wozziewoo
When we last left our cheerleaders, Melissa had just taken a bad fall. Her status and the fate of the rest of the team in the competition is highly doubtful. How will they all deal with this unexpected turn of events?
For a refresher of what happened last time check here:
Now that you’re caught up:
EVERYTHING WILL BE OK
It was late, but that didn’t stop the team from gathering around the living room. They were mostly silent. No one wanted to leave as they were all waiting around for news on their teammate, Melissa. Earlier, the team had been at the gym practicing for their competition and Melissa took a really nasty fall. She was carted off on a stretcher and taken to the hospital. The entire team was shaken and showed genuine concern for their teammate. Finally, around 2am, their coach Emma entered the room.
“Alright, I just got off the phone with Jackie.” Emma sighed as she composed herself. “It’s not good. She sprained her ankle and fractured her arm in three places. She’s scheduled for surgery in the morning. Coach Jackie is staying with her for as long as she can.”
Everyone was stunned by the news. Many of the girls hugged each other and fought to hold back tears. Others didn’t hold back and started to cry. Almost all had a genuine concern for Melissa’s wellbeing.
“I’ll be headed over in the morning to check on Melissa and drop off a bag of supplies and a change of clothes for Jackie. Of course, I will send along all well wishes from the team. Melissa will be fine in the long run, but she’s got a long road of recovery ahead of her, and obviously, she’s out for our competition.” Emma sighed as she turned into coach mode. “In case there was any doubt, all practice and cheer activities are on hold for now. We’ll take a day or two and then reconvene, to decide how to proceed. I’m sure Melissa would want us to continue and she’s irreplaceable, but we’ll try. Now, it’s late and I have nothing else to add. Please, go get some sleep. And take care of yourselves. We don’t need any more injuries.”
Everyone was slow to disperse. They were all shocked by the news and concerned for Melissa. Kathy and Anna were last to leave. After a few minutes of sitting in silence, Kathy got up and sat next to Anna. After another moment Kathy broke the silence.
“It’s my fault.” Kathy muttered. “I got distracted at the wrong time.”
Anna turned towards Kathy, with a puzzled look on her face.
“We took a short break, like not even 30 seconds. Then Tim and Melissa started the routine again. I helped Melissa get started, but she was slightly off balance. I should have been there to help but I wasn’t paying attention and Tim could only do so much. I wasn’t where I was supposed to be and now Melissa’s in the hospital.” Kathy began to cry. “She’s my best friend on this team, she’s been so amazing to me, and I let her down! I’m a horrible friend.”
Ever since the accident, Anna had blamed herself for Melissa’s fall, so she sympathized with Kathy. “No, Kathy, it’s not your fault. I came up with a routine that was way too ambitious, and I put too much pressure on all of you. Believe me, I blame myself just as much, if not more than you do.” She stood up, and guided Kathy up with her. “But Emma’s right. It’s late and we can’t do anything right now. Let’s try to get some sleep.”
Both girls made their way out of the living room and headed upstairs and into their respective bedrooms. It had been a long night, and it would be a rough few days as well.
MOVING ON
The next morning, Heather and Tabitha got up early and went for a run. They missed Melissa, but they continued on. Just as they finished the run, they met Emma outside the barbershop. Emma was about to leave for the hospital. She hoped to get to see Melissa before her surgery and wanted to send her well wishes from the team.
There was very low energy around the cheer house and barbershop that day. Everyone was thinking about Melissa. They all wanted her back and wondered what it meant for the competition. Melissa’s well-being was obviously much more important, but the competition mattered as well.
Tim and Tate made an early visit to check in with their girlfriends, Jenny and Jessie. The boys did not go back to the house the previous night, so they were updated on Melissa’s status. Tim felt guilty about his involvement in the accident and professed his sorrow for what happened.
About the only person who showed a lack of concern was Franklin, which everyone noticed and found odd. Melissa was supposedly his girlfriend, and even though she took a very bad fall and was in the hospital, he seemed to not care. He was in the gym when it happened and didn’t even acknowledge her once.
Melissa stayed in the hospital for three days. Jackie was by her side the entire time. Besides the initial visit, Emma stopped by twice more to check on her and give Jackie a short relief. Finally, Melissa was discharged, but it would not be easy, and she had a long road to recovery ahead of her.
The entire team gathered in the living room. The room grew silent as they heard the front door open. After a few moments, Melissa hobbled her way into the room. Her left arm was in a cast from the wrist to the shoulder and hung in a sling. Her right foot was heavily bandaged and in a boot. She used a cane to help steady herself, so that she could walk without putting too much pressure on her foot. Everybody applauded, as they were happy to see Melissa again. As she stepped into the room a little further, she made her way over to a chair and sat down. Janie pulled up a chair for Melissa to rest her foot on. Coach Jackie followed in right behind.
The team gathered around Melissa, who was overwhelmed by the attention. Melissa wanted to rest, but she seemed to be in good spirits. There were two things on her mind, and she wasn’t sure which one mattered more… The first thing was sleep, and the other one was –
“Heather!” Melissa shouted as she looked around.
“Any time you’re ready!” Heather shouted back, already knowing what Melissa wanted.
“Now?” Melissa pleaded.
“Can I get in on that, too?” Coach Jackie inquired. “No rush, but I could really use a touch up…” Jackie brushed her hand through her unruly hair. She couldn’t believe how dedicated she had become to the upkeep of her hair, but also how impressed she was with how well it held up after multiple days without a shower or any other care.
“Of course!” Heather responded.
“Um, I’m gonna join you.” Kathy informed Melissa. Melissa was going to need a lot of help and assistance over the coming weeks, and Kathy aimed to always be available for her friend as much as she was able.
Heather, Kathy and Melissa made their way out of the living room and over to the barbershop. It was slow going but Heather went ahead a bit so she could set up, while Kathy helped Melissa down the path.
“Melissa, I’m so sorry this happened to you.” Kathy began. “I wish I could do more. I feel so guilty.”
“You shouldn’t feel guilty, Kathy, it’s not your fault. Accidents happen.” Melissa reassured her friend.
“Well, if I had been more attentive…” Kathy trailed off. “Anyway, I’ve got a surprise for you.” Kathy smiled as they reached the barbershop. “But I’m not telling you what it is yet.” The pair walked into the shop and headed towards the back room.
A NEW PLAN
Emma, Jackie, and Anna headed to the barbershop shortly after the other trio. But they went to Emma’s office, which was located on the second floor of the converted coach’s cottage. Emma offered her bed and shower for Jackie to clean up and crash for a bit, which she happily agreed to, but first they needed to have a meeting to discuss the status of the team.
“So, obviously, we need to fill Melissa’s spot on the team. Any thoughts?” Emma began as they all sat down. “Anna, do you think Candice is a candidate?”
“I have no idea. I can talk with Jenny and we can discuss it. I have no idea, if she has any interest or um, ability.” Anna whispered that last word.
“I suppose coaches aren’t able to fill in?” Jackie chuckled, only half joking.
“You just want to be able to put on the new uniform.” Emma retorted.
