wozziewoo
It’s time to check back in with out favorite cheerleaders in the NCAA. Everyone is returning from their summer break. What’s in store for everyone this year & what surprises are in store?
Here is a link to the previous chapter:
The next Chapter:
NEW DEVELOPMENTS
Jessie was the first one back. She was early and she was alone. She was also bald. That wasn’t entirely surprising, as she had been when she left and for several months prior. But it was different. She was different.
“Yeah, I’ve decided to stay this way.” Jessie explained upon greeting Heather. “I’m staying this way and it’s an informed conscious decision. I thought it would be temporary. I expected I’d have at least a little hair by now, but the truth is, Tim really likes it and I do as well. So, we talked and I’m keeping it.” Jessie had never looked happier.
“That’s great Jessie. So, this has nothing to do with your sister?” Heather asked. She had gone back to the house for a few things before meeting up with Nikki and heading back to her apartment for the night.
“Oh, it has everything to do with her. But also, this is my decision and it’s not changing no matter what.” Jessie clarified, “But she is the reason that I’m back so early.” She exhaled. “Nice hair by the way. Pink?”
“Yeah, I’ve decided to test it out for a bit. My hair was always so long and then I just shaved it all off. I never really had any of those in between styles like the rest of you.” Heather explained. Her head spotted about a week of growth, and she had dyed it hot pink. She has enjoyed it so far and looked forward to playing around with it in the weeks and months to come. “So, what does your sister have to do with you being back?”
“All our lives we’ve shared a room. It’s never been a big deal. We didn’t know anything different. Then we got here. We had our own space, but we were still right across from each other. For the first few years we were here it was fine, it was great.” Jessie headed upstairs towards her room. “But now that Jenny and I aren’t speaking with each other, I don’t want to be across from her… so I’m switching rooms.” She started to pack her belongings and walked down the hall. “I’m gonna take Shandra’s old room. So, I figured to get back a bit earlier and switch everything over.” She opened the door to the empty room. “Besides, I couldn’t stand being home anymore.”
“Things are really that bad?” Heather asked concerned.
“Yeah.” Jessie nodded. She sat down on the bed. “We can’t stand each other right now. I tried not to spend much time at home. Especially at night. We lasted one night together in our room, then I slept on the couch after that. I spent a lot of nights with Tim. Things with him and Tate aren’t much better. So, neither one of us really wanted to spend much time at home. We got a hotel room for a couple of nights. But then we thought it was kind of stupid and a waste of money. We’re seniors now and it’s basically our last summer. We don’t know what will happen after we graduate. Tim might get drafted, or we might end up elsewhere. So, we went on a road trip. Just the two of us. It was fantastic.” Jessie gushed. “That’s where I cemented my future.” She grazed her hand over her head. “We shaved each other every day. Tim was a bit nervous at first, but he got the hang of it. I never once desired hair or had even a thought of growing it back. Tim was just as excited to shave me every day as I was, and our bond is stronger than ever.”
“Sounds like you had quite a fun time.”
“Oh, it was amazing.” Jessie grinned. “Anyway, we got back home a few days ago. But there was nothing going on and the tension was just too much, so I called Tim and said let’s just go back. So, here we are. Tim’s gonna come by tomorrow and help me move everything and set up my new room.” Jessie looked around. “Yeah, this will work. It’s even the same layout.” She looked back at Heather. “This way I can be moved and settled before everyone else gets back and I don’t interfere with anything.”
“Well, I’ll be around and can help if you need me, but I do have a full day at the barbershop.”
“Okay,” Jessie took a beat, “Oh, I can help there too. You must be swamped, so I can take on anyone that you can’t fit in. I’m sure your schedule is filled with your regulars.”
“Yeah, it’s by appointment only, for now. It’s just me, and Nikki knows that I want to fit in everyone, so she’s being very careful about who gets scheduled.”
“I’m here. I’ll take on anyone or spillover or whatever,”
“Thanks. I’ll probably take you up on that.”
“No problem! I love the barbershop!” Jessie enthused. “I can just have Tim stop by later in the day. He can meet us at the barbershop. Maybe I can get you and Nikki to help me out? We’ll get pizza for dinner or something? My treat?”
“I think that sounds doable.”
“Amore! Heather!” A voice shouted up from the entrance downstairs.
“I’ll be right down!” Heather shouted. She looked at Jessie, whose eyes grew wide.
“Amore? That sounds like Nikki…” Jessie looks back at Heather and gasped, “Are you two…?”
“Yeah,” Heather replied matter-of-factly as she stood up, blushing. “That’s not all.” Heather headed to the door.
“That’s not all? That’s not all? Like that isn’t a big enough headline to warrant its own newspaper!” Jessie stopped dead in her tracks as she saw Nikki hug Heather. “You’re BALD!”
“Is that really so shocking around this team?” Nikki quickly answered as she looked up at Jessie. “I have been most of the summer. Hi Jessie, hope you are well.” She reached out to greet Jessie.
“Yeah, well…” Jessie mildly scoffed as she accepted the greeting.
“Jessie’s going to help at the shop tomorrow, and then we’re going to help her switch rooms.” Heather informed Nikki.
“That’s great. Why are you switching rooms?” Nikki asked as the threesome headed back downstairs.
“To get more distance between me and Jenny.”
“That bad, huh?” Nikki looked back at Heather. “So, I guess you’re gonna stay here tonight.”
“I thought I would.” Heather answered as she tightly held Nikki. “I’ll miss you, but I figure I should be here with Jessie.”
“Can I have a headshave before I go?”
Heather giggled, thinking about the nightly routine they had established for themselves as she glanced over at Jessie.
“Fully clothed.” Nikki rolled her eyes.
Jessie noticed the love and affection the two showed each other. It was sweet and romantic. It was exactly what she had with Tim, and she was so happy that there was another couple so strongly in love and devoted to each other. She didn’t want to interfere.
“Oh, don’t let me stop you.” She turned to Heather, “I’m fine, please don’t let me alter your plans. I would never want to take away private time with your… girlfriend?” Jessie paused slightly, as she could clearly see the two were deeply into each other and clearly ‘together’ but wasn’t entirely sure what labels they used or how defined it was.
“Nonsense, Jessie. Heather can stay. We are together all the time. One night apart can’t destroy us.” Nikki insisted in her way that indicated there was no point in debating her. “Come on, let’s get this done. You can see the new set up.” Nikki headed towards the front door, with Heather and Jessie right behind.
“New set up?” Jessie asked as they headed down the path.
“We added a third chair.” Heather filled her in.
“Oh, wow. That’s amazing.”
“Yes, but we have to prove to Emma that she made the right call, so we need to pick up exactly where we left off. Hopefully none of the boys get their back-to-school haircuts early and they will all wait until they get here.”
“Well, you can put me down for as many hours as possible. If we work around my class schedule and cheer practice, I’ll put in as many hours as I can.” Jessie replied gleefully. “I just have one request. I’m not working if Jenny is.”
“Wait, at all?” Nikki as she reached the door to the barbershop.
“No, of course not. Just not at the same time. If she’s here, I’m not and vice versa. I want as little to do with her as possible. We’ll suck it up for cheer because, well, I know it’s unavoidable but beyond that I want nothing to do with her.” Jessie clarified confidently.
Nikki and Heather both looked at each other with concern. They liked both Jenny and Jessie and were both valuable members of the barbershop and the cheer team. Plus, they hated to see such a rift forming between the twins, but it wasn’t their place to deal with it. At least not right now.
