wozziewoo
An on campus barbershop run by the school’s cheerleaders, most of whom have short and shaved hair. As the school year gets underway, new students join the team.
If you want to know more about the team, you can find the previous installment here:
https://www.hairstorynetwork.com/stories/67247-2/
Here is the next chapter:
NOT AT ALL OVERWHELMED
Madison was your typical cheerleader. She was athletic, tall, and popular. From the shoulders down, everything about her screamed “cheerleader,” and she embraced that role. The one quality that separated her was her hair. It was short, at least for what one would normally consider for a cheerleader. Throughout most of High School, she wore her hair in a short shag. She would occasionally vary between a long pixie and short bob. For football games and other cheerleading activities, she often slicked her hair and added a clip-in ponytail to match with the rest of the team.
This all changed at the end of her junior year. After she missed out on the Captaincy and failed to secure any other leadership position, Madison decided she needed to make a change. While she didn’t blame her hair for any of it, she knew it didn’t help. She planned to continue cheerleading into college. She knew that it would be much more competitive, so she wanted to give herself every possible advantage she could.
By the time Madison returned for her senior year, her hair had grown just past her chin. It was the longest it had been since elementary school. She would have loved to get extensions, but they were expensive, and her parents refused. For much of the fall, she continued to use her clip-in ponytail while she willed her hair to grow. Near the end of the season, she was finally able to make tiny pig tails and if she really tried, a tiny nub of a ponytail could be formed.
Throughout the rest of her Senior year, Madison’s hair continued to grow. By spring break, her hair was almost shoulder length, and her hair was regularly in a ponytail. This was mainly for two reasons. The first was that she could. The ability to wear her natural hair up was something she never worried about before, but it was something she took full advantage of now that she was able to do so. The second reason was a bit more complicated. The truth was, she hated her hair. One of the reasons she kept it so short was because it was how Madison most preferred it. And as it started getting longer, she was reminded why she hated her hair long.
Madison would have loved nothing more than to just cut it off and return to the short hair she had had for most of her life. Still, she was determined and there was a purpose behind this growth. No matter what happened, she would keep going and get it as long as she could. With a little luck, and the help of some supplements, she aimed to get her hair to fall down her back by the time she started college. Then, she would continue to let it grow. Her hair would officially be long, and no one would know anything different.
Madison was excited about her new beginning. She looked forward to reinventing herself. It would be her first time away from home and on her own. She knew she would miss most of her friends and family, but she was ready for the adventure that awaited her.
She spent the summer with her friends as much as possible and relished every moment. There was barely a day that went by that didn’t involve time at the beach or pool. The only downside was she finally discovered the horror that many of her friends had dealt with for years. Always a lover of water and an avid swimmer, she never had much concern for her hair or the effects the chlorinated water had on it. While many of her friends would just stand around with their hair piled high on top of their heads, Madison had no such concerns and would splash around and dunk her head as much as she wanted. Not anymore. She now found herself lounging by the water as much as or even more often than she was in it, simply as a means to protect her hair.
Finally, the day arrived. She was off to college! Both her parents’ cars were packed full of all her stuff, and they began the long drive. As Madison’s family approached the Cheer House, her jaw dropped. She was in awe. This was the largest house she had even seen, and she was absolutely flabbergasted that she would call it home for the next four years.
Madison was clad in a bright red T shirt and jean shorts, with her jet-black hair in its now typical ponytail. She got out of the passenger seat of her dad’s car and ran over to her mom’s car, which pulled up right behind them.
“Mom! Can you believe it? I get to live here. This place is huge! It’s the largest house I’ve ever seen.” Madison exclaimed in excitement as her mom got out of her car.
“Yes, I know, dear. It’s very impressive.” Madison’s Mom agreed.
As Madison continued to stare at her new home, the front door opened. A girl exited the front door and went down the steps to greet Madison and her family.
“Hi, I’m Jessie. I’m a Junior. Welcome!” Jessie was dressed in a short bright green crop top, black athletic shorts, and comfortable sandals. What stuck out most to Madison, was her hair. Or more specifically, her lack of it. When Jessie first came out of the house, Madison thought she was bald. As Jessie got closer, Madison realized that she did have hair, but it was just very short. Her hair was a very light platinum blonde, and it was among the lightest hair Madison had ever seen. It was shorter than Madison had ever even worn her own hair, back when it was short. What seemed like a buzzcut on top, her barely existent hair seemed to completely disappear the further down her head it went.
“Hello, Jessie, this is my daughter, Madison.” Madison’s mom interjected, as she extended her hand.
“Moooooommmm! Ugh, I can speak for myself.”
“Well, hello, Madison and family.” Jessie grinned. “How would you like a quick tour of the house and then I’ll show you your room? After that the rest of the girls and I are here to help you unpack and settle in.” Jessie started back up the steps and indicated that Madison and her parents should follow.
As Jessie headed back up the steps, Madison got an even better view of the back of her head. She was in awe of how short and virtually non-existent Jessie’s hair was, yet how stunningly beautiful she looked.
“So, this is the entryway.” Jessie continued as they entered the house. “Over there are the stairs to the second floor. That’s where all the bedrooms are. We’ll get to those later.” She guided Madison’s family through the house, “Over here is the living room. This is usually where we hold a lot of our meetings and it’s a common space for the team.” They continued down the hall. “This is our kitchen. We have a combination of shared foods, as well as individual items. Everyone gets their own area to store food. We all take turns doing various cleanups and chores. The door we passed on the way here is a bathroom, but everyone also has their own bathroom in their bedrooms. We’ll head upstairs next.” Jessie led them back down the hall and towards the stairs.
Madison tried to soak it all in and pay attention to every word out of Jessie’s mouth, but she was in total awe of her and her extreme look. “Excuse me, Jessie?”
“What’s up? Do you have a question? Am I going to fast? Sorry, I’m new at doing this.” Jessie abruptly stopped and turned towards her new teammate.
“Oh, no, not at all.” Madison blushed. “I’m sorry, you’re doing great. I can’t wait to live here. This place is awesome. It’s just –” Madison paused, as she looked for just the right way to phrase it. “Um, well, I love your hair.”
“Madison!” Madison’s mom exclaimed in horror.
“Honey, you know better than that.” Madison’s dad scolded her.
Jessie chuckled. “It’s totally okay.” She reached up and rubbed her head. “It’s new. Just got it done a few days ago. I love it though. Our whole team has short hair.”
“That’s not just short though. That’s –” Madison got out, still in awe.
“Oh, I know. This isn’t even the shortest on our team. One of the girls is completely bald. So’s our Coach!” Jessie bragged.