“They’re so amazing! I would have killed for a uniform like that when I was on the team.” Jackie admitted.
“I know, I agree.” Emma nodded.
“At least you got to wear it.”
“Once!”
“Hey! Focus.” Anna interrupted. “You two can get into all that later.”
“Sorry,” both coaches said in unison.
“Anyway, we might actually have two spots to fill.” Anna continued. “I’m not sure Franklin’s the best fit for us anymore…”
“Why? What else happened?”
“A lot of the girls don’t like him, and he’s been giving off bad vibes.” Anna explained.
“Melissa’s boyfriend?” Jackie questioned.
“We don’t think he treats her very right. You may not have noticed, but when Melissa fell, he didn’t even come over. He hasn’t inquired or checked on her at all. Tim and Tate came over to talk with Jenny and Jessie early the next morning, but Franklin has yet to acknowledge that anything happened. HE WAS THERE! Does he even care about her?!”
“I hadn’t noticed… I was too focused on Melissa. That is disturbing, though.” Jackie admitted.
“What does Melissa think about all that?” Emma asked.
“We haven’t really talked with her about it yet.” Anna replied. “A few of us hope to discuss it with her later today.”
“Thanks for letting us know.” Emma answered. “Let’s try to get this figured out. I want to get back to practice by the end of the week. Even with everything that happened, time marches on…”
A BIG SURPRISE
Heather was finishing up Melissa’s shave. She made sure to take her time and let Melissa really enjoy it. Melissa had been through a lot, and this was a small thing Heather could do to try to make things a little better for her.
“Okay, time to switch.” Kathy came over to Melissa and helped her up and over to the chair that had been placed in the room. “It’s time for your surprise.” Kathy declared as she headed back to the chair and sat down.
“What surprise?” Melissa asked. “Can’t I just go back to the house? I really need a nap… I’m exhausted.”
“Nope, not yet.” Kathy turned towards Melissa and smiled. “Not until after Heather’s done shaving my head!”
“Huh? I must be more out of it than I thought… I swear I just heard you say you were shaving your head.” Melissa tried and failed to stand up on her own.
“You did. And I am!” Kathy confirmed, “Surprise!”
“But why?” Melissa asked as she slumped back into her chair. “I thought you were determined to grow it long again. ‘Never again,’ you told me.”
“Your friendship is more important to me than my hair. It’s my fault that this happened. It’s not much, but I hope it’s something.” Kathy smiled.
“Oh, Kathy! It’s everything! Our friendship is important to me as well, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything, but what happened isn’t your fault. I don’t blame you. I’ll be okay. Please don’t feel you have to do this.” Melissa pleaded.
“Are you actually trying to talk me out of this?” Kathy laughed. “Don’t. I’ve already decided.” She sighed. “What if I told you that my mind is already made up. I’m doing this regardless of what you say, but I REALLY hoped that my best friend would support me.”
“Oh, Kathy! Of course, I support you!” Melissa smiled. “I wish I could come over and hold your hand.” Melissa shifted in her chair, as she tried to make herself more comfortable.
“It’s okay, I appreciate the offer, but I’m fine.” Kathy assured her friend. “Plus, I haven’t even told you the best part yet! This isn’t a one-time deal. This will become a daily shave at least until we get back from the competition. No matter what!”
Melissa gasped. “Really? That’s amazing!” She perked up and suddenly all her pain vanished. “Wait… at least? What happens after the competition?”
“I don’t know yet.” Kathy played it coy with a sneaky smile on her face. “But I’m open minded.” She winked. Things certainly were different this time around.
“I didn’t realize THAT was the best part.” Heather chimed in. “So, how are we doing this?” Heather combed through Kathy’s nearly shoulder length hair.
“It’s up to Melissa.” Kathy had made peace with her decision and was ready for whatever was in store.
“Oh, I don’t know Kathy.” Melissa thought for a moment, “Can it be donated? Kathy’s hair isn’t much shorter than mine was when I cut it. It’s the one thing I wish I did differently… but if I had thought about it too much, I may not have gone through with it.”
“It will be close. But we’re shaving it off anyway… So, if I tie enough bunches and cut it off close to the scalp, we should just about make it.” Heather noted as she headed to the counter and grabbed a pile of rubber bands.
“I want Kathy to make the first cut!” Melissa smiled broadly.
“Only, if you make the second!” Kathy smiled back.
“I – I –” Melissa’s smile faded.
“I’ll help you up and support you.” Heather assured Melissa. “I’ll prep her hair and then help you over so you can do the cut. Or shave.”
“Alright.” Melissa smiled. “Thanks Heather.”
“Awesome!” Kathy was excited. “Enough talk, then. Let’s get this done! Time for my hair to go!” She laughed. She couldn’t believe how well she was handling this, but she really did care for Melissa and felt bad about what she was going through. Her hair was a small sacrifice to make.
Heather got to work tying Kathy’s hair. The three of them had all been in a similar situation before. At least this time, it was much more positive.
“I can’t believe you’re actually doing this!” Melissa shrieked in delight. “And that you might want to keep it up long term. Willingly!”
“Well, I didn’t exactly say that…” Kathy wanted to tread carefully. She still wanted her hair back, eventually, but was also determined not to disappoint or upset Melissa.
“But you did say that you would do this through the competition, and then you’d be open minded afterwards. That means you’re not thinking about growing it back, and you’d consider keeping it shaved. At least for a bit longer.” Melissa pointed out.
“True.” Kathy admitted. “Probably not forever. But Mel, can we just enjoy this for now? You won’t hear any arguments from me and I’m being much more positive about the overall experience, but let’s see how things go…”
“We could be twins!” Melissa was getting so excited. She knew she and Kathy were vastly different, still they had gotten so close and they really had become close friends. If they shared their bald heads as well… she couldn’t think of anything better.
Kathy looked desperately at Heather, hoping for some kind of assistance. Heather was silently laughing at the entire exchange. She was almost done prepping Kathy’s hair.
“You know Kathy’s not the only one.” Heather finally said, hoping Kathy would take over from there and get off the current topic.
“Kathy’s not the only one what?” Melissa perked up.
“Shaving my head.” Kathy replied. “The entire team is doing it.” While it wasn’t a total topic change, Kathy hoped it could be enough to steer the conversation away from just her.
“The entire team is shaving their heads?” Melissa questioned, “Again?”
“Yup. Even Tim and Tate.” Kathy confirmed. “We’re all doing it for you. We’re a team and support each other.”
“But… Everyone?” Melissa emphasized.
“Everyone but Madison. She was willing to consider it and we all talked about it, but it was decided she should keep her hair. We thought you’d be okay with that, since we thought you might actually be upset if she shaved her head.” Kathy detailed. “If that’s wrong though, talk to Madison, she may be receptive.”
“No, that was a good call. I’d feel bad if she gave up her mission. She’s working towards something.” Melissa grinned. She loved her teammates. “Although, I won’t be able to help much with her hair anymore.”