“I’m sure we can make that work. I just want to keep the three chairs staffed as much as possible and also keep you busy. But I will take everyone’s schedule and preferences into account.” Nikki said as she led the way to Heather’s back room.
ARRIVALS
Two days later Anna and Janie returned. Jessie finished setting up her new room earlier that morning. While she was determined to distance herself from her sister as much as possible, Anna and Janie seemed to be headed in the opposite direction. They arrived together in matching sleeveless crop tops and short shorts, in opposite colors. Anna had her signature platinum blonde #1 buzzcut and so did Janie. While Janie was a bit shorter and stockier, if one didn’t know better, they could easily be mistaken for twins or at least sisters. Over the past two years they had become extremely close. And after they spent a large chunk of the summer together with their boyfriends, they had become nearly inseparable.
“It’s probably not staying blonde though.” Janie declared upon greeting her teammates. “I just did this because it was what was available and Anna and I thought it would be fun to match for a bit. I’m thinking sky blue, but I’m open to other options.”
“You know I’ll give you whatever color you want.” Heather reminded her. “And the cut?”
“I know. That’s what is so great about you. The cut is probably staying.” Janie mused. “At least for a little bit.” She glanced over at Jessie. “But I’m open to anything. I see you’re staying bald.”
“Oh yes.” Jessie smiled as she ran head hand over her head. “I identify as hairless, now.” She giggled.
“But you’re not.” Anna chimed in, noting Heather.
So, they all chatted about their summers and everything that happened.
“Just don’t let this spill over and affect the team. I won’t choose sides and no one else on the team should have to either.” Anna warned Jessie. “I love you both and I will stay friends with you both.”
“Don’t worry, this team is important to me. Just keep us separated as much as possible and I promise not to add any extra drama.” Jessie assured, “I won’t speak for her though.”
Over the next few days, the rest of the team slowly trickled in. The next morning Melissa arrived. She was happy, enthusiastic, and fully healed. She had spent the summer rediscovering herself. Her commitment to her bald head was stronger than ever. She had begun to care for it meticulously. She moisturized, used oils and lotions, and invested in her own high-quality electric razor. She still cherished her headshaves from Heather, or Kathy, or whoever was available, but her desire to always stay completely smooth and shiny outweighed everything else.
She also focused on healing her body and gaining her strength back. She was always tall and lean and naturally fit. In an effort to help her body heal and fully recover from her fall, she started a gym routine. It was nothing too intense, but it was enough. Some lightweight training and anaerobic exercise became a staple of her day. The additional benefit was increased strength and muscle tone.
Melissa’s wardrobe had evolved as well. She put comfort over everything else. It didn’t matter how much skin she did or didn’t show. All that mattered was how she felt. Early on her preference was for minimal clothing. She loved to show her skin and often wore as little clothing as possible. This was mainly to overcompensate for her own insecurities. Her very tall, lanky body coupled with her extremely flat, nonexistent chest often left her feeling like she needed to compensate. Hence her revealing wardrobe and over emphasis on her hair. But now that her hair was gone, she had never felt better or more confident. After a brief phase when she was completely covered up, she had properly adjusted and now dressed for herself. The fact that that happened to mean less coverage and more exposure was a complete coincidence.
Later that afternoon, Madison showed up. Her roots were showing and she was badly in need of a touch up but otherwise her hair was as magnificent and as long as ever. It now rested just above her waist and all the length she lost over spring break had grown back. Madison had her glow-up. She was the envy of all her friends. Her mother called her glamorous. Her mother had never called her glamorous before. For the first time, since she was dropped off a year ago, her mother stopped talking about shaving her head and in fact insisted she stay strong and keep it long. Madison assured her she had every intention of doing that. She had started dressing a bit differently as well. Madison had always been a very casual girl next door kind of person. She typically wore a T shirt and jeans or even a nice pair of sweats if she was just lounging around. Now, she put more effort into her appearance. She used makeup and dressed up more and wore more form-fitting clothes.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a dress before.” Heather remarked as she applied the color to Madison’s roots. “Certainly not one this fancy on such a random day.”
“Yeah, I didn’t wear them much last year and they’ve never been a major part of my wardrobe.” Madison smiled. “But things change. I’ve never had hair like this before either.”
“So, this is all due to your hair?”
“Well, maybe not entirely, but it certainly was a catalyst.” Madison explained. “I’m not a kid anymore, and my style changed. I always had short hair. I was always very casual about my overall look. Comfortable, minimal makeup, and I kept my hair short. But now, this –” she pointed to her head. “It deserves my best effort. This isn’t just long hair, it’s a statement, and deserves to be treated as such.”
“I guess you’ve given this some thought.”
“It’s all I’ve been thinking about.” Madison paused before she explained further. “It didn’t start off that way. When I went home for the summer, I knew I had great hair. I knew my hair was no longer an afterthought. As you know I had already started to wear it down, and I already gave it a lot of attention. It had become a priority, and I cared about how IT looked. But then I started caring about how I looked. It began innocently enough. I had been home for about a week. Things had already gotten better at home. My mom got it instantly, which was huge. I was still fairly casual and spent a lot of time lounging around the house. Then there was a party the next town over. It was a big “kick off to summer” kind of thing. It was a big deal, and all my friends would be there. Most of them hadn’t seen me yet, you know, since I’d been home.” Madison indicated she was talking about her new hair. “So, I went all out. I did all the things we talked about. I curled it, I gave it extra volume, I really spent a lot of time making it perfect. It was like an all-day affair. Then I got dressed…”
“Suddenly, it didn’t work.” Heather filled in. She had gotten better at conversations, and while she never went through any of this when her hair was long, she realized that was where Madison was going.
“Yeah. I mean the old me – throw that hair up in a ponytail, nice tank top or crop top, with a pair of shorts – I’m good to go. But then — I didn’t just spend hours on my hair to…” Her voice trailed off. After a beat, she continued, “So, anyway, I raided my closet. I found the best-looking dress I had. I looked amazing. I felt amazing. I was the talk of the party.” Madison paused as she looked at herself in the mirror and reflected. “The next day my best friend took me shopping. I’ve been dedicated to this look ever since. That doesn’t mean I’ll always be super dressed up and fancy. But my appearance matters more now. It’s no longer an afterthought and everything I do keeps that in mind. Oh, and I’m ‘not allowed to cut my hair.’ Like, at all.” Madison giggled. “My best friend from home has requested proof on a regular basis that I keep this ‘iconic hair’ maintained. I told her not to worry. I love my hair and have no intention of cutting it. Barely even trims. So, there ya go.”
Heather had finished the color and had wandered over to the supply cabinet. She had listened intently to every word that Madison said. Even though her life had changed dramatically over the past two years and she could no longer relate to long hair, she still remembered what her life was like before college.
“Here, use this. I think it will help you a lot.” Heather gave Madison a bottle. “Just apply it to your hair every other day. Start at the roots and work your way down. A little goes a long way.”
“Thanks, Heather!” Madison studied Heather just a bit closer. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you with hair before. I know you haven’t always had a fully shaved smooth scalp, but this is actual growth!”
“Yeah, I wanted to try something a bit different. My hair used to be really, really long. Even longer than yours, and then I just shaved it all off and I kept it that way. So, I never really experimented or did anything different. Even though I prefer my shaved look, I wanted to mix it up a bit and try something new. It was my girlfriend’s idea.”
