wozziewoo
It’s once again time to check in on our favorite cheerleaders. The competition is getting closer, as is Evan’s departure date. Everyone is handling the pressure differently, but they are all excited & looking forward to what lies ahead.
For those who missed the last installment, or need a refresher about what happened:
The Start of Something New: Volume II Chapter 13 — Establishing The New Normal
As always, here is the link to the first chapter:
The Start of Something New: Volume II Chapter 1 — New Beginnings
Finally, for those wanting to know how we got here, this link will take you to the end of Volume I. From there please find links to all previous stories:
******* As always, for anyone that wishes to discuss any aspect of this story further or talk anything hair, please feel free to message me. I’m always willing to chat and love corresponding with people. *******
Please enjoy:
All Practice and No Play
Emma was motivated. She wouldn’t be satisfied with just a good showing. She wanted to win. She had never wanted anything this much and would do whatever it took to make that happen. She was sure the rest of the team felt the same way, but she wanted this bad. She worked the team hard. Some may say too hard, but it would be worth it.
The team was in good shape, and they seemed ready. Everyone knew the routine and the mistakes were minimal. At this point, it was all about the fine tuning. Team chemistry was off the charts and the energy was all positive. Everyone got along and was excited to present their hard work.
The competition was only a week away. Classes had resumed but practice was still a priority. The entire team was focused and helped each other out as much as possible. Group study sessions took place throughout the house and all outside activities that weren’t cheer related or directly involved going to classes were postponed. The one exception was Heather’s visits to Evan’s salon, because her apprenticeship was important. She provided a vital service to the team, and everyone wanted to see her succeed in this new venture.
Two large boxes arrived on the steps of the house. After a quick check of the label, Emma and Anna eagerly brought them inside and stowed them away. Its contents would be a nice surprise for the team, and Emma would unveil it at the next team meeting later that night.
Confirmation
Everyone was gathered in the living room in their usual spots. There was a buzz in the room. Emma walked into the room carrying a large box. She set the box down in front of her. Emma then called the meeting to order. “Alright, thanks everyone. I aim to keep this very brief. I just want to tell you all what an amazing job everyone has been doing so far. We’re in the home stretch. You all know the routine. However, there’s no letting up now, so don’t expect me to go any easier on you now.” She quickly scanned the room and started to open the box. “That said, we had a special arrival today.” She reached into the box and pulled out a halter shell top.
Suddenly, Anna cartwheeled into the room and then did a backwards flip and spread-eagle jump in the air. She then stood up straight in Superhero pose with a wide smile on her face. She was wearing the new 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 going halfway up. It was definitely a big change from what they were used to, but Anna modeled it well. She looked amazing and very comfortable.
“Where’s the rest of it?” Annie questioned.
Everyone looked over at her.
“What do you mean?” Emma asked, putting the uniform top back in the box. “That’s it. That’s the whole thing.”
“I love it!” Melissa exclaimed excitedly. Finally, this was a team change she could get behind.
“Me too!” Janie echoed. “Anna, you look amazing.”
“Don’t worry guys, we haven’t left you out.” Emma continued. She reached into the box and pulled out a bright teal tank top with a white trim border and matching athletic shorts. “Everyone line up and Anna and I will hand out the new uniforms!” Anna quickly scurried off and returned a moment later with the second box. The team slowly got up and gathered in front of Emma and Anna. “Okay, so I’ll need everyone to come to tomorrow’s practice in their new uniforms because we’re going Full Out. I want us to get used to wearing them and make any adjustments we need to make. Katie!” Katie stepped forward and took her new uniform.
“Elsa!” Anna called, as Elsa walked over and accepted her new garb.
“Shandra!” Emma called out, as Shandra stepped forward.
“Janie!” Anna squealed as her best friend bounced toward her.
“Annie!”
“I really love this team.” Annie muttered through gritted teeth as she accepted the new uniform.
“I know. Thank you.” Emma whispered back.
“Melissa!”
“Betty!”
“Jenny! Jessie!” Anna grabbed both uniforms, one in each hand and then switched hands as the twins stepped forward. Then switched back, cracking a smile.
“Stop it!” Both girls scolded in unison. Anna stopped and stretched her hands out, while each girl grabbed their uniform and stepped back.
“Okay, I just have the guys’ uniforms left in this box. So, the three of you can come up to get your uniforms.” Emma waved them over.
“And Heather, I have yours right here.” Anna informed as the smallest one skipped towards her with a huge grin on her face.
Emma handed the guys their uniforms, and as everyone made their way back to their seats, they started to open their packages and examine their new outfits.
“I won’t keep you, but if anyone has questions or anything they’d like to address, Anna and I will stick around a few minutes. Otherwise, I hope everyone has a good night and be ready bright and early in the morning.” Emma dismissed the meeting.
Everyone got back up. Shandra was first out of the room and headed straight for her room. Everyone else slowly dispersed. The two sets of twins stayed on the couch for a bit and enjoyed each other’s company. Heather made her way over to Emma, while Melissa was called over by Anna.
“Earlier wake up tomorrow?” Heather inquired.
“Well, we all have to be at the gym extra early, so…” Emma responded.
“Yeah, I know. So, if we want to get a run in –” Heather was cut off.
“Oh. Well, we’ll all be working pretty hard, especially you. I don’t want you to tire out.” Emma explained.
“So, no run? Is it ok if I go without you?” Heather asked.
“You want to?” Emma couldn’t help but chuckle. “Okay, I’ll go with you. I was gonna let you off the hook, but if you’re up for it…” Emma put her arm around Heather’s shoulder, “Let’s just take it a bit easy, okay?” She rubbed her head, “and we’ll probably hold off on the shave until after practice. Does that work for you?”
Heather looked up at her captain and smiled, “Sounds fine with me.”
Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, Anna and Melissa were talking with Janie listening in.
“Yeah, Melissa… So, I don’t know how to say this, but your worst nightmare may be realized.” Anna started.
“Oh, no.” Melissa tried to prepare herself.
“So, remember when Franklin first joined the team and commented on how he loved our looks and there was no place he’d rather be?” Anna asked. Melissa nodded slowly. “I know you weren’t really involved, but do you remember Emma’s huge surge the night of our fundraiser, and how everyone else’s pledges maxed out?” Melissa slowly nodded again. “Right, well, it turns out that a major donor was Franklin. He was watching our entire livestream and was a huge contributor. I think if it wasn’t for that night and our overall looks…” Anna trailed off, rubbing her head a little.
