wozziewoo
Our favorite cheerleaders are back! How will the team react in the aftermath of Melissa’s decision? How will she respond as the reality of what she did sets in? The team heads off for their competition & more!
Don’t recall what Melissa did? Want a reminder?
If you want to go back to the beginning:
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:
A Meeting Of The Minds
The team was gathered in the living room. It was their final gathering before they left for the competition the next day. Shandra was in her usual chair, sitting sideways with her legs hanging over the arm. On the couch next to her sat Janie, Anna, and Heather. Followed by the twins squared, Tim, Jessie, Jenny, and Tate. Franklin had come to make himself at home on the recliner while Annie found herself on the stool in the corner between the recliner and the other couch, where Elsa, Betty and Katie sat. Coach Beth was in the chair off to the side. Emma was standing at the front of the room, slightly off-center pacing nervously. Before getting to the rest of the business, she needed to apologize for her behavior earlier that afternoon during practice. She looked at her watch and then over to the stairs. Melissa was late and she didn’t want to start until everyone was present.
“Thanks, everyone for being here. This shouldn’t take too long.” Emma again looked back towards the stairs. “We’re just waiting on Melissa, and we can get started.”
Anna and Janie both exchanged knowing glances at each other. They had no idea what to expect but still felt they knew a bit more than the rest of the team.
“COMING!” A voice was heard from upstairs. “Just a minute I’ll be right down!”
Everyone turned towards the stairs and waited. After about a minute, the clamoring of footsteps was heard, and Melissa appeared. But she looked different than what the team was used to. Melissa, usually very adverse to clothing and generally preferred wearing as little as possible, was wearing a hooded sweatshirt. The sight was even more unusual by the fact that her hood was up and pulled tight around her face completely covering her head, as if she was hiding something.
“So sorry I’m late.” Melissa headed over to the couch and sat down in between Anna and Janie. She flashed a quick smile at them and gave a slight nod.
“Okay… Thanks for joining us.” Emma spoke to Melissa before addressing the rest of the group. “So, before I continue, I need to take a minute to address what happened earlier today.” She took a minute and then continued. “I owe you all an apology. I don’t know what came over me and you all know that’s not me. I care about each and every one of you, and you are all an integral part of this team.” She paused as she tried to find the right words. “It has been my honor to be your captain these past two years, and I am proud of each and every one of you.” She started to tear up. “This competition is a really big deal, but that’s no excuse for my behavior. I would rather come in dead last than think I hurt any of you or mistreated you. So, for that I am truly sorry. I can promise you all, that will NEVER happen again.” She turned towards Anna, “And Anna you are the perfect successor, and I hope I can be an example and mentor to you going forward. My behavior earlier is not something to emulate or in any way copy. Please know, I will be most disappointed in you, if you act like that in any way.”
“Don’t worry, Emma. I know you were just having a rough moment. That’s not how any of us see you.” Anna assured Emma. “We all make mistakes. It doesn’t change a thing.”
“Yeah, Emma. You’re awesome. We all love you.” Katie spoke up. She was leaving but was still a member of the team and felt the need to express her gratitude. The entire team all voiced their gratitude and support for Emma.
“Aww, you guys.” Emma, caught off guard, waved her hand in front of her face as she fought to hold back tears. She walked away for a moment as she tried to compose herself.
During the down moment, both Anna and Janie turned towards Melissa, hoping to get more out of her. While she didn’t say a word, she hadn’t stopped smiling since she sat down. She also noticed how both teammates were looking at her searching for any kind of clue as to what had transpired. Melissa casually brought her finger up to her forehand and gave a quick flick, as if scratching an itch, before quickly dropping her finger as Emma returned.
“Okay, thanks for bearing with me.” Emma let out a deep sigh. “Alright, let’s move on. So, the moment has finally arrived. We’ll be leaving for the competition tomorrow morning. Make sure everyone is packed, and all the luggage is down in the entryway by 10am. The bus will be picking us up and taking us to the airport. There is a seminar and rules meeting at the hotel that we don’t all have to go to, but the team needs to be represented. Coach and I will be there along with at least 2 more of you. Anna, I think you should be one of them.” Anna nodded in agreement. “We will have access to the performance space and get practice time. We’ll get the schedule and our specific practice and performance times when we check in. So, while everyone needs to remain flexible and adaptable, we should also have some free time.”
“And for the rooming assignments,” Emma continued “We’ll keep them the same as last time. I think that worked out well. If anyone has a problem or objection let me know NOW, so we can address it.” She turned towards the twin couch and looked at Jenny and Jessie. Last time, they had specifically requested different rooms while they were searching for their individualism but have since reverted to twinning. Jenny and Jessie both quickly looked at each other and then gave a thumbs up to Emma. “So now to our guys: Tim, Tate, and Franklin. They were able to give us a triple room. I know it’s not ideal, but it was our only option.”
“We understand, Emma.” Tim and Tate both answered in unison. “We’ll make it work.” They both looked at Franklin, who gave a thumbs up response.
“Alright great! So, we have eight rooms and we’ve been assured that they will all be together this time.” She looked back to Coach Beth who nodded in approval. “Finally, once we get our schedule, Heather, will you be able to get in fresh shaves for everyone who requires it?”