Heather spent the night with Nikki. It would be their last night together for a while. But it wasn’t a big deal, since they would spend the entire day together anyway, either at the barber shop or the gym or wherever. Nikki and Heather’s lives had become fully integrated and neither of them ever wanted to do anything without the other.
The following morning, Tabitha showed up. The first thing everyone noticed was her hair or rather lack of it. Her hair was incredibly short, less than a #1. She wasn’t bald, but it looked like she could have been. The second thing they noticed was her new wardrobe.
“So, this hair wasn’t part of the plan, but my sister forced my hand.” Tabitha explained. I had cut it quite short before I left here for the summer. The plan was to let it grow a bit and then get it shaped when I got back. I wasn’t entirely sure what I would end up with, but I knew I wanted it to stay relatively short and controlled.”
“That’s certainly short…” The still bleached blonde Janie pointed out to the naturally blonde Tabitha.
“Yeah, so my hair grew really fast.” Tabitha informed. “Much faster than I would have preferred. I probably could have managed it if I was here and Heather was around. But I couldn’t deal with my family, particularly my sister. My hair grew out all summer, and the top started to get a nice curl to it. My sister was giddy. She kept talking about what a mistake I had made… That my curls were starting to come in nicely, and how she hoped I had learned my lesson. She commented on it ALL SUMMER. So, finally I hit my breaking point. I went down to the local barbershop, and I had it all shaved off. It’s not what I planned or would have preferred but it shut my sister up and the look on her face when she saw my bald head was totally worth it.”
“So, I guess now that you’re back, you’ll grow it again.” Anna assumed.
“Probably.” Tabitha confirmed. “Although, what I really want to do is dye it. I’ve wanted to be a redhead since before I cut it.” She rubbed her head. “I actually went back to that barber shop two more times over the summer. But it’s about your length and you’ve both dyed it… I’ll talk to Heather. I do want to grow it, but if she can make me a redhead, I’m not opposed to keeping it this length for a bit.” She paused for a second and looked at Anna. “Is there like a team hair thing going on or coming up I should know about?”
“Nope.” Anna shook her head, “and the team has always had free choice to do as they wish, and no one is forced to do anything against their will.”
That remark gave Tabitha a lot to think about. She ran off to find Heather to get her opinion and see about getting it dyed red.
Later that day, Kathy arrived. Melissa was happy to see her. She raced down the stairs to greet her. They quickly embraced. Then Melissa took a closer look at how much her friend had changed over the summer.
“You’re growing your hair out again.” Melissa observed, at the nearly two inches of hair sprouting from Kathy’s head.
“Well, that was always the plan.” Kathy reminded her friend. “I had never planned to stay bald forever.” She paused, looked straight into Melissa’s eyes and grinned. “But plans can change.”
“What does that mean?”
“Oh, you’ll find out.” Kathy replied coyly. “I had a lot of time to reflect over the summer and figure a few things out.”
“I see…” Melissa didn’t know how she was supposed to respond to that but figured Kathy would clue her in when it was time. “Looks like your hair isn’t the only thing that’s grown.” Melissa reached out and grabbed Kathy’s upper arms.
Kathy’s physique had a makeover. Kathy was in a bright blue bandeau top and tight shorts. She had clearly visible abs starting to form and her arms and legs were almost twice the size they were just a few months ago. Kathy had clearly spent a lot of time at the gym and had worked really hard on herself over the summer.
“Oh, yeah.” Kathy chuckled as she flexed a bit. “I have a lot to fill you in on. I think you’ll enjoy it. Can you meet me in my room in a bit? I need a bit of time to unwind and then I want to fill you in on everything.”
“Okay!” Melissa was excited to hear all about what Kathy had to say.
THE CLUB
A few hours later there was a soft knock on Kathy’s door. Kathy headed to the door and swung it open. Melissa eagerly stood there, waiting to hear all the dirt her friend was about to spill. Kathy headed over to her desk chair and sat down, and she indicated that Melissa should sit down in the other chair against the wall.
“Hey!” Kathy exhaled. “I’m so happy to be back and to see you.”
“Me too! So how was your summer?” Melissa could stay and chat for hours, but for the moment she wanted to know whatever it was that Kathy had to share.
“Wow, right to it then…” Kathy nervously chuckled. “Okay, so you know my first experience shaving my head did NOT go well. And you know that everything that went on after was even worse. I think that makes what I’ll be telling you even more ironic. Things were so bad I had to drop out and transfer schools. But coming HERE… Well, that turned into one of the best decisions. It’s funny. If we never met, I’d likely still be at that school, and my hair would probably be even longer than it was. I’d be the same person I was back then. So, I’d still have my hair, but I wouldn’t have found my best friend.” She paused and smiled at Melissa, “and I’m not so sure that my hair is a positive anymore.”
Melissa listened to every word. She tried to follow Kathy’s logic, but she wished Kathy would just tell her what’s going on.
“So, anyway, you know I was determined to regrow my hair, and this team was nothing but supportive about that. But – personal growth time – when you fell, you were the only thing that mattered. Not my hair, not anything. I shaved it in support of you, and I was all too happy to do it. I still can’t believe I convinced the rest of the team to join me, but I suppose that’s not a big deal for this team… That wouldn’t happen anywhere else, by the way.”
“I know.” Melissa nodded. “But I wouldn’t have done it anywhere else, either. That would have been the real tragedy.”
“Yeah, definitely. I can’t even picture you with hair now, and this look suits you so much.” Kathy complimented. “So, anyway, I shaved it again – which I never thought I would do again – and the experience went a lot better this time. I was happy and willing to do it, but it was still for you.”
“Yeah, but –” Melissa started to protest, but Kathy put her hand up to stop her.
“At first, that’s exactly what it was. Something I willingly tolerated FOR YOU, because I valued our friendship. Then spring break happened. At that point I still planned to grow my hair again. About the only decision I had made was that I was okay with my hair not being so ridiculously long again.” Kathy chuckled, “But I still wanted SOME hair. I still don’t exactly know what happened that day in the barber shop. I think a part of my brain realized I was going to end the semester bald. That was our deal, that was the agreement and I was fine with it. But if I knew it would happen and I was okay with it, why was it still ‘for you’? It needed to be FOR ME. It was a pretty amazing experience.”
“Oh. My. God. Kathy! That last month and a half of the semester was THE BEST.” Melissa gushed as she thought back on that time.
“It was, I agree.” Kathy nodded. “And you know, I’m actually looking forward to putting in some more hours there. Buzzing and shaving other people’s heads, not just yours.”
“Me too. So, what happened this SUMMER!?”
“Okay, okay… So, when we gave each other those final headshaves – well, for you not so final, but for me, well – I had every intention of growing my hair back… It’s mostly been growing since that day. But then it got weird, I missed it… I missed you, but I also missed being bald. I missed shaving your head and having you shave mine! That shocked me a bit, but then my future was cemented. I had been home for about a week. I had a bit of stubbly regrowth. I was out running errands, and I ran into an old frenemy of mine from my old school. She called me GI JANE. In the moment I didn’t respond well. In the past it would have completely broken me. But I recalled something you said to me when we first met. Something about how my insults to you could have broken you, but instead you loved your look and it was a compliment.”
“You do look very GI JANE…” Melissa started.