“Franklin only joined the team because we’re BALD?!” Janie exclaimed a little too loudly. Both Anna and Melissa turned towards her and shushed her. “Franklin only joined us because we’re bald?” She whispered.
“I don’t know.” Anna replied. “Honestly, I’m not, but the evidence speaks for itself…”
“Oh, God!” Melissa cried in horror.
Janie gasped. “Does that mean you’re finally gonna shave your head?”
“NO!” Melissa declared. “Of course not!” She paused. “I mean, I don’t know. I…” Melissa burst into tears. “It’s not fair!” She shouted as she ran from the room and headed upstairs. A moment later her bedroom door slammed shut. Everyone left in the living room turned and stared at Anna and Janie, who just shrugged.
Split Decision
Heather was dedicated to the cheer team. She knew how important practice was and was really looking forward to the competition. However, if she was being honest with herself, it was only third on the list of things that mattered most to her. It was a solid number three, but number three, nonetheless. The most interesting part was that her top two were both things that weren’t even on her radar a few months earlier. She had no way of choosing between the top two. The truth was she couldn’t picture her life without either one.
She loved being at the salon. She could just hang out on Evan’s couch all day and be completely content, but that never happened. Evan put her to work, and the more she was there the more his clients trusted her and the more she was able to do. She enjoyed and relished every opportunity she was given and was always extremely attentive. The list of Evan’s clients who felt comfortable migrating to her grew every day and it was a good thing too, because Evan’s departure was imminent. At this point, most of his clients were having their final visit with him.
Any time any of her teammates went to the gym or did any kind of work out, she tagged along. Sometimes, she went by herself. She was always a good teammate and deferred to what anyone else was doing. When Emma started to drag her along on her runs, Heather struggled to keep pace. And now, she often challenged Emma for the lead and they both pushed each other. When both Jenny and Jessie wanted separate workouts, Heather went with them both just so they wouldn’t have to be alone. She picked up their routines fast and even expanded on them. On other trips to the gym with her teammates, they usually keep it light, and barely broke a sweat. However, she also enjoys her solo trips, because that’s when she could really let loose.
For the most part she has kept each of these areas of her life separate, but recently there had been some overlap.
“I can’t believe this may be one of the last times that I’ll be back here.” Nikki headed back to Evan’s private room. It was her third time back since she had officially handed herself over to Heather. Her hair was still the same fiery red color it was when Heather last dyed it. It’s the longest she’s stuck with any one color since her initial cut a little over two months ago. Though the cut had changed significantly. Nicole used to dread the hair salon and hated getting her hair trimmed. She stretched her visits as long as possible and usually ended up going no more than 2 or 3 times a year. Since then, she’s gone no more than a couple of weeks without a visit and that time was getting shorter. Since Heather officially took over Nikki’s hair, Nikki had visited at least once a week, and sometimes twice.
Heather always enjoyed it when Nikki showed up and felt like she had found a real kindred spirit. Nikki could do no wrong in Heather’s mind and she liked experimenting on Nikki’s hair and having free reign to do what she wished. So, the last time Nikki stopped by, she asked if Heather would ever be interested in hanging out outside of the salon. Heather didn’t hesitate. Nikki suggested she take Heather to the gym. Heather was incredibly eager for the opportunity. Nikki requested that Heather do her normal routine and take her through everything she did.
So, Heather did her full workout and explained everything along the way. It wasn’t that long ago that the entire gym concept was completely foreign to her. In just a short time though, she felt like an expert. She knew she was far from an expert, but she felt confident enough in what she was doing that she had no hesitation or doubt about any of it. Nikki soaked it all up and enjoyed watching Heather “in her element.” She filmed some short videos of Heather explaining the elements of her routine and actively doing the workout. Nikki even joined in on a few of the routines herself. Nikki wasn’t a stranger to the gym, but this was a whole new experience for her. No longer having a ponytail made such a huge difference, in multiple ways.
As Nikki entered the back room, she greeted Evan and Heather. “My two favorite people!” She exclaimed while hugging them both. “Okay, Evan. Break time.” She winked at Evan, who had gotten accustomed to providing the private time the two seemed to enjoy sharing.
“You’re going to miss me when I’m gone.” Evan joked as he finished up and headed for the door. “Have fun.”
“We will!” They both said in unison as they looked at each other and smiled. Nikki took off her coat, to expose her rather revealing crop top as she headed straight to the chair and sat down.
“So, what have you got in mind today?” Nikki asked enthusiastically.
“Oh, Nikki, you know you don’t really want to know.” Heather replied. “And I wouldn’t tell you anyway, even if you did.” Heather smiled back at her friend. “But I do have something great in mind for you. Hope you’re ready for it.”
“Wow, Heather, you know me so well.” Nikki smiled back. “Okay, go for it. I can’t wait to see what you’ve come up with.”
Heather started mixing the color solution. She knew this was an important part of the transformation process, not just for Nikki, but for all her new clients. She had spent a lot of time with Evan learning all about mixing techniques, certain solutions, and she was ready to give it a shot. She knew Nikki was down for anything and it was a low-risk opportunity.
“You’ve had that red for a while…And when I think about how you used to switch up the color at almost every appointment, I wanted to let you know that your time as a red head is over. I’ve been practicing color mixing with Evan, so you’re in good hands.” Heather informed.
“Of course I am!” Nikki smiled back. “I imagine this will be getting a lot shorter as well.” She reached up to the top of her head and grabbed at her hair, which had recently been buzzed down to a #5.
“Well, it’s certainly not going to get any longer.” Heather teased, as she started to brush the color solution onto Nikki’s head. “I’d love to take it really short. But you only have so much hair left. So, I can’t take off too much.”
“Really short, huh?” Nikki contemplated. “This isn’t really short already?”
“Well, I guess it’s all relative.” Heather explained. “I’m sure given where you started, the concept of really short is so foreign. You probably looked at your first cut as really short, but if I asked you that now, I doubt you’d feel the same.”
“Oh, I get it. Well, if you’re not talking about shaving it, then what would really short be?” Nikki was open and she trusted Heather. “I’m not opposed to moving up the timeline for the shave a bit.”
“Well, I already have a plan for this visit, but I’ll keep that in mind for next time.” Heather finished up the application of the color solution.
