wozziewoo
It’s time for another check-in with the cheerleaders. The barbershop is off to a slow start but doing well. Occasionally, their adventures take them off campus. This is one such tale. However, for anyone who is a long-time follower of these girls the location may seem familiar.
Here’s the link to the previous chapter:
https://www.hairstorynetwork.com/stories/cheerful-clips-fundraising-weekend/
Our newest adventure begins:
After they cheered the football team to another decisive victory, it was time for a quick weekend getaway. The team arrived home late on Thursday night after an away game. While most of the team chose to sleep in the next morning, a quartet of the team had other plans.
PRE-TRIP
“I promised Emma that I’d keep the new tradition alive.” Betty informed her girlfriend. “Since you’re the only other teammate that went last year, you’re automatically included. Besides,” she reached over and kissed Heather on the cheek, “I wouldn’t want to go without you anyway.”
“Just the two of us?” Heather looked up.
“Well, no.” Betty answered, “As great as that would be, it would defeat the purpose of the girls’ trip. Anna is coming with us. She’s been taking on a lot as captain and really needs the break. Then probably one of the new freshmen.”
“Can it be Tabitha?” Heather smiled, she really liked Tabitha. “She’s great.”
“We’ll see… We have to talk to Anna. Though it will probably be Madison.”
“Oh… alright. I guess she’s okay, too.” Heather replied, not able to hide her disappointment.
“Just remember the position you were in last year.” Betty reminded. “Think where you’d be if we didn’t include you last year.”
“True.” Heather sighed, admitting how vital that trip was in shaping the person she had become.
LAST MINUTE DETAILS
Friday morning came and Heather was up before the sun. It was a tight turnaround, and the girls would be leaving soon for their weekend getaway, but Heather still wanted to get her run in. As she left her room and headed to the stairs, she heard her name from the other end of the hall and the sound of footsteps quickly followed.
“You weren’t really going out without me, were you?” Tabitha scolded as she bent down to tie her sneakers. She was dressed in a bright blue T-shirt and athletic shorts.
Heather turned to face her teammate, “I wouldn’t have, but it’s a bit earlier than usual and I didn’t want to wake you.”
“Heather! I thought we were partners in this.” Tabitha stood up, as she pulled her bandana out of her pocket and tied it around her bald head. “I’m genuinely hurt.” She walked past Heather as she raced down the stairs, “But let’s go! I won’t be responsible for you being late.” Tabitha shouted back up to Heather, who quickly followed down the stairs.
The run ended at the barbershop, which had become their routine over the past couple of weeks. Originally, Tabitha wasn’t sure how long she’d keep her head shaved or if she’d continue to get up early every morning to go for a run with Heather. However, she found herself greatly enjoying both. Heather made for very good company, so the decision got easier.
Heather figured that she had time to give Tabitha a quick shave, and possibly Coach Emma if she was around. Then she would go back to the house to get herself ready for the girls’ trip. Just as she finished up with Tabitha, Melissa walked into the back room. She was still in her pajamas and looked like she was barely awake.
“Damn, I don’t know how you girls do this every morning…” Melissa fought back a yawn, unsuccessfully. “It’s barely even light out.”
“Well, it was still pitch black when we left the house, and it hadn’t gotten much lighter by the time we got here.” Tabitha giggled back to her teammate.
“We’re a bit earlier today than usual, but only to accommodate our girls’ trip.” Heather added.
“Oh, I’m well aware.” Melissa replied sarcastically, “Madison insisted on me being awake at this ungodly hour so I could deal with her hair. I’ve created a monster.” Melissa sighed as she plopped down in the chair just vacated by Tabitha. “I protested, until she reminded me you were going on the trip, too.” She began to rub her head slowly. “So, here I am. Madison is already ready. I’m not sure what the plan is, but I doubt that her hair will hold up all weekend. I told her as much, but she said she’d figure something out.”
OFF THEY GO
It was decided that Betty’s Jeep just wouldn’t do for this trip, so the “team car” that had been gifted to them by Evan became the obvious choice. The convertible peeled down the driveway as Betty sped away, with her passengers in tow. Heather rode shotgun and had slipped out of her flip flops to rest her bare feet on the dashboard. She wore a leopard print bikini top and board shorts, while Betty, still adjusting to her new body, was in a tight tube top and leggings. In the back, Anna and Madison were both in crop tops. Madison had on capris and sandals, with her hair blowing in the wind in a half up/half down style and a few tiny braids holding it in place.
After a few hours’ drive, Betty pulled into the familiar location.
“This is the same place as last year!” Heather stated as she got out of the car.
“I figured we had a good time. So, why mess with what works? Plus, it was available.” Betty responded.
“This place is so cute.” Madison stated in awe as she got out of the car. “Thank you so much for including me.”
Anna and Madison explored every nook and cranny of the cottage, while Betty and Heather looked on in delight. It wasn’t long before everyone made their way to the backyard. Heather and Anna were quick to dive into the pool, while Betty sat by the side with her feet dipped in. Madison was a bit more hesitant to join in, as she sat nearby on the lounger.
“Hey, are you planning on joining us?” Heather shouted from the pool, as she splashed water at Madison.
“I’m good here.” Madison laid down on the lounger, “I’ll just lay here and take a nap.”
“Oh, Madison… You can nap back at the house. We invited you here with us for a reason. We want to spend time with each other.” Anna sternly interjected.
“This doesn’t have anything to do with your hair, does it?” Betty asked what the others were thinking.
Madison sat up to refute the question, but she couldn’t.
“Well, I think that silence says everything.” Anna es, as she floated on her back while kicking water towards Madison.
“Thankfully, I’ll never have that issue again.” Heather observed.
“I had Melissa get up early just to do this for me.” Madison pleaded, “I know it’s not gonna hold up all weekend anyway… so I’ll go in another time, I promise.” She took off her sunglasses as a tear started to roll down her cheek. “Please, I am so grateful to be included. I just don’t feel like going swimming right now.”
The other girls didn’t want to upset Madison further. This was meant to be a relaxing weekend, so they let it go, and everyone had an enjoyable afternoon. As evening approached, they began to get ready for their night out on the town. While this was a bit of a struggle for Heather last time, she had no such trouble this time around.
“Hey Kiddo… guess what I found?” Betty entered the room, holding something behind her back. Heather looked up towards the doorway and smiled. Betty couldn’t help but grin as she revealed the surprise.
“MY BOOTS!” Heather exclaimed in delight.
“YOUR boots?” Betty couldn’t help but laugh. “You’ve certainly gotten possessive, haven’t you?”
“Yeah, well, they didn’t fit anyone else.” Heather reached out to grab the boots from Betty. She went back over to her suitcase. “I didn’t think I would wear these, but now, I think it will help complete the look.”
Betty looked over towards Heather and nodded her head with approval. “Perfect.”
A VISIT WITH AN OLD FRIEND
After the short drive into town, Betty parked in the parking lot, and the girls all piled out and made the short walk to the restaurant about a block away. Madison wore a bright green strapless cocktail dress with matching 1-inch heels and diamond studded earrings. Her hair was still styled as Melissa had done earlier that morning, but it was starting to show signs of wear. Anna was in a plunging tube top and mini skirt, while Betty showed off her new slender figure in a short crop top and maxi skirt with a high slit to her upper thigh.