“Yeah, NOW. Almost. I didn’t then, and that’s exactly where my mind went. I couldn’t get her words out of my mind. I sat with them for a couple of days. Then I woke up one morning and as I was looking in the mirror, her words crept back into my head. But this time was different. Immediately, I thought, ‘No, but I could.’ In that moment everything changed. I already still felt bad about dropping you or whatever part I feel I played in that. I was determined never to let something like that happen again. I also wanted to make sure everyone knew where I stood and that they’d never feel like they could say those words again. I ran to the gym. I basically lived there all summer. It worked. I think you’d agree.” Kathy indicated her bulked-up body. “Honestly, Melissa, I’ve never felt better.”
“I’ve never seen you look better.” Melissa complimented. Then she glanced up at Kathy’s head. “Well –”
“Don’t even finish that though. There’s one more important detail to tell you about.” Kathy grinned widely. “I think you’ll find this the best part. So, as I started working out. I was determined, I was dedicated — and my hair, well, I stopped caring. It became an afterthought. when it kept growing, and I hated it. Melissa, I’m telling you,” As she pointed to her hair. “This means nothing to me now. I miss being bald. Yeah, that’s right, you heard me. I miss being bald, and I will happily admit it. I want this gone, and I never want it again.” Kathy smiled as she revealed her big secret. “If I’m being honest, I’ve wanted it gone for weeks. I just woke up and was done. It was so tempting to shave it all off right then… and I almost did a few times. But there’s only one reason I didn’t. There’s only one reason why I still have this hair, right now.” Kathy stood up and made her way into the bathroom. She emerged seconds later, holding clippers. “Because I want you to have the honor. The honor of removing my hair for the FINAL time.”
Kathy gleefully handed the clippers to Melissa and sat back down in her chair. Melissa was a bit overwhelmed and in shock but happily accepted the clippers. She looked them over as she stood up. She was speechless.
“They’re Anna’s. I told her my plan after I saw you earlier. She was happy to help. There are razors and some shaving cream in the bathroom. You can go get those next. The clippers are a one-time thing, just to get rid of all this mess, but the razors and cream, well, I’m sure you’re used to them by now.”
“A-A -Are you sure?” Melissa had found her words. Barely.
“Melissa, I’ve never been more sure of anything.” Kathy smiled at her friend. “Honestly, the past few weeks have been torture. I’ve wanted this so bad. I get how you felt that day. I totally get it and I never want either of us to have to deal with or worry about it again.”
Melissa stood behind Kathy. Her heart was racing. The last time she had used clippers like this was on herself. The day SHE shaved her head the first time. The day her life changed forever. She turned them on. Kathy squealed in delight. Melissa smiled. She put the clippers at the base of Kathy’s forehead right at the hairline. Then she slowly pulled them back. Small tufts of dark hair fell mercilessly to the floor. Leaving behind a nearly bare stripe of dark stubble. Then Melissa lined up the clippers and did it again. Right next to the previous path, widening the strip. She continued. Slowly. Methodically. Carefully. The entire time Kathy never stopped smiling. She sat up straighter and finally got to have her moment. The new her was born and there was zero doubt in her mind.
Melissa finished with the clippers and turned them off. She carefully set them aside as she went into Kathy’s bathroom to get the razors and shaving cream.
“By the way, I should warn you… I’m a bit of a gym rat now.” Kathy broke the silence. “I’ve really taken to it and love working out. I’ve seen the physical transformation my body is going through and I like it.” She reached her hand up and felt her nearly bare head. “I was called GI JANE. It was supposed to be an insult, and it was supposed to offend me. Instead, I took it as a challenge. I embraced it and I accepted it.”
“You’re a total badass.” Melissa commented as she reentered the bedroom. She walked back behind Kathy, squirted the foam into her hand, and rubbed it all over Kathy’s head. “We’re switching spots when this is done.”
“Of course. I wouldn’t expect anything less. In fact, I would have been disappointed if we didn’t.” Kathy retorted. “I’ve been looking forward to this moment for weeks. Not just this, but I really think I’ll enjoy yours even more.” She had plenty of time to think about it. She knew this was what Melissa had wanted and now she was confidently able to agree it was what she wanted as well.
“It’ll be our daily ritual!” Melissa was ecstatic. She finally had a friend who was as enthusiastic about being bald as she was and the fact that it was her best friend Kathy made it even better. She held the razor in her hand and began to scrape away the foam from Kathy’s head, leaving a clear bare path in its wake.
“Maybe even twice a day!” Kathy was all in. She knew how fast hair grew. Once a day was plenty, even every other day would have been fine, but that was how dedicated she was to a smooth and shiny head. Now even the slightest hint of a shadow wasn’t acceptable anymore. Even the slightest little growth was going to bother her, so she would NEVER turn down a head shave, no matter how recently she had had one. Especially from Melissa.
“Any time!” Melissa loved this new Kathy. It wasn’t just the (lack of) hair or the attitude either. She LOOKED phenomenal. Kathy had been there for her and was such a huge support for her while she recovered from her fall. She wanted to return the favor somehow. “So, what do you do at the gym?”
“Everything.” Kathy replied. “Lift mostly. But I do the full circuit. Cardio, aerobic, anaerobic…” Kathy chuckled. “Like I said, I basically lived there. I really push myself. I wasn’t sure what I wanted or what my goal was. But I kept with it and I think it’s paid off. There’s still a lot of work to do, but I can definitely see abs starting to form. I never even knew a six-pack was a thing I wanted! And my arms! Did you know I can crush a can in my bare hands?”
Melissa was impressed by her friend’s change and dedication. As she finished up the last few strokes and removed the last bit of cream from Kathy’s head, Melissa had to admit that Kathy looked stunning. Even her head seemed to gleam after the shave, but she knew neither of them would be satisfied with just the one pass. She immediately began to lather her hands again for the second pass.
“I know Heather always did it twice. I’m not sure that will work for us.” Kathy mused. “I think the magic number is three.”
“Three times!” Melissa remarked. “Every day?”
“Every TIME!” Kathy emphasized. “Remember we may do this more than once a day. Any time I FEEL even the slightest little growth it’ll need to go.”
Melissa was impressed. She loved her bald head and felt the same way Kathy did. She never expected to find someone as dedicated as her. She was glad she had spent so much time over the summer working, training and studying the best and proper way to care for her head. She looked forward to sharing that information with Kathy. She picked up the razor and started to remove the foam for the second time.
“Don’t forget that I haven’t actually seen the entire look. My hair’s been growing all summer. This body is still relatively new. By the time it started to form, I already had a decent amount of hair. I went into this thinking I was going to grow my hair back. I didn’t know I was going to prefer being bald until I already had hair again.” Kathy reminded Melissa.
“What if you change your mind once you see it all together?” Melissa knew that wouldn’t happen. Melissa already got a sneak preview of the look and knew Kathy would instantly love it. But she wanted to make sure and hear it from Kathy.
“No shot. I’m committed to this.” Kathy boasted. “I love this new body and want to continue to explore it further. I want to continue to push myself and see how far I can go. I’ve already seen myself with hair. I don’t like it. I’ve seen myself bald. I really think it will work with my new body. Hair is overrated and doesn’t really serve a valuable purpose. I know that now.” She paused as she took it all in. “I made this decision weeks ago. It’s been so tempting to just shave it. It’s what I’ve wanted, and it took every bit of will power I had not to shave it off already. But two things kept me from doing that. Mostly importantly, was you. None of this would be happening without you. You deserve this honor and honestly, I really wanted you to be the one to do this FOR me. Also, once it’s done – and I can already feel the energy – I know I’ll have no desire to ever grow it again, not even a shadow. So, then I would have had the additional challenge of maintaining that while dealing with everything else… but now I have you and I won’t have that issue. Kathy smiled at that last statement.