“BALD!” Madison was overcome by this information and suddenly reached for her own ponytail and started to play with it.
“Well, I was going to get into this later, but since it’s come up…” Jessie began as she started to lead Madison and her parents upstairs. “Our entire team has short and shaved hair. There are no ponytails on our team.” She turned again towards Madison, as she reached the top step. “It’s okay that you do, though, and there’s no pressure. Everyone on this team has the free will to wear their hair as they wish, so your hair is safe, if you want it to be. My hair was very similar to yours. I first cut it last year and haven’t looked back. It’s been short ever since. This is my current style and will probably my look going forward.”
Madison was hanging on to every word that came out of Jessie’s mouth. She couldn’t believe what was happening. “Were you nervous?”
“Not at all.” In fact, I’ve been super excited for all my transformations, and I loved each one more than the one before it.” They reached the top of the steps, as Jessie rubbed her head and smiled widely. “This one’s a keeper though. It’s my favorite look that I’ve ever had my entire life.” She turned to the first room on the right. “This is your room, by the way.” Jessie opened the door and led the family inside. “So, it’s got a bed, a desk, and a small couch. Through this door is your bathroom. There’s a shower, a sink, and a toilet.” Jessie informed.
“I have my own bathroom!” Madison was momentarily distracted from Jessie’s hair, as she excitedly turned towards her parents. “I’ve never had my own bathroom before!”
“I know, honey, isn’t that great?” Madison’s mom nodded in agreement.
“Madison shares a bathroom at home. You have no idea how much of a big deal this is.” Madison’s dad added.
“Oh, I’m aware.” Jessie chuckled. “It’s a big deal for most of us. Trust me.” Jessie headed towards the door. “So, that’s pretty much it. I’ll leave you, for now, to get your stuff and settle in. But know that me and the rest of the team is here for you, so if you need anything, please don’t be afraid to ask.”
“Thank you, Jessie.” Madison’s mom replied, as Jessie walked out of the room. She turned toward her daughter. “She seems nice, Madison.”
“Yeah,” Madison answered, as she absentmindedly twirled her finger in her ponytail.
“Okay, you two, let’s get started. We have a lot of unloading to do.” Madison’s dad guided his wife and daughter out of the room and back downstairs towards their cars.
A NEW PLAN
Heather was extremely busy at the salon. It was the final weekend she would be there, full time, before transitioning over to the barbershop. She would still put in some time at the salon, but the plan was to mostly work out of the new barbershop going forward. The other stylists at the salon would be sticking around for a little bit, but most were lining up other gigs elsewhere and taking their clients with them. Most of Heather’s clients would be following her, but a few were not. Still, all were advised to add a little extra time to their visit, so that Heather and Nikki would be able to discuss the transition with them.
It was midafternoon and Heather had a short break before her next appointment. So, she decided to do a quick rep of pull ups and then check in with Nikki at the front desk. While Heather chatted with Nikki, her next client walked in. Heather looked up to see who it was.
“Beth! I wasn’t expecting to see you again so soon.” Heather exclaimed.
“Yeah, I know, but… well, I’ll explain while we’re back there.” Beth hastily remarked.
“No Buddy, today?” Nikki inquired when she noticed the lack of a baby accompanying Beth.
“No, not today.” Beth smiled a little. “Mommy gets some rare free time.” Beth put up her hands in excitement. “It’s one of the reasons I’m here.”
“Well, come on back and you can tell me what you’re thinking.” Heather began as she escorted her former coach to the back room.
“I want you to shave it all off.” Beth said as she sat down in the chair. “Not a razor shave, I’m still not there yet. But for now, what’s the shortest you can get it with just the clippers?”
“Well, I can get it down to a 00000, which is basically nothing. It will lack the completely smooth finish of a razor shave.” Heather explained, as she reached for her clippers, “But what’s up? I didn’t think you wanted that yet.”
“Well, it was the razor shave I’m holding out on, but yes, this wasn’t exactly planned. It is a bit of a last-minute decision.” Beth began. “This is your last time here, right? I heard the barbershop is ready to go.”
“That’s mostly correct. The barbershop is ready, and I’ve been moving stuff over all week. This weekend is the last time I’m working here. However, I may still pop over a couple times over the next few weeks, just to help close, finalize some transfers, and make sure everything has made it over.” Heather confirmed. “But didn’t you want to spend time there? I’m sure the team would love to see you.” Heather stood behind Beth and turned the clippers on.
“Yes, and in due time, I promise I’ll be a regular customer. In fact, I suppose another advantage to maintaining this style, is that I’ll be able to cycle through the whole team and let them all in on the fun.” Beth thought about what she said. “Assuming, of course, you’d be okay with that.”
“I guess this is you committing to maintaining this look for a while.” Heather nodded, as she glided the clippers across the top of Beth’s head, leaving a strip of bare scalp in its wake.
“Huh.” Beth thought for a moment. “I thought I already had.” She smiled at Heather and winked. “I’ve been coming to you roughly every two weeks all summer. I’ve been down for whatever you’ve suggested, and I’ve never been disappointed. Any thoughts of a grow out disappeared from my mind weeks ago. If that’s not a commitment, I don’t know what is.” Everything she just said was true, but Beth hadn’t actually thought about it until she just said it. “Plus, if that’s not enough… then I guess if the girls want at it, that’s reason enough for me.”
“Well, I wouldn’t want to stand in the way of that.” Heather agreed, as she continued to pass the clippers over Beth’s head, completely removing the little bit of hair Beth did have down to nothing. “So, then why are you here, now? Why not wait a week?”
“So, here’s the reason for the haircut, and why I told you to shave it.” Beth exhaled, as she began her explanation. “While everything I just said is true, I also recognize that I’m not your coach anymore. I owe it to Emma to stay away, at least for a little while. It’s important that the team recognize her as the coach, and I want to give her and Anna the time to establish their own rules and rhythm.”
“I guess that makes sense.”
“I didn’t do anything to my hair between Anna’s swearing in ceremony and when I came here to visit you for the first time. And I’m sure you remember how my hair looked then, apart from the rest of my bedraggled self.”
Heather nodded.
“Honestly, I think that may be as long as I can tolerate my hair now.” Beth laughed. “It surprises me to say that, but I think it’s true. So anyway, I figured I would ask you to shave me down. That way, I’ll take some time away and when I come back, I’ll let you do it again. THEN, I’ll be a regular and alternate between you and the rest of the team.”
“So, are you sacrificing your hair for the team?” Heather asked coincidently, as she made the final pass over her former coach’s now bare head.