“Guess you’re not answering that other question…” Nikki couldn’t tell how she felt about that, but she also started to consider the idea of being bald and realized it would probably be coming sooner than she originally thought.
No One Expects The Spanish Inquisition
“Do you guys enjoy being bald?” Melissa asked Jenny and Jessie, who were seated across from her at the kitchen table. “I mean you both had such nice, beautiful, long hair.”
“Well, we definitely don’t miss our long hair, if that’s what you’re asking.” Jenny responded.
“Yeah, I doubt my hair will ever get anywhere close to that long ever again.” Jessie concurred.
“I loved my bowl cut. I can see myself going back to that and maintaining it.” Jenny continued.
“Yeah, okay, but that’s not the same as having NO hair.” Melissa doubled down.
“Well, it does help that most of the team is bald. That was a major part of my motivation.” Jessie admitted.
“Not the entire team.” Melissa snapped back.
“True. But that’s your choice.” Jenny remarked.
“Yeah, Melissa, you know we have your back no matter what.” Jessie agreed.
“None of this is helpful.” Melissa pouted.
“Well, we may not be the best ones to answer this, but I can say, we loved our old looks and the individuality it brought us, but our boyfriends weren’t the biggest fans. They love our looks overall, but not when they were so different from each other. They may not be the biggest fans of our shaved heads, but they do like that we look the same again.” Jenny stated.
“Yeah, and I guess after the competition is over, we’ll have to sit down and figure out how to proceed.” Jessie added. “It is a bit strange to have less hair than they do, though.”
“We’re committed to this for now, but I doubt either of us sees this as a long-term look.” Jenny continued.
“But I don’t think either of us would be opposed to doing it again.” Jessie said. “And that mindset is already a big change. I remember it was my one biggest concern when Evan first cut my hair.”
Melissa exhaled deeply. “Hair does grow back, right? I mean, it’s not like I’d have to be bald forever.” She reached her hand back and lifted her hair, exposing the buzzed head underneath it.
Perfection Achieved?
“Are you headed to the gym again after you leave here?” Nikki confirmed, while Heather lead her over to the sink.
“I’d like to, but this week is crazy.” Heather answered. “Evan is close to leaving, so I feel like there’s a lot to do here. Plus, our competition is next week, and there’s a lot going on with that.”
“Ah, okay.” Nikki responded. “Well, if you do end up going, I’d be happy to go with you again.” Nikki leaned her head back. “As long as you don’t mind me tagging along.”
“Of course! You’re always welcome.” Heather turned the water on and started washing Nikki’s hair and rinsing out the color solution. “It’s probably going to be pretty late, though. I’ll be here a few more hours, at least.”
“That’s okay. I don’t mind.” Nikki assured. “Tell you what. When I’m done here, I have a few errands to run. Then I’ll come back here and pick you up. We can go for a bite to eat, and then I’ll take you to the gym and we’ll hang out as long as you want. Once we’re done, I’ll drop you off at your house.”
“Wow, Nikki, you’d do all that?” Heather finished rinsing Nikki’s head and started drying it with the towel.
“Sure.” Nikki confirmed. “I had a lot of fun last time.” Nikki smiled, showing off her perfect white teeth.
“Um, okay. Thanks.” Heather guided Nikki up as they headed back towards the chair. “I’ll just confirm with everyone that it’s okay.” She went over to the counter and grabbed the clippers and a comb, while Nikki sat down.
“Sounds like a plan.” Nikki adjusted her top as she sat back and got comfortable.
Heather walked over to Nikki and turned the clippers on. She placed them at the middle of her forehead and then slowly guided them back. The tiniest little tufts of hair fell in the wake. Then Heather placed the clippers again right next to the first strip and repeated the process. She worked quickly, but also really enjoyed Nikki’s company and so she tried not to finish too quickly.
“So, do you get a lot of response from the videos that get posted?” Nikki inquired.
“I don’t really pay much attention.” Heather began. “I really wasn’t into any of it, but my teammate, Anna, is. She encouraged me and set it all up. She said I didn’t have to do much. I’ve posted a couple of videos just because, but most of the posts are done by other people. My captain, Emma, made a few posts during the break, and then I know you posted a few things, but I don’t really follow everything that closely.”
“So do you mind being filmed?”
“I did at first. When the team did their head shave fundraiser last month, I was on camera a lot and I was very self-conscious about it. But I got used to it. Now, I just try not to think about it, and it seems to work.” Heather finished up the last few swipes over the top of Nikki’s head. Then stopped for a moment as she turned the clippers off and removed the guard.
“You’re very photogenic and a natural.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that.” Heather blushed as she turned the clippers back on. Then she gently pushed Nikki’s head down, carefully guided the bare blades up Nikki’s neck, and the lower part of her head stopped at the top of the occipital bone. She then repeated the process multiple times, being careful not to go too high.
“That tickles!” Nikki couldn’t help but laugh. This was an entirely new experience, and she was now preparing herself for what seemed to be her shortest style yet.
“I know.” Heather agreed. “I felt the same way the first time.”
“You’re shaving me, aren’t you?” Nikki wasn’t prepared but was honestly okay with the idea and ready to see what it was like.
“No,” Heather stated. “Well, not completely, anyway.” She switched blades as she worked on blending the hair a bit. “You said you trust me, right? I’ll explain when it’s done.”
“Oh, relax. I’m not upset.” Nikki assured. “I’m actually a bit excited about it.” Nikki grinned.
“Okay, but I need you to stay still, so I don’t mess this up.” Heather stated firmly.
“Ooooh, yes miss bossy. I like it.” Nikki teased and then obliged.
Heather continued. She had come to realize though her own observation and learning from Evan, that there was a certain art involved. And with the right tools and discipline, it really could be a work of beauty. This was a relatively new concept for her. Previously her hair had always just been long and “there” without much style and shape. When it was long and luscious, it was her pride and joy. She cared for it immensely, but it would be hard to really think of it as “a work of art.” With those days long behind her, Heather found her preferred style to vary between a smooth shave and a few days of stubbly growth on top, but there was still a lack of “style” or any kind of major composition. Nikki provided her with a rare opportunity, and she intended to fully embrace her friend’s offer.