“I’m so honored.” Melissa started to tear up. “You’ve made my day. I didn’t think this reunion could get any better and yet you found a way.” Melissa took a moment to compose herself before she finished her second pass over Kathy’s head. “I think you are so right about everything you’ve said.” Melissa was still relatively inexperienced at head shaves but now felt extra motivated to get good at it. “You know the barbershop just added an extra chair.”
“I heard!” Kathy exclaimed. “I didn’t have much interest in it last year, but I’m sure we’ll both be putting in our hours this year.” Kathy got silent for a moment. “You know I’ll just be using those head shaves as practice for you, right?”
“I only want to work when you’re there, though.” Melissa smiled, as she lathered her hands again. The last time she did this she struggled with her stamina since her injury, but now she felt refreshed and rejuvenated and could have kept this up for hours.
“Duh.” Kathy rolled her eyes. “Besides, this way, if there’s ever a lull, we’re already both there. We can just take turns in each other’s chair!” Kathy thought for a moment before a small grin appeared on her face. “I wonder if Heather would let me ‘borrow’ her gym equipment, if she’s not using it.”
“Kathy!” Melissa giggled as she massaged the foam on Kathy’s scalp for the third time. “You really are obsessed with this, aren’t you?” After a moment she wiped her hands clean and reached for the razor. “Not that I blame you, of course. I’m just as happy you feel this way, but…”
“I know!” She laughed, “I still have… well, at this point we can go with ‘fond’ memories of that first day we met and, well, that head shave that forever altered my life. I think about what that version of me would say if she saw me now. Well, first off, physically, she’d be very impressed, but the hair or rather lack of it – I think she’d probably have a heart attack or something.”
“I’ve often had similar thoughts about myself. But it is probably the best thing that’s ever happened to me. And I’m glad things are all worked out for you, as well. I truly did feel bad for everything you went through.”
“Yeah, but it all worked out.” Kathy admitted. “I needed to go through all of that to get to where I am now.”
A few minutes later, Melissa wiped Kathy’s head clean for the final time. Kathy’s skull reflected the ambient light of her bedroom. It was slightly paler than the rest of her head, but it was otherwise perfect. She couldn’t wait for Kathy to see it for herself. So, she grabbed her hand and pulled her up.
“Where are we going?” Kathy asked as she allowed herself to be dragged towards her bathroom. “Don’t you want yours done?”
“Of course!” Melissa replied. “But you’ve been waiting a long time for this.” She gently shoved Kathy into her bathroom and waited for Kathy to have her moment.
“Awesome…” Kathy’s hands shot up and rubbed her head. She was used to the feeling. She had felt it before, but this time felt different. She started uncontrollably giggling. “This. Rocks.” She turned towards Melissa and waved her over. She wrapped her arm around Melissa’s waist and pulled her in. She lifted herself up on her tiptoes to get even with Melissa. Then turned towards her and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. “Thank you. This has been the best experience of my life. I love this so much.”
Then Kathy turned back towards the mirror. She had the widest smile of her life. Melissa leaned her head next to Kathy’s and they both stared at each other in the mirror for what felt like eternity but in reality, was only a minute or two. Finally, Kathy spoke again.
“Two Bald Beauties. Two Badass Baldies. Two Beautiful Bald Bitches. Two Beautiful Bald Badass Bitches. Two — “
“Bikinis!”
“Bikinis? What about bikinis?” Kathy looked at Melissa. “We’re not wearing bikinis.”
“I dunno. But we could be. It starts with B, so it seemed to fit.”
Kathy turned back towards the mirror. She looked at the reflection for a moment. Then slowly. “Two. Beautiful. Bald. Badass. Bitches.” She paused just a moment before smirking, “in bikinis.” She turned towards Melissa. “Sure, why not?” she laughed. “I’ll meet you in your room in five minutes.”
Melissa jumped up and squealed in delight. She quickly gave a quick hug to Kathy and then bolted into her room. Kathy took another moment to stare at herself in the mirror, turning to get a good look from all angles. She’d never get enough of it, but she pulled herself away and headed back into her bedroom. She sifted through her wardrobe and quickly changed before heading out her door and following Melissa to her room.
Kathy thought about not knocking. Melissa knew she was on her way. But she also knew Melissa was changing and didn’t want to catch her off guard. She knocked.
Mere seconds later, the door swung open. Melissa stood before her in a tiny strapless tie dye bandeau top and matching side tie thong bottoms. Melissa nodded her head to indicate that Kathy should come in, then pulled out her chair for Kathy to sit down as she quickly headed into her bathroom.
“Mel? What’s going on? I thought we were doing your head now?” Kathy inquired.
“We are.” Melissa confirmed, as she reentered the bedroom holding two small bottles. “But I need to finish up your head properly first.”
“It’s not?”
“Well, the shave is done. But the maintenance has only just begun.” Melissa sprayed a few pumps of the bottle onto Kathy’s head and began to rub it in. “I didn’t know about a lot of this either, but I talked with Emma before we left for the summer and I spent some time researching.” She explained as she squirted the contents of the second bottle onto Kathy’s head. “It’s important to moisturize and care for your head, just like the rest the body and skin. The head is very sensitive and needs to adjust to being exposed.” Melissa massaged the lotion into Kathy’s head. “I’ve made the decision to be bald. I never want hair on my head again. But I still want to be glamorous. I still want to look and feel beautiful. It’s a choice, my choice and I want there to be no doubt that I’ve chosen this. So, I need to care for it and make sure it always looks its best.”
Melissa quickly hurried back into her bathroom and returned a moment later with a small box.
“I invested in this.” Melissa opened the box and held it for Kathy to see. It was an electric skull razor. “I love my head shaves. I cherish the head shaves and would never turn one down. But this is my future and this is what I want. I did not know what your future held and I had to get through the summer.”
Kathy’s eyes grew wide and her jaw dropped. She picked up the razor with one hand while casually rubbing her head with the other.
“Can I try?” Kathy asked as she slowly stood back up. “First off, thank you for this. I hadn’t even considered any of what you said.” She carefully studied the razor and turned it over in her hair. She looked off in the distance as she thought for a moment. Then, she looked at Melissa with a wide grin. “I’m in. I’m ALL IN. I want this.” She rubbed her head and head up the electric razor. “All of it. I’m dedicated and willing to do whatever I need to.”
“YES! Of course you can try it. Any time you want.” Melissa squealed with excitement. “But I’m going to get you your own. Although, I hope neither one of us has much need for it.” She rubbed her head as well as Kathy’s. “We have each other! Oh, Kathy, I’m so excited!” She sat down in the chair. “But come on! It’s my turn now.”
“Two Beautiful Bald Badass Bitches.” Kathy smiled as she piled the shaving foam into the palm of her hand. She had several weeks to prepare for this new life. Melissa had just opened her eyes to what was really involved. It was more than she thought or prepared for, but it didn’t change anything. She spread the cream over Melissa’s head and reached for the razor. “Two Beautiful Bald Badass Bitches — in bikinis.” She reiterated, reflecting their new wardrobe choice. “I like the sound of that.” She smirked. “We should form a club or something.”
“I’m in.” Melissa laughed. “Maybe we should invite Jessie to join us. She’s totally bald now, too.” She paused for a moment, as she felt the razor scrape across her head. “Oh, and she switched rooms. She’s on the other side of you, now.”
