Katy and Sara Part 3

Once again I found myself caped and facing my long maned reflection in the large salon mirror. The only difference being, this time Cindy had wound a strip of paper around my neck, and pumped my chair up high off the ground, as if to prevent me from fleeing the scene. Beside Cindy was a tray which had brush, comb, some water spray, cutting shears, a large electric clipper and a smaller sized clipper. My dry long hair was fanned out around me and Cindy was gently stroking it out, appraising it for slaughter.

’So let’s say goodbye to this bulk before you change your mind, eh? One big chop should give us a head start, don’t you think?’ Before I could answer, Cindy grabbed my long blonde hair into a ponytail, twisted it and flicked on the large set of clippers. Just like that, she mowed straight through the ponytail like she was using a chainsaw to trim a hedge. Half a foot of hair fell theatrically to the ground creating a halo of blonde around the base of the chair. There was a stunned silence followed by a small spatter of applause from the captivated older lady in the waiting room. Cindy did a small bow in her direction. ‘Now that’s the hard part over!’ grinned Cindy, mischievously.

I couldn’t help grin myself as I caught sight of my stunned face poking out of the heavy cape, peeking through a messy uneven thatch of short blonde hair that reached just past my chin. I’d finally done it, that horrible long hair that had plagued me for weeks was gone. I was safely past the point of no return!

’Is that a smile I see?’ exclaimed Cindy ‘So this IS the shearing I should have given you the first time you walked in here! Well I won’t disappoint you this time, we’re only getting started. It’s great to finally make a happy client out of you.’

The other hairdresser glanced over at the sea of hair on the floor underneath me. ’Ooh finally! Someone getting bobbed for Summer? Great stuff!’ I blushed.

‘Not quite Candy’ Cindy replied. ‘This is a very brave young lady I’ve got sitting in my chair. She’s after a much neater, cooler Summer style’

‘Ooh getting it all taken off are you love? I can’t wait to see the result! You’ll be looking sharp, Cindy does a great pixie haircut on girls’ Candy winked.

I grinned again. I couldn’t wait myself. Cindy began spraying down my chin length hair and then sectioned off the top, leaving uneven mid-length sections on the side and back. ‘Now let’s get this mess all tidied up!’ She exclaimed cheerfully and began to comb out side sections with her fingers, flashing her scissors about two inches from my scalp. She repeated this all over until I had a uniform pelt of two inches left clinging to my back and sides. Then the top was released and I watched ‘short haired Katy’ come to life with each (more generous) snip overhead. The result was a medium, stylish, feminine pixie with a long fringe. It was a soft cut which perfectly framed my girlish facial features and I suddenly wondered why I’d ever worried about going to get cropped short. The girls at college could hardly find fault in this chic, feminine, sexy style.

‘Oh my god, you look so pretty in that pixie girl! Like a supermodel!’ Shouted Candy across the room. I did look great. Something about the pixie was much more conventionally girly even than Sara’s bob. I was thrilled by the short length and amazed by my new look, but I wondered if it was quite what I had imagined leaving with today. The salon was beginning to empty again as my cut had already taken a while. Cindy paused and looked at me straight in the eyes through the mirror with a knowing stare.

‘Now as you can see you look very pretty in this pixie style and I’m happy to wrap up the haircut there if you’d like. But I have a feeling that you didn’t come in here to get pretty. I think that you came in to get that neat, low-maintenance, no-nonsense cut that’s going to leave you lots of extra time to get on with your studies. Something crisp and clean, wash and go, no brushing and styling required. Am I right?’

My heart raced and I glanced at the large clipper set on Cindy’s side tray. How many times had I imagined Sara having her nape shaved as part of that tantalising short bob? Something in me knew that I needed to know how it felt to have my own neck buzzed down tight. But what would the other girls think? I could just about persuade them that I looked alright in this feminine pixie, but would Casey think I’d gone mad for asking for a boy cut? I felt a twinge between my legs as I mulled it over. Oh god, I didn’t care, I needed to do this for me.

‘I’d like it neatened up please.’

‘Correct answer’ winked Cindy ‘One tidy, functional cut coming up. I’ll make sure that your hair is out of your eyes and out of your way for many weeks to come- not an inch longer than is sensible. Now… could you pop your head down to your chest for me Katy?’

I took a deep breath and bowed my chin to my chest. As I yielded up my nape, Cindy switched on her large, angry clippers and a loud buzzing filled the room.

‘I’ll be taking most of this thatch down to a number 3’ she said ‘That means your hair will mostly be just under half an inch, but I’m going to fade that down at the edges… Don’t worry, I won’t make you look like a marine’ she added with a wink, and I suspected that she was now enjoying the afternoon almost much as her caped client.