After a few more minutes, she felt satisfied with what she had done and was ready to show off her work. As a finishing touch, she went back to the counter and grabbed a spray bottle and some gel. Heather sprayed Nikki’s hair, then squirted some gel into her hands, and rubbed her hands profusely into Nikki’s hair. Finally, Heather went over to the mirror, which was covered with a sheet, as usual. Evan and Heather had added a hook above the mirror, which allowed for easier removal of the sheet without the need for assistance. As she reached up, she made sure Nikki had closed her eyes as she tugged the sheet away. She walked back over to the chair and stood next to Nikki as she told her to open her eyes.
As Nikki opened her eyes, she took a minute to readjust her eyes and stared at the image in the mirror. It was her, but it was definitely different. She reached her hand up and felt the back of her head, which was now bare and stubbly. She took her other hand and brushed it through the top of her teal hair. She turned her head in all directions and fully examined every aspect of it. She sat in silence for a moment, soaking it all in. Finally, a giant smile appeared across her face as she stood up. Without saying a word, she walked over to Heather and gave her a giant hug. Nikki even lifted Heather several inches off the floor and gave her a big kiss on the cheek.
“Wow!” Nikki finally spoke, as she returned her friend to the ground. She turned and faced the mirror again. “I love it.” She rubbed her hands through her hair again. “I really, really, LOVE it.” She turned towards Heather again. “I’ll admit, you DID have me a bit nervous for half a minute, but my trust in you is rewarded again.” She turned back to the mirror. “You really outdid yourself with this. Amazing!” She turned towards Heather again and then immediately back to the mirror. “Geez, I just can’t stop looking at it. And my hands just can’t stop feeling it.” She leaned down and hugged Heather again. “Thank you so much.” She squealed in delight as she continued to explore her new style.
“I’m glad you like it. I was a bit unsure, but I really wanted to push things a bit and felt like you could handle it.” Heather began to explain.
“No, you did so good. Trust your instincts.” Nikki assured Heather.
“So, you have what’s known as a skin fade. The bottom of your head is shaved close to the skin, but you still have hair on the top. The top of your head I buzzed down to a number 3 guard. Which was actually what the bottom of your head started as after your initial cut.” Heather continued.
“I think this is it!” Nikki boldly exclaimed.
“What do you mean?” Heather had a confused look on her face. “Are we not cutting any more off?”
“Oh, no.” Nikki looked down at her friend. “No, we definitely are.” She smiled as she explained further “I just mean… remember a couple weeks back when we talked, and you asked if I planned to keep it shaved? Then I told you while I theoretically could see it, I’d probably end up growing it a bit just to avoid boredom?”
“Yeah. Afterwards, I said I had no plans to go much beyond how my hair is now, and then I told you how you could never be boring.” Heather answered.
“What if I told you, I think this is my ‘grow out point’?” Nikki smiled.
“I’d say that’s not much.” Heather replied.
“That’s exactly my point.” Nikki winked at Heather, while continuing to rifle through her hair and glanced at the mirror again. “Heather, this is perfect!”
Heather’s eyes went wide from the praise and from the realization of what Nikki was saying. She had hoped Nikki would like what she had done, but she never expected such high praise. She was really happy for her friend. She was even happier that Nikki loved it as much as she did, and that she had created a style for her that she liked so much she wanted it to stick around.
Nikki spent another few minutes staring at herself in the mirror, playing with and feeling her head. Finally, she was able to tear herself away long enough. She gave one final hug to Heather and promised she’d be back in a few hours to pick her up. Heather said she was looking forward to it. Then Nikki exited the room and closed the door behind her. A couple of minutes later, Evan came back into the room.
“Well, Nicole wouldn’t stop praising you.” Evan smiled as he also praised Heather. “She had the whole salon’s attention and declared you the greatest stylist on the planet. I tried not to take it personally.”
“Oh, well… I had a great teacher.” Heather said softly.
“You did a phenomenal job. Honestly, she really does look great.” Evan complimented. “I honestly couldn’t have done better myself. My clients are in great hands.”
Heather smiled and basked in the afterglow while they got ready for Evan’s next client who walked in a minute later.
A Social Gathering
Anna and Janie were in Anna’s room. As usual Anna was at her computer, editing her latest Social Media content. This time, however, Janie was seated right next to her. While she had gained plenty of experience over the past few months in terms of filming and posting, her editing skills still needed some work. Since she’d be responsible for the team’s new social accounts going forward, in addition to maintaining her own accounts, Janie was taking advantage of the opportunity to learn from Anna. The upcoming competition proved to be the perfect launching point for the team.
“I still don’t get how you merge those two shots.” Janie stated, pointing to the computer screen.
“It’s pretty easy. It’s all digital. So, the most important part is uploading the files. I’ll make sure you have all the software you need on your own computer. Once you digitize everything, you bring up the editing software, and you can create files.” Anna started to explain.
“Did you teach Heather all of this?” Janie asked.
“Goodness, no! I’m lucky that I got Heather to agree to be on social media at all. She took my advice to heart.” Anna sighed. “Her posts are all just raw footage, and she doesn’t even post most of them.”
“You were right, though. All her posts have thousands of views.” Janie pointed out.
“Yeah, and her followers are creeping up as well.” Anna declared. “She cares so little. If she actually put in some effort, she might actually surpass me!”
“Would you be okay with that?” Janie inquired.
“If she tried? If she cared? I’d be fine with it as long as she promoted the team.” Anna stated. “Otherwise, yeah, I’d probably be a bit annoyed, but only mildly so. I mean, it would be my own doing. I set the whole thing up, it would only serve me right.” She paused. “Our content is completely different though, so it’s not really a competition.”
“Still…”
“Yes, Janie. I know what you’re thinking, but I promise I have other things that I’m focused on. I’m just impressed with who Heather has become and only hope to see her grow. Now, let’s get back to the editing, shall we?”
“You really are amazing.”
Gym-tastic Bonding
The rest of the day flew by. Heather loved being at the salon and was expertly attuned to every client’s needs. More and more of Evan’s clients felt comfortable with Heather and all signs pointed to a smooth transition, but Heather was distracted. She couldn’t wait for Nikki to pick her up. Honestly, it was a new feeling for her. She liked Nikki and enjoyed spending time with her. Nikki was becoming a close friend, and it went way beyond just her hair. Ever since Heather first cut off her own hair, she had gotten close to Betty, and they bonded over misguided haircuts through Shandra. Over time their relationship had grown, and Heather easily considered Betty her best friend on the team, but ever since their overnight game, she and Betty had grown a bit distant. Emma was an amazing confidant but outside of their daily runs and shaves, they didn’t have much else in common.