However, it was Heather who was the center of attention. Long agreed to be the hottest and best looking on the team, she now had the knowledge and confidence to play into that. She liked to be casual and comfortable most of the time, and that worked most of the time in her daily life as a college student and barber. But after she and Nikki went out to some clubs over the summer, Heather learned how to dress to her advantage, in addition to being more social and outgoing.
Heather was clad in a tight red bandeau top. It was tied tight in the back which put her ample cleavage on display, along with her very chiseled abs, buff body, and sculpted arms. Her black mini skirt barely covered her butt. The boots were black leather knee-high “hooker boots” that laced all the way up and had a two-inch heel, which she wore over fishnet stockings. Her smoothly shaved head glistened in the moonlight.
If the goal was to turn heads, they were successful. When Heather walked this path a year ago, the entire experience was new to her. She was naïve, innocent, and barely comfortable in twice as much clothing as she had on tonight. Now, she ate it all up.
“Damn, Heather, you put us to shame.” Anna pointed out as they continued to walk down the street.
Heather could only smile, as this comment made her stand just a little taller, which for the diminutive cheerleader was noticeable. Meanwhile, Betty was in awe at the positive and remarkable transformation her girlfriend displayed.
As they entered the crowded restaurant, Betty checked in with the hostess, and they were shown to their table. Somehow, they ended up at the same table they sat at last year. Heather and Betty sat on the same side with Madison and Anna across from them. Madison and Anna began to peruse the menu, as their server walked over to them.
“Heya, name’s Amber. I’ll be takin’ care of you tonight.” The very tall woman sighed. She had on a black pleated skirt, fishnet stockings and short heels. Her black T shirt yielded into a full sleeve of tattoos on her left arm.
“Hi Amber! Do you remember us?” Betty smiled.
Amber looked up from her notepad at the voice. She took a moment as she gazed between Betty and Heather and Madison and Anna, then back to Heather. She suddenly reached her hand up, scratched at her overgrown multicolored pixie cut and smiled.
“Of course, I remember ya’all. The Cheerleaders, right?” Amber pointed to Heather. “This one gave me the best haircut I’ve ever had in my life.” She turned towards Madison and Anna. “These two are new, though.”
“Yes, I’m Betty, and of course you remember Heather. These are Anna and Madison. Emma graduated and Katie transferred. Anna is our new captain, and Madison is one of our new freshmen.” Betty completed the introductions.
“The best haircut you’ve ever had?” Heather questioned, with a bit of shock.
“Oh, absolutely. Without a doubt.” Amber chuckled. “Does that surprise you? I told you as much then. I hope you’ve stuck with it.”
“And how.” Anna chipped in. She’s actually responsible for this.” She smiled as she rubbed her freshly shaved head. “She takes care of our entire team and runs the barbershop on campus.”
“The whole team, eh? So, is your entire team bald?” Amber asked as she took note of the bald heads of Anna, Betty, and Heather, but also Madison’s full head of hair.
“Mostly.” Anna confirmed, “Obviously, Madison isn’t bald, and we have one other teammate that’s been growing her hair… but otherwise, yes, the rest of us are bald. Emma’s our coach now, and she’s still bald as well.”
“Ya’all are crazy, but I love it.” Amber paused a moment, “Listen, I love you girls, and I want to continue to chat, but we are absolutely slammed tonight. I need to go check on some other tables, but I’ll definitely be back as much as I can.”
True to her word, Amber checked back in often. A few minutes later, while taking their orders, she continued to praise Heather. Heather explained how that night was a turning point for her as well. She took Amber’s words to heart, and hair had become a passion for her. When Amber came back with their food, she was joined by a pale, petite young woman whose giant thick wide framed glasses completely overpowered her face. She was in a similar black T shirt to Amber, but she wore black pants as opposed to the skirt Amber wore. Her thick, wavy, light brown hair was tied back in a loose ponytail that hung halfway down her back.
“Girls, this is Chloe.” Amber informed the group as they were served. “Heather, she really needs your help.”
Heather looked over at the young server. “Do you have anything in mind?”
“Major haircut!” Amber reached behind Chloe and grabbed at her ponytail. “It’s in this ponytail every day and I told her it was doing nothing for her. As soon as I left ya’all earlier, I went to find her and told her it was time.”
Chloe blushed. “It’s really not that bad, is it?” She asked timidly.
“No, hun. Not at all.” Betty offered comfort.
“It won’t be too short, will it? I’ve never had short hair before.”
“Now, Chloe… I said you needed to trust me and trust Heather.” Amber wrapped her arm around Chloe. “Let’s let them enjoy their meal in peace. We’ll finish this later.” As she started to steer Chloe away, she turned back towards the group and winked. Heather smiled back and gave her a thumbs up.
“Wow, Heather. That’s exciting!” Anna exclaimed.
“I owe Amber a lot. Other than shaving Emma’s head, she was my first real ‘client’ and one of the reasons I’m doing all that I do now.” Heather responded between bites. “I guess it’s a good thing I always travel with my supplies. I see a lot of potential with Chloe.”
When Amber checked back in a few minutes later, more information was revealed and more details discussed. Chloe had started at the restaurant a few months earlier and Amber immediately took her under her wing. She was a hard worker and good person, but she was shy and reserved. Amber has been working on getting her out of her shell and being more outgoing. Amber recognized that there was a beauty hiding, waiting to come out. After a lot of coaxing, Chloe admitted she could use a new look but was scared and had never made any major change like this. So, when Heather and the others stopped in, she saw it as a sign.
Betty invited them both back to the house that night, but unfortunately, Amber was closing and would get off way too late to do anything productive. However, they were both free for much of the next day, as they didn’t start work until much later. It was agreed that Amber would bring Chloe over to the house in the early afternoon. Heather would give Amber a refresh and then everyone would help tackle Chloe. Anna said they should plan to hang out at the house with them as late as they could, and to make sure they both brought their swimsuits.
The quartet finished their meal, but when they asked for the bill, they realized their whole meal had been comped. Betty wanted to object but Amber suddenly made herself scarce, so all she could do was leave a hefty tip. Amber had earned every penny, and Betty knew their meal would come out of Amber’s pocket. They then left, headed back to the car, and drove back to their cottage where they enjoyed a quiet evening before heading off to bed.
IT’S GETTING TOO REAL
After an uneventful morning, Madison was setting the table for lunch when the bell rang. She went to answer it and was greeted by an enthusiastic Amber with a reluctant Chloe in tow. Amber wore a bright blue tank top and ripped jeans. The tank top showed off Amber’s tattoos which extended beyond her left arm and covered half her chest. Chloe was in a tan three-quarter sleeve blouse, which was buttoned all the way up, and tan slacks. Her hair was down and loose. Amber busted her way inside. “I brought lunch, I hope that’s okay.” Amber carried two pizza boxes and a giant bag of other items on top. Chloe followed slowly behind with a small plastic bag.
Heather and Anna exited the pool and made their way inside. After quickly greeting their guests, they headed to their respective rooms to clean up a bit before they joined the group for lunch. They all sat around the table and got to know each other better. Betty updated Amber on everything that had happened in the past year, and Heather made sure Amber knew how much had changed for her since they first met. The goal was also to get Chloe to open up and be more comfortable with everyone, but that proved to be a more difficult challenge.
“Okay, so once we finish… I’ll take a seat and then you’ll take care of this, Heather?” Amber took charge, grabbing at the mess of hair on top of her head. “Then you can work your magic on Chloe, here.” Amber turned and smiled at her co-worker, who nervously smiled back.