“She’s aware and that was a factor, but she’s embraced her long hair. She has been wearing it down more and while she figures out other options. I’ll help her on occasion, if needed. Not all of the other shaves will happen right away. But before we leave for the competition, we’ll all be bald.” Kathy confirmed.
“Tabitha and I took your aerodynamic idea and expanded on it.” Heather added. “Now, we’ll all be more aerodynamic, instead of just the flyers. Obviously, we don’t expect you to come on our runs, but we hope you’ll join us again once you heal.” She finished tying off the last of Kathy’s hair. “Okay, it’s time.”
“I’m excited!” Kathy let slip out without even thinking about it.
“Well, that’s good to hear. I believe the first cut is yours.” Heather handed her clippers to Kathy, while she made her way over to help Melissa out of the chair.
Kathy suddenly froze. There was no doubt that she wanted her head shaved. What began as a tribute and a thought she convinced herself was a good idea. Then the whole team got involved and she realized she couldn’t back out. As the time passed, she realized she didn’t want to back out. When Melissa arrived back at the house and wanted to head to the barbershop, Kathy wanted to be there for her friend. She knew the plan, but it didn’t have a timetable. She even gave herself an out as they first reached the barbershop. However, as she sat there while Melissa got her head shaved, she knew it was time. She wasn’t leaving Heather’s back room until it was done. Kathy no longer wanted her hair.
Now, as she sat in the chair with clippers in her hand, the moment of truth had arrived. She reached up and grabbed one of the tiny ponytails on the top of her head. She took a deep breath and turned the clippers on. A wry smile appeared across her face. Without further hesitation she placed the clippers at her scalp right by the clump of hair in her other hand and quickly swiped back. “Hey Mel, did you doubt how serious I was?” She handed the detached hair to her friend and quickly did it again.
“Wow, Kathy. You’re better at this then I was!” Melissa was excited for her friend and hoped it was a sign of things to come. Nothing would make her happier than having Kathy feel the same way as she did. But even if that didn’t happen, she would enjoy the next couple of months.
“Your turn.” Kathy would have happily kept going but ‘promised’ her friend a go with the clippers. Kathy didn’t want Melissa to have gone to the trouble of getting up for nothing.
“How many should I cut?” Melissa handed the tiny sprigs of hair to Heather.
“As many as you want!” Kathy wanted Melissa to enjoy the process as much as she suddenly was.
“We can alternate!” Melissa declared as she severed her first ponytail from the back of Kathy’s head.
“I love that idea! But I already did two, so you have to catch up!” Kathy exclaimed.
“Already done.” Melissa giggled as she handed more locks to Heather. She then buzzed off another for good measure. “Now I’m one up on you.” Melissa handed the clippers back to Kathy.
“Oh, I see how it is…” Kathy took the clippers and buzzed off more of her hair like it was nothing. After a few more swipes she handed the clippers back to Melissa.
Suddenly it was a game, with Kathy and Melissa taking turns cutting off Kathy’s hair. Heather just stood watching and collecting the hair, while she continued to help support Melissa. The two girls were giggling and laughing the entire time. Heather was happy that things seemed to be going much better than the last time they gathered to shave Kathy’s head.
“Hey Heather, you wanna get in on this?” Kathy stopped laughing for a moment. “I look absolutely ridiculous right now, so I hope you’ll be able to clean this up.” Kathy had just a few ponytails popping out of her head with a bunch of random hairs still sticking out.
“I was just waiting for you girls to finish. It looked like you were having fun.” Heather replied.
“We were!” Both Melissa and Kathy giggled.
While Kathy helped steady Melissa, Heather went to the counter to put down all of Kathy’s hair. Then she went back and helped Melissa back to her chair. Heather returned to Kathy, took the clippers from her, and unceremoniously removed the remaining hair from Kathy’s scalp. Then she brought them over to the counter to join the rest of Kathy’s hair. Kathy caught a quick glance in the mirror and turned towards Melissa, with a giant smile plastered across her face.
“Well, it took you a while but looks like you’re finally embracing the bald look.” Melissa commented.
“I’m not sure ‘embrace’ is the right word.” Kathy postulated, “and I’m not quite bald…” Kathy turned back to face forward as Heather placed her foam-covered hands on her head and began to massage her scalp. “Yet!”
“Oh, Kathy. It’s only a matter of time.” Melissa laughed. “And you’re gonna look sooooo good.”
Heather reached for the razor and began to remove the cream from Kathy’s head, along with any traces of hair. “It’s not the first time you’ve been bald.”
“This time is gonna be different though.” Melissa was enjoying this so much, it almost made her forget about the immense pain she was in.
“We’ll see.” Kathy was trying not to over
commit and lower Melissa’s expectations but also felt she was probably right.
“Now remember, there will be a second pass.” Heather stated as she finished up her first go round.
“I remember.” Kathy nodded carefully. She was good with everything that has happened so far. She still had memories of the first time her head was shaved, although she would rather forget. She sensed this time around would be much more positive and hoped to replace that previous experience with the current one.
“You can even have a third pass if you want one!” Melissa showed her excitement for her friend.
“I think two will suffice. We’ll be doing this every day, remember?”
“How could I forget?” Melissa cheered. “So, the entire team is really gonna do this too?”
“Mmhmm. Most didn’t even hesitate.” Kathy nodded.
“Wow. Franklin too?” Melissa chirped.
“Um…” Kathy and Heather both looked at each other, unsure of what to say. “Actually…”
“We haven’t heard from Franklin in days.” Heather tried to break the news carefully. “I was in the air when you fell, but as soon as I came down, I ran over to you along with the rest of the team. But Franklin wasn’t there.”
“He wasn’t?” Suddenly, Melissa’s tone changed. “He –”
“Yeah, and honestly Mel, some of us are getting a bit concerned.” Kathy got serious. “We don’t think he’s a good person and definitely not the right guy for you.”
“Don’t say that! I love him.” Melissa got very defensive. “I know our relationship is a little unconventional, but –”
“Now isn’t the time for the negative talk.” Kathy was trying to keep the positive energy flowing. She didn’t want any negative thoughts to ruin her moment. “Hey, Melissa,” she tried to change the subject, “guess what?”
“What?” Melissa was still on alert.
“I’m bald!” Kathy turned towards her friend with a huge smile on her face. She would have faked it for the benefit of Melissa, but she didn’t need to. Weirdly, it felt totally natural.
“I know!” Melissa got excited again. “Isn’t it amazing?”
“It is,” Kathy nodded, surprising herself a little. She was excited for Heather to finish so she could feel it. Luckily, she didn’t have to wait much longer.
“Okay, Kathy.” Heather began as she reached for the towel and began to wipe her head down. “Just one more step and we’re done.” She put the towel down and sprayed the oil onto Kathy’s smooth head. After a quick buff it was shiny and smooth.
Kathy stared at the new image looking back at her in the mirror, then she slowly got up and headed towards Melissa. She knelt down in front of her and leaned her head forward. Melissa reached her hand out and rubbed Kathy’s head. This caused Kathy to purr in delight. Melissa giggled at the response.
“Keeper?” Melissa smiled at her friend.
“Maybe…” Kathy grinned back, shrugging her shoulders.
