you can’t even deal with your own hair. You really think there’s a shot I’d let you anywhere near mine?”
“What about –”
“Melissa?” Jazmine finished. “Please. I know that she’s talented and does a great job with your hair, but our hair is not the same. We are not the same. Not even close.” Jazmine sighed. “And I’ve already discussed it with Heather. She sympathizes, but this isn’t her wheelhouse, and I understand that.”
“But… but…” Madison quivered.
“You do realize this isn’t about you, right?” Jazmine scolded. “I wanted to give you a heads up, because I know you’re struggling and didn’t know if this changed things for you… but don’t act like your puppy just died.”
“You’re right, I’m sorry.” Madison sat down across from Jazmine and poured some cereal into a bowl. “How are you doing? What’s your plan?”
“I don’t have a plan yet.” Jazmine admitted. “Right now, I’m just figuring out my options.” Jazmine got up and rinsed her plate in the sink before placing it in the dishwasher. “Anyway, I’m off. Time to get out and start the day.”
ADJUSTING
Betty had always had confidence. She tried to be a positive person and positive influence everywhere she went. She had a bit of a downward spiral last year, and cut off all her hair after finding out her boyfriend cheated on her with her teammate, Shandra. Betty had struggled mightily for a bit and the team helped rally behind her. But things were different now.
Her bubbly personality had been restored, and Betty looked forward to her senior year. She had spent the summer reflecting and reevaluating her life. After fixing her eyes and shedding some weight, she looked and felt spectacular. Always happy with her appearance but never one to flaunt it, she now craved that attention and was rewarded for it. While previously, she was happy to just blend in, she no longer did. After putting in the hard work, she wanted to show off her body and dressed like it. She wasn’t used to showing so much skin but knew her cheer uniform did and wanted to take advantage. She embraced her bald head and felt it enhanced her overall look and attitude.
Betty was in a committed relationship with Heather and had never been happier, but that didn’t stop the guys from falling all over her, and she let them. Guys who had never paid her any attention were now fighting each other for her attention. She loved it, especially knowing it was all shallow and they were only interested in her looks. While she knew she had someone who was into her for her and all that she had to offer.
Kathy was adjusting to her new surroundings. She liked her new teammates and got along with them much better than at her old school. She had transferred from another school and even though she now had to repeat her sophomore year, it was well worth it. The reformed mean-girl fit in much better and was much happier than she had been previously.
About the only thing that wasn’t working out for her was her hair. For the first time, she did not have her long jet-black hair. She didn’t count the few weeks she was bald, since she was forced to have her head shaved every day. Since then, she grew it nonstop for the past several months she now had a short shag. Kathy wasn’t a fan, but it beat being bald. At least her teammates supported her regardless of how she wore her hair.
PLEAD DEAL
“Come on, Anna. I love this team as well, but you need to do other things too…” Janie begged her friend. “I wanna go out, but Scott will only come if you go with Doug.”
“I’m sorry, Janie, I’m just not feeling up to it. But I still want you to go out and have fun.” Anna consoled her friend.
Janie was lounging in the living room. Anna had just come back from class and Janie had been waiting to talk with her. It had been a few days since they buzzed the boys’ hair. Janie had given them a call and wanted to spend more time with them. Scott wanted to, but he was nervous and would only agree if Doug and Anna could join them.
Janie hadn’t been on a date or really hung out much with anyone outside of the team since coming to college a year ago. This is the first time a boy showed genuine interest in her and she liked him back. She just needed Anna to agree. She wasn’t above begging, but also knew Anna had a lot on her plate and wasn’t as into the dating scene as she was.
“Yeah, but I already told you, it’s double date or no date.” Janie pleaded.
“Alright, look, I’m really not feeling up to going out tonight, but maybe a different night this week?” Anna really had no interest in dating anyone, but she didn’t want to disappoint Janie and tried to support her any way she could.
“Okay, fine. I’ll see if another day works… But Anna, I REALLY like Scott.” Janie admitted. “Please don’t mess this up for me.”