“And we’re here for support and to help out in any way we can.” Betty added, indicating herself, Anna, and Madison. “Then we can all head out back and take advantage of this beautiful backyard and weather.”
“Sounds great.” Amber stood up and began to clear the table. “Where are we setting up?” She directed at Heather.
“Um, I, ah, don’t…. Wherever I guess.” It was a rare moment of uncertainty for the barberette, whose confidence and decisiveness had soared in the past year plus, since she last found herself in this cottage.
After a few minutes when everyone helped to clean up, a chair was placed off to the side in the living room on top of a towel. Amber giddily sat down, while Heather prepared her supplies.
“So, same as last time, or something else?” Heather asked as she started to play with Amber’s hair.
“Oh, jeez…” Amber began. “Ya know, what ya’ did last time was so amazing, I’d be inclined to let ya do the same thing again…” Amber paused. “But I don’t like to repeat, so it’s gotta be different in some way.”
“Shorter? Or just a different style?” Heather asked. “I’ve got a lot more experience now and a larger set of options, so I can do pretty much anything.”
“I trust ya’ judgement.” Amber smiled. “If ya’ wanted to shave me, I wouldn’t argue.” She looked around, “I’d be in great company.” She paused a moment, “But I’m pretty sure if ya shaved me, she’d bolt. It’s not just me you have to consider… I’m worried about that one.” She nodded at Chloe. “She’s freaked out. It took a lot just to get her to come here at all. She needs to know that she’s in good hands and that you can be trusted.”
Heather nodded in understanding as she put down her clippers and picked up her scissors.
“Now, to be clear, I still want it damn short, and Chloe knows this. Ya’ best be using those clippers. Don’t let ME down, just -”
“I understand.” Heather had an idea of where Amber was going and what she was looking for. It was a fine balancing act, but she was up for the task. She put down the scissors and reached for the clippers again. She looked for the #2 guard and attached it to the blade.
“So, what’s it like having no hair?” Chloe asked, as she nervously twirled her long hair around her finger. She was sitting on the couch across from Anna and Madison and next to Betty.
“I like it.” Anna smiled as she rubbed her smooth head. “I don’t always keep it this way, but ever since I adopted this look, my hair has rarely been longer then a #1 buzz.
“A – a number one? What’s a number one?” Chloe asked with genuine interest.
“The numbers refer to the attachment length. A #1 means an eighth of an inch, a #2 is a quarter inch and so on, up to a #8 which is one inch.” Anna answered.
“Oh, wow…” Chloe used her fingers to try to visualize the different lengths. “That seems so short.” She brought her fingers apart to what she imagined was one inch. “Even a number eight seems like no hair.” Suddenly, her breathing got a bit faster, and her eyes darted around the room. “This might be a mistake.”
“Relax, dear.” Betty reached over to hug Chloe in a comforting way. “You’re in good hands. Heather won’t do anything you’re uncomfortable with. I promise you can trust her.”
“Yeah, she’ll probably just use the scissors and snip off a few inches.” Anna echoed.
“Oh… O-okay…” Chloe’s breathing started to return to normal. She turned towards Madison. “Well, I guess your hair is still long.”
“Yeah,” Madison chuckled nervously. At this point Madison’s hair was long by anyone’s standards and by far the longest she had ever worn it. It was currently in a high ponytail, as Madison still had no idea how to deal with it and didn’t have Melissa around to help her. “My hair used to be way shorter, though.”
“Really? Like how short?” Suddenly, Chloe sat up and leaned in toward Madison.
“Well, not bald or buzzed or anything like that.” Madison admitted. “But all my life it used to be short, almost always at least above my shoulders. It usually varied between some kind of long pixie and a short bob.”
“Oh, so what happened?” Chloe asked.
“Well, as a cheerleader, I always stuck out and had the shortest hair on the team. Then, at the end of my Junior year of high school I missed out on being the captain and all other top positions. While I know that wasn’t the reason, I blamed my hair. So, I decided there would be no more short hair for me. And I’ve been growing it ever since.”
“But –” Chloe began.
“Yeah, I know.” Madison breathed out. “So, now I’m on this team and everyone’s bald, yet I keep growing it. The truth is, I’m a bit stubborn and determined. I made a decision and set a goal for myself. So, I’m seeing it through. Thankfully, this team is great and very supportive.”
Chloe nodded and smiled, adjusting her glasses.
“I’ll say this, though. I actually hate my hair when it’s long. If it wasn’t for one of our teammates who has offered to style it every day, it’d always be in this ponytail. I’m a huge advocate for short hair. So, I fully support you and encourage you to go for it.” Madison admitted. “You’re going to look amazing, no matter what you decide.”
“So, what do you think I should do?” Chloe was still really nervous but also found herself interested in everyone’s opinion and slightly more intrigued than before. “I think that I’m okay going up to my shoulders. That’s the shortest my hair has ever been since I was very young.”
“At least.” Anna stated. “Chloe, we all want you to be happy and comfortable. But I think you should prepare yourself, because your hair is gonna be shorter than that.”
“I know…” Chloe sighed, as she turned to look over at Amber and Heather.
Heather had worked her way to the top of Amber’s head. The lower portion of Amber’s head had been buzzed down with a #2. Now, Heather had switched out the guard and was about to make her first pass down the middle of Amber’s head.
“Feels better already.” Anber grinned as she felt the cool air against the back of her head. “I can’t wait to see what you have planned on top.”
“I’m just doing what we talked about.” Heather began. “I’m using your previous cut as a guideline, but you said you wanted it shorter, so that’s what I’m doing. Not too short though, because you don’t want Chloe to freak out.” She looked over towards the other group, who were all laughing and smiling and seemingly in good spirits. “Although, I’m not sure you need to worry about that.”
“I have to say, I think you all showed up at the perfect time.” Chloe stated. “Amber’s been after me for weeks. I think in another week or two, she might have cornered me with a pair of scissors and done it herself. I think the only reason that I survived this long, was because she knew she needed to fix her own hair first.” She absent-mindedly stroked her fingers through her hair. “Thankfully, our schedules worked out so that we could come over today.”
“I think Amber would have done whatever needed to be done to work it out.” Betty declared. “But I’m glad we were able to help out.” She glanced over at Heather and Amber. “It looks like it’s almost time. You ready?”
“No, not really.” Chloe laughed. “Although, you three HAVE been a big help.” She continued to stroke her hair for what she imagined would be the last time.
“I’m going to let this bleach sit in your hair for a bit, while I get started on Chloe. I imagine there’s a lot involved with her. Then I’ll finish off your color and refine your cut.” Heather informed Amber as she applied the last of the foils to Amber’s greatly reduced hair.
“I love it.” Amber smiled. “I can’t wait to see what you do with her. I’ll owe you big time for this.”
“It’s my pleasure. I love doing these kinds of makeovers.”
“Hey, Chloe! Yer up, girl!” Amber shouted across the room as she stood up from the chair.
Chloe slowly stood up and inhaled deeply, as she slowly began the walk over towards Heather. Her nerves had returned but she knew she had to go through with it. As she passed Amber she looked back at her new friends, who were all smiles and encouraging. Amber reached over and grabbed the glasses off Chloe’s face. Although she was now blind as a bat and could barely see anything, Chloe didn’t object. All too soon, she reached Heather and took a deep breath as she sat down in the chair.
“I’m not gonna look like that am I?” Chloe questioned.
“You mean the foil or the length?” Heather responded.