ROUND TWO
“Believe it or not, I got out of the shower not even ten minutes ago.” Jackie smiled as she shuffled into the back room. Heather was cleaning up after Melissa’s and Kathy’s shaves. “After that, I put on some clothes and came down here.” Jackie wore a white razorback tank top and dark blue athletic shorts. Her flip flops dangled from her feet as she sat down and stifled a yawn. “I didn’t even need to do anything to my hair. It’s already completely dry and perfectly styled.” She smiled as she admired herself in the mirror. “I look like hell, but I LOVE this hair.”
“I’m glad you’re happy.” Heather finished sweeping. “I wasn’t sure if I’d be seeing you today or not.”
“Of course!” Jackie responded. “I’m utterly exhausted and Emma was gracious enough to offer her bed for a nap, but I had to stop by and see you first.” She yawned, “Ugh, sorry, but I’ll definitely be headed back up there after I’m done here.”
“I just saw you, though. What were you looking for?”
“So, now I’m stopping by too often. That certainly is a switch.” Jackie laughed. “Heather, I was originally planning on stopping by a few days ago, after practice. But then everything happened with Melissa, and well…” Jackie ran her hand through her hair, and chuckled. “Man, I still can’t believe this.” She paused for a moment. “Gotta keep it fresh. It certainly holds up well, though. So just a recolor, then? I love the overall look, but maybe a bit brighter… Bolder.”
“So, no cut? Just color?” Heather clarified as she began to gather the color supplies.
“Unless you think it needs it?” Jackie looked at herself in the mirror and slowly turned her head. “You know what? Clean up the edges a bit.” She smirked, “Funny how quickly things change.”
“How so?”
“Well, when my hair used to be long, I’d always avoid the hair salon. I’d only go a few times a year. I’d take good care of it, and it was always in excellent condition… I just hated getting it cut… And a barbershop? Yeah, you wouldn’t catch me anywhere near one of those.” Jackie chuckled. “Now, though?” She quickly ran both hands through her hair, as Heather came over with the color solution. “It’s only been about two months since I got this cut, and I’ve been here how many times?” Jackie brought her hands down as Heather started to apply the color to her hair. “I swear, I go more than a few days and I feel scraggly. Don’t get me wrong, I love the cut and have no intention of growing it again, but I sure am here a lot.”
“Is that a bad thing?” Heather continued to paint Jackie’s hair.
“No, not at all. That’s kinda my point though… And it took a perfect storm of events to get here. Just think, if I had never come back for homecoming or visited you guys during the competition last year.”
“Or if I voted differently.” Heather began to understand what Jackie alluded to. “But that picture was there for a reason, and you had multiple chances to back out, but you insisted.”
“Can I say that’s probably the best decision I ever made?” Jackie grinned, totally content with where recent decisions had led her. Heather finished applying the color solution to Jackie’s hair, and they both waited while it set.
“Melissa seems to be handling everything well.”
“Yeah, I know she’s devastated, but her spirits are high. Nothing seems to break her. Well, besides a few bones anyway…”
“Last year her hair almost did.”
“Almost, and she’s made quite the turn around since then.” Jackie pointed out. “I still can’t believe she shaved her head. The whole team, really.” Jackie smirked, “Only on this team, could I have hair like this, and it still seems long.”
“Well, we’re doing it again. We decided that since Melissa became such a huge fan and advocate, we’d all do it in honor of her. Even the guys. I just got done with Kathy right before you got here.”
“Kathy? Really?” Jackie was shocked. “Wasn’t she like so against it last year when she dropped out of her other school?”
“Yup.” Heather nodded in agreement. “It was actually her idea. The rest of the team was quick to agree. Even Madison considered it. We all told her not to though.”
“Well, I’ve come this far and I fully support Melissa and the team, but I hope she understands that’s not a step I can take, not right now.” Jackie mentioned.
“I’m sure she does.”
“So, Heather… what’s your opinion on Franklin?” Jackie fished.
“He’s, ah, well… I know some of the other girls have issues with him, but I’m not one of them. We were partners together all last year during the competition and this year as well. He’s been an amazing support for me.” Heather gushed, “but I might be unique. I don’t have anything negative to say about him.”
“So, he didn’t run off when Melissa fell?”
“I don’t know what he did. I was in the air when Melissa fell. As soon as I landed, I ran over with everyone else. I haven’t seen or talked with him since…” Heather admitted. “I know Melissa is really into him, I would hope he feels the same, but I can’t say for sure.”
“Interesting…” Jackie mused. “Would you be upset if he wasn’t around anymore?”
“He’s not around much as it is. It’s only at practice anyway. I just want us to do as well as possible in our competition.” Heather admitted.
“Good to know. Thanks Heather.” Jackie yawned. “Ugh, I’m so tired. I was happy to stay with Melissa, and the hospital tried to accommodate me as best they could, but I really need some sleep. Emma’s bed is calling to me.”
“Well, your hair should be almost done processing.” Heather noted. “Just a few more minutes and we can rinse it out.”
“Sounds perfect.” Jackie smiled.
INTERVENTION
“He’s my boyfriend and I love him!” Melissa declared.
“Does he love you?” Anna asked the question that needed to be answered.
Half the team was gathered in the living room, where there was an intervention of sorts. Some had expressed concern about Franklin and how he treated Melissa. There was no question he was a strong and powerful teammate. However, everyone agreed that Melissa’s wellbeing was more important than anything else. That was why Anna, Betty, Kathy, Janie, Jenny and Jessie were all gathered with Melissa to discuss the situation.
“Of course he does! How could you even suggest that?” Melissa pleaded. “I know our relationship is unconventional, but it works for us.”
Kathy sat down next to Melissa. “But where has he been? Have you heard from him at all?” Kathy reached out and held Melissa closely. “Mel, we all support you and only want what is best for you. If you truly are happy and this is what you want, then fine, we’ll all get behind you and I’ll be your biggest advocate. But please make sure.”
“I’m – I’m – I’m… sure?” Melissa was confident in her feelings for Franklin, but the conviction had left her voice.
“Melissa, if you have ANY doubt, then you owe it to yourself to find out.” Anna sat on the other side of Melissa. “Just say the word and he’s gone from this team.”
“No, don’t do that!” Melissa exclaimed. “You need him.”
“Tim and Tate are still here.” Jenny reminded her, “And they actually care about your wellbeing.”
“Yeah, Lis. The morning after your fall, they were both here super early in the morning to ask about you.” Jessie added. “And when we all decided to shave our heads again to support you and cheer you up, they didn’t hesitate. And Kathy, you look GREAT, by the way.”
“Thanks.” Kathy blushed and smiled, as her hand grazed her freshly shaved head. “It feels great, too. Much better than I was expecting.” She turned back towards Melissa, “But please, just be open. Make sure Franklin is really as great as you think he is.”
“Franklin can be replaced.” Anna echoed, “You’re proving to be much harder.”
“I’m sorry,” Melissa lowered her head. “I can’t believe I was so careless.”