It took all my energy not to moan in pleasure as the clipper crunched into the two inch long hair on my nape, reducing it to 3/8 inch stubble. I could no longer ignore the welling moisture between my thighs and felt grateful for the large cape’s modest protection. I had longed for this shave for weeks and finally it was happening, each pass of the clipper peeling away my shame and dissolving my anxiety as it revealed my ‘sensible’, short cut. I thought of Sara’s words after her first major transformation. ‘I’m a short hair gal now, and I’ve never felt more myself.’ She was 100% correct. It was as if I’d just found the true Katy, and she liked her hair cut close.

After shaving my back and sides, Cindy seemed to deliberately take a long time reducing the top section. She slowly worked over my crown with the scissors, glancing fondly at my gaping expression. I felt drunk with awe and revelled in the moment as Cindy revealed my uber-short do. I could have sat there forever, listening to the little snips of Cindy’s sharp scissors as she brought my hair’s length ever closer to my head, and watching the tiny flecks of severed hair as they rained down all around me. Inches of fringe were suddenly vanished and the remaining length on top was to shorn too short to part. Instead the ‘longer’ hair on top sloped straight forward on my crown and ended just half an inch beyond the high hairline of my forehead. I felt Cindy’s long fingernails scratch my barely covered scalp and imagined they were Sara’s. I couldn’t wait to show her the stunning result of my brutal shearing.

‘Wow girl, you going somewhere hot?’ Candy commented as she looked over quizzically at my ultra short boy-cut ‘Lucky you’ve got such great features to carry it off!’ Cindy and I shared an intimate look and laughed aloud.

Next, Cindy took up the smaller clipper set. I couldn’t see that there was much length left to play with, but I trusted her instincts now more than I did my own. She saw me staring at them curiously.

‘Just a bit of detail love, nothing looks smarter than a sculpted hairline and a balded neck. I want to make sure this crop looks equally good from all angles and that means one final shave for you…’ I think she knew by now, by my facial expressions, that another shave would be more than welcome. My heart leapt with pleasure at the notion of my soon to be ‘balded’ nape and to Cindy’s amusement I eagerly bowed my nose to the heavy, black, hair-littered cape.

As I kept my gaze down, Cindy gently raised my hairline by a half inch, mowing away all traces of even the slightest stubble below. I had now accepted that my makeover was in its final stages and I was sad, but excited to touch my sharp, short cut no matter what it looked like. This had been one of the best, most freeing experiences of my life but I knew it had to end some time.

To my surprise, before she could let me go, Cindy asked me to stand and led me, still caped, to a seat at the hair washing station at the opposite side of the salon. She crouched in front of me on the floor and looked directly into my face, admiring her handiwork face on.

’You’ve been really brave today Katy’ She crooned. ‘As a reward I would like to help show you how easy this look is going to be to maintain… So this wash and head massage is on the house. I want you to emerge from today the relaxed and confident girl I know you are, and I’d like you to keep coming back to me as your hairdresser, because I understand what you want and need. Will you accept this gift from me?’

I nodded and smiled in disbelief at the change in tone by the once frosty, sarcastic Cindy. I realised this whole time she just wanted to give me the cut I needed, and today had been a breakthrough for us both. She walked round behind me and I relaxed into the comfy reclining chair, submitting to her touch as she guided my newly shorn head into the basin.

For the next ten minutes I was in total heaven as Cindy ran hot water over my scalp, and massaged me deeply through my tiny covering of blonde hair. As she kneaded my now light, unburdened skull, I heard the quiet sounds of Candy heading home.

‘Don’t worry, I’m almost finished with this one, just lock up when you leave’ said Cindy gently. She wrapped my head in a soft towel and then took me to the mirror where she ran a comb through my fine pelt, showing me how it would now dry perfectly in to place in minutes.

‘I’m combing you out to show you that a small run through with a fine toothed comb is still possible if you enjoy that sensation’ said Cindy, ‘But you can get rid of all those fussy hair brushes and products, because I’ve deliberately made sure there’s barely anything there to need combing. Here, I’ll show you the back’

Cindy held up a small hand mirror to my nape. At a first glance, the cut looked a quite brutal. A minimal carpet of shaved hair on my back and sides was just long enough to maintain my natural dark blonde colour. It was faded shorter around my ears, and to nothing at my nape. A modest, inch-long cap of blonde adorned my crown and the minimum of fringe followed my hairline high above my fore-head, framing my face along with tiny sideburns, the only other concession Cindy had made towards giving me a ‘women’s’ cut.  I looked oddly small, yet exposed without my long hair, like a dog fresh from the groomers or a pruned back hedge. My neck was suddenly long, my ears were prominent and I could feel a cool breeze on my bristly nape. I just loved it. I was so desperate to touch it that I didn’t know how I was ever going to stop.

Cindy grabbed my head and ran both her hands roughly back and forth along my sides, then swept one heavily backwards through my ‘fringe’ to the back of my crown. She released her hand and the cropped-do sprang back perfectly, to attention.