Janie bounded off, followed by Anna who continued onto her room for a quick nap. She was fighting off something and really couldn’t afford to get sick. She loved Janie and her energy, but being captain had ended up being more stressful than she had initially thought.
SLIPPED INTO SOMETHING MORE COMFORTABLE
Heather had it good. She was only a sophomore, but she was already in charge of her own business. Something she had less than zero interest in a year ago, and in fact, she would have run away from. Now she got to work with her best friend almost every day. Someone who always looked out for her and wanted to see her succeed. She was in a relationship for the first time in her life and she couldn’t be happier.
The other big aspect of her life was her newfound love of fitness and working out. Heather had always been blessed with good looks and an amazing body. Naturally gifted, she never did much or cared about any of it. Previously, she spent her entire life covered up with hair that fell past her butt and clothes that hid her figure. Heather really didn’t attract much attention in that regard. But ever since she shaved off all her hair and started to wear way less clothing, her confidence had soared to an astronomical level. Her life had improved so much to the point where she never wanted to leave.
“You’re glowing.” Nikki declared.
“Should I not be?” Heather smiled as she stood behind Nikki, with a pile of foam in her hand.
“No, not at all.” Nikki smiled back as she prepared for the routine, which had become all too familiar to her. “I’ve just never seen you THIS happy.”
“Well, I’ve got nothing to be sad about.” Heather began to massage the cream onto Nikki’s head. “My life is going great! I feel good, I love what I do. Honestly, I could do this all day every day. I never could have imagined I’d feel that way about anything a year ago. Plus, I get to hang out with my best friend, almost every day and I have an amazing girlfriend.”
“Plus, you look FANTASTIC.” Nikki complimented.
“I love this outfit.” Heather gave a slight twirl as she walked over to the sink to rinse her hands. “I never cared much about how I looked before. Believe it or not, ever since I started to work out, not only have I never looked better, but I feel better as well.” Heather grabbed her razor and headed back over to Nikki. “And I’ve never had more energy. It’s crazy to think about because between my runs and the workouts, you’d think it would be the opposite.”
“That’s great, Heather. I’m so happy for everything you’ve got going on.” Nikki was certainly a bit envious but had undergone her own changes recently and was able to relate. “So, how long we letting this hair get?” Nikki quickly changed the subject, as Heather scraped away at the foam covering Nikki’s scalp.
“Not much, there won’t be any hair left in the wake of this razor when I’m done.” Heather stated obviously.
“Well, yes. I know that.” Nikki teased. “I meant the rest of it. The part you AREN’T shaving. I know you wanted to grow it a bit for some length, but it’s starting to get pretty long. We’re just going to maintain this look, right? Or do you plan to continue to let it grow out?”
Nikki was referring to the rainbow colored mohawk she’d been sprouting for the last several months, which had now grown several inches in length and if not styled properly would hang down past her eyebrows and just covering the top of her ears, similar to a bowl cut. But Nikki never wore it that way. It was always meticulously styled in different colored spikes. Nikki was dedicated to the style and loved how she looked. Originally, she had expected to have shaved it off by now. But once she found how much she enjoyed it, she and Heather agreed to keep it around a bit longer. What Nikki hadn’t counted on was that Heather barely touched the length, and it continued to grow. At a certain point Nikki expected to just keep the hair at a certain length, clearly Heather had other plans.
“Well, probably not forever. Forever is a long time and I will still probably shave you at some point.” Heather declared, as she continued to make quick work of the foam on Nikki’s head.
“Probably?” Nikki questioned. “Don’t get me wrong, I love this look. I will happily keep it up as long as you desire. I’ll even keep growing it if that’s really what you want. It’s just…” Nikki’s voice trailed off.
“Is everything okay?” Heather stopped what she was doing and looked Nikki directly in the eye through the mirror. “Nikki, you’ve become my best friend. Please, just say what’s on your mind.”
“Everything’s fine. Everything’s great.” Nikki admitted. “I just didn’t realize I’d ever have long hair again.” She smirked, “and yes, I realize the irony of saying this is long.”