“Yeah, I’ll make myself available for whoever needs it, whenever and as many times as they want.” Heather, who by now was very confident in her skills and figured it was pretty much almost exclusively head shaves at this point. “I’ll even be happy to buzz you boys up as well, should you desire.”
“Cool. So, is there anything else?” Emma looked around. “Alright, then, let’s have an early night and get ready for tomorrow!” Emma clapped her hands together to end the meeting and the team started to disperse.
“Well?” Anna and Janie asked Melissa, who just sat back and made no effort to move.
“Well, what?” Melissa asked, looking back and forth between them and pretending not to know what they were asking about. She cracked a smile, nodding quite excitedly, then turned her focus back to the group. She saw Franklin start to get up and she made her move. She got up and made her way over to him, loosening the drawstrings on her hood as she walked across the floor.
“Hey!” Melissa shouted, “Hey, Franklin!” She repeated as she reached him and stood next to him. “Am I uniform enough for you now?” Melissa pulled down her hood and revealed her newly bald head. She smiled and looked directly in his eyes, while the rest of the team turned towards her and gasped.
Franklin looked her up and down and stayed quiet for a minute, then said, “Sure,” and headed off, out of the room.
Melissa stood there aghast and dumbfounded, with her mouth wide open. The rest of the team, still in a bit of shock over Melissa’s appearance, were equally stunned, both by how Melissa looked and Franklin’s reaction.
“Yeah, Melissa!” Janie broke the silence.
“Wow, girl. You look amazing.” Katie added on.
“Welcome to the club!” Annie added.
The praise continued as everyone made their way closer to Melissa. She was showered with compliments and head rubs. Melissa, for her part, relished the attention but still couldn’t quite believe the way Franklin brushed her off. She wasn’t sure if she should be shocked, upset, or both. Her hair was gone, and it may have all been for naught. But for now, she refused to cry and decided to relish the attention instead.
After a couple of minutes, the crowd started to dissipate a bit. She felt a small soft hand reach up to her. “Hey, Melissa.” A voice began from behind. “You look really good.”
“Thank you, Heather. I feel really good.” Melissa turned to find her teammate next to her. Her words surprised her a bit but admitted to herself they were true.
“I can, um, I can finish that for you if, you’d like.” Heather stammered a bit, unsure exactly how her tall teammate would respond.
Melissa reached her hand up and grazed her stubbly head, and as if for the first time realized it lacked the smoothness of the rest of the team. It was that smoothness that she realized she wanted, and she smiled at Heather. “Yeah, I’d like that. I’d like that a lot, actually.” Melissa continued to surprise herself with how she handled it all. “Can I find you in a bit?”
“I’ll be in my room. Find me any time.” Heather scurried off.
Melissa continued to soak in the glow from her team. She loved the attention and didn’t even mind what was causing it.
“So, you finally did it, eh?”
Melissa turned towards the voice. “Yeah,” Melissa giggled. “I guess you’re next, Coach.”
“Oh, is that so?” Coach responded mock offended. “Well, only if you win.”
“Oh, we will, Coach.” Melissa replied. “Don’t you worry, we definitely will!” Melissa winked at Emma, who had just walked up.
“You didn’t have to do this, you know. It really would have been okay.” Emma put her arm around Melissa.
“I know. I wanted to.” Melissa continued to surprise herself, with her answers. She was being totally honest about how she felt and so far, she really had no regrets. She still missed her hair dearly, and while her new look would still take a lot to get used to, she felt way better about it than she expected.
Emma and Coach turned to leave, since Emma wanted to help Coach Beth to help bring her gear across the path to the coach’s cottage. Janie and Anna pulled Melissa back onto the couch and had her sit between them.
“So, how do you feel?” Anna inquired.
“I feel good.” Melissa answered honestly. She looked back and forth between both girls, “I feel REALLY good, actually.” She grinned.
“You haven’t stopped smiling since you came down here.” Janie observed.
“I KNOW! Right?” Melissa shockingly agreed.
“So, you’re really, okay?” Anna showed genuine concern for her friend.
“MMMHHHMM,” Melissa nodded, as she smiled even bigger, flashing her pearly whites.
“Because earlier –” Anna started.
“I know.” Melissa cut her off. “Earlier I was a mess.” She looked between the girls again. “And now, I’m not.” She spoke matter-of-factly and with superior confidence.
“So, how was it?” Janie asked eagerly, intrigued.
“Amazing.” Melissa gushed. “It was honestly easier than I thought. Well, it got easier, as I went along, almost like I was on autopilot.”
“I still can’t believe you actually went through with it.” Janie said.
“Honestly, neither can I.” Melissa remarked. “But I’m actually really glad I did.”
“That’s amazing.” Anna was impressed. “So, no regrets?”
“Not yet!” Melissa stood up and turned towards her teammates. “Does this look like the face of regret?” Her smile had not gone away since she entered the room and had only gotten bigger the more she talked about it.
“No, I suppose not.” Anna admitted.
“Okay, you two. Not that I don’t want to keep this party going, but I don’t want to keep Heather waiting.” She reached down and rubbed the pair’s heads. It was the first time she had ever embraced or positively reacted to any of her teammates’ bald looks. She then stopped and did the same to her own head. “Yeah… Yeah, I want that.” She then turned and skipped out of the room and headed up the stairs.
Janie then turned to look at Anna. “That girl on crack.”
Anna just shook her head.