“Melissa, none of this is on you.” Betty consoled. “We just want to make sure you’re well taken care of.”
“I’m fine.” Melissa looked down at her present condition. “Well, at least as fine as I can be expected to be.” Melissa struggled to get up. “We’ll settle this right now. I’m gonna go visit him now and put this all to rest.” She hobbled up, steadied herself, and then slowly headed to the door.
“Wait, I’ll come with you!” Kathy got up and followed close behind. Kathy wanted to be there for moral support in case things didn’t go as well as Melissa hoped.
IT GETS WORSE BEFORE IT GETS BETTER
It was a rare day that the barbershop was closed, but only to the general public. Heather was still quite busy, having already served Melissa, Kathy and Coach Jackie. Now, it was Madison in her chair, and it was the most extensive service yet.
“Let’s just do it.” Madison gleefully requested.
“There’s no going back after this.” Heather cautioned. “There’s a big difference between a streak and half your head.”
“I know, but I’m committed.” Madison nodded knowingly. “Eventually, this will be a full head of teal hair, but for now, let’s do half and half.”
It took some time, but Madison was fully committed to the future of her hair. When she first decided to grow out her hair, she did so with no specific goal or plan in mind. While the rest of her team now had shaved heads, they were nothing but incredible supportive of her. She now had a clear purpose. The plan was to continue to grow her hair as long as possible. It currently fell halfway down her back, and she was well on her way to achieving that goal. Additionally, she wanted that hair to be teal, but that would come. It was a process and the hope was to do it in a way that kept the hair healthy and lush.
“At this point, the best option is probably to bleach your whole head.” Heather combed through Madison’s hair.
“Bleach?” Madison questioned.
“Yes, so make sure this is what you really want. There’s no turning back.”
“Oh, okay…” Madison hesitated for just a moment, before sitting up a bit straighter, “Alright, I’m ready.”
“Great! We want to do this carefully, so we don’t damage your hair.” Heather began. “So, we’ll do this in stages. First, we’ll need to bleach your hair. Your hair is so dark and will need to be lightened quite a bit.”
“It’s all virgin hair, too.” Madison mentioned. “Well, it was. That teal streak we added a few months back was the first time I’d ever done anything like that with my hair.”
“Yeah, well, that’s about to change.” Heather declared, as she sectioned off Madison’s hair and began to prepare it for the bleaching process. “So, for now, we’ll just deal with that. We’ll have to see how your hair reacts. It may take a few sessions to strip all the color completely. Once that’s done, we can reapply the teal. Then from there it will just be about maintenance.”
“So, it will be ready by the competition, right?”
“That’s the plan.” Heather confirmed, “We have to be careful, though. I don’t want to destroy your hair, so you have to follow my regimen explicitly.” Heather cautioned. “If this goes wrong, we’ll have very few options available.”
Madison nodded in agreement. She was ready for this and she wanted this. She was making a major long-term commitment. Even though she was going against the grain of the rest of the team, she knew it was the right time. She was excited. In the back of her mind, her fear of this going terribly wrong was tempered by the fact that it would result in her fitting in with the rest of the team, so it seemed like a no-lose situation.
Heather carefully began to apply the bleach to the whole of Madison’s hair.
“Ugh, that stuff smells so strong.” Madison twitched.
“I know, get used to it. You’ll smell a lot of it over the coming weeks.” Heather cautioned. “But it’s the only way. Once we’ve gotten you through the process we don’t have to keep doing it. Although, we will have to deal with your roots.”
“So, this is my life now.” Madison sighed.
“If this is what you want with your hair, yes.”
“It is. Well, at least I know what I’m in for…”
NOT A BREAK, ACTUALLY A BREAKUP
It took a while, but Melissa finally made it across campus to Franklin’s room. She knocked on the door. Kathy stood a few feet away, out of sight but was there for back up if needed. Franklin opened the door.
“Hey babe! I’m out of the hospital. I have to wear this stupid cast in a sling for a while and this cane helps keep me steady while my foot heals, otherwise I’m all good.” Melissa enthusiastically stepped into Franklin’s room. “I couldn’t wait to come over and see you!”
Franklin stood still as he surveyed Melissa. Finally, after another few moments, he muttered, “Broken.”
“Yeah, my arm is broken. It will be a rough few months, but we’ll get through it.” Melissa smiled as she stood in front of Franklin. “Unfortunately, I can’t cheer right now. I’ll miss the competition. The good news is that there’s no business for me to attend to, means we can be all pleasure.” Melissa tried to move closer to Franklin. “Honestly, it’s that thought that helped get me through these past few days. I’m sad about missing cheer, but now we have no obstacles between us.”
Franklin kept backing away with a look of horror on his face, as Melissa continued to approach him. “Broken!”
“We just have to be careful. I promise. We can still have sex.” Melissa was almost pleading. “Please, Franklin, I love you SOOOO much, and I want you so bad right now.”
“No! You’re BROKEN!” Franklin stood firm.
Suddenly, Melissa froze, and a tear started to run down her face. She realized what Franklin meant. It wasn’t concern that she had hurt herself, caution over being ‘broken.’ He was disgusted that she herself was broken, as if she was no longer good enough for him anymore. She had gotten this whole relationship wrong. She thought back to everything that happened over the past year. Franklin had always spoiled her and been good to her, but he was always handsomely rewarded. He had demands and she was always happy and eager to please… but had she allowed her lust and desire to cloud her judgment?
As Melissa stood there, piecing it all together, she wiped the tear from her face. She was no longer sad. She was angry. Her teammates had been right. About everything. She felt used, she felt violated, and all the feelings she had for the vile human standing before her vanished. She steadied herself as she tossed her cane aside. Then with all her might, she reached back and slapped Franklin across the face, nearly knocking him over. She picked her cane back up and made her way to the door.
“Fuck you, asshole!” Melissa turned back towards Franklin. “I’d call you the scum of the Earth, but that would be an insult to scum. I never want to see you EVER AGAIN!” Melissa stormed off as quickly as she could, given her current condition, and slammed the door on her way out.
As the door closed, Melissa took a few steps down the hall, where Kathy waited with open arms. Melissa collapsed into Kathy’s arms and fell apart. She began sobbing uncontrollably. Kathy offered comfort as best she could.
“That was amazing,” Kathy smiled at her friend, “but I’m so sorry. Believe me, I’ve never wanted to be more wrong in my life…”
“Why?” Melissa moaned. “Kathy, I really did love him. I would have done ANYTHING for him.” Melissa continued to cry into Kathy’s shoulder.
“I know, I know…” Kathy didn’t really know what else to say, so she didn’t say anything. She just let Melissa have her time. She leaned against the wall, and they slowly slid down to the floor to ease the burden on Melissa’s foot.
“I shaved my head because of him!” Melissa grazed her bald head as she continued to cry.
“Well, you don’t have to keep it shaved now. You can grow your hair back out.” Kathy pointed out.
“But I don’t want too. I love this look. I really really do enjoy being bald and it has nothing to do with Franklin. If you told me I could snap my fingers and instantly regrow my hair to where it was before I cut it, I still wouldn’t want to.” Melissa explained. “But now, when I see myself or touch my head, all it’s going to do is make me think of him.”