“Oh, I did that already.” Beth clarified, “but it turns out I wasn’t sacrificing much. And to be clear, I wouldn’t keep this up if I didn’t want to. The team’s involvement will just be a nice bonus.”
“So, how long will you be gone? When will you be back?” Heather inquired, as she turned the clippers off and rubbed some oil on Beth’s scalp.
“I don’t know exactly, and I don’t want to be locked into anything.” Beth rubbed her head, automatically smiling. “It may depend on how long I can tolerate this.” Beth laughed. She still had trouble believing how quickly things had changed for her and how quickly she had adapted to this look. She realized that she didn’t miss her former hair at all. “But if I had to guess, I think sometime around Homecoming might be a good idea. I want to go, and if I stopped by for a visit, do you think you’d be able to fit me in?” Beth asked Heather as innocently as she could possibly muster.
“Oh, I can get you in no matter when you decide to show up.”
Beth got up from the chair and gave Heather a thank you hug. She also handed Heather a fifty-dollar bill. Heather still felt that Beth paid her too much, but she graciously accepted it. While Beth insisted on paying a full rate with a generous tip, Heather successfully pointed out that with the frequency of her visits and that they were so quick and easy, meant that Beth still overpaid her. Beth reluctantly agreed, so now they had met on a more reasonable fee, in Heather’s opinion. After a moment, they parted ways, with Beth rubbing her head enthusiastically the entire way out of the room, down the hall and back out to her car.
SETTLING IN
“I can’t believe I have so much stuff! I definitely over-packed.” Madison went to lay down on her bed, while her parents sat on the couch across from her.
“We tried to warn you, dear.” Madison’s mom agreed.
“And there’s still more stuff in the car…” Madison’s dad added. “At least you got this room at the top of the stairs. Not like that poor girl all the way at the other end of the hall.”
“At least I’m not the only one with long hair.” Madison’s ponytail swung freely as she sat up. “I can’t believe that tall one is actually bald. BALD! I’ve never met a bald cheerleader.”
“It certainly is different, but they all seem nice. I don’t think their hairstyle should be anything to stress over.” Madison’s mom said.
“Okay, it’s getting late, you two…” Madison’s dad stood up. “Let’s unload those last few boxes, so we can go to dinner before we head home.” He turned to his daughter. “Your mother and I have a long drive home.”
Madison and her parents got up and headed to the door, and just as they were about to head down the stairs, they passed Jessie.
“Oh, Jessie.” Madison’s mom waved her down. Jessie looked over and headed towards them. “Jessie, we have a few more boxes to unload and then we’re taking Madison out for dinner before we head home. Would you like to join us?”
“Oh, that’s very kind of you. I wouldn’t want to intrude.” Jessie pushed off the offer.
“Nonsense. I wouldn’t have offered if it wasn’t genuine. We’re just so happy Madison already has a friend. Don’t make me insist.” Madison’s mom pressed.
Jessie sighed and looked around. “In that case, I would love to. Thank you very much. Let me just go clean myself up a bit.” Jessie headed back towards her room, as Madison and her dad returned up the stairs with the final boxes.
“Don’t worry, Marion, we’re fine.” Madison’s dad commented sarcastically.
“Jessie is joining us for dinner.” Madison’s mom told them.
“Mom!” Madison pouted. “I don’t want Jessie to come.”
“Oh, Madison, she was so good to us. Your father and I are just happy you already made a friend.”
“Mom, it’s the first day. She was just being friendly to help us move in. I’m sure I’ll make friends with everyone on the team.”
“Well, I invited her and she’s coming.”
“Why don’t you just go out with her then!” Madison stormed into her room and slammed the door.
Jessie walked up. Madison’s mom and dad stood outside Madison’s room. Madison’s mom turned to Jessie. “We’re just waiting for Madison to come out, she wanted a moment to freshen up.”
“No problem. Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on your daughter, but I think she’ll fit in well.” Jessie assured.
“Thank you, Jessie. You’re so sweet. Madison was looking forward to coming here very much. It’s all she’s been able to talk about, but I’m not sure what’s gotten into her now.” Madison’s mom attempted to apologize for her daughter’s behavior.
“Sometimes, it’s a little overwhelming.” Jessie grinned, “It can be a big adjustment and a bit intimidating. I assure you, though, this team is a family and friends for life.”
A minute later, the door opened, and a haggard Madison emerged. “Let’s go!” She huffed as she stormed past Jessie and her parents and stomped down the stairs. Once she reached the bottom of the stairs she shouted up, “Are you coming?!” Her parents and Jessie exchanged quick glances, and they followed downstairs.
REUNITED
Melissa was lounging in the living room, with her new teammate Kathy. Kathy transferred in as a sophomore. Melissa and Kathy first met last semester when they both competed in the cheer competition. They started off as adversaries, but after Kathy ended up with her head shaved and submitted to the ridicule of her former team, Melissa felt bad, and they quickly bonded and became friends.
They made for an interesting pair. Kathy was petite, with a chest to match, while Melissa was rather tall and as flat as a board. Kathy had several tattoos while Melissa did not. In fact, with Katie gone, Kathy was the only one on the team with any ink at all. Kathy was proud of her body and worked hard to look good. She used it to her advantage whenever she could and often wore as little as possible to show it off. Previously, Melissa had a similar outlook, but ever since getting together with her boyfriend Franklin, she embraced a much more modest style. She now tended to cover herself up completely, with only her hands and head exposed.
While both girls had been bald at the time of the competition, it was for very different reasons and the result could not have been more different. Originally, even though she was repulsed by the mere thought, Melissa cut off her long blonde hair in an effort to fit in with the rest of her team. She was prepared to hate herself and the look, for as long as it took to grow back, but that wasn’t what happened. She absolutely fell in love with the look and no longer had a desire to have any hair on her head at all. Since she first shaved it, her hair had not gotten longer than just a few days of growth and that happened almost by accident.
Kathy, by contrast, hated every second of her bald life. Her head was shaved as the result of a lost bet, and her former teammates relentlessly mocked and ridiculed her. What was supposed to be a one-time ordeal ended up lasting a couple of months. She had reached her breaking point, so Kathy withdrew from school and took the rest of the semester off. Since Kathy had made friends with Melissa and the rest of the team, it was an easy decision for her to transfer here.
Kathy’s hair had grown out since the day the cheer competition ended and now, with the help of a proper diet and supplements, she had several inches in length. She was determined to get her hair back its former glory as quickly as she could. Kathy had forgone almost all trims and other maintenance in order to not lose any more length. She had been convinced, by her parents, to just get a trim and shaping right before going back to school. So, three days ago, she had gone into a salon and was now sporting a short shag cut.