Nikki was different. Heather didn’t know exactly what it was, but there was something. Sure, she was a bit older, but age didn’t seem to matter. Nikki took a genuine interest in all aspects of Heather’s life and conversation was so easy. This was all new to Heather, as so much of her life had been the past few months. Finally, the end of the day grew near, and she and Evan finished up with the last of their clients for the day. They started to clean up the room and close for the day.
“That was another great day, Heather. Your client list is really growing. It looks like everyone will be in good hands when I leave.” Evan grabbed a broom and began to sweep up.
“Yeah, I don’t know how I will fit this all in, but I am so incredibly grateful for this opportunity. I promise not to let you down.” Heather remarked as she grabbed a cloth and began to wipe down the chair and the counter.
“You couldn’t let me down Heather. I may be leaving, but at least this is one less thing I have to worry about. Even if I wasn’t leaving, I think several of my clients would gravitate towards you. I don’t just mean Nicole either.” Evan stated to his young protégé. Then, he noticed the blinking light above the door. “Speaking of which, I think she’s here. She was picking you up, right?”
“Yeah!” Heather answered excitedly. “She’s taking me to the gym before home. She’s so great. I really like her a lot. We’ve started hanging out a bit outside of here. She’s so much fun.”
“That’s great, Heather. Well, you’ve done great. Why don’t I let you go then? I’ll finish up here. Go have a good time.” Evan took the cloth from Heather and guided her towards the door.
“Thanks, Evan!” Heather left the room and skipped down the familiar hall to the lobby, where Nikki was talking with Lacey.
“Hey, you, long time no see.” Nikki smiled at her young friend, with outstretched arms.
“You really did a good job with her.” Lacey chimed in from behind the desk.
‘Thanks! She makes it so easy.” Heather replied as she embraced Nikki. “I’ve been thinking about you ever since you left.” She looked up to Nikki.
“Have you? Well, what I coincidence, because I’ve been thinking a lot about you as well.” Nikki wrapped her arm around Heather. “And I’ve been talking about you a lot as well.” Nikki giggled, as she rubbed her head with the other hand. She then guided her young friend as they made their way towards the door.
“Have fun on your date!” Lacey shouted to them as they exited the salon.
“Thanks! We definitely will!” Nikki answered, as the door closed behind them, and they headed towards Nikki’s car.
“Date?” Heather asked as she got in the car. “What did she mean date?”
“Oh, you know. Two girls going out for a good time. Same as a ‘hang’.” Nikki answered as she started the engine and sped off. “Why, what would you call it?” Nikki turned towards Heather and smiled at her.
“Oh, okay.” Heather replied. “I guess ‘date’ would work. I just never thought of it that way.” Heather smiled back.
After a quick bite to eat, they headed for the gym. Once they arrived, they made their way to the locker room so they could change. Heather put on a dark blue sports bra and black bike shorts, with a red bandana wrapped around her head. She had taken to wearing the bandana any time she was at the gym or any other kind of physical activity. She found it a good way to contain the sweat and keep it from dripping down her face. Nikki was in a teal sports bra and matching leggings. Heather looked over at her friend and smiled as they exited the locker room and headed down the hallway.
“I wanted my outfit to match my hair!” Nikki exclaimed, noticing her friend’s reaction. “Of course, I had no idea what I would look like, so a shopping trip was in order.”
“It’s the school’s colors. We have our competition next week, so I thought it was appropriate.” Heather explained. “Several of the cheerleaders, dyed their hair in the school colors earlier in the season, but, well, most of them don’t have hair anymore.”
“I figured as much.” Nikki wrapped her arm around Heather and laughed. “I’m happy to represent.” They entered the gym. “So, where do we start?”
For the next hour or so, Nikki followed Heather from station to station as Heather ran through her routine. Most of the time, Heather was too involved to hold a steady conversation, but she commented when she could. Nikki participated as well, but not nearly to the extent that Heather did. Nikki spent a lot of the time filming Heather, who was slightly embarrassed at the thought of being filmed. She was also aware that she had a following who enjoyed watching her and she no longer objected. Nikki couldn’t believe how dedicated Heather was and how intense she was. She admired her stamina.
As Heather finished up and they started back towards the locker room, Nikki stopped Heather. “Do you want to hit the sauna?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never been. What’s there?” Heather asked.
“It’s rather like this room. But it’s really hot. There are benches that we can sit on, or possibly even lay on, for a few minutes. It supposedly has a lot of health benefits like reducing the toxins in your body and optimizing your athletic performance.” Nikki explained as she led Heather in that direction.
“It sounds okay.” Heather followed. “Though, it doesn’t seem like I have much choice.” She smirked as she allowed herself to be dragged towards the sauna.
“Okay, so let’s hit the shower first. We would normally do this anyway, but especially after that workout.” Nikki dictated to Heather as she grabbed a robe and a couple of towels and handed them to Heather. “Put that on when you’re done and meet me back here.” Nikki winked at Heather, who nodded in agreement as she darted off. A few minutes later, as Heather emerged from the shower, Nikki walked up to her and handed her a water bottle. “Now drink this, then go refill it, and drink it again. Make sure you drink at least two full bottles and then fill it again before going to the sauna.”
“Hey, you.” Nikki walked up to Heather, who stood outside the sauna in her robe. She had a bottle of water and a couple of towels. “You all set?”
“Yeah, I guess.” Heather responded.
“Okay, I’m going to set the timer, then open the door. As soon as I do, go in and then sit down on the bench. I’ll be right behind you.” Nikki instructed Heather.
“How long is the timer for?” Heather inquired.
“I’ll set it for 15 minutes. That’s a long time, so we can leave earlier. But we shouldn’t stay past the timer going off, okay?” Nikki explained. Heather nodded eagerly in agreement. “Then let’s go.” Nikki turned the dial and opened the door. Heather scooted inside and Nikki followed right behind and closed the door behind her. As the steam filled the room, Heather looked around, found a bench, and sat down. Then Nikki sat down on a bench across from her. They were the only ones there. “Oh, good! No one else is here. Feel free to get comfortable.”
Nikki placed one of her towels across the bench and another one rolled up next to it. She then untied her robe and let it drop to the floor. She stood in front of Heather completely naked for just a moment before laying down on the towel.