“Ah.” Kathy nodded. “But you didn’t shave your head for him. Didn’t you shave it for the team? Wasn’t it so that you fit in with the rest of your team? For the competition? That’s what I always thought…”
“No, well, I guess that was part of it, but not the main reason…” Melissa looked at Kathy, then realized what she was trying to do. “I mean, yeah, and the extra uniformity points is what won us the competition.” Melissa smiled, “So if I didn’t, we wouldn’t have won. So, I saved the team. And now the whole team is doing it again, and it’s going to help us win the competition a second time.” Melissa got really excited. “And my best friend knows how vulnerable I am right now and wants to support me and be there for me, for as long as I need.” Melissa rubbed Kathy’s bare skull and laughed. “Franklin who?”
“Yeah,” Kathy smiled back and sighed. She was happy to help her friend and glad she seemed in better spirits. While her experience was going much better the second time around and she didn’t have a negative thought about it, she also wouldn’t commit long term. However, now was not the time to bring it up or think about it. For now, she was happy to keep it for as long as Melissa needed her to. “Come on, let’s get out of here.” Kathy helped Melissa back up and they made their way back to the cheer house.
SMITTEN
Janie had never had a really serious relationship before. Sure, she’d had casual flings and gone out on dates but nothing that led to anything long term. Nothing that caused any kind of feelings. She briefly had a ‘boyfriend’ in high school, but they wanted different things, and it didn’t last. All that was about to change.
Scott was different. He wasn’t like the other guys she’d been with. She was really into him, and he seemed really into her. Shy and a bit reserved, but enthusiastic and dedicated. He was everything she was looking for, even though she previously had had no idea what that was. Plus, he was cute, she was instantly into him from the moment she first laid eyes on him. There was only one small problem.
“Yeah, he’s okay, and I don’t mind hanging out, but I’ve got a lot on my plate right now, Janie. I’m not looking for any kind of relationship. I wish you and Scott all the best though.” Anna was in her room trying to get some homework done in the few spare minutes she had.
“I know, but apparently Doug and Scott are a package deal. At least for now. I really want a boyfriend.” Janie was sitting on Anna’s bed pleading with her best friend, trying to find a way to make things work out. “Scott’s exactly what I’m looking for. He’s perfect, but right now he still needs Doug. So, I need you to get with Doug, so I can be with Scott.”
“Wow, Janie, we have definitely been hanging out together to much. That was some kind of weird and messed up logic… Yet, I somehow understood it.” Anna suddenly stopped and thought for a moment. “Neither of them has any kind of athletic ability, do they? Are they strong?”
“Um, I have no idea. Not that I’m aware of.”
“So, would they be able to lift me? Even if they had to do it together?”
“We can ask… What exactly are you thinking?” Janie inquired.
“Tell you what, let’s get the four of us together. I have a thought. It may or may not work out, but this could be mutually beneficial…”
A DEAL IS STRUCK
“Anna, I’m into you, but I’m not playing games.” Doug declared. Doug and Anna sat across from each other, while Janie sat on Scott’s lap off to the side, with her arm wrapped around his shoulders.
“No games, just straight up facts.” Anna responded. “Here’s the deal, the cheer squad has a couple of openings. We have a big competition coming up. We don’t have a lot of time and it’s a huge commitment. If you both think you can handle it, I’ll vouch for you. If not, we’ll seek other options, but I’ll be living, eating, sleeping, and breathing this competition. I don’t really have time for much else. I have to somehow find a way to sneak my schoolwork in, but that’s it.”
“So, I should join the team if I want to spend time with you.” Doug surmised.
“You and Scott. I’ve heard you’re a package deal. I need both spots filled.” Anna clarified. “You’d be working directly with me. You’d be my support while I’m in the air.”
“I’ll do it.” Scott spoke up. He squeezed Janie, who smiled affectionately.
“And this is your condition to be boyfriend/girlfriend?” Doug countered.
“No, but do we have to put a label on it? Look Doug, I like you. I don’t mind spending time with you, and let’s not even get into these two,” Anna indicated Scott and Janie, who were clearly very comfortable with each other. “But time is the one thing I don’t have right now. So, this is a way to spend some time together. The only way.” She looked at Janie for that last part, to make sure she understood what was at stake.
“I see.” Doug contemplated what Anna had just said. “You realize Scott and I don’t have much athletic ability or a lot of strength.”
“I’m aware. That’s why you’ll be paired together and working mainly with me.” Anna informed them. “Look, it’s not ideal, but I don’t have a lot of other options. I need the spots filled, and I know you both and trust you both.” Anna paused as she saw Doug deep in thought. He seemed to be the decision maker and figured Scott would go along with whatever he decided. “There’s, ah, there’s just one more thing…”
“What’s that?” Doug felt like Anna was testing him, and he was trying to pass.
“I need you both to shave your heads.” Anna blurted out. “Totally and completely.”
“This isn’t enough for you.” Doug rubbed his buzzed head, which he and Scott had both maintained faithfully since they met.
“Well, normally it would be fine…” Anna sighed. “For the competition, the entire team is shaving their heads. We’re doing it in support of our teammate, Melissa. She’s why we are in this predicament in the first place. She fell and shattered her arm in multiple places. She’s lovingly and enthusiastically bald, so we all agreed to do so as well. Plus, it helped win us the whole thing last year.” Anna smiled and looked directly at Doug. “This next reason is specifically for me, and I won’t speak for Janie, but I’m not sure how I’d feel about a boyfriend with hair longer than mine.” Anna sat back and rubbed her head, “This is about as long as my hair gets, so if you want to be with me, get used to it. Maybe things will change down the line, but for now that’s how it is.”
“I don’t care how you wear your hair.” Janie whispered to Scott, as she kissed him on the cheek. Scott blushed.
“I see,” Doug contemplated all that had just been said. “Well, I have a condition of my own. If I agree to all this, then you agree to a date. Just you and I. It will be a romantic night out. I need you to put your best effort forward and stay positive. Tear this wall down and be vulnerable. No more games, and no avoidance. And if all goes well, you’ll admit to being my girlfriend.”
“That’s bold.” Anna stated. But then she realized it wasn’t any worse than what she was asking. She did like Doug. It probably would be good for her to find life outside the cheer house, and she was approaching her Senior year. Plus, if it didn’t work out, she’d know and if it did that would be even better. She looked over at Janie and Scott. They already seemed so committed to each other. “Hey, Janie. How do you feel about our boyfriends being the newest team members?” She turned towards Doug with an outstretched hand and smiled.
Doug smiled back as he reached his hand out and they shook. Janie squealed in delight and kissed her boyfriend.
So that’s how the new team was formed. Anna returned to being a flyer and took over for Melissa. Kathy took Anna’s spot. Tim moved over and replaced Franklin. Doug and Scott teamed up to take Kathy and Tim’s spot. Everything else stayed the same. It was a lot of adjustment, but the team responded. They had a renewed purpose and vigor. The team was determined to win for Melissa, who still attended every practice and did all she could to support her team. The weeks flew by and the routine slowly came together as it became second nature for most of the team.