“Would you ever grow your hair again?” Kathy mindlessly asked her friend. “Even if just a little.”
“Would you ever shave your head again?” Melissa replied, not missing a beat.
“Eww, I can’t believe you just asked me that. Of course not, no, never.” Kathy instinctively answered. She looked over at Melissa, who reacted in mock offense. “You look amazing, and you certainly manage to pull it off.” Kathy added, trying to recover. “I guess I just answered my own question, then.” Kathy admitted to which Melissa nodded.
“One good thing came out of this.” Melissa tried to lighten the mood. “We never would have met, and you definitely wouldn’t be here now.”
“That’s true, but as happy as I am to be here and as much as I enjoy our friendship… please forgive me, if I’m not sure it was worth it.” Kathy reached up and scratched her head. “I just want my hair back.”
A SLICE OF REVELATION
Madison reached for another slice of pizza. She sat next to Jessie and across from her parents on the inside of the booth. As much as she hadn’t wanted Jessie at dinner with her parents, she was actually grateful she was there. The more she got to know her, the more Madison liked her. It helped that Jessie was charming the pants off her parents, not that it took much for that to happen. She had spent most of the dinner staring at Jessie’s head. She hoped she was being discreet, but was sure Jessie noticed at some point. Madison was even more curious, now that she got to see Jessie’s head up close. She had so many questions, and it was killing her not to ask.
“Do you want to touch it?” Suddenly, Jessie turned toward Madison. “I know you’ve been staring at it since we got here, and you’ve been showing an interest ever since we met.”
Madison, very embarrassed that she had been caught, turned away and blushed. Her parents gasped in horror.
“Madison!” Madison’s mom exclaimed. “I apologize for my daughter.”
“Oh, please don’t. There’s nothing to apologize for.” Jessie explained. “I’m actually quite fond of it, most of the team is. I know this isn’t a style you see every day, especially on a cheerleader.” Jessie reached for Madison’s hand and guided it towards the back of her head. “It’s okay. I promise.”
Madison allowed her hand to be guided. She tentatively touched the back of Jessie’s head and slowly moved it up and down. Jessie giggled and leaned her head back into Madison’s hand. Madison smiled as she got more into it and began to vigorously rub Jessie’s head.
“That feels great!” Madison exclaimed after a moment. She slowly pulled her hand away. “Thank you.”
“I had a sense you’ve wanted to do that, ever since we met this morning.” Jessie smiled at Madison, who couldn’t hide her embarrassment. “Hey, look at me.” Jessie said gently as Madison lifted her head. “You can play with my hair anytime.” Jessie turned towards Madison’s parents, “All of us girls are very close.”
“I see that.” Madison’s father commented, nodding slowly and then looked over at his wife, who was closely watching everything.
Madison began to twirl her finger in her ponytail. Despite everything that had happened, Madison was still determined to grow her hair as long as possible. She had noted the irony of the situation multiple times throughout the day. If she were to cut it, she wasn’t sure if she could cut it as short as Jessie’s. That was way shorter than she had ever worn her own hair and wasn’t sure she had the nerve to pull it off. She admired Jessie, though.
“There’s a barbershop that just opened on campus. It’s actually on our property and we will run it. One of the other cheerleaders, Heather, is crazy talented and she is the one responsible for all our hair. You haven’t met her yet.” Jessie explained. She looked over at Madison, “Don’t worry about the term ‘barbershop,’ it’s mainly because we specialize in short and clipper cuts, as you can probably tell from most of our cuts.”
Madison continued to mindlessly twirl her hair, as she carefully hung on to every word that Jessie said. With her free hand, she cautiously began to reach up towards Jessie’s head, again.
“Madison!” Madison’s mom gasped as she noticed what her daughter was doing.
Jessie leaned closer to Madison, “Go ahead.” She smiled at her young teammate’s enthusiasm. “Any thoughts? You said that your hair used to be short?”
“Yeah, well… shorter than it is now anyway. I thought it was short, but it’s nothing compared to what you guys all have.” Madison explained. “I’d always kept my hair short, since, like, Elementary school.”
“Yeah, well, in fairness, that was the case for most of us. Even when we first cut it, most of us didn’t go this short. My original cut was an asymmetrical bob that left my hair length a bit above my chin. A few weeks later, I went shorter and ended up with a fauxhawk.” She paused a moment before saying the next part, then took a deep breath. “Then I shaved my head, as a matter of fact, the whole team did.”
Madison and her parents gasped. “You were BALD!” Madison started to really tug at her hair and wrapped it around her hand. Her parents leaned in as they hung on to every word Jessie said.
“We did it as a fundraiser, well, most of us did. I didn’t participate at first, but then I felt left out, so I joined in after the fact. My hair stayed that way until the end of our competition last March.” Jessie watched as Madison shrank back a bit and clutched her hair tighter.
Madison may not have necessarily liked her long hair, but she suddenly felt very attached to it.
“I grew it out a bit after that. Right before I left for the summer, I got a skin fade. It was very similar to what I have now, but it was a bit longer. That’s when I went blonde as well. I just had this done a few days ago when I got back.” She leaned back a bit as she cradled her neck in her hand and smiled. “This look has been my absolute favorite, so far. I had no idea when I got it, that I would love this look so much. I’ll probably maintain this going forward.” She stopped and looked at her audience, who was fully engrossed in everything she said. “Unless I shave it again, which I imagine will happen at some point. Especially if we have another fundraiser.”
“Oh, I bet that was fun.” Madison’s mom remarked.
“It was. We posted our pictures and then people put bids on them. We raised a ton of money. The money we raised determined how long we kept it shaved and what we wore during the fundraiser’s livestream.”
“What you wore?” Madison became very intrigued again.
“We all ended up in revealing bikinis for the head shaves, and we had a good time with it. I imagine we’ll change it up slightly for this year, but I fully expect us to do some version of it again.”
“Oh, how fun.” Madison’s mom exclaimed. “Madison, you should definitely participate.”
“Now you want me to shave my head?” Madison suddenly stopped twirling her hair. She froze and just stared at her mom.
“Why not?” Madison’s mom doubled down, “You know your father and I always support you in whatever decisions you make. This seems harmless and a nice team bonding experience.”
“Even though you know I’ve been trying to grow my hair out? Now you want me to abandon that and shave it all off?” Madison couldn’t believe what her mother said, and she suddenly started to feel very uncomfortable.
“It’s up to you though, your mother and I will understand no matter what happens.” Madison’s dad tried to show support, but also didn’t want to push or pressure his daughter either way.
