Haircutgirl
Melanie had always prided herself on her long, flowing hair. She often joked that it was her best feature, and her girlfriend, Lila, never failed to agree. But lately, Melanie had noticed something different in Lila’s gaze when she looked at her hair. It wasn’t just admiration anymore—it was curiosity, perhaps even a touch of mischief.
One rainy afternoon, as they lounged on the couch, Lila finally voiced what Melanie had been dreading. “So, your hair,” she began, casually twirling a strand between her fingers. “Have you ever thought about going shorter?”
Melanie blinked. “Shorter? Like, how short?” Her laugh came out nervous, barely masking her discomfort.
Lila smirked. “Short-short. Like… a buzzcut.”
Melanie scoffed, brushing the idea away with a wave of her hand. “Not happening. I’d look ridiculous.”
But Lila didn’t drop it. Over the next few weeks, she kept bringing it up, sometimes playfully, other times with a surprising intensity. Melanie, for her part, remained steadfast. She loved her hair too much to even entertain the idea. At least, that’s what she kept telling herself.
It was Lila’s birthday that ultimately sealed Melanie’s fate. Over dinner, after a few glasses of wine, Melanie jokingly asked Lila what she wanted as a gift.
“”Let me cut your hair,” Lila said, her eyes locking onto Melanie’s with startling intensity. “However I want.”
Melanie laughed, waiting for Lila to crack a smile. But she didn’t. “You’re serious?”
“Completely,” Lila said, leaning in closer. “Right now. Let me do it.”
Melanie hesitated, her mind racing. She loved Lila, and there was something thrilling about the idea of letting her take control, but her hair? It was her pride, her identity. Still, the wine had loosened her nerves, and Lila’s excitement was infectious.
She sighed, her stomach flipping. “Fine. But nothing too crazy, okay?”
Lila’s grin turned triumphant. “Deal.”
Within minutes, Lila had transformed their small bathroom into a makeshift salon. Melanie perched nervously on the edge of a stool, her long hair cascading down her back. Lila ran a brush through Melanie’s hair, her touch slow and deliberate, almost reverent.
“Okay, last chance to back out,” Lila teased, her fingers securing the elastic around the base of the ponytail. “Once I cut this, there’s no going back.”
Melanie swallowed hard, her throat dry. “I… I’m ready. Just… don’t make it too short.”
Lila grinned, a glint of mischief in her eyes. “Mmm, no promises.”
Lila tied Melanie’s hair into a high ponytail, tugging it tight with a hair tie. She gave it a playful tug, making Melanie’s head jerk back slightly. “This is gonna be fun,” Lila said, her voice dripping with excitement.
The scissors loomed in Lila’s hand, glinting under the harsh bathroom light. Melanie’s breath hitched as she heard the first loud *snip*. Her heart dropped. The sound repeated, and within seconds, Lila held the severed ponytail in her hand, waving it triumphantly.
“Oh my God,” Melanie whispered, her voice barely audible. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, her hair now ending in a jagged, uneven line just below her ears. She looked so different already, and the panic was starting to creep in. “Oh my god. It’s gone.”
“Not all of it,” Lila said with a smirk. “But we’re just getting started.” She set the ponytail aside like a trophy and picked up the clippers, snapping on a guard. Melanie’s pulse quickened. Anything, she thought, wincing at her own words. She had agreed, after all. And Lila’s birthday grin said she wasn’t about to let this moment go to waste. The buzzing sound filled the bathroom, loud and ominous and Melanie flinched at the sound.
“Wait,” Melanie said, her voice trembling. “How short are you going?”
“Short,” Lila replied simply. She stepped behind Melanie and placed a firm hand on the top of her head. “Now, head down.”
Melanie hesitated for a moment, her breath quickening, but she obeyed. She tipped her head forward, her chin pressing against her chest, exposing the nape of her neck. The vulnerability of the position made her stomach flutter, but there was something exhilarating about it too—a sense of surrender, of letting go. The first pass sent a shockwave through her. The vibration tickled her scalp, and the cool air that followed made her shiver. Chunks of hair tumbled to the floor, collecting in messy piles around her feet. Each pass of the clippers left behind a velvety stubble that felt both foreign and thrilling under Lila’s fingers. Melanie bit her lip, torn between the urge to stop this and the strange sense of liberation creeping in.