Heather watched Nikki in amazement. This would have been her worst nightmare a few months ago, but a lot had changed in a short time. She was still adjusting to certain aspects of her new life, including feeling comfortable in her body. However, she didn’t want to disappoint Nikki. So, she followed suit, laying out the towels in the same manor and finally disrobing before laying down. She felt incredibly self-conscious, even though she normally felt comfortable with Nikki.
“How’re you doing over there?” Nikki inquired, after Heather settled down a bit. “I wasn’t sure how you’d react.”
“I’m okay.” Heather managed. “I didn’t realize we’d be getting naked.”
“Well, it depends. Personally, I think it’s the best option, but it’s not always allowed.” Nikki explained. “There’s no one else in here, and we laid the towels out. So, as long as we clean up before we leave, it’ll be fine.”
“What do we need to clean up?”
“Are you sweating?”
“Profusely. Even more than when I was doing my work out.”
“Good. You should be. Tomorrow, we’ll be more prepared and bring a spare set of clothes.” Nikki stated, “Just in case.”
“Tomorrow?” Heather questioned.
“Or whenever we come back. I just assumed we’d do this again tomorrow. You were planning on coming here after you were done at Evan’s, weren’t you?”
“Uh, I guess so. Probably. I just didn’t realize you were coming, too.” Heather answered.
“Oh, well, I don’t have to if you don’t want. I just thought…”
“No!” Heather interrupted. “I mean, of course, you can come. I just didn’t realize you’d want to.”
Suddenly, Nikki sat up and looked directly at Heather. “Are you serious? Of course, I want to come. There’s no place else I’d rather be.”
“Oh, okay.” Heather said softly. Then she smiled and looked directly at Nikki. “I guess it’s a date then.”
Practice Doesn’t Always Make Perfect
As the competition grew closer, Emma got more overbearing. She put pressure on herself and the team. She nitpicked every little detail and rode the team hard in a desire to be perfect. While everyone knew the routine and was comfortable with it, the amount of pressure that was on them caused them to make silly mistakes. Practice was stressful and Emma was riding everyone like a drill sergeant.
“Emma,” Elsa alerted the captain. “Maybe we should take a break.”
“No, it has to be perfect.” Emma scolded. “We’ll break when we stop with the stupid mistakes. Come on, we know this! Let’s go, guys! The competition begins in 3 days. 3 DAYS! And we’re gonna lose a day for travel. That only gives us 2 days to perfect this!”
“Emma…. I think you need to relax a bit. We’re all here and we’re all dedicated, but we also need a break. We all want to do well, but there is such a thing as over thinking and over practicing.” Anna tried to plead.
“Hey, you’re not Captain, yet missy.” Emma chided. “I’m still in charge and I still say when we’re done with practice.”
“Alright, Emma. That’s enough.” Coach Beth, now very visibly pregnant, waddled up to her young successor. “You’re not the coach yet, so let’s not forget who’s really charge.” Emma dropped her head. “Okay, everyone. Let’s take a break. I know you’re all better than this. Everyone just needs to relax and get your heads on straight. Be back here in ten minutes, and we’ll go run this one more time full on.” Coach Beth continued. “Then I’m calling it. There is such a thing as over practicing.” She clapped her hands together dismissing the team. They all scattered. “Emma, can I see you a minute?” Emma walked over. “What’s going on? This isn’t you.”
“I just want us to do well, Coach.” Emma declared.
“No, it’s more than that. This isn’t you.” Coach addressed her. “In all the time I’ve known you, I’ve never seen you this way.”
“We’ve never been in a competition like this before.” Emma snapped back.
“No, no there’s more going on.” Coach shook her head. “Go take a walk. You’re on a time out.”
“But Coach –” Emma protested.
“GO!” Coach Beth dismissed her, pointing her arm towards the exit doors. Emma sulked off in disgust.
Meanwhile on the other side of the gym, the team had broken off into smaller groups. The boys were standing around cracking jokes with each other. They were interrupted by a voice.
“Hey!” The boys all turned towards the voice. It was Melissa. “Hey, Franklin! Why do you ignore me?” Franklin turned back around and continued to joke with Tim and Tate. “Hey! You’re doing it now!”
“Melissa!” Anna walked up to her teammate. “Hey, are you really sure this is the right time?”
“This has been going on for weeks.” Melissa explained to Anna, while still being loud enough for Franklin and everyone else to hear. “Frankly Franklin, I want answers. Did I do something to you? Did I NOT do something? What is it? This has been going on for WEEKS! We’re supposed to be a TEAM!”
“Melissa.” Anna reached out. The rest of the team was starting to gather around.
“No, Anna. This ends now.” Melissa shrugged her off and stood her ground arms folded. “One way or another. I want answers.”
Franklin scoffed and continued to ignore Melissa, while she continued to stand there, arms folded staring at Franklin. The rest of the team gathered around them to watch the standoff.
“Alright, everyone, let’s get back to it.” Coach Beth shouted from across the gym. “Emma’s going to cool down for a bit, meanwhile let’s work around her.” The rest of the team slowly started to disperse and head back towards Coach, while Melissa continued to stand her ground, arms folded, as Franklin brushed past her.
“Hey,” Tim hung back a minute, to talk with his partner, “You’re not uniform.”
“What!?” Melissa turned towards him with a confused look on her face.
“You’re not uniform.” Tim repeated. “You look different from everyone else. As a team, there shouldn’t be any differences between the group. You’re not uniform. HE doesn’t like that.” Tim pulled Melissa along as they headed back towards the group.
“Is this about my hair?” Melissa pleaded while twirling her golden locks. “Please just answer me that.”
“You’re not uniform.” Tim repeated, winking at Melissa as they rejoined the group. Melissa just stood there with her mouth open.
The team ran through the routine two more times, without incident. They worked around Emma’s absence, then, as promised, Coach Beth ended the practice for the day. She told everyone to go off and relax. Enjoy themselves, do whatever they want, and to not think about the competition. There would be one final meeting later that night, before they left for the competition the following day.
Melissa’s Lament
Katie and Heather headed to Evan’s salon. It would be the last time they were there before they left for the competition. When they came back, it would be the final week before Evan and Lacey left. Both were there for very different reasons. Heather was there to continue her training and make final arrangements before officially taking over for Evan. Katie was there just to spend as much time with her boyfriend as possible before he left. Both planned to spend as much time there the following week as they were able to.