“Oh. Well, I can shave you if you want.” Heather placated. “We both agreed when one of us, tired of this look, you’d be bald.”
“I know, but I’m not saying that.” Nikki clarified, “I like the mohawk. I‘m just wondering how much longer it’ll get.”
Heather looked at her and smiled. “We’ll see.”
MEETING UP ANYWAY
Janie was smitten. She had only met Scott briefly when he came into the barbershop and she buzzed his hair. He didn’t say much then, but they texted a few times. They had tentatively made plans to hang out, but only if Anna and Doug joined them. Doug was game but Anna was having a rough week. However, Anna agreed that they would meet up later in the week when she felt better. So, Janie hoped maybe they could just meet up for lunch one day and go from there.
Janie sat down across the table from Scott. As she put her tray down, her phone pinged. She looked down.
*I like ur hair*
Janie smiled as she looked up at Scott. “You like my hair?” She casually brushed her hand across her freshly styled hair. Janie had just come from the barbershop and a visit with Heather. Her hair was buzzed to a #4 on top and faded down to a #1 at the bottom. It was a bright yellow, not blonde, and Heather had just carved a new design in the side.
Scott nodded aggressively.
“Thanks, I really like it as well.” Janie grinned as she gazed deep into Scott’s eyes. She heard another ping on her phone and looked down again.
*ur beautiful*
Janie blushed as she looked back up at Scott. “Scott! You’re embarrassing me.” Her phone pinged again.
*I cant help it.*
“Well, you’re not so bad yourself.”
*Thanks 😊*
“So, is this what you had in mind? Are you ever gonna say anything… out loud?”
Scott slowly nodded his head. “H-H-Hii.” He got out slowly.
“Hi, Scott.” Janie giggled at the boy’s shyness. “So, what can you tell me about yourself?” A short time passed, and her phone pinged again.
*I’m a Junior. I just transferred here at the beginning of the semester. Me + Doug have been best friends since kindergarden.*
“So, this is how it’s gonna be, huh? Well, two can play at this game.” Janie decided to text back and the two continued their conversation but would occasionally look up at each other to exchange smiles and other pleasant looks.
After this continued, the lunch “date” finally ended as both Janie and Scott had a class to attend. As they stood up, Janie went over and hugged Scott goodbye. His arms wrapped around her tightly, and she felt a warm feeling of comfort engulf her.
DECISION TIME
Jazmine took a deep breath as she stared at herself in the mirror. She was about to do something that terrified her. She was dressed in her best strapless jumper and large dangling hoop earrings, then she applied her makeup and headed out of her room and towards the barbershop.
Jazmine headed out the door of the house and down the path to the barbershop. She felt the light breeze of the crisp autumn afternoon through her hair for what was likely the final time. A single tear began to form and slowly trickled down her face. Finally, Jazmine reached her destination. She exhaled deeply and opened the door to the barbershop.
As Jazmine pushed open the door, she was greeted by Nikki who was sitting behind the reception desk.
“Hi, Jazmine. Heather is ready for you, whenever you want to head back.” Nikki welcomed.
“Oh, Jazmine! I can’t wait to see what Heather has in store for you.” Jessie chimed in enthusiastically. She was trying to be positive, not realizing how much her words actually stung.
Jazmine kept walking and headed towards the back room. She didn’t really want to do what was about to happen but also felt like she had no choice. She slowly stepped through the threshold and looked around.
“Hi Jazmine. Please take a seat in the chair, and I’ll be right with you.” Heather said while hanging upside down from her pull up bar. There was a personal mini gym off to the side of the room, which Heather took full advantage of. She would often steal a few moments between clients to get a quick workout in. As part of Heather’s transformation over the past year, fitness had become extremely important to her. Working out had become her other passion. This room was quickly becoming her favorite place, especially because she could combine her two passions.
“Take your time. I’m in no rush.” Jazmine slowly made her way over to the big plush barber chair and tentatively sat down. “I don’t want to offend you, but I’d really rather not be here at all…” Jazmine reached her hand up and scratched her scalp through her braids. “I really don’t have much of a choice.” Jazmine sighed.