“You okay?” Lila asked, her tone teasing but warm.
“I think so,” Melanie murmured, her voice shaky. “It feels… weird. But kind of good?”
Lila chuckled. “Told you you’d like it.” She moved methodically, her hand steady as she guided the clippers along Melanie’s neck and around her ears. The buzzing grew softer as more of Melanie’s hair hit the floor, leaving behind an even, pale expanse of stubble.
As Lila switched to a smaller guard, the buzzing sound became sharper, more precise. She tilted Melanie’s head to the side, working with surgical precision to taper the hair at her temples. The shorter guard cut even closer to Melanie’s scalp, the sensation sending a fresh wave of goosebumps across her skin. Lila’s fingers brushed against Melanie’s ears as she worked, the touch oddly intimate.
“This is really short,” Melanie whispered, her voice tinged with awe.
“That’s the point,” Lila said, gently tipping Melanie’s head to the side to get a better angle. “God, you’re going to look so good.”
Melanie nodded faintly, her heart racing. She wasn’t sure what she had expected, but this… this was something else entirely. She could already feel the cool air on her scalp, the weight of her long hair now a distant memory. The realization hit her that she wasn’t just cutting her hair—she was shedding a part of herself, stepping into something new.
Lila turned off the clippers and set them down, grabbing the scissors again. “Okay, now for the top.”
“Leave it a little longer, right?” Melanie asked quickly, glancing up at Lila in the mirror. “Like a pixie or something?”
Lila tilted her head, pretending to consider it. “Mmm… not quite.”
“Lila, seriously, not too short—” Melanie started but her protests were cut short, quite literally, as Lila took a blunt slice through the hair at the front of her head. A thick section fell forward, landing on Melanie’s lap. Her mouth fell open in shock.
“Lila! No!” Melanie gasped, her hands flying up, but Lila swatted them away with a laugh.
“Relax, babe,” Lila said, Lila said, her tone firm but playful. She combed up another section and cut it, this time even closer to Melanie’s scalp. “You’re gonna look adorable.”
Melanie tried to pull back, but Lila’s free hand steadied her head. “Hold still, babe,” Lila said. “You don’t want me to mess it up.”
Lila worked quickly, cutting the top blunt and short, the scissors grazing Melanie’s forehead as she snipped the fringe just below her hairline. Melanie squirmed in her seat, muttering protests, but Lila ignored her, focused entirely on the task. The remaining hair was now barely an inch long, lying flat against Melanie’s scalp.
When it was over, Lila stepped back, admiring her work. “Perfect,” she said with a grin.
Melanie turned to the mirror, her heart dropping. Her reflection was unrecognizable, her breath shallow as she tried to process what had just happened. Her hands tentatively brushed the short, blunt fringe at the top of her forehead, the closely cropped hair on the sides feeling like stubble under her fingertips. The short bangs emphasized the sharp angles of her face in a way she wasn’t used to. It wasn’t just short—it was *masculine*, boyish in a way that completely stripped her of her former identity. Her soft, flowing femininity was gone, replaced with something sharp and boyish it bordered on jarring. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Though it embarrassed her, the transformation carried an unfamiliar allure, a boldness that sent an unexpected thrill through her.
“I… I look like a dork,” Melanie whispered, touching the blunt fringe with trembling fingers.
Lila grinned, leaning against the counter. “A cute dork,” she teased, ruffling the short hair on top of Melanie’s head. “Actually, you look handsome.”
Her cheeks flushed as she met Lila’s teasing gaze in the mirror. “Handsome?”
“Yeah. More handsome than pretty. In a good way,” Lila said, her tone playful but firm.
Melanie wasn’t sure how to feel about that and groaned, burying her face in her hands. “I can’t believe I let you do this.”
Lila laughed and pulled her hands away gently. “Stop. You’re being dramatic. You’re hot, and you know it.”
“Shut up,” Melanie whispered, blushing furiously as she pulled Lila into a deep kiss. It was an impulsive move, born out of a mix of anger, embarrassment, and something she couldn’t quite name. Lila froze for a moment, clearly surprised, but then melted into the kiss, her hands sliding up to cup Melanie’s face.