Bald Bonds
Heather was in her room with a lot of her clothes sprawled out on her bed. She was finishing packing and trying to decide which outfits she wanted to bring, when she heard a knock on the door. “Come on in!” she shouted. The door opened and Melissa stepped inside and closed the door behind her. Heather stopped and looked up. “Hey Melissa. Just give me a second and I’ll take care of you.”
“No rush.” Melissa sat down on the couch across from Heather’s bed and looked around. She exhaled as she seemed to finally have a moment to relax and reflect on what had just happened.
“I’m still a bit surprised you’re here, honestly.” Heather casually mentioned as she quickly moved some things around to make room for Melissa. “You’re the last person I expected to do this.”
“Well, I am last.” Melissa responded. “On the team, anyway.”
“That’s true.” Heather admitted. “Not what I meant, but fair point.”
“I know what you meant.” Melissa smiled as she sat back a bit. “Don’t think I’m any less surprised than you are.” She paused, “For multiple reasons.”
“Yeah.” Heather indicated to Melissa to sit in the chair she had just cleared off. Melissa stood up and looked at Heather. Heather stood there is her tiny green bandeau top, and then Melissa looked down and noticed her own sweatshirt.
“This certainly is quite the switch from a few months ago, isn’t?” Melissa observed as she sat down in the chair.
“How so?” Heather asked as she headed into her bathroom.
“Just in terms of our clothes. That’s certainly way less than you used to wear, and this is more than I usually bother with. Actually,” she stood back up and removed her sweatshirt. “Do you mind if I take off my sweatshirt?”
“Make yourself comfortable,” Heather shouted from the bathroom.
“Then, of course there’s our hair. It used to be among the longest on the team. Yours certainly was.” Melissa sat back down in just her navy-blue sports bra.
“And up until a couple of hours ago, yours still was.” Heather returned with some foam and a couple of razors.
“True, but back then it was like a badge of honor. Now…” Melissa trailed off.
“Well, now you’ve got a new one.” Heather smiled as she sprayed the foam into her hand. “Ready?”
“I guess.” And for the first time since this whole thing started, Melissa felt nervous.
“Don’t worry, this is just the prep part.” Heather began massaging Melissa head, allowing the foam to cover her head. “Just close your eyes and relax.”
“Oh, do I really need to close my eyes?” Melissa asked, intrigued.
“No, not at all. Open or closed, it doesn’t matter.” Heather responded as she continued massaging the foam into Melissa’s head. “I just want you to have as enjoyable an experience as possible.”
“Mmmm, I don’t think you have to worry about that.” Melissa naturally closed her eyes. “That feels so nice. You’re so gentle, Heather.” Melissa said softly.
“Thanks. I’ve had a lot of experience at this point.” Heather dashed back into the bathroom to rinse her hands. As she came back out, she picked up the razor. “And now the fun begins.”
Melissa chuckled softly, as a giant smile emerged across her face. “Can’t wait.”
Heather placed the razor in the middle of Melissa’s forehead and then slowly pulled it back. The razor glided across Melissa’s head like butter on a hot grill, leaving a bare path of skin in its wake. Heather placed the razor in the small bowl of water she had placed next to Melissa’s chair. She then repeated this again.
“I could get used to this.” Melissa stated. “I see why this has become so popular.”
“Does that mean, this won’t be the last time I see you here?” Heather asked as she continued to scrape away at Melissa’s head.
Melissa started laughing. “It was never going to be the last time. No matter what!”
“Oh, really?” Heather questioned, “So, you’ve already committed to this? That was quick.”
“No. Well, yes, I mean.” Melissa let out a deep breath, “Okay, so I wouldn’t just do this and then abandon it, right? Like, I was super attached to my hair, and it was a big deal. Despite how it may look, I AM freaking out a bit.” She hesitated for a moment as she really thought about what she said. “First, thank you for doing this. I couldn’t go this far and not finish. So, I was determined to see it through. But also, as I’m sure you’re aware, my hair was a lot of work, so this wasn’t easy. If I just started to regrow it right away, that would have been pointless.”
“I understand.” Heather nodded, as she continued making her final swipes across Melissa’s head. “So, is there a plan?”
“A week.” Melissa confidently said.
“A week?”
“At least. Okay, so, no matter what, as a promise, I will guarantee you a week. The daily shaves, the everything. Like even if I hated the whole thing and was miserable, I decided before I started, that I would do a week and then reevaluate.” Melissa explained, “The truth is, this is going way better than even my most positive expectations imagined. So, realistically, I’ll probably be like the rest of the team and stick with it at least through the end of the competition.”
“That’s impressive, Melissa. You really put a lot of thought into this.” Heather finished up and put the razor down. She then reached for a towel and started to wipe off Melissa’s head.
“It was a big deal. I had to give it a lot of thought. Plus, if I commit, I commit. I thought about our team and the competition. So, we have the 1st round this weekend. I’m not worried about that. But do you remember when everyone said that our haircuts brought good luck to the football team? I don’t really believe that. But if I started to regrow my hair and then about six weeks later, we have the next round? I’m not going to shave it again, so I’d have however much hair growth. I have faith and confidence in this team, and I don’t think our hair or lack of it has any bearing on anything, but if we somehow didn’t win? You really think I wouldn’t be blamed?” Melissa reasoned.