“All of it. Any of it.” Chloe clarified.
“Did you want to? Amber didn’t think you could handle going that short.”
“NOOOO! No, definitely not.” Chloe started to worry and fret again. “Please, no.”
“Relax, you’ll still have plenty of length left.” Heather reassured her. “As for the foils, it depends on what we do with your color.”
“Color?” Chloe echoed. “Nobody said anything about color.”
“YES!” Amber called from the living room.
“O-okay.” Chloe said softly. She didn’t want to argue or question anything at this point and just allowed what was about to happen. “So, how short will it be?”
“Did you have anything in mind?” Heather began to comb out Chloe’s hair.
“Well, um, I was talking with the girls a few minutes ago. I’m comfortable going to my shoulders, but then Anna said, it was probably going to be shorter than that…” Chloe stated. “But if I’m going to lose that much hair, I hoped that it could be put to good use…” She let out another deep breath, “How much would I need to cut if I was going to donate it?”
“You have great hair, and it would make a fabulous donation.” Heather praised the nervous waitress. “You absolutely have enough, even if we go to your shoulders, I can probably get the minimum length needed to donate. However,” Heather paused for emphasis, “the more you cut off, the longer the donation will be.”
“I can’t go as short as Amber, though, I just CAN’T.” Chloe tried to be brave but was on the verge of tears.
“I know. No one expects that.” Heather reassured her again. “Do you trust me?” Heather continued to comb out Chloe’s hair.
“I trust Amber, and she trusts you. Plus, your teammates praise you and your skill.” Chloe explained. “That’s good enough for me.”
“Then sit back, try to relax, and enjoy the experience.” Heather gently coaxed her newest client to lean back in the chair, as she finished up the prep work for Chloe’s hair. She divided Chloe’s hair into multiple sections and tied it off just above her shoulders. She then reached for the scissors and prepared to sever the first section of hair from Chloe’s head.
Chloe sat in stone-faced silence and stared straight ahead. She felt her heart start to pound out of her chest, but she no longer felt nervous. Instead, a sense of excitement engulfed her. Still, there was a huge element of unknown in front of her and this was unlike anything she had ever done before. “Amber!”
Amber raced over to her friend. Chloe put her hand out with her fingers open, which Amber reached out for and held, as Chloe’s fingers wrapped around Amber’s hand. As if she sensed what was about to happen, Betty came over and stood on Chloe’s other side and offered her hand as well.
Chloe inhaled deeply, as Heather drew the scissors close to her head. The scissors opened around the rope of hair, right at Chloe’s jawline. Then slowly closed around it. Her hair put up a good fight, but it was no match for Heather’s scissors. Chloe exhaled then gasped as Heather held up the prize in front of her. Chloe squeezed both Amber’s and Betty’s hands as hard as she could.
Heather put the severed hair down on the table near her and walked back to the trio, ready for round two. Chloe nodded, indicating she was ready as well. Once again, Heather took her scissors and placed them right next to where she placed them the first time. The scissors bit down around the bundle and mere seconds later, it suffered the same fate as the first. After another cut, and not a single strand of hair on the left side of Chloe’s head fell below her jaw line. It didn’t take long for the right side to match.
Throughout the entire process, Chloe remained stoic. As Heather snipped off each section of hair, Chloe felt her head grow lighter. Soon, it was done and as she moved her head slightly, Chloe felt the movement of her much shorter locks. She thought the hard part was over with. Her hair was short now, and there was no going back. She might as well allow the rest to happen and decide how she felt when it was all finished. She released Amber’s and Betty’s hands from her grip and tried to smile.
“Much better already,” Amber declared. “I can’t wait to see the finished result.”
Amber and Betty headed back to rejoin Anna and Madison, as Heather guided Chloe over to the sink to wet her hair.
“It feels so much lighter already. Are you cutting much more?” Chloe asked.
“I didn’t plan on it…” Heather answered as she continued to spray Chloe’s hair. “Of course, I can if you want me to. There’s still a lot there to work with.”
For the first time, Chloe thought she might have been okay with the idea of cutting her hair shorter, but she also knew it couldn’t be put back once it was taken off. She had already made her significant donation. “Whatever you decide is okay, but this is a lot already.”
Heather smiled knowingly and then helped lift Chloe’s head back up and helped her back towards the chair. Chloe settled back into the chair and felt her wet hair hit against her jawline. It was a new feeling she’d need to get used to.
Heather stood behind Chloe and combed her hair out. She had originally planned to just dust a bit more to even out the length and shape the style. However, she discovered that with the bulk of length gone, Chloe’s hair seemed to be a bit curlier than originally thought. Since Chloe seemed to be handling things well, Heather suddenly got inspired.
“So, you trust me, right?” Heather checked with Chloe.
“You haven’t given me a reason not to…” Chloe admitted.
“And you’re okay with losing a bit more hair?” Heather verified.
“How much is a little?” Chloe started to feel nervous again.
“Relax… It’s mainly for styling and shaping purposes. It won’t be a lot of length.”
Chloe let out a deep sigh. “I trust you. Do what you feel is best. I don’t need to know everything you’re doing, just let me know when it’s done.” There. It was on Heather now. Chloe had basically given her free reign on her hair. It’s not what she expected when she walked into the cottage but felt surprisingly okay with the idea now that she had said it. She had come this far, so she might as well see it through.
Heather carefully combed out Chloe’s hair. She placed the comb, right below Chloe’s lips and then used the scissors to carefully snip off the hair below it. Heather moved the comb around Chloe’s head and continued this process, as roughly another inch of hair fell each time. Chloe’s hair had a lot of wave to it, and Heather expected it to have even more once it adjusted to its new length. She would edit the final results once she saw how the hair lies. Heather gathered the hair and clipped up the top layers. She then combed out the bottom layer and picked up the clippers, removing the guard and setting the blade to the shortest setting. As she turned them on, she saw Chloe flinch slightly. Heather gently guided Chloe’s head down, and with the help of the clippers she carefully removed the bottom layer of her hair at the neckline.
Chloe had been told to enjoy the experience. That initially proved to be more of a challenge than she realized. However, as she sat there with her hair dripping down her face in a way like never before, suddenly she just relaxed and allowed Heather to just guide her in any way she pleased. She felt the cold steel blade of the scissors graze her check. It seemed short to her. Significantly shorter than her hair had been cut already, but it barely phased her. Heather seemed to be playing with her hair a lot, and Chloe grew more relaxed. She heard a pop and then a steady buzzing sound. As Heather guided her head down, she just allowed it to happen and felt a soft tickle around the bottom of her neck. This was all new to her, so she didn’t know what to feel or how to react, but it all seemed good and there was nothing she disliked.
Heather unclipped Chloe’s hair and combed out the next layer, then reclipped her hair and repeated the process. Chloe was fully cooperative and Heather felt she could have molded her and done anything she wanted. After a few more layers, Heather combed out what remained of Chloe’s short curly hair. It was now time to begin the color process.
Throughout the entire process, Chloe couldn’t see anything that was happening. This likely would have been the case regardless, as there were no mirrors or even otherwise reflective surfaces in the area. The fact that she didn’t have her glasses meant that she wouldn’t have been able to see anyway. Even though she couldn’t see anything, she felt every little thing. She decided this was a good thing. It actually helped to calm her. This was going to be a big change for her no matter what, but she looked forward to seeing the new look when it was all done.