“Wasn’t she already bald? She hasn’t had hair since we all shaved right before the competition.” Kathy made another swipe across Melissa’s head.
“Yeah, but it’s different now. She was shaving her head just cause. Now, she’s actively decided to stay that way – just like us!”
“I don’t know, Mel… I kinda like it just being the two of us.” Kathy admitted. “Besides, shouldn’t we include Heather as well?”
“Nuh uh.” Melissa laughed. “Heather has hair now. I’m not sure, but I think she plans to grow it out.”
“Seriously? No way! I did not expect that. How long is it?”
“Oh, it’s not very long yet. I think she just started, but it’s not totally smooth anymore.” Melissa filled in. “OH, and it’s hot pink.”
“This I have to see! Okay, so Jessie… she’s as committed as we are?”
“I think so. I don’t know, I haven’t gotten that in depth about it with her, but we can talk to her! I didn’t even know you felt this way until a few hours ago.”
“Fair enough. We can go ask her when we’re done here.” Kathy finished her first pass over Melissa’s head and prepared for her second one.
FUTURE CEMENTED
A short time later, there was a knock on Jessie’s door. She had just come back from the barbershop. She flopped down on the bed and spread out, exhausted. She wanted to ignore it but after a minute the knock came again.
“Jessie! Jessie, are you there? It’s Kathy and Melissa. We need to talk with you.” The muffled voice came through the door.
“Ugh, can it wait? I’m exhausted!” Jessie shouted back.
“Please, it won’t take long.”
Jessie grumbled as she got up and made her way to the door. She fumbled with the door and cracked it open. She poked her head through the opening at the smiling and waving Melissa and Kathy.
“Hey Jessie! I hope you had a good summer. Melissa told me that you were bald now, so I wanted to come over and see for myself.” Kathy explained.
“I’ve been bald… You’ve seen me countless times. That’s what couldn’t wait?” Jessie started to close the door. “I’ll still be bald in the morning and every day after that.”
“Wait!” Kathy stuck her foot out. “That’s what we wanted to know. So, you’re staying bald… permanently?”
“Yeah… What about it? And why are you both dressed that way?” Jessie wasn’t usually so snippy, but she was tired and they were interfering with her nap.
“Can you just come with us for a few minutes?” Melissa asked. “We have a proposal for you.”
“We promise it will be worth it. Just meet us in my room in five minutes.”
“Fine.” Jessie rolled her eyes. “Five minutes… that’s all I’m giving you.”
“Great!” Melissa and Kathy turned towards Kathy’s room. “OH, and wear a bikini!” Melissa shouted back as they giggled, arm in arm.
“A bikini?” Jessie wondered as she glanced down. She was still in the barbershop uniform. She really didn’t want to bother, but now she was intrigued. She closed the door and went to the bathroom to splash some water on her face. Then she headed out of the room and went next door.
Kathy and Melissa were both waiting for Jessie in Kathy’s room, Melissa sprawled out on her stomach on Kathy’s bed and Kathy lounged on the sofa, casually rubbing her head. Jessie popped in.
“Okay, I’m here. I hope this is okay. I was at the shop all day. I already had this on and hadn’t changed yet. I was about to do that when you knocked on the door.”
Melissa and Kathy both looked at each other and smiled. “It’s perfect!” They answered in unison, as they both realized they would be working the shop soon as well and would be wearing the same thing.
“So, what’s going on? And why did it matter what I was wearing?” Jessie asked as she sat down in Kathy’s desk chair after being directed by Kathy.
“You’re probably at least vaguely familiar with my ‘hair journey’?” Kathy sat up a bit straighter as she began.
“Yeah, you bet your hair with Melissa at our competition and lost and hated it. You started to grow it out but transferred here. After Melissa’s fall you decided to shave it again, got the whole team involved and then stayed that way.” Jessie summed up. “I thought that would only have been for the previous semester, though. I expected you to have hair again.”
“I did. And your right, that was the plan.” Kathy nodded, “but let’s just say I had a bit of an epiphany and things changed. My hair HAD grown all summer. I came here with almost two inches of hair. But that hair was never staying. It was marked for Melissa. She had the honor of removing it.” Kathy leaned forward. “And I’m never having hair again.”
“Wow, Kathy that’s a bold statement. But you look phenomenal. It looks like the trend is growing.” Jessie turned to Melissa. “You may have been late to the initial party, but you’ve been the quickest adapter and were definitely on to something.” Jessie rubbed her own bald head. “I feel like we should start a club or something.”
Melissa and Kathy both glanced at each other and giggled.
“Funny you should say that…” Kathy responded. “We actually did. The Beautiful Bald Badass Bitches.”
“In bikinis!” Melissa was sure to add.
“It was going to be just the two of us, but then Melissa said you qualified and we should include you.”
“Well, I’m flattered. And this all makes a bit more sense now.” Jessie understood. Suddenly she was wide awake and fully engaged. “So, tell me more! What do we do? What’s involved?”
“OK, first off… we need to be VERY clear, this isn’t some ‘hey, I shaved my head and let’s have fun for a bit, kind of thing.’ We are taking this very seriously. It is a commitment. Neither Melissa nor I EVER intend to have any semblance of hair on our heads ever again. Not stubble, not a shadow, not ANYTHING. We are ALWAYS available to each other any time we want a head shave.” Kathy explained. “Even if we just had one a few hours ago. We’ll always do at least three passes. Yes, we know that is excessive and unnecessary… that’s the point and shows how committed and dedicated we are.”
“I even bought an electric razor for myself and want to get one for Kathy as well. I have oils and lotions since scalp care is very important.” Melissa chimed in.
“Wow, that’s pretty intense and hard core. I’m dedicated and serious about my bald head, but I hadn’t thought about all that. I’ve been faithfully bald since we all shaved for the competition. After it was over I wasn’t really sure how I felt or what I wanted, it was just fun and I didn’t mind the look. Plus, it helped that Tim liked it. But then the feud with my sister started and I was determined to stay bald because of that. But that changed slightly a bit over the summer.”
“If you’re not sure or don’t want to commit, it’s okay.” Kathy assured.
“As it turns out, I really do love this. I never expected to, but I do. I had hoped originally that I could just tolerate it… then once we did it as a team, it certainly helped. But it turns out, I’ve never had an issue with it and I’ve never minded it. Over the summer, Tim and I really bonded over it. It turns out that he doesn’t just like it or tolerate it, he really, truly, genuinely loves it. He prefers it. He also requested that I keep mine shaved. Which was perfect because I had already realized that I wanted that as well. We faithfully shaved each other every single day. It was our ritual, a bonding experience. This IS what I want. I just hadn’t given it that much long-term thought. But you make a lot of really good points.” Jessie paused for a moment as she sat deep in thought. She casually ran her hand over her bald head. She looked at Kathy and Melissa. “I get the name, but what do bikinis have to do with anything?”
“It starts with a B and I like them.” Melissa laughed.
“It doesn’t have to be all the time. Only, when it’s appropriate, of course. You just came from the barbershop, and we plan on spending a lot of time there, also. So, the uniform will help with that. Obviously, with things like workouts, practices, classes, etc.… we may need to modify that a bit.” Kathy clarified.
“But if we’re just hanging out, or when we are together maybe we dress bikini adjacent? And ALWAYS for head shaves.” Melissa insisted.
“You don’t have to do or say anything to encourage me to wear bikinis more.” Jessie laughed. “Though, it’s nice to have an excuse.” She thought for another moment, then grinned. “I’m in! You’ll help with all the maintenance and stuff and make sure my head stays clean and polished?”