“Wow, I’ll never doubt your dedication.” Heather put the towel down.
“I didn’t want to jump into this. It wasn’t easy. Wait, are you done already?” Melissa asked, seemingly disappointed.
“Just the first pass. I’ll be doing a second pass.”
“Second pass?” Melissa was intrigued.
“I always do two passes. It makes for a cleaner and smoother finish. Especially since it’s your first time.” Heather explained. “I can stop now, though if you prefer.”
“NO!” Melissa exclaimed. “I mean, do whatever is best. As many times as it takes,” Melissa smiled. “I just don’t want it to end.”
“Wow, Melissa, I’m really impressed.” Heather began to lather her hands again with the shaving foam. “I never would have expected this from you. Well, I didn’t think you’d shave your head in the first place, but –”
“Yeah, I know.” Melissa cut her off. “I’m surprised as well. Honestly, I expected to be crying the entire time. I thought I’d hate this entire process. I was prepared to see it through anyway, but I didn’t think… I haven’t cried at all. I didn’t shed a single tear. After the first few snips, it was like I was on autopilot.” She smiled. “And now I’m even enjoying this.”
“So, what happens after the competition?” Heather finished the lather and headed to the bathroom to rinse her hands.
“Honestly, I’m not sure.” Melissa admitted. “This has already been a lot. It’s only been a couple of hours. I haven’t even seen myself or felt it yet.” She paused for a moment as Heather walked back into her bedroom. “That being said, I figured there would be no way I’d go beyond the competition. It would be torture, but a dedication to the team. If the whole team was doing it, I would have found a way through. However, it’s way too soon to decide anything one way or the other.”
“So, you might actually keep your head shaved beyond the competition?” Heather walked back into the bedroom and picked the razor back up.
Melissa froze. She hadn’t really given it a ton of thought, but now for the first time faced with the question she wanted to give an honest answer. She gulped. “Yes.” That single word was the scariest word she had uttered in a long time. She wasn’t sure what was scarier, that she said it, or that she believed it.
“You’re better than I was.” Heather complimented, as she placed the razor on Melissa’s head and began to scrape it across.
“Not really.” Melissa insisted. “Look how long I took. If it wasn’t for everyone else on the team that had already done it. Plus, again, the competition. If I wasn’t going to do it for that…” Her voice drifted off. “You were the pioneer. You had the guts. I never could have done what you did.” Melissa paused, contemplating what she was about to say. “I’ll admit this now, I admire you. There I said it. That wasn’t the case back then, I wasn’t masking anything and was genuinely horrified by everything happening. But now? Now that I’m ‘one of you’ looking back I can absolutely say I admire you and respect you.”
“Thanks, Melissa, that actually really means a lot.” Heather continued going over Melissa’s head.
“It’s unfortunate, too. Because believe it or not, I think we are very similar. We could have gotten together and done a lot together. I wouldn’t mind hanging out with you sometime. I love the person you’ve become. I think we’d make a good pair, and I hope we can make up for lost time.” Melissa gushed.
“You mean like a date?” Heather had learned from Nikki, that’s what it was called, so she assumed it was the same with Melissa.
“No, nothing like that.” Melissa paused. “I like you, Heather. I wasn’t necessarily a fan of yours before, but that has definitely changed. I think we’d be good friends, but that’s it. Nothing romantic at all, just friendship.”
“Yeah, I know. I do the same thing with my friend Nikki. We’ve done that a bunch of times the past couple weeks.” Heather was finishing up Melissa’s second pass and reached for the towel.
“Oh, dear.” Melissa showed concern for her new friend. “I think she may be into you. Like really into you. As in more than just friendship. Romantically.” Melissa leaned back into the towel in Heather’s hands. She couldn’t deny the feeling. “Does this mean you’re done?”
‘Well, I’ve done the second pass. So, typically, yes, I’d be finishing up. But if you really want, I can do it again. I will warn you though, there truly is no hair left on your head. Congratulations! You are fully and completely bald. This next pass really isn’t going to change anything, and I don’t want to hurt or accidentally nick you. But I’m happy to keep going if you want.” Heather informed Melissa.
“Wow.” Melissa smiled, as she started to reach her hand up to her head. “Can I see?”
“Not until we’re done.” Heather sternly replied, as she gently swatted away Melissa’s hand. “Which could be soon, or I can give you one more pass.”
“Ugh, Heather!” Melissa rolled her eyes and groaned a bit. “This is torture. I mean, I’m loving it, but it’s still torture.” Melissa exhaled. “Fine. One more pass. This better be worth it.”
“Do you have any doubt?” Heather asked as she reached for the shaving cream again.
“NO!” Melissa cried out in aggravation, throwing up her hands. “That’s the problem.” She smiled, “It’s going to be awesome. I’m going to love it. I already know it.” She buried her face in her hands. “I’m never going to have hair again!”
“Would that be the worst thing?” Heather grinned as she lifted Melissa’s head back up.
“No,” Melissa sighed, in acceptance. She never even allowed herself to go there. For the first time, the idea of not growing her hair back flashed across her mind. It didn’t freak her out, which kind of freaked her out. “You know, I’ve basically already committed past the week at this point, right?”
“I figured as much.” Heather began massaging Melissa’s head. She took her time and slowly worked her fingers.
“Ugh, no fair.” Melissa moaned in pleasure.