When she heard the buzzing sound and felt the tickle on her neck, Chloe was certain that Heather had used the clippers on her head. Originally, that had not been part of the plan, but at the same time, she had to admit the entire process felt very soothing to her. She could already feel her hair end at the middle of her cheek. This was already quite a bit shorter than she was comfortable with, and shorter than she expected. But since she couldn’t see it, she’d wait until Heather was finished and she could actually see it, before she panicked.
Heather mixed the color and began to apply it to Chloe’s head. Heather painted the color all over, brushing it liberally so that it really soaked in. While the color set, Chloe and Amber switched places, so that Amber’s hair could be finished and her hair didn’t over process.
MONKEY SEE, MONKEY DON’T
Amber stood in front of the mirror, staring at herself. She fiddled with her hair, or what was left of it. It certainly was shorter. It was shorter than she expected but she was prepared for it. Heather said it was known as a quiff. There was extra hair that stood up on top in the front, while it gradually shortened to the #2 buzz at the bottom. While she loved the style, it was the color that set it apart. It was mostly bleached platinum blonde except a few red stripes across the top of her head and a blue splotch in the front where her hair stood up. She would have to check with Heather and come up with a plan for upkeep, but she knew she wanted this girl to be her exclusive stylist going forward and if she had her way, the same would apply for Chloe as well.
Anber walked out of the bathroom to find Heather and Chloe in the kitchen at the sink, where Heather rinsed the dye out of Chloe’s hair. As they finished up, she helped Heather guide Chloe back to the chair.
“I love it!” Amber declared.
“Who? You or her?” Heather asked as she dried Chloe’s hair.
“Both!” Amber declared. “I knew what I was in for. You’ve truly out done yourself. But Chloe…” Amber paused, not wanting to give anything away. “You’ve exceeded expectations.”
“And we’re not even done yet.” Heather informed her.
Amber smiled at Heather as she thought about what else was in store.
“How much more is left?” Chloe looked up at both of them. “Surely, you’re not cutting more!” Chloe pleaded.
“Relax, Chlo, you’ve still got way more hair than me.” Amber smiled,
“That’s not exactly reassuring.” Chloe protested. “I can’t see how you look to know for sure, but I know how it looked, before you took my glasses.” She chuckled, “Heck, it was already pretty short before we even got here.”
Heather just smiled and said nothing. She was on a mission and a time crunch. She started to strategically place foils throughout Chole’s hair, applying the bleach where needed. Amber went outside, where the rest of the cheer squad had migrated.
The fact that Chloe could even joke about it was a surprise to her. The truth was she showed up terrified. While she was happy to have Amber as a friend and she had expected some version of this day, it didn’t make things easier. She found it strange that though she had already lost more hair than she planned and had seemly gone through a bigger transformation than she anticipated, she felt surprisingly good about it. In fact, she briefly thought that even if her hair DID end up as short as Amber’s, she’d be okay with it. The idea of very short hair didn’t terrify her, which in turn ended up kind of terrifying her.
NEW EXPECTATIONS
The sliding glass door opened and everyone looked towards it. Betty was on the lounger working on her tan. Anna was in the pool swimming laps, while Madison sat by the edge of the pool with her feet dangling in the water. Amber walked out and waved as she quickly joined the group. Off came her tank top and she shimmied out of her jeans to reveal the red and blue striped bandeau bikini top and matching side-tie thong bikini bottom.
“Wow, Amber, you look great.” Betty exclaimed.
“I’m stealing your girlfriend and keeping her for myself.” Amber joked, only half kidding. “She’s a miracle worker.”
“Oh, I know. I’m happy to share her, but she’s coming home with us.”
“I know. I know. But we’ll have to figure something out. I know ya’all are far, but it just might be worth making the trip for.”
“For a haircut?” Madison looked up at Amber, who was about to sit down next to her.
“Ah, this one. So innocent, so naïve… And such long hair…” Amber laughed. “We’ll see how Chloe feels when she’s done.”
“Madison, you should talk with some of the team when we get back.” Anna echoed. “And ask how they survived the summer without Heather available.”
Madison reached for her ponytail at the base and dragged her hand down to the tip. Clearly, there was a connection to Heather she was missing out on. This didn’t mean she’d suddenly cut her hair, but she’d have to figure something out.
Amber really wanted to go in the pool. It was calling her name. But she also knew she needed to protect her hair, at least for now. So, for now she’d have to be content with just dipping her feet in and living vicariously through Anna.
A short time later, the sliding glass door opened again and Heather bounded out.
“Um, so, Chloe’s sitting inside while her hair processes. She could probably use some company, but I needed a break, and she told me she would feel bad if she caused me to miss out on the fun.” Heather explained as she removed her shorts and dove into the pool.
“I’ll go.” Madison got up. She liked Chloe. She didn’t mind being inside, not to mention that she found Amber a bit intimidating so didn’t really want to sit next to her anyway. A minute later she was back inside. “Hey, Chloe. It’s Madison. How are doing?”
Chloe looked up in the general direction of Madison’s voice and smiled. “Hi, Madison. I guess I’m doing about as well as can be expected. I’m getting kind of anxious to see what I look like. I imagine it’s quite a bit different.”
“What I can see looks great.”
“I’m sorry.” Chloe continued, “You know, I don’t mind waiting. But I wish I had my glasses. I really am quite blind without them. I understand taking them off during this whole process, but I’d hope to get them back at some point.”
“Yeah, I don’t know about any of that. I don’t know where Amber put your glasses. But I’m here, so we can just talk if you want.” Madison pulled out a chair and sat next to Chloe. “Can I get you anything?”
“You mean, besides my glasses?” Chloe chuckled, “No, I’m good. Thanks. I must look like quite a sight.”
“You’re going to look so amazing when Heather is done though.” Madison confirmed. “She did a great job with Amber. Her hair is SOOO short now.”
“You mean like the rest of your team?” Chloe ribbed.
“Well, not quite. I mean, she still has SOME hair left.” Madison clarified.
“And me?” Chloe fished, “I imagine that mine is pretty short as well.”
“Um…” Madison wasn’t quite sure what she was supposed to say. “It’s definitely shorter. It’s hard to say exactly what it will look like, and I don’t know what else Heather has planned once she takes the foil out.”
“Can you keep a secret? And promise this never gets out. You’re the only one I would say this to.”
“Oh, um, okay… That’s a lot of pressure.” Madison was a bit taken aback.
“Can you do it?” Chloe insisted. “If not it’s okay, but I don’t mind telling you, otherwise.”
“I promise.” Madison replied confidently.
“I think if Heather had cut off all my hair, I think that I would have been okay… Don’t get me wrong, I’m just as happy that she didn’t and it’s definitely not what I want, but I think I would have been okay if she had. That’s something I never imagined that I could have survived.” Chloe confessed. “I was terrified to come here. I knew it was going to be shorter than I wanted. And I’m pretty sure it’s already even shorter than I expected, but I feel good. Maybe even excited. I’m really curious about the results since I’ve never done anything like this before. Not even close.”
“Short hair is amazing, and I think you’ll probably never look back.” Madison informed. “And I promise, your secret is safe with me. Thank you for telling me. I feel honored.”
“I think you’re probably right.” Chloe admitted. “Which makes what you’re doing all the more insane! I don’t think I fully understood the whole thing earlier when you were talking about it.”
“Yeah, I know…” Madison started. Then before she had the chance to say anything else, she was interrupted by the sound of the sliding glass door opening.
