Summer punishment

It was summer, but rain was falling steadily onto the streets.

Luna stared out of her bedroom window. She was 21 and very popular among the students in her class.  She looked like an ordinary young women, wearing jeans, a fitted top, and tall boots that reached almost to her knees. Her dark blonde hair was long and slightly wavy, reaching all the way down to the middle of her back.

Luna looked irritated.

Her parents had just informed her that her grades at university were far too low. As a result, she would have to attend a strict summer college  program. They had discussed it several times before, but Luna had never listened. She preferred spending time with her friends and never bothered much with homework.

“Why?” she shouted at her mother. “I don’t want to go there! I want to spend the summer with my friends, go to the beach, and have parties!” I’m adult you can’t force me.

Her mother remained unmoved. “Enough,” she said firmly , young lady you are still completely financially dependent on us. You haven’t achieved anything yet and you walk around like a slut. Now go to your room.

A week later, a letter arrived from the summer school.

Luna and her parents read it together. The letter stated that Luna was expected to arrive the following week. It also listed several rules. Students were required to dress neatly and presentably. Girls were expected to wear skirts or dresses. The final rule caught Luna’s attention immediately.

Hair could not be longer than ten inches.

“No!” Luna screamed. “They want me to look like a doll! There’s no way I’m cutting my hair!”

“You will have it cut,” her mother replied. “I’m calling a salon and making an appointment.”

Luna was convinced her mother was bluffing.

She wasn’t.

Later that morning she learned that they would be visiting a hairdresser that very afternoon.

Luna had never been to a salon before. Her friend’s mother had always trimmed her hair when necessary.

Two hours later she sat in the waiting area of a small salon while her mother sat beside her.

After plenty of arguing, Luna had eventually been forced into the car. Mother has taken all of her clothes and give her a new wardrobe. Full of long dresses and skirts. Before she was go to the salon Luna had to put on a long denim button skirt with simple top. And a full buttoned denim choker around her neck. Matching with her skirt. Mother makes sure it was tight.

The salon was located on a quiet street and attached to a small house. Inside there was only one stylist.

Luna sighed.

She watched another customer having her hair finished. The hairdresser was a strong-looking woman wearing black jeans and a dark blue denim jacket. Her hair was cut very short.

The customer in the chair wore a neat bob haircut.

Luna watched as the stylist removed the cape and accepted payment.

“Who’s next?” the hairdresser asked.

“It’s your turn,” her mother said.

Reluctantly, Luna walked over to the styling chair.

“Well, what a lovely young lady we have here,” the hairdresser said warmly.

Luna sat down.

The stylist disappeared into a storage room and returned carrying a large black cape. With a practiced movement she draped it around Luna and fastened it snugly around her neck. Before she would remove the denim choker but mother tolt her to let it on. So the cape pressing against the buttons of the choker now feeling extra tight.

“You can call me Ellis,” she said with a smile.

Luna didn’t know what to say.

Her mother walked over and began talking quietly with Ellis.

“Her hair needs to be cut quite short,” she said, handing over a photograph. “Something like this.”

Ellis studied the picture and smiled.

“That would suit her very well.”

Luna couldn’t see the photo and suddenly felt nervous.

Ellis moved behind her and began brushing her long hair.

“Time to say goodbye to all this hair,” she said.

Luna remained silent.

Ellis gathered her hair into a large ponytail.

“Here we go, sweetheart.”

Instead of reaching for scissors, Ellis picked up a pair of electric clippers.

The buzzing sound filled the room.

Luna’s eyes widened.

Moments later, her long ponytail dropped to the floor.

Tears began rolling down her cheeks.

“There we are,” Ellis said.

Her mother nodded approvingly.

Luna stared at the fallen hair.

“My hair…” she whispered before bursting into tears.

“It’s gone.”

Ellis removed the cape and led her to another station.

She returned carrying a heavier silver cape and wrapped it over a towel. around Luna securely. Then she placed a hair dryer over Luna’s head.

While Luna sat there quietly, Ellis prepared hair color.

Soon Ellis returned and carefully applied dye to Luna’s shortened hair.

Luna barely reacted.

Everything felt unreal.

First she had lost her long hair.

Then she had been wrapped in the enormous cape.

Now her hair was being dyed.

When Ellis finished, the dryer was lowered over Luna’s head again.

“Twenty minutes,” she said to Luna’s mother before taking a seat nearby.

Luna sat silently.

The dryer was too loud for her to hear the conversation taking place around her.

When the time was up, Ellis removed the dryer and guided Luna to the wash station.

The oversized cape made moving awkward, but eventually she settled into the chair.

Warm water flowed through her hair as Ellis rinsed out the dye and gently massaged her scalp.

For the first time all day, Luna relaxed slightly.

After drying her hair with a towel, Ellis removed the cape.

Finally free, Luna followed her back to the styling chair.

She looked into the mirror.

“Oh my God!”

Her eyes widened.

“My hair… it’s red!”

“Yes, dear,” Ellis replied with a smile. “Now sit down so I can finish the style.”

Ellis walks back to get another cape. Now you may first remove the choker on her please. Mother took of the choker and Before Ellis put the cape on Luna, she took a paper neck strip from a dispenser and wrapped it snugly around her neck. Then she swung the large blue cape around Luna’s shoulders. The cape was unusual: the upper part was made of denim, while the lower part was nylon.

Ellis fastened the cape with large denim buttons. Not just one or two—she secured several buttons along the back, making sure the cape was firmly in place. Luna felt completely covered by it. Then Ellis raised the chair so high that Luna’s feet no longer touched the floor.

Luna watched as Ellis picked up a comb and a pair of electric clippers.

“No, please! Not the clippers!” she protested.

Her mother stepped forward and told her to sit still.

“I want you to have a neat, short haircut,” she said firmly.

Ellis gently positioned Luna’s head and began working with the comb and clippers. Strands of red hair drifted down onto the cape as she carefully shortened the hair. Luna watched in silence while the haircut took shape, and before long the back and sides had been cut much shorter than the top.

When Ellis finally switched off the clippers, the haircut was complete. She brushed away the loose hairs, styled Luna’s hair, and then unfastened the buttons of the cape. Picking up some trimmers and trimmed away the small hairs from Luna her neck.  The chair lowered en neckstrip was removed.  Once the cape was removed, Luna stepped down from the chair and looked at her new reflection in the mirror.

Luna smiled slightly.

“It’s different.”

“That’s usually how new beginnings feel,” Ellis replied. Mother walks by and accepted her now. This looks so much better.  Now chip up so I can put on the choker again. You will wear it as long you live in my house and every month you will get back here to get you’re hair cut again.

Outside, the rain had finally stopped.

As Luna walked with her mother toward the car, she touched her newly styled hair and wondered whether summer college have more in changes for her.