“Wow, Madison, you’re really lucky. Most of our families freaked out when we went home over the semester break. Yours is actually encouraging you. That’s awesome.” Jessie tried to ease the tension.
“I am NOT shaving my head!” Madison declared emphatically. The truth was that she was mildly intrigued by the idea. But as much as she hated her long hair, she had set a goal for herself and was determined to see that through. Even if her original reasons for the goal no longer applied, she might be better off if she did shave it. It was an internal conflict she was sure she’d struggle with over the next few months or however long it ended up being.
“Well, it’s certainly not something you have to figure out now. Just remember the team will encourage you, no matter what you decide. If you want to continue to grow your hair, we’ll back you. Or if you want to shave it, we’ll support that as well. Our coach and Captain are amazing people, as is everyone else on the team. Nothing has to be decided now, and you can always change your mind. Heather is truly remarkable, and she is always willing to do whatever anyone requests.” Jessie tried to ease the tension and calm Madison down. “I’m sure a lot of this will be mentioned at our team meeting tomorrow night. But just remember if you ever have any questions or concerns, my door is always open for you.”
They quickly finished their meal and got ready to leave. As they headed back towards the car, Jessie wrapped her arm around her teammate. Madison never felt more conflicted in her life, but she had bonded with Jessie and already considered her a close friend. She had no idea what her future, or more specifically the future of her hair was, but she trusted Jessie and knew this wouldn’t be the final conversation on the topic.
The drive back to the house was mostly in silence. When they pulled back up, Jessie said good night and goodbye to Madison’s parents. She assured them that their daughter was in good hands, and she would look after her. Then she stepped aside, as Madison said goodbye to her parents and that she would keep in touch. Madison’s mom also said goodbye to Madison’s hair, in a way that indicated that she expected her daughter would be bald the next time they saw each other. She meant it to be encouraging and endearing, but only served to anger Madison, who stormed off angrily.
Jessie ran after her and made sure Madison’s parents knew that she would take good care of their daughter. As Jessie headed inside the house, Madison’s parents each got into their respective cars and drove off.
NOT QUITE THE END
The next day at the salon, Heather planned to leave early. She had a busy morning and afternoon full of appointments. Then she planned to get Nikki in the chair for an update, before they headed back to the cheer house. It was vital that Heather get back to the house early, since Anna was holding the first meeting with the entire team and Heather needed to be there. Plus, Betty was finally coming back, and Heather missed her girlfriend. If Heather had the time to give Betty a fresh shave before the meeting, all the better.
Heather was full of emotion. She was excited to see Betty and get the cheer season started again. She looked forward to the start of the barbershop, as she knew it marked an official commitment to her new life. However, she had also gotten used to the salon and its set up, but the biggest challenge would be the loss of Nikki.
Heather first met Nikki the very first day she began her apprenticeship. Nikki had long blonde hair, but it was chopped off and transformed into a stunning, short purple pixie. Since then, Nikki and Heather had become very close. Heather continued to work on Nikki’s hair. She loved to experiment, and Nikki was always gung-ho for any change. Ever since Heather had taken over the day-to-day operation of the salon, Nikki had been by her side. Nikki not only worked the reception desk, she helped keep Heather’s schedule, and in many ways, also her sanity on the truly crazy days.
The morning flew by. Heather was distracted but it didn’t affect her work. Finally, her last client left. She started to clean the room and pack up what was left in the salon, not that there was much left. Each day she and Nikki brought boxes of supplies over to the barbershop, and the remainder of the items would go over later today.
While she had a few minutes to spare, Heather walked over to her pull up bar to get some reps in. With her new schedule today, it would be difficult to get to the gym, but if the meeting didn’t go too late, she might be able to go to the gym on campus. As she finished up, there was a knock on the door.
“Come on in, Nikki!” Heather called out between pull ups. “I’ll be right with you. I’m just finishing up.”
“That’s perfectly fine, Hun. You know how much I enjoy watching you work out.” Nikki said as she took a seat in the chair.
“I know, but we have a tighter schedule than usual.” Heather flipped over and hung upside down with her feet over the bar. After another minute, she flipped down. After she rebalanced herself, Heather walked over towards Nikki. “I can’t think of a better person to end my day and my time in the salon with. You were my first and now, you get to be my last.”
“Greatest honor of my life.” Nikki smiled back. “I have enjoyed these last few months, and working with you, immensely.”
“Too bad it has to end…” Heather responded dejectedly, as she mixed color and began to apply it to Nikki’s hair.
“Who says it has to?” Nikki teased coyly.
“You did.” Heather stated flatly. “Earlier in the week, when we talked about the barbershop and you gave your notice.”
“Well, it’s my last day working here.”
“Are you going somewhere with this? I feel like I’m missing something…” Heather asked.
“So, Emma called me the other day, and she asked if I had seen the new barbershop yet. I told her I hadn’t. I wanted to, and I had thought that one night when I dropped you off, I’d help take the boxes in and you’d show me. But your teammates would often interrupt because they all needed their hair done.”
“I’m sorry, I should have invited you on a tour anyway. I know I’ve taken so much of your time, and I didn’t want to keep you from anything else.” Heather apologized, as she continued to touch up the color of Nikki’s hair.
“You know that I would never turn down spending time with you. I would have gladly stayed longer, if you wanted to show me around.” Nikki informed, “Then Emma asked if I had seen the uniforms. Again, I told her I had not.”
“I didn’t even think about those. As soon as Emma took me to the barbershop and showed me around, I found the uniforms and immediately tried one on. I haven’t even worn one since, and I don’t think anyone else has seen them either.” Heather defended.
“Don’t worry about it. I understand. You can show them to me later, when I take you back to the house.” Nikki continued.
“And then I can show you the barbershop, as well. I can even do it in the uniform and model it for you if you want!” Heather started to get excited, as she grabbed the shaving cream and started to lather it in her hands.
Nikki laughed. “None of that is necessary, but I certainly appreciate the offer.”
“Well, I think Anna may want me to show off the uniforms at the meeting anyway.” Heather stated.
“Then I guess I’ll get to see you in it no matter what.” Nikki paused. “And you’ll eventually get to see me in it as well.”
Heather paused, as she examined what her friend had just said.
“Emma asked me for my measurements.” Nikki revealed. “I asked her what she needed them for. So, she told me that if I was going to work at the barbershop, then I needed to look the part.”
“Wait… You’re…” The pieces finally fell into place for Heather.
“Going to continue to work with you at the barbershop? Why, yes!” Nikki smiled as she got to reveal the news.