‘See?’ She whispered seductively, leaning in close to my ear ‘I can try and ruffle it up but this real short hair is pretty hard to mess with. You look fantastic, and if you enjoy having it cropped close, I’ll be honoured to maintain this neat style for you as often as you’d like. It’ll take some more regular tidy-ups if you want to keep a nice clean nape like this’ (I shuddered as Cindy blew on the newly bald skin at my hairline) ‘But I get the impression you like coming to my salon, so I think I’ll be seeing you soon?’

She guided me to standing on my shaky legs. I felt exhausted from all the excitement and lets face it- arousal from the day’s extended shearing experience. Cindy handed me my long coat quickly after she lifted off my capes, as if she knew that my enjoyment had gone beyond the smile on my face and that I now needed to cover up a large damp patch between the legs of my jeans. I loved the look of the cut even more in stark contrast to my boring, girlish, everyday outfit. This being so, I did consider that I had a penchant for the caped look, and as Cindy whisked mine away into a cupboard I suddenly thought of Sara, and how I’d love to see what she looked like caped up, awaiting her next trim. I now looked eye catching and unusual enough that I could surely level with Sara. Gorgeous, sexy Sara who I couldn’t wait to be my cut’s first critic…

‘Thank you so much Cindy’ I said almost tearfully, finally running my hands all over my head. I couldn’t do anything but marvel at the smooth skin, blended into tiny stubble at my nape ‘This was exactly the hair cut I wanted’ I took a deep breath and finally managed the words ’A proper short, short haircut’

‘It was my pleasure’ smiled Cindy. ‘Now, go out and hold that cropped head high! I’ll be here with my clippers and shears for when you’re ready to come back.’

And with that, to the amazement of customer and hairdresser alike, the quiet, beautiful young girl with the freshly shaved boy-cut exited the chic salon, leaving behind a foot of healthy blonde hair to be swept away into the trash and forgotten.

***

I knew as soon as I set foot on the pavement outside that I needed to see Sara. I needed her eyes to be the first to take in my new look, before any individual hair on my head had the chance to grow a millimetre. Standing shivering around the corner from the salon (now my hair was gone, it was much more chilly), I quickly texted her the words ‘Hey Sara, could you please meet me at Old Yard bar in 1 hour?’. I knew I needed to meet her somewhere quiet, away from our fellow students and this was a small, old fashioned bar normally frequented by college staff- it was always dead at the weekends. The hour long window gave me a chance to go back to my room and briefly ‘explore’ my new cut in private and I would also be able to change my clothes before going out for the evening. I knew Sara wasn’t seeing Greg at the moment so I prayed that she’d say yes to her friend.

I tensely awaited her reply while strolling quickly down the street in the direction of my dorm. As I reached the college campus, I saw some familiar faces squint at me across the complex, and I thought I spotted a couple of glamorous girls giggle and snap photographs of me to send to their friends. Suddenly, out of nowhere, one guy shouted out:

‘Blondie, what happened to your hair? Who took Barbie to the barber?!’

This attracted more curious attention from nearby students, so before anyone else could comment, I practically sprinted to the door of my dorm. Once inside, I opened my phone and thankfully there was a reply from Sara.

‘I’m at the library. I’m sorry about how upset I was the other night. Of course I’ll meet you at Old Yard in an hour babe. I hope you’re ok! Xox’

I breathed a sigh of relief. I didn’t care what anyone else thought of my hair, but I needed to see Sara soon, so that she could react to my new look in person before word got out that ‘Barbie had been barbered’. In the next hour I ‘got to know’ my new hairdo a bit better. I found that I looked particularly striking with earrings hanging from my well exposed ears, and I chose some black pendants to match the short, figure hugging black dress that I somehow couldn’t resist wearing to go and meet my friend in a quiet bar. I put on some black fishnet tights (from a Halloween costume), my old black Doc Martins, some dark eyeliner and mascara and I have to admit I looked truly striking as I walked out of my dorm for the second time that day. I had been reborn as a sexy, glamorous lady with the shortest blonde crop on campus and a bad-ass shaved nape. I don’t think anyone recognised me as Katy as I strode confidently across the complex to the Old Yard Bar, but I did get a couple of wolf whistles from a group of frat boys and a girl I vaguely knew from one class whispered loudly to her friend ‘Look at her!’

When I walked into the bar, Sara was seated on a high bar stool with her back to me. My eyes of course locked on to that beautiful exposed nape where a quarter of an inch growth was just visible below the edge of her silky silver helmet of hair. She was chatting to the attractive female bartender who was a little older than us (in her 30s maybe) and whose hair was a short wedge cut, an unusually short style for around these parts. Sara was speaking:

‘I’m actually growing it out for my boyfriend. I know it sounds silly, but I shouldn’t have had it cut so short without asking him first. I really enjoyed having it cut super short, but I think I got carried away. All the girls my age have long hair’

The bartender snorted to show her disagreement and was about to reply when she suddenly caught sight of me lurking in the doorway.