“Of course!” Melissa and Kathy both agreed simultaneously, as they leaped up from their positions. Kathy ran into her bathroom to get the supplies as Melissa went over to Jessie and offered a hug while she shifted the chair and Jessie to sit up straight.
“Wait. What’s happening?”
“Initiation!” Kathy responded as she emerged from her bathroom.
“Now? But I just shaved.” Jessie protested. “Right before I left the shop. Like not even an hour ago.”
“I guess we were wrong… A Beautiful Bald Badass Bitch NEVER turns down a head shave.”
“Yeah, I’m sorry, Kathy. I thought she was worthy. I guess she’s NOT as dedicated as I thought. I guess it is just the two of us.”
“No! I’m in. I’m in. I promise.” Jessie exhaled. “Give me a moment.” Jessie took her hand and rubbed her head. It was smooth, it was bare. She smiled. She loved the feeling. Tim loved it, but this wasn’t about him. She WANTED this. “Hair is overrated. Proceed.” She said confidently.
Kathy and Melissa both look at each other. Kathy held up two fingers. Melissa shrugged and then nodded.
“We’ll just do the two passes. One from each of us.” Kathy explained as she moved behind Jessie.
“Meanwhile, I’m headed back to my room for a moment. I’ll get the rest of what’s needed and make the second pass when Kathy is done.”
“Oh. OK…” Jessie started to feel overwhelmed. In her head she knew what she wanted, and she was all aboard with Kathy and Melissa, but this forced her to confront a reality she hadn’t fully analyzed yet. She felt the cool gel on her scalp. This was nothing new for her. Everything was happening so fast. She let out a yawn. The effects of the day were catching up with her, but she wouldn’t be able to sleep right now if she tried or even if she wanted to.
Melissa bounded back into the room just as Kathy finished up her pass over Jessie’s head. Without missing a beat, Kathy and Melissa traded places. Before Jessie even had a chance to fully process what was happening, her head was lathered up again. This time by Melissa. At least she had a chance to compare the two. She closed her eyes and relaxed. She was fully docile now.
Melissa was gentler than Kathy, but Kathy was more precise and methodical. At least from what Jessie could tell. Melissa was a bit slower and cautious. Kathy quicker and more confident. She did not mean to compare them, but it just happened naturally. She’d happily accept a head shave from either of them in the future. Which was good because this was her life now and she expected this would be a regular if not daily occurrence for her going forward. No regrets.
As Melissa finished up her pass, she reached for a towel and patted Jessie’s head. Then she reached for a tiny spray bottle and sprayed it a few times on Jessie’s head.
“This oil helps with the shine. Next, I’ll apply the moisturizer and lotion. That will help with the skin care. We have to protect these heads of ours.” Melissa giggled. She loved to share her knowledge.
“Yeah, I know about the oil. I’ve used some, as well. Heather taught us about it the first time.” Jessie confirmed. “I hadn’t thought about the moisturizer and lotion, but it makes so much sense. I like to lay out and tan a lot, so I definitely need to keep it in mind.”
“Here, this is my electric razor.” Melissa handed Jessie the box with her razor in it. Then grabbed the bottle of moisturizer and squirted a heathy amount onto Jessie’s head. “I’m getting Kathy one just like it. I’ll get you one as well, if you’d like. It’s very similar to the one Emma uses.” Melissa began to massage the lotion into Jessie’s head.
“We should get more of the lotion as well. I have a feeling that we’ll be going through it rather quickly.” Kathy added.
“Is it like regular suntan lotion? I have plenty of that. PLENTY.” Jessie was excited and wanted to contribute so she hoped that this small gesture would help show her commitment.
“It’s similar, but this is special. It’s specifically designed for the head/scalp area. With all the shaves, our scalps will be very sensitive, so this helps with that as well.” Melissa felt proud of the knowledge she was able to dispense. “I’ll get us some more bottles. I only added this to my routine recently, and I didn’t realize it wouldn’t just be me.”
“Thank you for including me.” Jessie had been hesitant to go along with Kathy and Melissa at first, but she was fully on board with all of it now. “So, is there anything else? A logo, a motto, secret handshake?”
“We only just started this a few hours ago…” Kathy answered.
“Yeah, but we totally should! All of that! And more.” Melissa agreed.
“We will. In due time. That should be our first mission.” Kathy stood in front of Jessie and Melissa. “But first –” she held out her hands for each of them to take, “follow me.”
The three headed into Kathy’s bathroom and stood in front of the mirror. They took a minute to just admire the reflection before them.
“Beautiful.” Kathy broke the silence.
“Bald.” Jessie smiled.
“Badass.” Melissa continued.
“Bitches.”
“in…” Jessie smirked as she turned towards Melissa.
“Bikinis!” Melissa jumped up and down.
The three all turned to each other and jumped up and down in excitement. After another minute, they calmed down and headed back into Kathy’s bedroom.
“I’m so glad I switched rooms. Imagine all three of us lined up next to each other.” Jessie headed towards the door. “Oh, and I promise from now on I’ll wear a proper bikini. I love this uniform, but I wish I had now, honestly, but I had NO IDEA what was in store.”
Jessie left and walked the short distance to her own room. Laughing, smiling, and rubbing her head the entire way. She entered her room and collapsed on her bed, just as she had a few hours earlier. Only this time, the excitement from the earlier activities swirled in her head, giving her way too much to think about.
AMBITION
The next day one of the new cheerleaders, Kimber, arrived. She was a stereotypical cheerleader in every way. Her long, wavy, light brown hair was worn in a high ponytail that reached her mid-back and curled at the end. It was tied with a giant red ribbon. She wore a light blue tank top and short dark green athletic shorts. But it wasn’t just her appearance. She was extremely high energy, peppy, and spirited. Her high-pitched voice caused her to almost squeak whenever she talked.
Her first interaction was with Anna and Janie. They were sitting side by side in the common room, looking at some videos on Anna’s tablet. They were planning their social media blitz for the team to kick off the new season.
“Oh, my God! Hi! I’m Kimber! I think this is where I’m supposed to be?” Kimber wandered into the house looking around. She noticed Anna and Janie and enthusiastically bounded over to them.
Anna and Janie got up to greet the young impressionable co-ed.
“This is the Cheer House. You’re in the right spot.” Anna assured the new student. “Hi. I’m Anna and this is Janie. I’m the captain and the entire team lives upstairs.”
“Oh, wow. That is so amazing!” Kimber reached her hand out to shake. “Are ya both twins? You both look so much alike. I’m a twin, but she’s at a different school. It’s our first time apart.” She was talking a mile a minute and felt compelled to share her whole life story.
“No, we’re not twins. We’re not even related.” Janie finally answered when Kimber stopped to take a breath. “We’re just really close friends. She’s a senior and I’m a junior. We actually do have a set of twins on the team. Although right now, they’re not getting along.”
“Really? I could never imagine not getting along with my twin. She’s my best friend and we do everything together. This is the first time we’ve ever been apart. Well, I guess besides the first few minutes of my life, but that doesn’t really count. Anyway, it was a big deal, us going to different schools. But our parents encouraged it and said we can’t live our lives the same… It’s better to get some distance apart now. I’m super excited to be here. I know I’m a little early, but I just couldn’t wait any longer to get here. I hope that’s okay.”
“Oh, it’s fine. We’re glad to have you. If you can give us a few minutes, Janie can give you a quick house tour and then show you your room.” Anna looked at Janie to confirm what she just said.