For a brief moment, Melanie forgot everything—her hair, her humiliation, the short bangs. All that mattered was Lila’s lips on hers, the intensity of the moment overpowering everything else.
But then Lila’s fingers moved to the back of Melanie’s head, brushing against the stubble. The coarse, foreign sensation was a harsh reminder of what she’d just lost, and Melanie flinched, pulling away abruptly.
“Don’t,” Melanie said, her voice trembling as she turned her face away. She touched the back of her head, feeling the rough texture beneath her fingertips, and winced. “I… I can’t,” Melanie stammered, the vulnerability hitting her all at once.
Lila cupped Melanie’s face gently, her thumbs brushing away the tears. “Melanie,” she said softly, meeting her gaze.
Lila reached up again, her fingers moving deliberately, and this time, Melanie didn’t pull away. Slowly, gently, Lila’s hand slid to the back of her head, her fingertips grazing the buzzed stubble. Melanie winced at first, her body tense, but Lila didn’t stop. She ran her fingers across Melanie’s scalp, exploring the harsh, unfamiliar texture with a tenderness that made Melanie’s chest ache.
The sensation was awful at first. Melanie’s skin prickled, her vulnerability screaming louder than anything else. Her tears spilled silently down her cheeks, but she didn’t try to stop them. But as Lila’s hand moved, slow and deliberate, the initial discomfort began to fade. Her touch was soothing, almost reverent, and Melanie felt her tension begin to melt, replaced by something warmer, softer.
“It’s different, I know,” Lila said, guiding Melanie to face the mirror. “But look at yourself. Really look.”
Melanie gulped, her reflection staring back at her like a stranger. The haircut wasn’t just a change; it felt like a dismantling. But as the moments passed, the shock began to fade, replaced by a hesitant, growing appreciation. The cut was striking, bold, unapologetic. And though she still felt embarrassed, there was something exciting about that, too.
“It’s… different,” Melanie admitted finally, her fingers tracing the blunt, sharp edge of her bangs. Her voice was quieter now, almost contemplative. “I feel… weird. But not in a bad way.”
Lila smiled knowingly, stepping behind her and wrapping her arms around Melanie’s shoulders. “Weird is good. Now, come on—we’re going out.”
“What?” Melanie’s voice jumped an octave, and her eyes went wide. “Like this?”
“How else?” Lila said, her tone mockingly matter-of-fact. “You’re kind of stuck like this, babe.”
The words hit Melanie like a bucket of cold water. *Stuck like this.* The reality of it sank in again. This wasn’t just some temporary experiment. Her long hair wasn’t coming back anytime soon. This was her now—this short, boyish haircut was her new normal. Everyone was going to see her like this, and there was no undoing it. The thought was thrilling. She couldn’t hide anymore. She’d have to own it, even if she wasn’t sure she was ready. Her cheeks flushed as she imagined the stares, the questions, the double-takes from strangers.
Lila must have seen the look in her eyes because she grinned wider, leaning in close. “You’re going to squirm every time someone looks at your haircut,” she said, her voice low and teasing. “It’s cute how embarrassed you are. You’re all shy and squirmy now, like you’re trying to hide. It’s adorable.” She ran her fingers over the buzzed sides of Melanie’s head, watching as Melanie’s shoulders tensed and then relaxed under her touch. “You’re not used to people seeing you like this, huh?”
“No,” Melanie admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’ve always… I don’t know. I just feel… awkward.”
“You’ll survive, even if it’s a little embarrassing at first” Lila said, her tone softening slightly as she brushed a hand through Melanie’s short fringe. “And honestly? I’m taking you out because you look hot.”
Melanie bit her lip, her heart fluttering. She hated how easily Lila could make her feel good about something she wasn’t sure she liked. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized Lila might be right. She didn’t feel pretty anymore, but maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing. She felt… different. And part of her was starting to like it.
“Fine,” she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. “But if anyone stares…”
Lila laughed, grabbing her jacket and slinging an arm around Melanie’s shoulders. “Oh, they’ll stare, babe. Trust me. And you’ll love every second of it.”
As they stepped out into the cool evening air, Melanie’s heart pounded in her chest. She felt exposed, vulnerable, and utterly unlike herself. And yet, for the first time in a long time, she felt free.