“Okay, Chloe, let’s get you finished.” Heather walked over to the two girls. “Thanks for allowing me a few minutes to jump in the pool. Madison, since you’re already here, do you mind helping out?”
“Sure, what do you need me to do?” Madison stood up, eager to be helpful.
“I need to get these foils out. Then we’ll rinse her hair one final time. After that, I’ll just do the final styling and then it’s time for the big reveal.” Heather turned to Chloe. “Congrats, we’re in the final stretch!”
“Thank God!” Chloe let out a sigh of relief. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m extremely grateful for all you’ve done, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this entire process. Much more than I expected or even thought possible, but it’s also been exhausting. I’m not used to being fawned over like this or this much attention.”
“I understand completely.” Heather smiled, as she unfolded the foils. There were only a few so it didn’t take long, but it was just enough to achieve the effort Heather was going for. Madison let a small but audible gasp as Chloe’s new style was revealed.
“That bad?” Chloe questioned.
“No, no, no… Not at all.” Madison answered in an almost trance-like state. Then she shook herself out of it. “Chole, this looks so amazing on you. You’re stunning. You’re going to love this so much.”
“Oh…” Chloe spoke softly, flattered but anxious.
Heather smiled, “Madison, would you get Amber and the others?” Heather picked up the scissors and made a few final snips around the edges as she examined how Chloe’s hair lay, once it had settled.
“Absolutely!” Madison bounded off and quickly exited through the sliding glass door to the backyard.
Heather reached for her tiny trimmer and quickly refined Chloe’s hair to make sure it fell exactly how she wanted. Just as Heather finished up, the sliding glass door opened and everyone made their way inside.
“Chloe!” Amber squealed and brought her hands up to her mouth. “I knew I was so right about you.”
“Wow, Chloe you’re stunning!”
“Chloe, you look great!”
“Heather, you’ve really outdone yourself.”
Chloe’s face turned red from embarrassment. “Hey, do I get to see? Where are my glasses?”
“Of course, you do.” Amber walked over to Chloe. “But you’re never wearing those glasses again.”
“I can’t see without them, though.” Chloe whined.
“That’s why you’ve got these.” Amber held out a small box in front of Chloe.
“Contacts?” Chloe asked.
“Trust me, you’ll agree once you see yourself. Also, this outfit will never work.” Amber reached down and unbuttoned the top few buttons of Chloe’s blouse. She stood back and examined Chloe, shaking her head. She looked back at the rest of the group. Then back at Chloe. She reached down and continued to unbutton more buttons.
“Hey!” Chloe shouted, desperately trying to keep herself covered up.
“Relax, Chloe. They’re just tits. We’ve all got ‘em.” Amber continued down Chloe’s shirt, who, for all her protests, did not really put up much of a fight. “Damn, even your bra is boring.” Amber declared as she pulled open Chloe’s shirt, exposing her beige bra. Amber went over to the bag that she had Chloe bring in and pulled something out. “Here, put this on.” Amber tossed something black towards Chloe.
Madison caught the shirt and then helped Chloe put on the black low scoop tank top. Betty then helped Chloe with the contacts. Although she no longer had any need for them, Betty had spent years wearing contacts and was an expert at putting them in. Chloe had never used them before, so it took a bit of practice, but she got there. As her eyes adjusted to being able to see again, the rest of the group came into focus.
“Hi!” Chloe smiled enthusiastically as she slowly stood up.
“Ready to see the new you?” Heather asked, pointing down the hall to the bathroom, where there was a full-length mirror that Chloe could use.
“Oh, yes. More than ready.” Chloe bounded down the hall, with Amber and Heather close behind. She was enthusiastic, despite her nerves and initial hesitation. She had already decided to be positive no matter what she looked like. As she reached the bathroom, she stopped and took a deep breath, before she opened the door and turned on the light.
Amber and Heather quietly stood in the hall just outside the bathroom, allowing Chloe time to process everything. They were greeted with silence that seemed to stretch on for minutes… Finally, just as Heather and Amber began to wonder if they needed to check on Chloe, they got their answer as a loud scream came from the bathroom. Amber and Heather both looked at each other before they bolted inside. Anna, Betty, and Madison heard the scream from the living room and also ran in its direction.
Chloe took a moment as the light flooded on. She stared at the person before her, this virtual stranger that she did not recognize. This person was the opposite of her in almost every conceivable way. She had bright, flaming red curly hair with accent blonde highlights, not the long, wavy light brown hair that Chloe was familiar with. Plus, it was short! Maybe not quite a pixie, but it seemed close. Most of her cheeks and ears were exposed. There was certainly no hiding behind her hair. If anything, it made her stick out. Also, this person had piercing bright hazel eyes. They were almost mesmerizing. She was jealous of this person.
Chloe let out a deep sigh, which the other person did as well. She looked a little closer. As she reached up and touched her hair, she watched the other person copy her. She looked down and noted that she had on the same black tank top as the other person. It was her. She was her! WOW! Never in a million years did she ever think she could look like THAT! Suddenly, she screamed as loud as she could and jumped up and down in excitement.
Chloe turned around as Amber and Heather bolted into the bathroom, with concerned looks on their faces. She stopped jumping and her giant smile faded.
“What’s wrong?”
“Is everything okay?”
Chloe leaped towards the duo with outstretched arms. Her smile returned as she hugged them both. “Absolutely nothing. It’s more than ‘okay’. It’s fantastic!” Chloe was positively giddy and began to giggle uncontrollably as she turned again to face the mirror. She stood between Amber and Heather with an arm around each one. “I can’t believe that’s ME! That person in the mirror! It’s me.” Chloe was overwhelmed, not sure how she should react.
Anna, Betty, and Madison reached the bathroom doorway. They all exhaled in relief seeing their new friend exude such positive energy. Chloe turned and saw the girls at the doorway and nodded them over.
“So, I take it you’re happy?”
“Happy? No, I’m ecstatic!” Chloe couldn’t contain herself. “This may be the best day of my life! These past few minutes are probably the best I’ve ever felt.” She turned and stared at herself in the mirror. “That’s me!” She giggled goofily, “That’s really ME! Isn’t it?”
“That’s you!” Heather confirmed. “So, not too short?”
“Oh, Heather!” Chloe reached down to hug the young barberette. “It’s perfect!” She turned to face the mirror again and jumped up and down as she continued playing with her hair. “I. LOVE. THIS. SO. MUCH!” She turned towards Amber, “I love ALL of this. Thank you. I will forever be indebted to you both.”
Amber smiled back, “My pleasure.”
“So, what you have is known as a bixie.” Heather began to explain. “It’s a combination of a bob and a pixie. This is not the style we originally discussed, and yes it did end up quite a bit shorter than originally planned, but I saw how your hair was reacting and thought this would suit you. You won’t be able to put the length back any time soon, but you still have a lot of other options available to you. Once I settled on this cut for you, I thought red would be a good choice of color for you. I knew you wanted to keep it a ‘natural” color. Then I added the blonde to help give it some variance and help highlight your face a bit more. Oh, and if you haven’t figured it out yet, your hair is more curly than wavy.
“Bixie?” Chloe smiled, “Bixie.” She stated more confidently. “It’s my new favorite word.” She turned back to the mirror and pushed up her hair. “And it’s not too short. I like it.” She turned and faced the entire group. “I really, really, like it. A LOT.” She turned towards Amber, “So, I’m a red head now.” Her smile grew bigger. “I like the sound of that.” She turned towards Heather, “Every decision you made was spot on. Everything is perfect. You have my lifelong trust and endorsement.”