“Well, I’ll try to make it as pleasant of an experience as possible.” Heather pulled herself back up on the bar, flipped around, and jumped down to the floor. She headed towards Jazmine. “For what it’s worth, I take no joy in this either but am only too happy to help.”
“It’s okay. I’ve come to terms…” Jazmine confided. “Might as well have some fun with it.”
“So, what are we doing?” Heather asked as she combed her fingers through Jazmine’s hair.
“All gone.” Jazmine replied stoically.
“All?” Hether repeated. “Okay, so –”
“Nothing left. Not a trace. Bald. As smooth as a cue ball. You should be used to that.” Jazmine snapped a bit but also appreciated Heather’s concern.
“Got it. That’s no problem. So, did you have any plans as to how –”
“I don’t care. Just get it done.” Jazmine was done with the discussion. She was resigned to her fate and just wanted it over with so she could move on. Jazmine held a tough exterior, though she was slowly dying inside. All of the questions didn’t help, even though she understood why Heather wanted clarification. Jazmine leaned back and closed her eyes, as she hoped that Heather would take the hint. When she opened them again, she expected her hair would no longer be attached to her head.
Heather was never good at picking up signals, but she was getting better. She realized Jazmine didn’t want to discuss things further. This presented a new challenge for Heather, as she had never dealt with hair like Jasmine’s before. Luckily, she was up for the task.
Jazmine’s hair was THICK and those braids were tight. As sharp and powerful as her clippers were, Heather was concerned about their ability to gnaw through that hair. She would use her scissors to cut away at each braid, then let her clippers remove the rest, before using her straight razor to finish the job.
Heather walked over to her counter on the side of the room, where she had most of her supplies. She reached for her sharpest scissors and then walked back over towards Jazmine. She picked up a braid and opened the scissors around the braid as close to the scalp as she could get. Then she closed the blades and as they connected, the braid came loose in her hand. She slowly lifted the hand holding the limp braid and grinned slightly. This was no different than any of the countless previous times someone else had all their hair cut off, most recently with Candice and her old cheer coach, Beth. Of course, there was also her own experience, which seemed like ancient history but was really a little over a year ago. Her life had changed so much in that time.
The next braid was detached from Jazmine’s head just as quickly as the first. Heather was in her element, and she worked quickly. The braids were not that different from the ponytails she was used to, yet she acknowledged that the experience was not the same. Jazmine, for her part, seemed at peace with her choice. Heather knew this couldn’t be easy for her and that it was more an act of desperation than anything else. A quick glance at Jazmine’s face confirmed this, as she noticed a single tear form at the corner of her eye and trickled down her face.
“Is it over?” Jazmine broke the silence a few minutes later. “My head feels much lighter.” Jazmine wasn’t happy, but she tried to stay positive. She didn’t enjoy the stress of this situation, and the hold that her hair had on her self-worth.
“Not quite. The braids are almost gone. I just have the last couple left.” She said as she severed another braid from Jazmine’s head. “But then you’ll still have the rest of this hair left, that I’ll buzz off with the clippers before I finish it off with the razor.” Heather paused a moment, as she sniped another braid off. “That is still what you want, isn’t it?”
“Of course.” Jazmine confirmed. “Well, WANT may not be the most accurate word but, –”
“I understand,” Heather nodded as she snipped away the final micro braid from Jazmine’s head. She headed back over to the counter against the wall, where she put down the scissors and picked up her trusty clippers. She headed back towards Jazmine. “This next part should feel like a massage on your head. Many enjoy the feeling and note that it seems to tickle.” Heather rested her hand on Jazmine’s shoulder and turned the clippers on. “I know this isn’t easy or what you hoped for, but please try to relax and enjoy yourself.” Heather set the clippers at Jazmine’s forehead and dragged them back through her hair, leaving a bare path in its wake.