The double set of twins went out on a double date to a movie but ended up not watching much of the movie. Some of the girls took advantage of the free time and just went back to the house to relax, or nap, or finish packing.
Janie and Anna continued their editing lesson. Janie was preparing to launch the team’s social accounts when they came back but wanted plenty of footage to load when she did. She had mini cameras, her phone, extra batteries, etc. She would be the team’s official videographer/documentarian from that point forward and was excited for the responsibility.
After some time, they took a short break. They went down to the kitchen to grab a snack. Upon returning upstairs, they heard sobbing coming from Melissa’s room. Anna knocked gently on the door.
“Go away, please.” Melissa’s muffled voice said through the door.
“Melissa, it’s Anna and Janie. Can we come in?” Anna replied softly.
“No.” Melissa sniffled through tears.
“Alright, let’s rephrase. We’re coming in.” Janie stated as she turned the knob. She opened the door and she and Anna stepped in.
Melissa was sitting on her bed with her knees pulled up to her face. She looked up and her face was all red and puffy. Tears streamed down her face.
“Oh, Melissa… What’s wrong?” Anna walked over to Melissa and sat down on the bed next to her.
“Nothing!” Melissa answered. “Just leave me alone.”
Anna looked back at Melissa sternly. “You know that’s not happening. We’re not leaving until you tell us what’s going on.” Janie sat down on the chair across from Melissa’s bed. She leaned forward with her elbows on her knees and chin resting in her hands.
They all sat there in silence for a few minutes, as Melissa sniffled and fought back tears. Finally, she brushed her hands through her hair and pulled at it as she let out a loud yell. “THIS SUCKS!”
“Melissa?” Anna started. Melissa looked up at Anna. “Melissa, does this have anything to do with your hair?”
“Duh.” Melissa replied, rolling her eyes.
“Melissa, you can do or not do anything you want with your hair, and it won’t change a thing about how any of us feel about you.” Anna declared.
“Yeah, Melissa. It’s up to you.” Janie chimed in.
“Ugh, is it though?” Melissa questioned. “Sure, you all say that, but I know what you’re really thinking.” She continued running her fingers through her hair. “IF my hair was still long, this wouldn’t even be a thought. There’s just no way.” She sighed. “But the truth is, I actually hate this hair, right now.” She held up her hand and dragged her fingers through her hair from root to tip letting the locks fall as they just touched her shoulders. “Plus, it’s not like I’m not already halfway, there.” She reached behind her head and pulled her hair up, exposing the high undercut she hid underneath.
“Okay, so then do it!” Janie eagerly encouraged her teammate.
Melissa glared back at her with dagger eyes. Janie just shrugged.
“I think what Janie is trying to say, is that it’s your decision and we fully support you no matter what.” Anna clarified “But it does sound like you’ve already decided. Does this have anything to do with Franklin?”
Melissa looked back and forth between Anna and Janie. “I mean…” she trailed off.
“Don’t do this for a guy.” Anna stated. “It’s your hair and do what you wish, but please, don’t do this for a guy.”
“But don’t NOT do it for a guy, either!” Janie chimed in trying to be helpful. Both Melissa and Anna, once again glared back at her.
Melissa slowly rocked back and forth as all three sat in silence. She was calm, she had stopped crying, and her breathing returned to normal. Anna stood up. It seemed that Melissa felt a little better, but Anna wasn’t sure what else she could do to help.
“Okay, we’re gonna go.” Anna indicated to Janie, who also stood up. “But we’re both right across the hall. So, if you need anything, we’re both available.” They both started to head to the door, just as they reached the door, Anna turned back. “But Melissa,” Melissa stopped rocking and looked up. “Whatever you decide, just remember we have the team meeting in about an hour.” She opened the door and she and Janie walked out, closing it gently behind them.
Melissa sat on her bed for a few more minutes. She was calm, she was still, and there were no more tears. Instead, there was determination. She might hate herself for it, but she had made the decision. It was a long time coming and not something she took lightly. She knew she would regret what she was about to do but was determined to go through with it anyway. She slid to the edge of her bed and stood up. With a determined look on her face, she marched into her bathroom. It was time. Her hair HAD to go.
Melissa stood in front of her mirror and stared at herself. She squinted. She held her hands at her forehead and tried to picture herself without hair. It didn’t help. No matter, she knew what had to be done and she knew SHE had to do it. It was now or never, so it had to be now. She opened a drawer. She pulled out a pile of hair ties. She wouldn’t be needing them for a while, so she might as well put them to good use. She grabbed a small section of hair and tied it off. She then continued to do another one, and another, and another. This was the easy part. She loved playing with her hair, and everyone else’s. It was something she missed a lot. She still remembered when she had just finished braiding Jenny’s and Jessie’s hair – right before Jessie hacked off one of those braids on her own. She never would have guessed back then that what she was about to do would ever even be a thought in her mind, let alone something she would willingly do.
After she finished tying off her hair into a dozen tiny ponytails all over her head, Melissa looked at herself in the mirror and laughed. She looked ridiculous. It wasn’t too late, she could still back out. But, no she couldn’t. She needed to follow through. She grabbed the scissors that were sitting on the counter and grabbed at one of the ponytails sticking out of her head. She placed the scissors below the tie as close to her scalp as possible. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She then closed the scissors around the little tuft of hair and sawed away. Way too quickly, the little twig of her hair was detached from the rest of her head.
She opened her eyes and stared at the little sprig of hair in her hand that just a moment earlier had been attached to her head. She gasped. She looked up into the mirror. She could barely tell the difference. BARELY. But she knew her head, and her hair well. She reached for another ponytail. Once again, she placed it below the tie as close to the scalp as she could and closed her eyes. She winced as she closed the scissors around the hair and kept cutting until it too was detached from her head.
This time as she opened her eyes and looked up from her hand holding her hair to the mirror a faint smile crossed her face. Without hesitation she grabbed the next tuft of hair and continued to cut. This time with her eyes open. When she was done, she just threw the hair down without looking. She immediately grabbed at another tie of hair and cut it off. Again, she tossed it away like it was nothing and reached for the next one. She was moving quickly now. She wasn’t sure she could stop, even if she wanted to. Her smile grew wider with each passing snip.