“That’s amazing!” Heather hugged Nikki. “I was in such a state all day! I was so upset about not getting to work with you anymore.”
Nikki chuckled. “I know. I wanted to tell you, but I was sworn to secrecy.” She admitted.
“Wait how long have you known?” Heather asked as she picked up the razor.
“I’m not sure I should tell you with a sharp weapon in your hand.” Nikki grinned.
“Huh?” Heather wondered, as she started to scrape at Nikki’s head.
“The razor, dear. Just keep it focused on what you’re doing.”
“Oh, I would never –”
“I know. Emma mentioned the idea the day she was here. When you first gave me this look, but it was way too soon for it to lead to anything. She called me again, in a more serious capacity, with more details and to gauge my interest one day last week, while you were away. Then yesterday we worked out all the details and set the terms. It just became official a few hours ago and Emma said it was okay to let you know.” Nikki filled Heather in. “So, after you’re done with my hair, we can finish to pack everything up here. Then I’ll take you out for a nice lunch, we’ll drop off the last of these boxes, and you can get ready for your meeting.”
“Wow, Nikki, you’ve really got it all figured out.”
A NEW ARRANGEMENT
Madison had a restless night. After she stormed off from her parents, Jessie tried to distract her and lighten her mood. She introduced Madison to more of their teammates, in the hope that different conversations would help. But it was a long day and Madison was overwhelmed, so she went to bed early. She didn’t sleep well. She lay awake in bed for most of the night, thinking about everything that had happened.
Eventually, she gave up on her attempt to get more sleep and went to get ready for the day. She took a shower and as she washed her hair, she wondered about what it would be like if she didn’t have hair. Then she got out of the shower, she stared at herself in the mirror and tried to picture herself without any hair. For someone who had always had short hair until very recently and hated her long hair, the idea of not having any hair was terrifying.
Madison tried to distract herself by rearranging her clothes in the closet and decorating her room. She was deep into redecorating when there was a knock on her door.
“Hey, Madison. I wanted to check and see how you were. Did you have a good night?” Jessie greeted the young cheerleader.
“Oh, hi, Jessie. I had a bit of a rough night and didn’t get much sleep. There was a lot on my mind after yesterday. So now, I’m just trying to keep myself busy.” Madison replied from the doorway.
“What are you up to?”
“I’m trying to organize my stuff a little better. I figure if this is gonna be my home for the next four years, I might as well set it up to my liking.” Madison answered.
“That’s a great idea.” Jessie agreed. “Do you think you can take a break, and meet me downstairs in five minutes? I promise when we’re done, I’ll come back here and help you with your room. Only if you want the help, of course.”
“Um, okay… What’s going on?” Madison was intrigued, but also a little nervous.
“Just… trust me?” Jessie realized that they had only just met, and trust was something to be earned over time, but she hoped Madison would be able to trust her anyway.
“Alright. Five minutes?” Madison confirmed.
Jessie nodded. “Or less. I wanted to give you time to finish if you were in the middle of something. Otherwise, I’d tell you to come now.”
“I can come now.” Madison stepped out of her room and closed the door behind her.
Jessie led Madison downstairs and into the living room. Jessie sat down on one of the couches and patted the seat next to her, indicating that Madison should join her. So, Madison sat down. About a minute later, Melissa walked into the living room towards Jessie and Madison.
“Madison, meet Melissa. She’s a Junior like me. She’s one of our flyers.” Jessie introduced the two tall cheerleaders.
Madison couldn’t believe it. She THOUGHT Jessie was bald when she first met her, but no, her hair was just very short and very blonde. Melissa actually WAS bald, and she looked fabulous. Madison stood up and put out her hand for a shake. Melissa ignored the hand and reached around Madison for a hug.
“Madison, believe it or not, Melissa is our most skilled teammate when it comes to styling and caring for long hair.” Jessie explained.
“Hi, Madison! Welcome to the team.” Melissa began.
“But, but, but –” Madison struggled to get her thought out.
“But I’m bald?” Melissa smiled as she rubbed her shiny dome and laughed. “True. But trust me, if you plan to keep your hair long, you might as well learn how to care for it and create some fun styles.”
“Sorry, I filled Melissa in on your story. I hope I didn’t overstep.” Jessie apologized.
“No, it’s… um, it’s fine.” Madison tried to compose herself.
“So, what styles do you know?” Melissa asked, as she wrapped her arm around Madison and led her off.
“Not much, really. I can do a ponytail. Occasionally, I manage a bun.” Madison answered.
“What else?”
“That’s it.”
“That’s it?” Melissa questioned as she led Madison upstairs and towards her room. Madison nodded in confirmation. “Goodness, that won’t do.” They reached Melissa’s room, where she opened the door and guided the young co-ed in. “Have a seat.” Madison sat down on the desk chair in the center of the room. “Okay, let’s see what we’re working with.” Melissa reached behind Madison’s head and pulled the hair tie out and watched as Madison’s bone straight, jet black hair cascaded down around her. Even though it was still slightly damp from her earlier shower, her hair came to a rest a few inches below her shoulder.
Madison sat in silence as she stared at Melissa. She hated her hair down, but she wanted to see if Melissa was able to show her anything else to do with it. Melissa reached for a brush. It was something she no longer had any use for herself, but thankfully, she still had one tucked away. After she spoke with Jessie earlier, she had managed to locate her brushes and some other accessories.
“Your hair is gorgeous.” Melissa stood behind Madison and started to brush her hair out. “So, you never wear it down?”
“I can’t stand it down. I’ve always worn it short, not as short as this team, but short by most people’s standards. I only started to grow it out end of my junior year, because I thought I wanted to grow it out for college.” Madison explained.
“And now, you’re on a team where we all have short, shaved, or even no hair.” Melissa giggled. “I understand.” Melissa put the brush down and started to braid Madison’s hair. “If you promise to embrace your hair, I promise that I will style it for you every morning. There’s a lot of potential here.”
“You don’t want me to cut it?” Madison inquired.
“I want you to do whatever you’re comfortable with.” Melissa encouraged. “No matter what you decide, this entire team will support you. I’ll do your hair anytime you want, and I’ll teach you all the different styles that I know. And if you decide that you want to cut your hair or even shave it, then we’ll help you with that as well. Heather is amazing, so she’ll help to keep your look fresh no matter what you decide to do with it.”
“Okay, it’s a deal.”
REUNITED
After Nikki pulled up to the cheer house and Heather had gotten out of the car, they heard a horn honk. Heather turned around only to see Betty drive past in her JEEP. Heather immediately switched direction and ran back to the parking lot. As Betty parked and got out of the car, she was greeted by Heather who leaped into her arms.