“Please, enjoy yourself.” Heather smiled as she took her time, watching Melissa squirm.
“Fine, you win.” Melissa smiled. She sat back and relaxed, just enjoying the moment. At that point, not only was she happy she had finally parted with her hair, but her one and only regret was that she waited so long to do it. She also seriously contemplated if she ever even wanted to bother to grow her hair again. Especially if Heather continued to act like this.
Heather finally reached for the razor and slowly and carefully scraped it across Melissa’s head. She was ever so careful to drag it out as much as possible, so that Melissa could fully appreciate the process, while also moving quickly enough to not nick her. Both girls remained silent, as Melissa was soaking everything in, and Heather concentrated on giving Melissa the best experience possible. All too soon, after several minutes, Heather finally made her last few strokes over Melissa’s head. She reached for the towel as Melissa’s breathing had gotten deeper. There was really nothing left to wipe off as Heather had been very careful to cover every tiny portion of Melissa’s scalp. She went back into her bathroom and returned with a spray bottle. She sprayed Melissa’s completely nude dome and then massaged the oil into her head.
“What are you doing now?” Melissa asked sleepily, as her breathing returned to normal, and she became aware of what was going on. “Are we done?”
“I’m just applying some oil to your scalp. It will help with the sensitivity and shine.” Heather finished up and then grabbed the towel and buffed Melissa’s head, helping it shine. “So, yes, unfortunately, we’re done. The good news is you get to see it now, and we’ll get to do it all again tomorrow.”
“I never thought, I could be so excited to see myself with no hair.” Melissa stood up and started to reach her hand up again, while turning towards Heather’s bathroom.
“Wait.” Heather stopped Melissa. “We need to do this the right way. Close your eyes.” Heather reached out for Melissa’s hand.
“Oh, come on, Heather. Don’t be so dramatic.” Melissa giggled as she gave Heather her hand and closed her eyes anyway.
“This is a big deal, and it only happens once.” Heather guided her tall teammate into her bathroom and positioned her in front of her mirror. “I know you saw yourself after your initial cut, but you’d be surprised how different you look now.”
“I can’t imagine. Heather this is torture.” Melissa laughed nervously. “Can I open them now? Pleeeeeease!” Melissa begged.
After a few more seconds, Heather carefully positioned Melissa just so, and Heather finally stepped to the side. “Okay, you can open them.” Heather eagerly awaited her teammate’s reaction. “Meet the new Melissa.”
Melissa’s eyes quickly fluttered open as she stared at the reflection in front of her. It was hard to believe it was only a few hours earlier, she was cradled on her bed, bawling at the thought of shaving her head. She had already decided she would, but she just wasn’t looking forward to it and needed to work up the nerve. Now that seemed like a distant memory. A silly one at that. She slowly turned her head from side to side, examining every detail of the new surface. She stepped forward to get a closer look. She slowly reached her hand up, giving a quick side glance to Heather, as if making sure she finally had permission to touch her head. Heather smiled and nodded. That was all Melissa needed.
As she reached her hand up towards her head, Melissa no longer had any negative feelings. It was no longer a question of if she would like her new look, but how long she would keep it for. Her heart started to beat faster and faster. She already knew she was hooked, just from looking. Her mind raced as her fingertips finally reached her head. Almost instantaneously, she felt her life change forever. Shockwaves coursed through her body as her smile grew almost as wide as her head. Her palm rested on the back of her head, and it slowly moved up and down. Her other hand made its way to the top of her head and similarly traveled across her scalp. As both hands continued to massage her bare scalp, she continued to examine her head from all angles, smiling and laughing the entire time.
“This. Rocks.” Melissa finally spoke. She turned to face Heather. “My face hurts from smiling so much.”
“I’m so glad you’re happy.” Heather responded. “You were a lot of fun.”
Melissa walked over towards Heather and put her hand on her shoulder. “Heather, I was already happy before I came into your room.” She reached up and rubbed her head again. “Now, I’m freakin’ ecstatic! I will NEVER be able to thank you enough for this.” Melissa walked back over to the mirror as her hands continued to explore her head. “I can’t stop touching it!”
“Yeah, it happens to all of us. Eventually, you do get used to it.” Heather informed. She stifled a yawn. “You’re welcome to stay as long as you want, but I need to finish packing. Don’t forget I get up super early now.”
“Oh! Yeah, I’m sorry for keeping you up so late. I wasn’t even thinking. I’m just so wired right now! I don’t think I can sleep any time soon.” Melissa responded, continuing to catch herself in the mirror and smiling every time she did.
“No, it’s fine. I was happy to do it. I understand how big a deal this was.” Heather assured. “Like I said, I’m not kicking you out. I just need to finish packing.” Heather started to make her way back into her bedroom. As she headed back towards her bed, she kept hearing giggles and laughter from the bathroom
Well, she’s hooked, Heather thought.
After a few minutes of Heather sorting through her clothes, Melissa left the bathroom and headed over to Heather’s couch where she plopped down.
“Do you need any help?” Melissa sat with one foot on the floor and the other on the seat of the couch with her knee up with her elbow resting on it while her hand rubbed her head. “I feel kind of bad taking you away from that for so long.”
“Sure.” Heather answered. “But don’t feel obligated. I want you to have fun and enjoy yourself. I’ll be okay.”