“I’m glad this worked so well for you. I wish we could stay longer, but unfortunately, we do have to get to work soon.” Amber cut in. “We’ll give you a few minutes and then we’ll have to say our goodbyes.” Amber shuttered everyone else out of the bathroom so that Chloe could have another minute alone. The quintet headed back down the hallway and towards the living room. “I don’t know if you’ve already made dinner plans and I never wanted to monopolize your entire weekend, but –”
“Oh, we’ll be there.” Betty confirmed. “I’m not sure there’s any place any of us would rather be. There is one condition, though. We insist on paying.”
“Paying?” Amber asked.
“Last night, when I went to pay our bill, I was told it had already been taken care of. I assumed it was you. One of the reasons we left such a large tip.” Betty explained.
“Ah, well, I haven’t paid for Heather’s services yet.” Amber turned towards Heather, “So, how much for the new ‘dos? And if you don’t give me a legit number, I’m just going to overpay or over tip you anyway. But I guess if you decide to treat everyone to dinner, that’s on you.”
LET’S GO STREAKING
As the cheerleaders waved goodbye to Amber and Chloe, they began to clean up from the afternoon’s festivities.
“Heather?” Madison tapped Heather on the shoulder. “Um, Heather, before you put all of your stuff away, do you think I could use your services?”
“Absolutely!” Heather whipped around and pulled the chair out. “Take a seat. Inspired by our new friend? How much are we cutting off?” Heather replied, perhaps a bit too enthusiastically.
“Woah, woah…” Madison put her hands up. “I meant your OTHER service. I’m sorry, I’m still not ready to cut it off, but I am up for a change.”
“Sorry about that. But it’s no problem.” Heather apologized. “So, what did you have in mind?”
Madison let out a deep sigh as she sat down. Heather reached for her hair and pulled out Madison’s ponytail. She began stroking and finger-combing it.
“Well, no cutting. I’m still determined to keep growing it. If or when the time comes, I will certainly let you do it, but not yet. I was thinking that maybe I could do something else.” Madison explained. “I know that hair dye was big with the team, at least while they still had hair…”
“What color would you like?” Heather brushed out Madison’s hair, which reached just past her bikini strap. “I have to say, you do have nice hair. It’s a shame you always wear it up…”
“I know, but I just can’t stand it. Even now it’s making me twitch.” Madison remarked. “But maybe this will help. I want to add a teal streak, all through the length of my hair.” Madison held her fingers about an inch and a half apart, near her temple. “Can we start about here and go all the way down, with an option to add more over time?”
“We can definitely do that.” Heather nodded. “We should get started if you want this done before dinner.”
“Please,” Madison confirmed. “I want to be able to show Chloe. I have no idea what the long-term result will be, but I’m open.”
Heather wasted no time and got right to work. They would cut it close, but Heather should be able to finish Madison’s hair before they left for dinner. Once Heather told the other girls what they were doing, Betty and Anna quickly got on board. And once Amber found out, she would agree it was a worthy reason to delay their dinner as well. Heather used the color processing time to get ready, and everyone helped Madison get ready as quickly as possible once she was done. Before long, the quartet of cheerleaders got into the car and headed out to the restaurant they had become quite familiar with.
BURGER WITH A SIDE OF KNOCKOUT
The restaurant was crowded and there was a long wait. The girls were hungry but otherwise they didn’t mind. However, after a few minutes they were paged and shown a table, while the hostess apologized profusely for the confusion. The cheerleaders all sat down unsure of what confusion was, but they were thankful to have a table. A minute later Amber came over and explained it all.
“I just can’t even. Ya’all don’t wait. I told them tha’, but did they listen? Nooooo.” Amber huffed. “This group, or any combination of ya’all cheerleaders that shows up in the future… none of you wait. Ever.” Amber continued. “After what Heather did for Chloe and I… And all of ya in general are so wonderful. So, when ya come here, ya’all are royalty. Highest VIP status.”
“That’s really not necessary.” Betty objected. “We’re just like everyone else, nothing special.”
“Nonsense, Betty. It’s already done.” Amber insisted. “Mike’s adding it into the staff rules. Now, I already know that ya’all gonna refuse yer meal comps, but the apps, drinks, and dessert are half price. And that’s not even from me, not tha’ I would change it.”
“Thanks Amber,” Betty smiled, knowing it was better to just accept the generosity than to argue. “I’ll make sure the team always stops by here for a meal going forward. Not to take advantage, but to offer our support.”
“Just make sure that this one comes by regularly.” Amber nodded towards Heather. “She’s ya meal ticket. Now, I’ll give ya’all a few minutes to look things over and I’ll be back. I’m sure Chloe will want to stop by at some point as well, but that new look has gone over quite well, so she’s been extra busy.” Amber went off to deal with another table, while the girls explored their menus.
“Wow, that’s exciting.” Madison remarked, “I’ve never been a VIP before.”
“Me neither.” Anna echoed.
“Yeah, well, don’t take advantage… We all know who the REAL VIP is.” Betty nodded her head in Heather’s direction. “None of this would happen without her.”
“I-I, uh, I didn’t do anything special.” Heather turned red with embarrassment.
“You did, kiddo. You did.” Betty wrapped her arm around her girlfriend and pulled her closer. “And I love you even more for not realizing it.”
They took their time and enjoyed their meal. Most of the staff stopped by, as they wanted to meet the person who transformed Chloe. Some hoped Heather could work her magic on them. Heather was flattered but was uncomfortable with all the attention. They stayed late since Amber invited them to stay past close if they wanted to hang out. She hoped they would, she enjoyed their company and knew it would be a while before she got to see any of them again.
“It feels kinda weird, just sitting here while this place is closed and the staff is just trying to clean up and go home.” Madison pointed out.
“It does, but it’s only temporary.” Betty said. “We can go if you all want, but it will probably only be a couple more minutes. Besides, we haven’t seen Chloe yet.”
The girls had expected Chloe to stop by, but she was so busy she barely managed to keep up with everything. The staff was worried that the girls would be a distraction if Chloe knew they were there. Chloe would want to spend more time with them, so the staff helped to keep their presence a surprise for the end of the night. So, as the staff finished up and started to leave, Amber walked over with some beers. She put the tray onto the table as she sat down next to Betty and let out a deep sigh of utter exhaustion.
“Help yerself.” Amber encouraged, as she reached for a bottle of beer and took a deep gulp.
“Thanks. They’re all underage, but I’ll have one.” Betty explained as she reached for a bottle.
“Seriously! I’m almost 21 and it’s not like I’ve never had beer before!” Anna protested.
“Me too!” Madison chimed in.
“Well, You’re only 18, so definitely not. And Anna, you’re 20. You JUST turned 20. So, you’re closer to 20 than 21. Sorry, no.” Betty stood firm, even if she was uncomfortable being in this position.
“Sorry, Betty’s right. Can’t take that kind of responsibility. But feel free to help yerself to any other drinks you want.” Amber informed. “On the house, of course.”
Just then Chloe made her way over to the group. She couldn’t hold in her excitement upon seeing them. She had changed since she was at the house and now wore a black skirt and fishnets.
“Hey guys!” Chloe gasped. “I didn’t expect to see you.” She sat down next to Anna and grabbed one of the bottles of beer from the table. “Man, what a night!” She pulled out a giant wad of cash from her pocket and started to count it.