“Hey, kiddo.” The newly svelte cheerleader greeted her girlfriend with a smile and a kiss. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too.” Heather grinned. “I tried to prepare everyone for your new look, but I don’t think any of them realize how much of a change they’re in for.”
“Well, I love a good surprise, so they probably already know too much.” Betty rubbed her head. “Do we have time to get rid of this scruff, and complete the look?”
“We can go over to the barbershop! I’ve got a few more boxes left to unload.” Heather led Betty over to Nikki’s car, and the trio made their way over to the barbershop with the last round of boxes.
When they reached the barbershop, Heather opened the door and let her two companions in. As Heather began to show them around, Coach Emma made her way downstairs.
“No! Way!” Emma exclaimed. “Betty! There’s no way that’s you.”
“It’s me.” Betty blushed.
“You look fantastic!” Emma reached out for a hug. “I’m so happy for you.”
“Thanks, Emma. Um, Coach Emma.” Betty giggled at her friend’s new title. “I feel fantastic. And as soon as Heather gets rid of this fuzz, it’ll complete the look.” Betty rubbed her head. “I’ll be matching you in a few minutes.”
“Can’t wait to see it.” Emma replied, then turned towards Nikki. “Nikki! Welcome to the team, officially. W have a few things to go over and a contact to sign. Please, come with me.” Emma directed Nikki into a back room where they could go over all the specifics of Nikki’s new position.
Heather brought Betty into her private room and directed her to sit down in the chair, while she went over and reached for her clippers.
“Wow, kiddo. This is a great set up you’ve got here.” Betty mused.
“I know. Emma did an amazing job. It’s even better than I hoped.” Heather agreed as she ran the clippers over Betty’s head. Betty only had about a week’s worth of growth and the clippers probably weren’t really necessary, but Heather wanted to give Betty the full experience since this would be the last time Betty had any semblance of hair for a while.
“Are you going to be okay, kiddo? I know what shaving my head does to you…” Betty asked, both with concern and interest.
“Probably not, but it’s okay. I like the fact that I don’t have to hide anything from you anymore, so whatever happens will be fine. Plus, after I finish with you, I need to take care of my own hair. So, I’ll deal with that while you go back to the house. Then I’ll clean myself up and change. I think Anna wants me to wear the new uniform for the meeting, so I would need to change anyway.” Heather put the clippers down, now that Betty’s hair was almost entirely gone. She then filled her hand with shaving cream and prepared herself for the next step.
“Oh, that reminds me… I have to talk with Anna and Emma. I think I’m going to need a new uniform. My old one doesn’t fit properly anymore.” Betty remarked. “I can’t believe how much I enjoy and look forward to these shaves now. I never would have thought that I would willingly choose to be bald, if given the choice to have my old long curly red hair back or stay bald forever.”
“Well, I hope I had a little something to do with that.” Heather grinned, as she gave a quick kiss to her girlfriend.
“I’d say so.” Betty confirmed. “Honestly, I originally shaved it and wanted to keep it up for you, even if I didn’t really enjoy that much myself. But now…” Betty took a breath. “Well, I know I look hot, and my bald head highlights the rest of my body now.”
“I have such a hot girlfriend.” Heather bragged.
“Not nearly as hot as mine.” Betty smiled back.
A few minutes later, a slightly flustered Betty emerged from the back room. She sported a wide grin as she rubbed her completely smooth and very shiny head.
Emma had just finished her discussion with Nikki about the details of the barbershop. They both looked up at Betty as she entered.
“Heather said we should head back to the house without her.” Betty explained. “She needs a few minutes to clean up and said she’ll be along shortly.”
“Wow, Betty… I just can’t get over how amazing you look. Heather was right, you’re almost unrecognizable. The bald look REALLY suits you.”
“Thanks. I really can’t believe it myself. I’ve never felt better, and I’ve noticed a huge change myself. While I’ve always been relatively happy and pleased with myself, I’ve never been more confident or had more energy than I do now.” The three ladies headed for the door and started down the path to the main house. “This new regime I’m on has really worked wonders, and I’m really pleased with what it has done for me. While I might not be quite as committed to the bald look as you are, Emma, I no longer want long hair and recognize how much better the short hair works for me.”
“That’s great, Betty.” Emma replied.
“Yeah, there’s just one thing…” Betty began, “I think I need a new cheer uniform. My cheer uniform was designed for my old body, but I’m not sure it will fit right anymore.”
“Ah, I see.” Emma nodded.
“I always had a large chest but at least it was proportional to the rest of my body…” Betty trailed off, unable to finish the thought out loud.
“Betty, you were never fat. Please don’t think about yourself like that. In fact, I’m certain that people were envious of your old body, let alone your new one.” Emma smiled. “As for the uniform, talk to me after the meeting and we’ll figure it out.”
They stopped as they reached the steps up to the house. Betty headed for her JEEP to retrieve her things, while Emma and Nikki headed inside to find Anna and get ready for the meeting.
THE GANG’S ALL HERE
It wasn’t long before the team started to gather in the living room. Melissa and Kathy were first to arrive. Melissa was in a blue hooded sweatshirt and sweatpants, while Kathy wore a sleeveless dark brown crop top and black capri pants. Her shag hair was poofed out with as much volume as possible and her long dangling earrings swung freely with every movement she made. They both made their way over to one of the side couches.
A few minutes later, Janie plopped down on the couch across from them. She was clad in a dark gray tank top, and blue athletic shorts. She slipped out of her flip flops and curled her feet under her as she leaned against the armrest.
Jenny showed up next with another one of the new freshmen, Jazmine. Jenny had a bright blue T-shirt and jean shorts. Her short bowl cut was dyed teal to match the school colors. Jazmine wore a hot pink strapless jumper. Her micro box braided hair fell nearly to her waist and was loosely tied back with a headband. They sat down on the couch at the back of the room.
Then Jessie came into the room and headed for the other end of the couch that Melissa and Kathy sat on. Her bright yellow bandeau top matched her ultra-light platinum blonde skin faded hair.
Tabitha, the third new freshman and a Legacy student, was next to arrive. Tabitha was the younger sister of Tanya, a cheerleader who graduated two years ago. Her dirty blonde and super curly lion’s mane stuck out in all directions and hung halfway down her back. She wore a red spaghetti strap top and blue jeans. She walked into the living room and looked around for a minute before she headed to the back couch, sitting down on the other side of Jenny.