“No, it’s okay.” Melissa started to get up. “Plus, I actually kind of need the distraction.” Melissa started to organize Heather’s tops and sort through them. “It’s actually interesting. I was prepared to hate this.” She subconsciously rubbed her head, “I was determined to go through with it, and be miserable, but hey, at least I would I fit in. So, to have a distraction like this, would keep my mind off of my lack of hair…” She picked up one of Heather’s crop tops. “This is so cute. You should totally wear this tomorrow for travel.” She went over and placed it in a separate pile on the couch. “Anyway, so, yeah, I could use the distraction, but now it’s for the opposite reason, or I don’t know, maybe it’s the same reason, but…” Melissa was getting flustered. She took a deep breath. “The distraction is good for me, so I have something to do, otherwise I’ll just keep rubbing my head all night.” She smiled. “Which isn’t a bad thing, just, you know…”
“Yeah.” Heather smiled. She was happy to see this new side of Melissa and was looking forward to the friendship that they seemed to have forged.
“Oh, this is the perfect companion, for that top!” Melissa excitedly picked up a pair of tan short shorts and placed it with the crop top on the couch. “You have such amazing clothes. I honestly think I’m jealous. I would definitely want to borrow from you if we were the same size.”
“Well, you should really thank Betty. Most of this is from her boutique. She helped pick out a lot of it. I was completely lost the first time around. I did much better the second time though.” Heather explained. “And you’re welcome to borrow anything you want. As long as it fits.” Heather and Melissa now wore similar styles but were completely different sizes.
“Hmm, maybe I should check out that boutique myself.” Melissa pondered.
Melissa and Heather continued to chit chat while they discussed a full range of topics. Laughing and bonding the entire time. Finally, after a few more hours, Melissa left Heather’s room and headed back to her own. Everything was still as she left it hours earlier. She still felt to wound up to sleep, so she headed into the bathroom. She saw Katie’s clippers still on the counter. She stared at them for a minute and then looked in the mirror. She reached her hand up to her head as her smile grew again. She picked up the clippers and gave them a sweet kiss, then proceeded to wipe them down and clean them. After that she cleaned the rest of her bathroom, which was covered with little strands of her hair, both tiny clippings and longer clumps tied together. As she squatted down and picked up one of the clumps to examine it, she chuckled and ran her other hand over her head. She wondered if her hair would ever get even that long again. She wasn’t sure if it would, and she was okay with that, the thought no longer shocked her and became more and more of a reality.
Travel Itinerary
“Everything works!” Melissa exclaimed, as she sat down next to Heather. It was the next morning and the bus had arrived. The bus was being packed and everyone settled in for the ride to the airport. Heather had loaded her luggage and sat down on a seat towards the middle of the bus. A few minutes later Melissa got on and made a beeline for Heather.
“Everything works?” Heather repeated as she slid over to make room for her new bestie.
“Yeah, like wardrobe, accessories… Everything!” Melissa explained. “After I left your room last night, I just couldn’t sleep. I know I should have, but I was just way too hyped. Still am actually.” She casually stroked her head and giggled. “I love it,” she whispered. “Anyway, so I went into my bathroom, and it was a mess. My hair was everywhere. There was a time when walking into that bathroom and seeing all that hair, I would have started bawling my eyes out. I was actually prepared for that. I felt nothing. I bent down and picked it up. I didn’t miss it at all. I even started to wonder if my hair would ever get that long again. I honestly couldn’t answer, and I was okay with it!” Melissa smiled. “It was so easy to just scoop up all the hair and them dump it in the trash, so that’s exactly what I did.”
“So, after I finished cleaning, I still couldn’t sleep. I spent a lot of time in the bathroom, just staring at myself. Something I’ve hated doing the past few months. I decided to put on a fashion show for myself. I emptied my drawers and dumped half my clothes on my bed. I then went through everything I owned and tried as many different combinations as I could come up with, to see what I liked and didn’t like and what worked best with my new look. And everything works!” Melissa could barely contain her excitement.
“That’s great Melissa. I’m so happy that you enjoy this.” Heather nodded back as the bus started to pull away.
“Heather, if you had told me, or if anyone had gone up to me at any point and said I would willingly shave my own head and that I would enjoy it, there’s no way I would have even listened. Now, if my future self, came to me and said it was the best experience of my life… I’d probably believe her.”
“So, did you get to sleep at all?” Heather asked.
“I don’t know. After I was done going through all my clothes, I repacked everything and then tried to lay down for at least a little bit. My mind was wandering, and I ended up just starting at the ceiling.” Melissa admitted. “I think I ended up hearing you and Emma as you were leaving for your run. Eventually, I just closed my eyes. I think maybe I did drift off for a bit, maybe 45 minutes or an hour, but I’m not entirely sure. I don’t feel tired at all though.”
“Well, at least there’s something. You might crash at some point though. Let’s just hope it’s not while we’re performing at the competition.” Heather pointed out.