“Looks like it was worth it, though.” Amber noted.
“I’d say so!” Chloe looked up. “There’s at least three times normal, here.” She peeled off a few bills and slid them towards Heather, “I think it’s only fair you get some of this. After all you’re responsible.” She stretched her back awkwardly. Then she reached behind her, undid her bra, and slipped it off under her tank top. The rest of the table just looked at her. “What?”
“Nothing.” Amber cracked a smile.
“Relax, Amber. They’re just tits. We’ve all got ‘em.” Chloe started to laugh. Then everyone else joined in. “Ugh, I’ve been waiting all night to take that damn thing off.” She looked up at Amber. “You’re right Amber, my bra is boring. All my clothes are boring. My whole life, up until a few hours ago, was boring.” She looked over at everyone. “Not anymore. That represents the last vestige of my old life. This,” she gestured to her body, “is a new beginning for a new me.”
“Chloe, nobody could see your bra or know what it looks like.” Betty pointed out.
“But I knew. I knew, and that’s all that mattered.” Chloe explained. “I would have rather gone without then keep wearing it, but I knew I had no choice.”
“Your tips might have quadrupled, if you had taken it off.” Anna half joked.
“I wish I knew that.” Amber said, “Not that I could have helped much more, since I already let you be partially out of uniform.”
“I know, and I appreciate that. I promise I’ll go back to the T shirt from now on. I’m done with those pants though. I’m sticking with the skirt and fishnets.”
“And these?” Amber tossed Chloe’s glasses onto the table.
“Ugh, I’m done with those.” Chloe turned away with disgust. “I never want those near my face ever again. Contacts all the way for this gal.”
Amber took the glasses away and pulled out another box with spare contacts. “We’ll probably need to get you more, but at least this will get you started.”
“I suppose I may need a pair of glasses just for emergencies, but definitely not those. I need something that suits me better.” Chloe smiled. She had always been practical and never cared much about how she looked or how others saw her, but suddenly she found that was all that mattered. She took another swig of her beer.
“You could always get LASIK, like I did.” Betty offered. “Then you wouldn’t even need contacts.”
Chloe gazed off, as if deep in thought. After a moment of reflection, “That’s definitely something to consider. Probably not right away though.”
“You’ve certainly adjusted quickly.” Anna complimented her.
“Well, in a way, I’ve had some time. I’ve known this was coming. Amber and I have been friends for months. From the day we met she’s been after me to make changes. I was resistant at first, but eventually I agreed. I didn’t know when and I didn’t know what would happen, but I sensed things were coming and I knew it would all happen at once. Honestly, the biggest adjustment has been my hair.” Chloe ran her hands through her new curly bixie. She still had to get used to how quickly her hands ran through her hair. “It’s been the best part, though.”
“I know I was the catalyst for everything. Though, I wasn’t sure how you’d react or how far to push you.” Amber pointed out.
“I know. If I knew this was how it would end up, I probably would have freaked out and resisted everything.” Chloe confessed. “Now, I’m so glad you did this and I’m open to all options going forward. Heather, I want you in charge of my hair going forward. Whatever you say, is what I want.”
“She’s used to that. You’re not the first person to feel that way.” Betty chimed in.
“I’m sure, but I really mean it. If you tell me my best look is bald, I’ll hand you the clippers.” Chloe paused, “but please, can we wait a bit first? That way, I can enjoy my bixie.”
“Is that what you want?” Amber inquired. Even Amber wasn’t sure how she’d feel about having no hair.
“Isn’t this a big enough change already?” Chloe smiled as she played with her new locks. “I do love it though.” She chuckled. “Wanna hear something crazy? And I promise that I am speaking the truth. I never want my hair to touch my shoulders again. In fact, I’m not sure you’ll ever see it much longer than it is now.” She grinned as she explained. “Not that long ago, I only wanted to cut it to my shoulders. The irony isn’t lost on me. But I really love this.”
“I’m glad you’re happy.” Heather really didn’t know what else she should say.
“I’d be even happier if you weren’t so far away.” Chloe admitted. “I guess how long it gets and what the future holds, depends a lot on you.”
“Alright, I’ve already said it multiple times… We’ll try to get Heather up here more but remember she’s very busy. She runs the barbershop on campus, she’s a vital member of our cheer team, and she’s still a full-time college student!” Betty loved how popular and well respected her girlfriend had become but also felt the need to defend and protect her on when it seemed she was being stretched too thin. “I guarantee you, if you can make an effort to come visit her, we will make every accommodation to fit you in.”
“Heather is absolutely worth the drive.” Amber and Chloe both looked at each other. Then over at Heather. “We’ll try to figure out a schedule.”
“Heather, is that good with you?” Betty asked.
“I’m just glad everyone is happy.” Heather answered.
“I love this girl!” Chloe exclaimed. She glanced at her watch. “Wow, I can’t believe how late it is. I don’t even feel tired. I am so wired. This was such an amazing day.”
“You up for another one tomorrow?” Amber asked.
“Why? What’s happening tomorrow?” Chloe responded. “I’m supposed to be here most of the day.”
“Not anymore.” Amber informed, “I cleared both our schedules.”
“Okay…” Chloe wasn’t sure where this was going yet.
“What’s in your wardrobe? What’s in your closet? Do you have any clothes that you can wear?” Amber glanced at Chloe’s bra, which was still on the table, for emphasis.
“No.” Chloe answered frankly, then followed Amber’s gaze. She stared at her bra for half a minute, then looked back up at Amber with a huge grin on her face. “Shopping Spree?”
“I think it will go much better now, then if I suggested it a few weeks ago.” Amber confirmed.
“Or even yesterday.” Chloe agreed.
“Oh, I almost forgot!” Madison had been quiet for a while. “I have to show you something!” She reached up and slid her hand down her ponytail. Then she leaned forward and turned her head to the side, so she could show off the teal streak, that ran down her hair.
“Wow, Madison, that looks great!” Chloe exclaimed.
“I know it’s not a big cut or any kind of major change like you went through, but you still inspired me.”
“I’m honored.” Chloe felt overcome and reached over Anna as she tried to hug Madison.
The group chatted for a bit longer before they finally said goodbye. Amber and Chloe got into Amber’s car and headed off while the cheerleaders all got into their car and headed back to the cottage. Then they all retreated to their respective bedrooms for the night.
ONE FINAL SURPRISE
The next morning Madison was up early and made breakfast for everyone. She was grateful to have been included on the trip, so she felt this was a small way to give back and show her appreciation. After breakfast they all headed into the backyard for one final swim. Everyone got in the pool. While Madison still resisted, Anna said Madison couldn’t go the entire trip without swimming in the pool once. Heather made sure to tell Madison that her hair would be fine. Heather also mentioned that if Madison had plans to keep up the teal streak in her hair, that she had better take advantage of this opportunity. That did the trick. Madison dove in and enjoyed the time with her teammates without thinking about her hair.
It was late afternoon, and the girls were packing up as they prepared for the trip back to the cheer house. Then there was a knock on the door. Anna answered, since she was closest. They weren’t expecting anyone, but Anna was thrilled by the surprise guests at the door.
“I know ya’all are headed back soon and I promise not to take up much of your time, but someone insisted on stopping by in case you hadn’t left yet.” Amber declared.
Anna stepped aside as Amber and Chloe made their way inside.
“Hey ladies! We have company!” Anna shouted to grab the attention of the rest of the girls.