Jazmine sighed a deep breath and closed her eyes. She was determined to make the most of this. She was already embarrassed that she had shed a tear over something so insignificant, and she was even embarrassed that Heather had likely seen it. But that couldn’t happen and would never happen again. She vowed right then, that she would never allow her hair to defy her again. She was going to be bald and planned to stay that way. It was the simplest solution, and she would be able to take care of herself if necessary.
Heather made pass after pass across Jazmine’s head, removing any hair in the way of her clippers. While she was still relatively new at the whole haircutting thing, she had learned a few very important things. One of which is that everyone is different, and everyone adapts and reacts differently. She thought back to her own experience where she basically put herself in a trance, so she doesn’t have much memory of the actual hair shearing. Others have been much livelier and ‘present,’ like Candice and Beth. Jazmine definitely fit into the former category, and she could relate. The one thing they all had in common was how much their lives had changed after. Heather wanted to make sure Jazmine had someone she could talk with and help her adjust, although she wasn’t sure she would actually need it.
Once Heather made her final pass over Jazmine’s head and turned the clippers off, she returned them to the counter. She then reached for the canister of shaving cream and squirted a large dollop into her hand. She rubbed her hands together as she walked back towards Jazmine and began to massage Jazmine’s head with the foam. This was the part Heather could do blindfolded. It seemed her list of head shaves grew by the day. She wasn’t sure if Jazmine would join that group or not, but Heather wanted to make it clear she was available any time.
“So, I don’t know what your long-term plans are.” Heather spoke, “or even if you know, but I just wanted to make sure you knew, I’m available to you any time. Any time you want or need a shave, just find me, and I’ll fit you in.”
“Yeah, thanks, Heather. I’ll definitely keep that in mind.” Jazmine deadpanned. She knew Heather was only trying to be helpful. She had already decided that she would keep her head shaved and probably would enlist Heather’s assistance at some point but now was not really the time for her to deal with that. Right now, she just wanted nothing more than to be done and get out of there.
“No problem.” Heather had begun to shave Jazmine’s head. “So, I usually do two passes. One in each direction. It’s especially important the first time, and it will help ensure an extra smooth scalp.”
“Just –” Jazmine began, then paused, “Whatever.” She sighed. “Whatever you feel you need to do. It’s fine.” Jazmine was anxious and her nerves started to seep through. She just didn’t want to have to think about it anymore.
Everybody reacts differently, and at this point, Heather figured Jazmine had nothing else to say, and she should just finish up as quickly as she could. Luckily, Heather excelled at this part and often forced herself to slow down as the clients tended to enjoy the experience. Jazmine seemed different. Something was off. Heather was no detective, but she knew enough to just get it done. A few more quick strokes and the first pass was complete. Heather quickly lathered Jazmine’s head again and went over it again, as quickly and safely as she could. After a quick wipe down, Heather rubbed some oil into Jazmine’s now bald scalp.
“This is just to finish things off. It will help your head shine and ease the sensitivity of the skin.”
“Thanks.” Jazmine froze as she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her jaw dropped. She did not recognize the reflection she saw. She gasped. After a moment, she quickly got up and ran out of the room without saying another word.
EVERYTHING IS LINING UP PERFECTLY
Jenny ended up spending way more time at the barbershop than she originally envisioned, but she also hadn’t planned on becoming the personal barber to her best friend, Candice. Candice was an actor and had an audition for a lead role in a play. The role was of a bald woman and Candice thought she could get a leg up on the competition by shaving her head for the audition. Unfortunately, Candice didn’t get the part. Fortunately, Candice felt no regrets for what she did. In fact, she relished her baldness and called it one of the best decisions she ever made.
Candice currently sat in a barbershop chair in a green cropped tank top and gym shorts. This had become her normal style recently. She had gotten very casual, but way more comfortable in less clothing.
“You’re in this chair so often, we should put your name on it.” Jenny stated from behind Candice, as she rubbed shaving cream in her hands. “I still can’t believe my best friend is bald.”
“Eh, not quite,” Candice pointed out. “Besides, I said the same thing a year ago.”
“Hey, a year ago, I had just cut my hair. I hadn’t shaved it yet.” Jenny corrected.