‘Well that appears to be false my young friend. There’s a cropped cutie just walked in who has had her mop chopped a fair bit shorter than that bob of yours. Who’s this then? Is this the friend you’re supposed to be meeting?’

I took a deep breath as Sara made to turn round. ’Who? No I’m meeting Katy, she’s got long ha…’ She trailed off as she took in my bared head and bold appearance.

‘Katy?! Is that you!? Where’s your…? What made you…? You look AMAZING!’

My whole body flushed with gratification at her praise. I took great pleasure in seeing her mouth gawp open just like mine had the first day she walked in bobbed. I steadied myself and spoke to her confidently.

‘Sara, I think it’s time you forgot about Greg and his terrible outdated opinions about boring long hair. You gave me the confidence to break free of expectation and part with the prison of my long hair forever. This how I’m supposed to be and I’ve never felt more sexy in my life. It’s all because of you. It took a lot of courage for me to ask to have all my long hair taken off today. Don’t let me down by growing yours out for a boy’

Sara walked over to me still in shock and took my hands.

‘Oh my sweet lovely Katy’ she said ‘You blow me away. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a girl look as stunning as you do now. I’ll stop growing out my hair now. Together us girls will prove that short is sexy! I can’t believe you did this for me’

I paused a second.

‘I didn’t do it for you Sara, I did it for me. But it does mean the world that you like it. Let’s get some drinks I’ll tell you about my day?’

Sara nodded and we two took up a cosy corner in the old bar. Drink upon drink was consumed as I recounted my three trips to the salon and Cindy’s firm hand as she pushed me to realise my ideal style. Sara was obviously captivated by the tale. Holding my hand, she leaned in close to tell details of her own hair story.

‘Cindy is my hairdresser as well, and she’s actually the one that GAVE me the magazine with the lip-length bob on the front! It was like she knew that I wouldn’t be able to resist asking for it!’

As the night went on we laughed and shared our deepest secrets. We finally admitted to each other the thrill we felt when under the clippers and how much we couldn’t stop touching our own shaven napes. Finally, after several drinks and with pupils as round as saucers, Sara asked sweetly.

‘Can I touch your hair now Katy?’

I responded by taking her soft hands in mine and raising them to my scalp.

‘Any time you like Sara.’

My eyes rolled back in my head as she caressed my soft pelt of hair, stroking my sides and pulling at the short length on top. Before I knew it my own hands were entwined in Sara’s locks teasing and stroking them and I was losing myself in the moment.

‘You’re loving this aren’t you my sweet little Katy?’ Sara crooned ‘How much are you loving it?’ I was vaguely aware of the bartender subtly turning away from the two cropped freshers desperately stroking each others necks in the corner. I looked straight into Sara’s eyes and whispered:

‘You tell me’

Sara grinned and leaned in to place her mouth on mine. Suddenly the world slipped away and everything clicked in to place. Sara in my arms, her tongue in my mouth and her hands sliding all through my brand new short haircut, massaging my naked nape. There was a cough from the bar and we broke apart momentarily, panting and red.

‘Not that I’m not enjoying this, but I think it’s maybe time you girls visited your dorm rooms. Or you know, one of your dorm rooms…’ Quipped the lady behind the bar.

Sara and I looked at each other in mutual nervous agreement and locked hands as we stood up shakily and made our way to the bar to pay. The bartender waved our money away.

‘These last one’s are on the house. Freebies for the best looking couple on campus. Good luck girls, and make sure you keep those short cuts fresh!’

We grinned and thanked our new ally. Outside in the dark, Sara took both my hands and pulled me into a long, deep, passionate kiss. Afterwards she spoke:

‘Babe. I want to go back to your dorm and I want to make love to you. I want to make love to my beautiful new short haired Katy and then in the morning I want you to come down to the salon and watch me get my undercut freshened up all neat and cute. That way Greg will know that it’s over between us. I’m with someone else now, if she’ll have me. I’ve always known that there was something between us Katy, I just needed you to find the confidence to come out and claim me. I’m ready to do this. It’s always been you.’

I tried not to tear up as I kissed her again in reply.

‘Yes is my answer Sar. I’m crazy about you. I can’t believe it took so many haircuts for me to come to terms with how I feel. I can’t wait to be a couple with you and show all our boring girlfriends what a real relationship looks like. Oh and one thing’s for sure. We’ll sure as hell be keeping our shaved hair cuts!’

With that, two gorgeous ladies, their blonde hair chopped short, took hands disappeared into the night. Tomorrow was a new day and the residents of this campus were already headed for a brighter, bolder future.

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