Then Emma and Nikki entered the room and sat on the sofa closest to the entrance, out of the way, but present. Emma, as the coach, was there mainly to keep order and introduce herself to the new students but planned to let Anna run the meeting. It was rare for non-teammates to attend these meetings, but Emma wanted Nikki there. Nikki would be spending a lot of time at the barbershop, and it was important that team get comfortable with her and for Nikki to learn who everyone was.
Madison strolled in, worried she was late. She had taken a nap and slept a bit later than she planned. Her hair was in two braided pig tails. It was the first time her long hair was not in a ponytail or bun. She wasn’t entirely sure how she felt about it, but she looked forward to hair styling lessons with Melissa and seeing what other styles she could learn. She was in a dark green T-shirt and jeans. As soon as she spotted Melissa and Jessie, she headed straight toward them and sat right in between them.
Anna, with her #1 platinum buzzcut, walked in wearing her cheer uniform. The uniform was bright teal with a white trim border. The edge of the top fell just below the bust line and the front had a deep V cut. The low-rise skirt fell just above the mid-thigh, with a small slit on both sides. She wanted to model it for the team. While all the returning cheerleaders wore it for the competition, the uniforms would be making their school debut at the first game.
Shandra strolled in and took her usual spot in the armchair. She was dressed in a black sports bra and bike shorts, and now with her #3 buzz cut, she probably looked even more intimidating than usual without even trying.
Next, Betty walked in with a huge smile on her face. She wasn’t trying to make an entrance, but that didn’t stop everyone from looking up at her when she walked in. Several jaws dropped. She was wearing a light blue strapless bandeau top and matching boy shorts. Her shiny, bald head reflected the light. She didn’t normally dress this way and hadn’t in the past, but as she got used to her new svelte body, she wanted to try out a new look. She looked good and she knew it, so she wanted to embrace it as much as possible. Before sitting down, she paused briefly, unintentionally posing & then sat down on the opposite end of the couch from Janie, close to Emma and Nikki.
Finally, just as Anna was about to start the meeting. Heather ran in and sat down between Janie and Betty. Her head was as smooth and shiny as Betty’s, and she had on the barbershop uniform. The barbershop uniform was a teal halter top with white trim, but it was a bit skimpier than the cheer uniform. The front consisted of two triangles connected by a white string that tied in the back behind the neck. The bottom had a thin white strip that clipped in the back. Across the left breast was a caricature of a smiling bald cheerleader holding clippers in each hand like they were pom poms. Encircled across the bottom were the words CHEERFUL CLIPS. The white mini skirt was short and covered in fringe. It captured even the slightest movement.
Anna took a quick glance around the room and noted that everyone was present. “Okay, everyone. Let’s get started.” Anna clapped her hands together to get everyone’s attention. “Welcome to all our new team members and welcome back to all our returning members. My name is Anna and I’m your Captain. I’ve got a lot of fun new things planned for us, but I also want to keep the things that worked from last year. A lot of what we did last year was a success, so expect more of it. There may be a few tweaks, but I’ll go over it all, so everyone knows what to expect.”
Anna paused for a moment and put her hands on her hips. “As you can see, I’m wearing our cheer uniform. All our returning members should have yours from last year. All our new members should see our coach, Emma, after the meeting.” Emma held up her hand in acknowledgement, and grinned.
“As of now, the plan is for us to attend all the football team’s games, both home and away. We seemed to have brought them good luck last year, so the school wants us there every week. That could change, but as of now, that’s the plan. We will have fundraisers again this year. They were both a huge success last year. Due to our schedule, it is likely that they will happen at around the same time. Our bye week is at the midpoint of the season, and that’s when we’ll do the fundraisers. The head shave fundraiser will be on Friday night, and the calendar shoot will be on Saturday. I’ll provide more details as we get closer.
“Now, on to the bigger news. My plan is to keep the “tradition” of our Friday night haircuts before our games. However, this year they won’t be done in the cheer house. They’ll be done up the path at our new barbershop. As most of you know, we now have a barbershop on campus. It will be staffed and run by us. Heather, can you speak on that?”
Heather stood up and slowly walked to the center of the room. “So, um… I think most of you have been there. If there’s anyone who hasn’t seen the barbershop, we can go over after the meeting wraps, and I’ll show you around. We’ll offer simple services to anyone who comes in. This is the uniform for the shop.” Heather gestured to the uniform that she wore.
“We think a lot of the guys might like a place to go on campus. I have a lot of my own clients that will come to the shop, plus all of you ladies, but I’m always available to help any of you at any time. I don’t know exactly how the schedule will be setup, but I’m sure someone will speak more on that.” Heather looked around, she looked at Coach Emma, then back to Anna, and then walked back to her spot on the couch and sat down.
“Thanks, Heather.” Anna said. “So, let’s take a moment to address the topic. Our hair. This is mainly directed towards our new members but it’s a good reminder for everyone. Everybody has free will on this team. As you all look around, I’m sure you can see most of us have short, shaved, or even no hair. It is not required, and we support any decision made by any teammate when it comes to their hair.”
Anna brushed her own buzz cut as she looked directly at each of her new teammates.
“Wanna cut it short or shave it all off? Great! Go see Heather and she’ll create a fabulous new style for you. Maybe you aren’t sure, but you want options? Talk to Heather and she’ll go through any options and discuss the pros and cons with you. Want to keep it long or just change it up slightly? At this point, just go see Heather, because Heather is our hair guru. Any and all things hair-related, just go to her and she’ll take care of you.” Anna laughed. “Are there any questions or comments so far?” Anna looked around to see if any hands went up.
Anna then had the team members make their introductions. She had everyone state their name, what level they were, and tell the rest of the team something interesting about themselves that no one else knew. This last part was added to help with team bonding. She realized that the new teammates could say almost anything, but it would engage the returning teammates and really cause them to think about what the rest of the team might not know about them.
When it got to Coach Emma, after she introduced herself, she took some time to introduce Nikki who would serve as the manager of the barbershop. Nikki would be at the shop whenever the shop was open. She would mainly keep track of Heather’s schedule, but she was available to anyone else if they needed help. It was ideal to have three girls there at any time, not including Heather. Nikki and Emma would be available in a pinch but wouldn’t work a chair regularly. No one was required to work there, but everyone’s help was requested in whatever capacity they were comfortable with. No one had to work a chair if they didn’t feel comfortable with it, but Anna hoped that they would be open to the opportunity. If none of them planned to work in the shop, then it wouldn’t last very long.
Anna discussed a few more items, but she tried to keep it light. The first practice was scheduled for the next morning, and it was important that everyone got plenty of rest. There was a week before classes started but their first game was next weekend, so they needed to hit the ground running.