Soon, she reached a point where more hair had been cut than what remained on her head. At that very moment, she needed the rest of it gone as quickly as possible. Suddenly, she couldn’t cut fast enough. Her smile was the widest it had been in weeks, and she started to laugh. She was cracking up hysterically and wasn’t entirely sure why. As she approached the last few vestiges of her hair, she started to jump up and down excitedly. Finally, she snipped off that final piece. As soon as she felt it detach from her head, she tossed it up in the air and danced around. She grabbed all the pieces of hair she could in her hands and tossed them in the air. She spun around, laughing and dancing as her hair came down around her.
After a minute or so, she came back to reality and exhaled. She forced herself to look into the mirror. She screamed. She started to hyperventilate and tried to avoid full on panic. What she saw in the mirror was not her. The face looked like hers, but the rest… She stared at the image of a woman with the back of her head shaved halfway up her head. The top of her head was covered in random tiny hairs that stuck out in all directions. The hair was incredibly short and all different lengths. She looked ugly. She looked horrible. She’d rather be bald than how she looked now. There, she said it, or she thought it anyway. It was actually true, and she believed it, but still… BALD?
I can’t stay like this. This is awful. Plus, I’ve come this far. The hard part is over. Isn’t it? Okay, let’s keep going.
She let out a deep breath. She looked around. She noticed the scissors. They had done their job. She needed clippers. She didn’t have clippers. She sighed and looked in the mirror. She looked around her bathroom hoping to find something she could use.
Wait, think about where I am. This entire house is bald. Several people have clippers. Katie! She has clippers! I bet hers are in her room somewhere! I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if I borrowed them.
Melissa left her bathroom and slowly made her way to the door. She carefully cracked the door open to make sure there was no one in the hallway. She closed the door and ran over to her dresser and pulled out a hooded sweatshirt. Just in case, she didn’t want anyone to see her before she was ready. She then opened the door and snuck out. She dashed down to Katie’s room and opened the door. She quickly went in and started to search around, being careful not to disturb anything. She hated sneaking and didn’t like being in Katie’s room without her around or her permission, but desperate times and all that. Finally, after several minutes of searching, she found what she was looking for. She quickly grabbed the clippers and headed back to the door.
She peered out the door and saw no one, she quickly opened the door and darted back to her room as quickly as she had left. As she closed the door to her room she breathed out as she leaned against the door. She had made it. Just as she was about to leave the door, she heard a noise. She cracked open the door. Katie was at the top of the stairs and headed to her room. She quickly closed her door again.
That was close. Way too close. Hopefully, she doesn’t notice her clippers are gone. At least not right away. I’ll make sure to put them back as soon as I’m done with them.
She pulled the hood down and looked at the clippers. There was no attachment. That didn’t matter since she wouldn’t need it anyway. The idea was to cut as close to the scalp as possible. And since the plan was to be bald, she needed to remove ALL her hair anyway. She quickly made her way back into the bathroom. She rested the clippers on the counter. She stared at herself again in the mirror. She was slightly more prepared for the image looking back at her. It wasn’t any better. She needed to do this fast. She picked up the clippers and turned them on, but she jumped at the sound they made. She quickly turned them off and put them back down. She took a deep breath and made her way back to the bedroom.
She took off her sweatshirt and tossed it onto her bed. She may need that again soon, but for now it was in the way. She turned to head back into the bathroom and stopped. She looked down. She spun back around towards her bed as she took off her shirt. The less restrictions in the way the better. She didn’t want to get hair everywhere. She turned back to the bathroom determined to finish what she started.
Melissa stood in front of her mirror. This was becoming a familiar sight. She picked the clippers up and looked them over. She was doing this and had no doubts about finishing the job. She turned the clippers on, and she giggled as they roared to life. She took one last look at the clippers and then looked up at herself in the mirror. She slowly lifted her hand and placed the clippers right at her forehead. She took a deep breath and quickly ran the clippers back across her head. She watched as tiny pieces of her hair fell around her. As she reached the back of her head, she picked up the clippers and stared at the reflection in front of her. She thought she looked ridiculous before, but she was wrong. She looked worse now. Amidst the random tufts of hair was a bare stripe down the middle of her head.
No turning back now.
Once again, she placed the clippers on her forehead right next to where she placed them moments before. Then she dragged the clippers across the top of her head. She did it again, and again, and again. Once she started, she just kept at it. She couldn’t believe she was doing it. It was like she had lost control over her hand, yet it was still doing exactly what she wanted it to. Before too long it was over, and Melissa honestly wasn’t sure how she should feel. She was heartbroken and devastated at the loss of her hair, and yet she was also somehow excited about what she had just done. Her heart was beating out of her chest. She turned the clippers off and put them down. She exhaled and looked up at her reflection. She stood there stone-faced, unsure exactly how to react.
She did not like what she saw in front of her, but she also didn’t hate it. At least not nearly as much as she thought she would. Her hair was gone. She already missed it, but she also accepted it. In fact, she wasn’t done. She picked up the clippers and turned them back on. There were a few spots left where there was still hair. It needed to go. Of this there was no question, and she had zero hesitation or doubt. She had handled things better than she expected, so far. She was sure she would mourn the loss of her hair later, but for now she needed to finish up, as the team meeting was going to start soon.
She looked down and was covered in hair. She had anticipated this and was right to take off her shirt, but it wasn’t enough. She quickly slipped out of her shorts and underwear. She turned on the water in the shower while she undid her bra and stepped into the shower. This was not the time to explore, it was just the quickest and easiest way to remove all the hair from her body. As the water rained down on her nearly bald head, she couldn’t help but shudder. She was sure she would have time to react later but now was not that time.
As soon as she was able, she turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. She grabbed her towel and dried off. Her head was instantly dry. That was certainly new. She got dressed in fresh clothes and headed for the door. She turned the handle and stepped out of her room. Then stopped. She heard some commotion from the living room and realized she was already late.
“Coming!” She shouted down. She had no idea if they were talking about her but felt she should at least acknowledge that she was on her way. “Just a minute I’ll be right down!”
She ran her hand over her head and shuddered. However, it reminded her. She stepped back inside and grabbed her sweatshirt and put it on. She went back into the bathroom to grab the clippers, so she could return them to Katie’s room, but noticed how covered in hair they were. Ideally, she’d like to clean them before returning them, but she was already late. She’d deal with them later.
She headed back through her bedroom and to her door. She flipped her hood up and exited her room. As she shut the door behind her, she pulled the drawstrings tight around her head and went downstairs.
