ShreyF
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The Galactic Cleanse: Moral Support
Jasmine stood up abruptly, her fingers nervously weaving through her long black hair. “I really have to get back to work,” she stammered, clearly panicked at the thought of clippers and the sheer chaos of the salon.
Once she hurried off, Cath, Midori, and Jess finalized the plan: a 2:30 PM pickup. Cath made it perfectly clear she was strictly there for moral support; her platinum blonde hair was staying exactly as it was. Midori admitted she was still on the fence about the whole trend, but agreed to ride along just to watch the spectacle unfold.
The Temptation of a Trim Back in her apartment, Cath caught her reflection in the hallway mirror. She ran a hand through her platinum blonde strands. She had absolutely no intention of joining the “Galactic Cleanse,” but she couldn’t deny how striking Taylor Swift looked on the cover of the magazine. Maybe a trim wouldn’t hurt? she thought. Just an inch or two to clean up the ends while Jess was in the chair. It was a tempting compromise.
Jess’s Resolve Across town, Jess stared at herself in her bathroom mirror, gripping the edges of the sink. She took a deep breath, looking at her familiar blonde bob. As a chubby white girl, she’d always used her hair as a bit of a safety blanket—something comfortable to hide behind. The quiet insecurities in her head whispered that she needed it. But the viral feeds of women stepping out of salons looking liberated and fierce were drowning out those doubts. Her stomach was doing backflips, but a sharp, undeniable determination settled over her. She was ready to shed the weight.
A sharp HONK from the street jolted her out of her thoughts.
The Chop Shop Jess grabbed her purse and ran out to the car. Midori, with her tan complexion and long green hair cascading over the driver’s seat, gave her a supportive smile. Cath was already waiting in the passenger seat.
The energy inside “The Chop Shop” was absolutely electric. The air hummed with the collective, buzzing drone of a dozen hair clippers. Jess marched up to the receptionist, gave her name, and was immediately whisked to an open leather chair.
The stylist didn’t ask for any hesitation-fueled double-checks. She simply draped a slick plastic cape over Jess, picked up a heavy-duty pair of clippers, and flicked them on with a loud snap. Jess caught Cath and Midori’s eyes in the mirror and gave a brave, shaky thumbs-up.
The stylist pressed the buzzing steel right to the middle of Jess’s front hairline and pushed straight back. A thick highway of her blonde bob fell away instantly. Jess gasped, but as the stylist worked quickly, shearing down the sides and back, the nervous tension melted into a massive, radiant grin. Within minutes, her head was completely bare, smooth, and shockingly chic.
Midori Caves Midori watched, mesmerized, unconsciously twisting a lock of her long green hair around her finger.
“Your turn,” Jess beamed, brushing a few stray hairs off her shoulders as she stood up. “Seriously, it feels incredible. You have to try it.”
The stylist turned to them, the clippers still humming in her hand. “She’s right. With your tan complexion, a shaved head would highlight your bone structure perfectly. Let’s do it.”
Midori looked at Jess, then at her own reflection in the salon mirror, her resolve completely crumbling under the combined enthusiasm of her friend and the stylist. “Okay,” she breathed out, a mix of sheer terror and wild excitement in her voice. “Okay, take it all off.”
Cath watched in stunned silence as Midori took the seat. The stylist wasted no time, gathering the bright green lengths into a ponytail and shearing it off at the nape in one swift motion before taking the buzzing clippers to the rest of her scalp.
The Empty Chair Soon, Midori was rubbing her newly smooth head, laughing out loud alongside Jess. They both turned their gaze toward the waiting area. The clippers were still running. The stylist offered a welcoming, knowing smile, gesturing to the freshly brushed leather chair.
“We have time for one more,” the stylist called out over the hum of the motor.
Jess and Midori looked right at Cath.
“Come on, Cath,” Jess grinned mischievously. “Just a trim, right?”