“Let’s hope not! That would be bad.” Melissa noted. “I won’t let that happen, though.” Melissa paused, as if searching for the right words she wanted to use. “So, um, I hope this isn’t too weird, but would it be possible to get another shave as soon as we get to the hotel? Even if it’s only one pass.” Melissa rubbed her head. “I know it’s only been like less the 12 hours, but I think I can actually feel my hair starting to grow back already,”
“Wow, Melissa.” Heather was impressed by the totally new attitude of her teammate. “It’s not weird at all. It’s impressive. Okay, how’s this. I can’t promise that I will be available immediately when we get to the hotel. Like Emma said last night, we have to find out the schedule of everything. Personally, I’d like to settle in and unwind a bit. But at some point, I’m sure I’ll be asked to do everyone’s hair for the day. Especially since I haven’t yet. When that time comes, you can go first… and last. If you want to stick around in between, that can be your call, or you can go off and do your own thing. Does that sound acceptable?”
“Yes!” Melissa’s eyes and smile got wide, as she eagerly nodded in approval. “That sounds like a great plan. I can tell you right now, I’m sticking around. Maybe I can even act like your assistant or something.” Melissa took a deep breath. “I have no interest in shaves or any kind of cuts. Despite my change in attitude about my own hair and now that I’m fully on board with everyone else’s, I wouldn’t take anything away from you. You do such a great job. I feel like I need to apologize and make up for my previous attitude. I was so against this whole thing and put up such a stink about things… I know I was miserable every time the topic came up, and I’m sure I dragged others down. So, to show that and how I am now in favor of all this, I’ll stick around and help you out and talk with everyone about it.”
“I’m sure you don’t have to do all that. Everyone saw you at the meeting last night. But I’m sure it’s appreciated.” Heather agreed.
Melissa and Heather continued to chat the entire rest of the bus ride as the team continued to the hotel and site of the competition.
Mea Culpa
When the team reached the hotel, the check-in process went much smoother than the previous time. The team had eight rooms all together, with three on one side of the hallway and five on the other. Coach Beth took the middle room of the shorter side, while the boys were on one side of her room and Anna and Janie were on the other. Across the way, the rooms were: Emma and Kate, Elsa and Shandra, Betty and Heather, Melissa and Jessie, and Annie and Jenny. There was a welcome ceremony across the way at the Convention Center later that night. The only other thing on the schedule for that day was the rules meeting, that Coach Beth, Emma, Anna, Katie, and Janie would attend.
It was decided that everyone else had free time to do as they wished until the welcome ceremony, and then afterwards they would all meet with Heather so she could give them fresh shaves.
Heather decided to check out the hotel gym in her free time, since she knew she would have a lot to do after the welcome ceremony. She wanted to be there for the team, but still needed her own time and wanted to be able to get her workout in.
During the rules meeting the teams received the schedule, the basic requirements, and how the judges would grade the routines. Emma left the meeting feeling even more confident that their team would fly past the rest of the competition and secure a spot in the National Finals. The rest of their teams contingent agreed. A couple hours later, when the team gathered in the hallway outside their rooms on their way over to the convention center, Emma spotted Melissa and gave her a giant hug.
“What was that for?” Melissa asked her captain.
“This.” Emma reached her hand up and rubbed Melissa’s bald head.
Melissa smiled. Not just because of her captain’s approval, but because it was the first time someone else had rubbed her head since she had gotten it shaved. She finally felt like one of the team again.
“I’m glad you approve. I can’t believe how much I like it.” The more Melissa said it, the more she believed it.
“Of course I approve, but I was also serious about supporting you and not forcing anything on you. We want to promote free will on this team.”
“I know, and I greatly appreciate it. I think it means so much more that I was able to come to my own choice to do this. Now that I have, it will probably be around for a while.” Melissa explained, as the team started to make their way to the welcome ceremony.
“As you well know, you can do whatever you want.” Emma smiled. “But you’ve probably just secured us a lot of bonus points.”
“How so?” Melissa was intrigued.
“One of the judging categories is Uniformity. It’s one of the few that’s not performance based, and it’s worth the most. They said at the meeting, while ‘nobody is going to check that everyone’s ponytails are the same length with a ruler, but some teams are more obvious than others.’”
“But none of us have ponytails, or even any hair at all…” Melissa stated with a bit of confusion, until it clicked. “But we all have the exact same hairstyle, down to the smallest possible measure!” Emma nodded encouragingly, as Melissa put it together. “We all have shaved heads, and if I hadn’t shaved mine, we would have missed on the Uniformity bonus!” Melissa got more excited with each word she spoke.
“Exactly!” Emma confirmed.
“I’m only too happy to help! Ultimately, it wasn’t why I did it, but… Bonus!” Melissa giggled as she rubbed her head and Emma’s head with each hand.
Melissa had missed out on so much. While she was so put off by all the haircuts and head shaves, she had never interacted with anyone in that way. She wanted to make up for lost time and hoped to catch up with the entire team at some point. “What about the guys, thought?”
“That’s a separate category. The guys and girls are judged differently.” Emma informed. “This is one case where sexism may work to our advantage.”
After the welcome ceremony concluded, all the teams from across the region started to make their way to the exits. Melissa quickly made her way over to Heather, who was talking with Emma. “Is it time for the shaves now?” Melissa asked gleefully. Heather and Emma both looked at Melissa and burst into laughter. This new attitude from Melissa still astounded most of the team.
“We were just discussing that actually.” Emma informed. “Your enthusiasm is unreal. There’s no way you’re the same girl who even just yesterday had been disgusted by just the thought of any haircut.”
“It is me!” Melissa couldn’t help but smile. They were right and she knew it. “Well, actually that girl is long gone, and she’s never coming back.” She looked back and forth between her two teammates. “So… Shaves?”