“Well, get used to it. I may keep this for a long while.” Candice warned.
“Yeah, I know… at least until early December.” Jenny began to spread the cream all over the sides of Candice’s head.
“At least!” Candice exclaimed. “Right now, I’m leaning towards at least through the end of the semester. I haven’t decided about next semester yet.”
Jenny stopped lathering and stared at Candice through the mirror. “Are you serious?”
Candice started to laugh. “Does that surprise you? Look, do I wish I had gotten the role in the play? Absolutely. Am I glad I shaved my head anyway, regardless of the outcome? Affirmative.” Candice got serious. “This is the first time in my life I ever consciously made a decision about my hair. Now, I will continue to do so. I’m having fun! I like my new look…” She looked down at what she was wearing, “I like ALL of my new look, and I see myself continuing to progress from here.”
“To think this mohawk started as an offhanded comment intended as a joke.”
“Yup!” Candice smiled. “Never thought I’d be so happy to say that, but I’m so grateful you put the idea in my head.”
“Your hair grows so fast.” Jenny remarked.
It had been a little over a month since Candice first shaved her head. She faithfully kept it shaved every day after, but once she found out she didn’t get the part, she soon pivoted. During her initial shave, Jenny had commented that Candice would be a good candidate for a mohawk. While Jenny intended it as a joke, Candice went with it.
“I never really noticed before, since it was always so long.” Candice pointed out.
“It grew almost an inch already.” Jenny confirmed, as she began scraping away the cream on the left side of Candice’s head.
“Is that a lot?” Candice chuckled. “Can you tell I know nothing about hair?”
“Typical growth is about a ½ inch a month.” Jenny informed her friend.
Just then Jazmine busted through the archway from Heather’s back room. She moved swiftly and with purpose, without saying a word. Jenny and Candice both turned their heads and watched her brush right past them. She exited out the front door and disappeared as quickly as she had appeared.
“Well, that was certainly interesting.” Candice sat back. She enjoyed her shaves, so she ended up in the chair way more than she originally planned, for just that reason. “Got anything else going on later?”
“Well, it is getting pretty late… Why? Did you have something in mind?”
“I know that I can’t afford a whole new wardrobe, but I don’t like any of my old clothes anymore. I’m so grateful to you, and everything you helped me with in the past month. But I also can’t keep wearing your clothes forever.” Candice confessed. “It’s time to solidify this new look with my own clothes… And shopping sprees are always more fun with someone…”
“Well, I have one class tomorrow, but then I could be free.” Jenny finished shaving the left side of Candice’s head and moved to the other side.
“Excellent. You’ve been such a big part of this, and I’m not sure where I’d be without you.” Candice sighed. “You know, it’s kinda funny. I’m disappointed I didn’t get the part, but I find myself with a lot of extra time now, in many ways. And I’m trying to put it to good use.”
“So, it’s a good thing you didn’t get cast?” Jenny inquired.
“No,” Candice stated firmly. “No. I’d much rather be in the play, but I’m trying to find the positives. I’m happy I shaved my head before the audition because otherwise I wouldn’t have.” Candice smiled, “and that’s been the best outcome of this whole thing.”
“So, no regrets then.” Jenny continued to shave the right side of Candice’s head.
“Nope. At least not when it comes to this.” Candice bit down on her lower lip, as if deep in thought. “It is time to step things up a bit, though.”
“Did you have something in mind?”
“I don’t know. Color, maybe?” She shrugged. “Something crazy and unnatural, but beyond that… whatever you decide.” Candice was happy to have these discussions about her hair. She just wasn’t ready to actually decide anything about it… Yet.
“I need to get Heather to help with that.” Jenny warned, as she finished up the right side of Candice’s head.
Just then, the door to the barbershop opened. “Oh, good. You’re still here.” Anna declared as she walked into the barbershop. “So, the calendar shoot…” Anna scooted over to the pair and sat down in the other chair next to Candice.
“I got the same space as last year.” Candice answered the unasked question. “If you want the same set up as last year, that can be arranged. But if you want something different, you need to let me know ASAP.”