“Absolutely.” Janie nodded, then glanced over and noticed Tabitha walking by. “Oh, Tabitha!” She called out waving the sophomore over.
“Hey, Janie. Hi, Anna. What’s up?” Tabitha walked towards them, her short, buzzed hair freshly dyed a deep dark red and wore a lime-green crop top and black shorts. “Hello, I’m Tabitha.”
“Tabitha, this is Kimber. She’s one of our new freshmen teammates. Are you free to show her around and help her out?” Anna asked. “She’ll be in Jessie’s old room, next to you.”
“Yeah! Of course. Pleased to meet you.”
“Oh, hey! I’m Kimber. I’m super excited to be here. This is such a great house. So big…” Kimber kept talking as Tabitha guided her out of the room and they commenced with the house tour.
“Seems like a sweet kid. Certainly talks a lot.” Janie said as she and Anna headed back to the couch to finish planning their blitz. “That hair, though… she’ll be fun.”
“Yeah, I wonder if it’s some kind of nervous coping.” Anna agreed. “But her hair is her choice. We have no idea what her thoughts are.”
INQUIRY
“So, this is the kitchen. We share space. We have our own individual items and there is some communal stuff.” Tabitha explained as they entered the kitchen. “We try to keep it pretty laid back, and we have a grocery list if there are specific things we get low on.”
“That’s so great. I’m pretty simple and easy. I don’t have any crazy dietary rules or anything like that.”
“That’s always helpful. Well, if you’re ready, we’ll head upstairs and I can show you your room.” Tabitha guided Kimber back down the hall and towards the stairs.
“Um, can I ask a question?” Kimber got a bit quiet as she reached for her ponytail and started to stroke it.
“Sure! You can ask anything.” Tabitha informed her as they started to head up the stairs. “Is it about our hair?”
“How did you know?” Kimber stopped halfway up the stairs as she looked up at Tabitha.
“Because I know that we don’t have the typical ‘cheerleader’ look you were expecting and you haven’t stopped touching your own hair since this tour started.”
“That obvious?” Kimber tried to force a smile.
“We’ve gotten used to it but understand the adjustment.” Tabitha stopped as she reached the top of the stairs. “I’m a natural blonde, I just got it dyed a few hours ago. I’ve always wanted to be a redhead.” They kept walking down the hall. “These are all our bedrooms. You’ll have the fifth one on the right. You’re in between Janie who you just met downstairs and me. I’m in the last room.”
“I’ve never dyed my hair before.”
“Neither had I, until I got here last year. It used to be super long and curly, too.” She casually grazed her hand over her head as she stopped in front of the bedroom door. “Okay, we’re here. Go ahead.” She stepped aside to allow Kimber to open the door to her new bedroom.
Kimber opened the door and looked around.
“So, obviously, you’ve got a bed and a desk with a chair, over here. There’s a sofa, a closet and a dresser. That door in the back to the right leads to your bathroom.”
Kimber continued to walk around and explore. She sat on the bed. She opened the drawers to the dresser and the desk. Then she walked over to the doorway of the bathroom and took a look inside. She came back out and continued to look around. She was in awe of what she saw.
“Does the entire team have shaved heads?” Kimber finally spoke.
“No,” Tabitha laughed. “Most of us do have very short and shaved heads.” Tabitha rubbed her head again. “My hair isn’t usually this short, and it probably won’t be for good. I’ll keep it rather short, but not like this. Anna, our Captain, keeps hers buzzed. A couple of the team are totally bald and keep their heads shaved, and so does our Coach. But there’s no rule about our hair, we have total control over what we choose to do, and nobody will force you to do anything.” Tabitha shifted uncomfortably for a moment. “Um, anyway, so, that’s the tour. Do you need any help moving in? Do you have anyone with you or…?” Her voice trailed off.
“I’ve never cut my hair either…” Kimber was now actively playing with her ponytail. She was aware of it and she was aware Tabitha was aware of it. She didn’t try to hide it or deny it. “Well, nothing outside of a maintenance trim a few times a year.”
“You sound like most of our team, before.”
“Before what?”
“There’s also a barber shop, right down the path. We work there and kind of run it.” She paused. There was an uncomfortable silence. “Well, some of us do. I haven’t started there yet, but I’m looking forward to putting in my hours soon.”
“A-A-A barber shop?” There was a certain way Kimber said it. Like she wanted to clarify that she heard correctly but she also seemed a bit intrigued. “I’ve never gotten my hair cut at a barbershop before…”
“Would you like to see it?” Tabitha realized her new teammate was having a moment and her sudden interest in hair would overwhelm everything else until she satisfied her curiosity. “If nothing else, you’ll probably get to meet more of the team.”
Kimber nodded aggressively. It was one of the few times she was at a total loss for words. Tabitha hurriedly led Kimber back down the stairs. As she headed for the door she popped her head into the common room, where Anna and Janie still were.
“I’m just taking Kimber over to see the barber shop. We’ll be right back.”
Then they both headed out the front door and down the path.
“That was quick.” Janie looked at Anna.
“A lot faster than I thought.”
“I wonder how short she’s going.”
“Guess we’ll find out.” Anna shrugged.
DETERMINATION
Tabitha pushed open the door to the barbershop. The very place she had just left a few hours earlier.
“Hey, Tabitha. Back already? Didn’t you just leave?” Nikki greeted Tabitha from behind the desk.
“Yeah, but I’m not here for me. This is Kimber. She’s one of our new freshman teammates.”
“Ah. Well, pleased to meet you, Kimber.” Nikki got up from around the desk. She offered her hand to Kimber which she took. “Heather is in the back and her schedule is full as usual. But one of the others will probably have an opening soon, if you don’t mind waiting a bit.”
“Oh, I don’t think –” Tabitha began. She stopped as she noticed Kimber slowly made her way over to the waiting area. She looked around, her mouth wide open in total awe. “Well, maybe?” She chased after Kimber who was about to sit down.
Jenny, Kathy, and Melissa were all standing behind the chairs with clients in each of them. There were a few other guys in the waiting area, but it wasn’t overly crowded.
“They’re all bald.” Kimber commented to no one in particular, as Tabitha sat down next to her. “Like actually, fully, shaved BALD.” She had been clutching her ponytail nervously since she entered the shop.
“They are, yes. But you don’t have to be.” Tabitha put her hand out, hoping Kimber would take it. “Come on, this was a bad idea… You don’t have to do anything today…”
Kimber ignored the hand, as she continued to mutter about everyone being bald and clutching her hair. Tabitha looked around. She honestly wasn’t sure what to do. Kimber seemed like she was determined to cut her hair or even shave her head, which wouldn’t necessarily have been a bad thing, especially on this team… but she wanted to make sure that she was aware of her decision. That it was informed and she thought it out. She also thought Heather was best equipped to do it. It’s not that any of her other teammates couldn’t handle this big moment, but for some reason, Heather seemed to have a special knack for this kind of thing.
“Kimber, let’s go. We can come back another time… Let’s help get you settled in your room, first.” Tabitha reached for Kimber’s hand and slightly more aggressively tried to get Kimber to come with her. Kimber just swatted the hand away. “Kimber come on. You really don’t have to do this.”
Kimber looked up straight into Tabitha’s eyes. She took a deep breath and then slowly and confidently, without any hesitation or doubt replied.
“I know I don’t HAVE to. And I don’t WANT to. But I NEED to.”