A ROLL OF THE DIE, AGAIN
Helen flourished in college. While there was a bit of an adjustment in her first semester, her second semester was much different. It started off with a fresh haircut. It was a totally new style for her, but it was free and as a poor college student, she was not one to complain. The problem was it needed a bit more upkeep and maintenance than she was used to and more than she could afford. Unfortunately, even with the best of intentions, her hair started to get unruly and unkempt. Finally, it hit a point where she just couldn’t stand it anymore and something had to be done. Off to the on-campus barbershop she went. She just hoped Heather would show her some mercy.
The bell rang on the door of the barbershop as Helen slowly entered. She was slightly more prepared this time. She made her way over to the reception desk, where she was greeted by Nikki with her multicolored liberty spikes.
“Take a seat, Helen. Heather will be with you shortly. Just a word of warning though, she’s not in the best of moods today.” Nikki greeted the young freshman.
“Oh, okay… Thanks for letting me know.” Helen sat down on the empty bank of chairs along the wall. She felt a lot less nervous this time but was still unsure of exactly what would happen. When she last sat in this chair her hair fell halfway down her back. As much as she had loved her hair, looking back it was long and limp and lifeless and just hung there. Now though, she had a voluminous, very layered lob, and she loved it. She reached up a felt her hair, which now had several layers that fell below her shoulders. Ugh, why did her hair need to grow so fast? She chuckled at the idea. Previously, she was terrified her hair would get cut to her shoulders, now she hated that it had grown past her shoulders.
“Helen? Heather is ready for you.” Nikki informed the young freshman. Helen got up and smiled, ready to see what Heather had in store for her.
“I told you no more than six weeks.” Heather scolded as Helen sat down in the chair.
“I know, I know.” Helen pleaded. “I tried coming by last week. You looked closed. Please, have mercy.”
“When last week?” Heather asked, knowing her schedule was in flux, while the team dealt with everything going on with Melissa.
“I guess this coupon isn’t good anyway.” Helen admitted. “Can I roll the dice again? I’m in for whatever comes up!”
Heather took a bit of sympathy for her client. “Same as last time, but no extra rejections. Just the eight draws and that’s it. No matter what.”
“I can deal with that.” Helen slightly smiled, thinking how much she actually looked forward to the game this time around. She had an idea of what to expect and had a better idea of what she might be hoping for, there were certain styles she knew she didn’t want though
Heather brought the bowl over, and Helen enthusiastically reached her hand in and pulled the first card out. As she opened it, she got a sense of deja vu. “Pixie,” she chuckled. “I kept it last time, and it’s staying this time as well.” Heather made a quick notation, as Helen wasted no time sticking her hand in the bowl again. “Ear length shag.” Helen paused for a moment. “I have no idea what that is, but it sounds interesting.” After another moment, she grinned. “Sure, why not, could be fun.” She handed the card to Heather. “This is so fun,” she stated as she reached her hand into the bowl again. “Bixie…?”
“That’s similar to the card you just pulled.” Heather filled in, sensing Helen was unfamiliar based on how she reacted.
“Then I guess it’s a yes.” Helen handed the card to Heather. She was halfway through and hadn’t rejected any yet but also wasn’t thrilled with her choices. Time to be a bit more selective. She reached her hand into the bowl again and pulled out another card. She laughed as she read the card, “Bowl cut.” She wasn’t ready for that. “Reject!” she said without hesitation. Where were the bobs she pulled last time? She was actually looking for those this time around. “Ear length bob.” She read the next card. Well, it was a bob. It was a bit shorter than she wanted, but she was okay with it. “This isn’t going as well as I hoped.” Helen handed the card to Heather, “So many similar options.”
“Similar, but there are a lot of variances,” Heather explained. “When your hair is long, it can just be long and subtle changes aren’t as noticeable. As your hair gets shorter, every slight little difference is magnified.” She played with Helen’s hair trying to demonstrate. “But I can assure you each style is very different.”
Helen nodded. She was in a whole new world but embraced every bit of it. If there was any doubt it was soon confirmed. “Just a trim,” Helen read the card and chuckled. “This may surprise you, but I’m gonna reject this one. I would have loved to have picked this last time, but now…” She paused a moment as she ran her hand through her significantly shorter hair, “I don’t want the same thing. This was a fun, totally different style. After a few days of adjustment, it grew on me.” She laughed. “And a trim would grow out too quickly, and then I’m in this same situation. At this point, my long hair is gone, and I’ve made peace with that, so let’s try something different.”
“You do realize most of these styles will require MORE maintenance not less.” Heather inquired.
“I’ll figure it out.” Helen sighed as she reached her hand into the bowl. “So, two more and I’m stuck with both of them, no matter what.” This was more of statement than a question. “Chin length bob.” A slight smile creeped across her face as she handed the card to Heather. This was what she was looking for. Last time she pulled that card it was in the bottom half of what she would hope for. This time she’d be happy if that’s what she ended up with. She took a deep breath as she pulled her final card. She couldn’t help but laugh as she read the familiar word inscribed. “BALD.” She handed the card to Heather. “Definitely don’t want that, but I guess it’s up to the dice.” Helen tried to stay positive.
“Die.” Heather corrected.
“Die?” Helen questioned.
“Just one, this time.”
“Oh, okay.” Helen gulped. Still, she was ready. She put out her hand as she waited for Heather to give her the die. Heather placed the die in her hand. Helen shook her hand and blew into it then released her hand as the die fell to the floor. Two. Heather scooped up the die as Helen exhaled and sat back, she’d just have to wait and see what that meant.
TWIN TIME
“I still feel so guilty about what happened to Melissa.” Tim confessed. “It’s the least I can do.”
“And if he does it, you know I’m in.” Tate admitted. “You girls may be feeling differently but we still relish being twins.”
Jenny and Jessie were in the kitchen with their boyfriends, Tim and Tate. The boys and Jessie were seated at the table, while Jenny was leaning against the counter facing them. She was in a tight maroon crop top and jeans, while her hair had grown a little over an inch and was badly in need of shaping. Jessie’s hair had just started to grow back. She had thought about keeping it shaved knowing it would be shaved for the competition in a few weeks anyway… But she wanted to take the time to experiment a bit, and Heather promised to bleach whatever hair she had before she had it all shaved off again.
“It’s okay. Melissa doesn’t blame anyone. She’s been surprisingly resilient about the whole thing.” Jessie tried to reassure her boyfriend. “The fact that you’re willing to shave your heads is more than enough.”
“It’s really not a big deal, Jess,” Tim insisted. “After all, we’re dudes and hair grows back. It was a much bigger deal when the two of you did it.”
“And kept doing it.” Tate added.
“Do, um, do you guys mind our shaved heads?” Jenny inquired. She wasn’t quite bald at the moment but had been before and was about to be again.
“When you both first cut your hair, you were both so hot, I think we were overcome. The only negative was the loss of your ‘twinness.’” Tate began.