“Well, I think it will be a little different.” Anna informed. “But we have the same general concept. Jenny, you did such a good job with this last year, I’m trusting you to take care of it. This is your baby.”
“Thanks Anna. Don’t worry, we got this.” Jenny put down the razor and put her hand on Candice’s shoulder. “The extra prep time this year should really pay off.”
“That’s great. I knew I could count on you both. Candice you are such an asset to our team.” Anna started to get up. “And now you look like it, too.” Anna winked at the mohawked girl. “Now, to find Heather.” Anna headed towards the back room.
“I’m here.” Heather emerged from the back and met Anna. “What’s up?”
“I wanted to see how things were going for our fundraisers.” Anna began, as they headed back towards the main room. “I just checked with Jenny and Candice on the calendar.”
“I’m good.” Heather said. She was much more comfortable with the idea of a photo shoot this year than she was last year. Then, the entire process had almost overwhelmed her. “I assume everyone will hang out in here, while the main action will take place in the back?”
“Yeah, probably.” Anna nodded. “Of course, we’ll have to set up the cameras and –”
Heather held up her hand to cut Anna off. “That’s already taken care of. There’s a camera attached to the mirror in the back room. It catches everything.” Heather smiled at what appeared to be a revelation to everyone else.
“Wait! What?”
“I had a camera installed to capture all the big moments.” Heather continued. “I don’t use it all the time, but it’s always available. There’s a side camera, too. It captures more of the room, particularly the back corner. I guess my workouts are more popular than I realized.”
“So, does that mean…” Candice asked as she began to rub the side of her bald head.
“Yes. Well, kind of…” Heather explained. “They are motion-sensor, so everything is recorded automatically. But the video won’t be posted unless I approve it. So, for the fundraiser, I can just make it into a live feed. But normally, anything that gets posted is heavily edited, or the recording is deleted. Nikki does most of it, so you can check with her.”
“Heather!” Anna shouted out in shock.
“I’m surprised you didn’t know, honestly.” Heather admitted. “You were the one who got me involved in socials… You were so right, though. I barely do anything, and my followers just eat it all up.”
“Admittedly, I’ve been a bit preoccupied. I have a lot more to deal with than I originally envisioned. I haven’t checked your social media accounts as much as I thought I would, but I’ll make sure Janie –”
“Oh, Janie knows.” Heather corrected. “Janie’s known for a while. And don’t worry, I make sure the team gets tagged in all posts.”
“Wow, so who else knows about this?” Jenny inquired.
“Well, Emma, obviously, because she helped set it up. Nikki helps with most of the editing and posting. I know she’s not really on the team, but…” Heather trailed off, then after a moment she continued, “Beyond that, just Janie and Betty. Though Betty knows everything that involves me.” Heather grinned at the thought of having someone to confide in. “And now both of you.”
“Well, I guess the whole team will know soon.” Candice chimed in, as she continued to rub her head. “Man, I really wish I could see that video.” After she reflected for a moment, she let out a soft chuckle. “Although, I doubt I’d even recognize that girl in the beginning of the video anymore.”
Anna looked at them all and smiled. “I don’t know how Emma did it, and I’m not sure where I’d be without everyone’s help…”
“We only want what’s best for this team, and any small thing we can do to help you out only makes us all better.” Jenny replied.
“Well, please know that it’s appreciated.” Anna tried to resist the overwhelming emotions but found herself tearing up anyway. She stretched her arms out as they all came in for a hug. A few minutes later, Anna left, satisfied that the team’s big fundraisers were in good hands.
Before Heather left for the evening, Jenny flagged her down and explained what Candice had requested. After she mixed the coloring solution, Heather stayed to help Jenny apply it and get the timing right. They covered the mirror, so that Candice wouldn’t get to see the end result until it was all done. They even discussed not showing Candice what her new style would look like and having her discover it on her own after she got back to her room. At this point, Candice was used to her new look and enjoyed the attention it got her. She was up for whatever challenge they threw at her and knew she’d have a lot to discuss with Jenny the next day.