“Then you shaved your heads and it was a big adjustment, but at least you looked the same again.” Tim continued.
“We’re used to it now, though, and love you however you look.” They both confirmed. While Jenny and Jessie had become independent individual women living their own lives, Tim and Tate were still 100% twins and often finished each other’s sentences and shared thoughts.
“We acknowledge that your hair will never be long again -” Tate started.
“- and that you’ve established your own individual sense of style and looks, but -” Tim continued.
“- we just want you both happy. Whether that’s as bald twins, or unique sisters, we love you no matter what.” Tim and Tate said in unison.
“Aww, and we love you, too.” Jenny went over and sat on her boyfriend’s lap, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him.
“We just have one request!” They both shared. “We want you to shave us.”
“Together!”
“At the same time.”
“I think that can be arranged.” Jessie smiled. “I suppose we should both be shaved by then, as well?” She looked over at her sister to confirm.
Tim and Tate both looked at each other before nodding in agreement.
“Done.” Jenny exhaled, as she prepared to lose her hair again.
THE LIFE OF A SHORT-HAIRED COLLEGE STUDENT?
The life of a poor college student led Helen to her present situation. Never in her wildest dreams did she ever imagine her hair would be as short as it was about to become. The craziest part was she suspected it would only be getting shorter, and somehow that excited her. It wasn’t that long ago that the thought would have terrified her. Yet here she was sitting in the barber chair. She wasn’t sure about the cut yet, but she had a good idea.
Heather took her back to the sink and washed her hair, then back to the chair where her hair was combed out. Almost before Helen could settle in, Heather attacked her hair with the scissors. Several inches fell from Helen’s hair, in chucks at a time. In what felt like almost no time at all, and Heather had made her way around Helen’s head and reduced her roughly shoulder length hair to about her chin. Helen took a moment to assess. Heather didn’t seem like one to tease. She didn’t use the clippers, and she still had a ‘significant’ amount of hair left. So, it seemed unlikely she’d end up bald. Similarly, it seemed doubtful she’d leave with some kind of pixie.
Helen’s hair was wet, and she couldn’t tell the exact length, but it seemed to fall around her chin. Which made the chin length bob the most likely. It was possible this was just a rough cut to remove length, so any of the other three were still in play. Helen expected she’d lose more hair. It would just depend on how much. If it was just short snippets, then she’d enjoy her chin length bob. If those chunks of hair seemed longer and more plentiful, then she’d know it was one of the other styles she picked, but exactly which one would probably need to wait until the reveal.
Heather resumed her work on Helen’s hair. She pinned up the top layers, then maneuvered Helen’s head down towards her chest. Helen was a bit more familiar with this process now, as Heather had done this last time as well. She trusted the process and knew whatever she ended up with would be fun and amazing. Heather worked quickly. She cut just the smallest amount of hair around the neck. She prided herself on her technique and precision. As much as she loved a good headshave and it was still her favorite thing to do, she relished the challenge provided by other cuts. She had really come a long way in a short time and still looked to improve. This was why she didn’t mind clients like Helen, as they gave her a bit more freedom and room to practice.
As Heather made her way around Helen’s head, she refined each layer, gradually stacking them as she went along. When she was done the front of Helen’s hair fell perfectly under her chin and gradually got shorter as it moved towards the back. Heather put her scissors down and parted the back of Helen’s hair. She reached for her shaping clippers. As she turned them on and they roared to life, Helen jumped. Heather smirked slightly. She placed the clippers at the bottom of the neckline and slowly flicked her wrist. The little hair that had been there proved no match for her powerful clippers. Heather continued to expose the skin as she drove the clippers up Helen’s neck.
This was a new sensation for Helen. She suddenly got very nervous. Maybe she was wrong. Was she going to end up bald? Was Heather just a tease? So far, it only seemed to be the very bottom of her neck. It felt like there was still a lot of hair on her head, relatively speaking, so she didn’t want to panic… yet. She had to admit though, while it tickled, she didn’t mind the sensation. It only lasted a couple minutes before it stopped. The next feeling was almost too much to bear though. She felt a coolness like some kind of foam and then it was scraped away.
“Y—y – you’re not sh – shaving me, are you?” Helen panicked.
“Just cleaning up the hairline.” Heather responded. “Almost done.”
“Oh, okay.” Helen replied, not entirely reassured, but resigned to her fate.
Soon, it was over. Heather released Helen’s hair from the clips as it swung back in place. She went over to the counter and rubbed some gel into her hands, before returning to Helen. She stood in front of Helen and applied the gel to her hair, to help style it. After about a minute she stood back and smiled, admiring her work.
Helen couldn’t help but smile back in response. As she turned her head ever so slightly her hair swung freely around her. This caused Helen to gasp in surprise. She turned her head a bit quicker, and her hair flung around her before it settled back where it started. Helen was overwhelmed. She started to stand up, continued to be in awe of the movement her hair had. “Wow!” she silently mouthed.
Heather pulled back the curtain, to reveal the mirror and allowed Helen a moment to fully take in the image before her. “Obviously, you’ve got the chin length bob. Specifically, I gave you a stacked swing bob. I took some liberty when I saw how your hair reacted to the cut. It’s graduated – it gets shorter in the back, but I’ve rarely seen movement like your hair has now.” Heather explained. “So, I shaved down the exposed hair and then went a bit higher, which gives you a slight undercut. But it also helps your hair lay flatter, which gives you more movement.”
Helen continued to move her head up and down and left and right and all around. She laughed as she listened carefully to every word Heather said. She couldn’t believe her hair did such amazing things. She reached her hand up and felt the back of her neck. Where there was once hair was now smooth. She continued to slide her hand up past her hair and giggled at the secret treasure it now hid. She was glad she still had some hair but would definitely enjoy the smoothness she felt for as long as she could.
“Of course, if you want it to stay that way, you’ll need regular maintenance, or the hair will just grow back.”
Helen remained quiet as she continued to play with her hair. She kept shaking her head as her hair would move around and then fall back into place. She discovered it didn’t take much movement for her hair to react. Then the life of a poor college student reared its ugly head.
“What kind of maintenance?” Helen finally replied.
“Every four weeks. Though if you want to keep the shaved part, you need to come in at least a few times a week, depending on how smooth you want it.”
Helen stood there in stunned silence. She dreaded that answer yet expected it. She rubbed the back of her neck while she looked at herself in the mirror, as a tear formed and fell down her face. The life of a poor college student strikes again. She’d never be able to keep up with that. Coming to Heather and rolling the dice was a double-edged sword. She was always happy with the result and felt better than when she came in but also knew it would be short lived. She just knew that she didn’t want the journey to stop and that Heather couldn’t know.
“Four weeks, huh?” Helen answered, “So, not six like last time.”
Heather shook her head.
Helen sighed. She took another look at her hair in the mirror. Somehow, she’d find a way to make things work. But she liked the shaved part as well, and that would mean she’d need to come in even more often. She thanked Heather and headed out the barbershop. She felt the cool crisp late winter air on her neck for the first time. She smiled. She sensed her hair would never get long again.