“Well, we need to base that on our schedule.” Emma began. “Our performance time isn’t until late tomorrow afternoon. We’re going to want EVERYONE shaved right beforehand. But we’ll let everyone decide if they want to wait until then or if anyone also wants to go tonight.”
“Don’t worry, Melissa, I already have you on the list.” Heather assured her eager friend. “I imagine there will be several others joining you.”
“You can count me in. I know you just shaved me this morning, but you know I’m always down.” Emma declared, rubbing her head. “I’m sure Anna and Janie won’t object, and they might want to check in with everyone who participated in the fundraiser, but let’s go back and talk with everyone.”
The entire team gathered in Coach’s room. As expected, most of the team was on board with the shave schedule. Anna and Janie were quick to confirm. Elsa agreed as she liked her head as smooth as possible now, as she prepared for her post-graduation model work. Katie missed Evan, but knew he endorsed Heather, so wouldn’t turn it down. Annie and Jenny both agreed that they had committed through the fundraiser. Jessie said she was down, since her sister and so many others were.
“Thanks guys. This means a lot.” Melissa knew it was a team thing, and it wasn’t about her, but she felt proud to finally be a part of the ritual. She wanted to make sure everyone realized how different she was.
“Okay, give me a few minutes to set up and then we can get started.” Heather started to head out, then turned back and grabbed Melissa’s hand. Melissa was all too happy to join, as she turned back to the group smiling and waving.
“So, everyone else, the time is yours. The evening is free. We have the practice space at 11am tomorrow. Be ready by 10:45.” The team dispersed, but most didn’t go far so they could be ready for Heather when she was.
Heather placed a towel on the floor of her room. She then placed a chair over the towel. She lined up a few cans of shaving cream and had multiple razors laid out. Melissa took a bowl into the bathroom and filled it with water. She then carefully carried it back and placed it on the table with everything else. Heather looked around and made sure everything was set to her liking while Melissa looked on. Finally, Heather nodded to Melissa who eagerly took her seat. Then quickly sat up and took off her T-shirt, before sitting back in her sports bra.
“I’m copying you.” Melissa giggled as she settled in. “Since it’s just us girls in here anyway. And if any of the guys show up, it’s not like it’s that different from our new uniforms anyway. Thanks for THOSE by the way!” Melissa grinned.
“They were a condition of the barbershop.” Heather smiled back as she reached for the shaving cream.
“Barbershop? What barbershop? Evan’s barbershop?” Melissa suddenly had so many questions.
“Oh, that’s right, we didn’t tell anyone about that yet.” Heather admitted, as she began to lather up her hands.
“Tell us what? Ooooh! Do I get to know a secret?” Melissa sat forward.
“Hahaha, I don’t think I can tell you yet.” Heather chuckled. “It wouldn’t be right. Ironic. But not right.”
“What? Why is it ironic? Tell me!” Melissa was practically begging.
“You know that we used to not discuss hair stuff in front of you? Because you would get upset or leave?” Heather began to massage Melissa’s scalp with the cream.
“I’m never living that down, am I?” Melissa leaned her head back into Heather’s hands, enjoying every moment she could.
“If Emma comes in next, we can both tell you, as long as she’s okay with it. Then we can tell everyone else as they come in.” Heather wiped her hands on a towel that was set next to her.
“Am I gonna end up with two things to apologize for?” Melissa pouted.
“It’s not as big a deal as you’re making it out to be.” Heather picked up the razor and started to swipe it across Melissa’s head. “I think everyone is already impressed by your change. It’s like you’re a different person.”
“I feel like a different person.” Melissa admitted. “You know I don’t even miss my hair at all? It’s unreal.”
“I feel the same. I started off as a way to impress Shandra, but I’ve really discovered myself and now I realize this is the person I’m truly meant to be. I will never grow my hair out again. I also enjoy showing off my body, which I continue to work hard at improving. I never cared about any of that before.”
“I can’t believe how hesitant I was. I cried in my room for hours beforehand. But I haven’t shed a tear since and haven’t had a second of regret.” Melissa boasted.
“So, are you going to get upset when I tell you I’m done?” Heather asked.
“What? Done already? You just started!” Melissa pouted. “It has been amazing though, and I can’t wait until you do it again.”
“It’s okay, Melissa. You can relax. We’re not quite done yet.” Heather chuckled. “I just wanted to check in with you.”
“Don’t do that to me!” Melissa pleaded. “Come on, Heather. I thought you were better than that.”
“Do you remember what you told me last night?”
“I said a lot of things last night.”
“True. Well, you said that you gave things a lot of thought before rushing into anything.” Heather reminded her, as she started to finish up. “And you were committed to keeping this up for at least a week no matter what.”
“Oh, Heather. I told you that I’d stick with it though the competition. That won’t change.” She giggled. “I’m tempted to stick with it as long you promise to keep doing it.”
“Well, I already have that arrangement with Emma.” Heather made her final pass over Melissa’s head.
“Are you asking me to commit?” Melissa asked nervously.
“Nope, but I’m not going anywhere, so the option is there.” She wiped off Melissa’s head. “Okay, you’re done. Do you want to see if Emma is ready, or whoever is next?”
Melissa leaped out of the chair. Heather certainly gave her a lot to think about. Things had gone so well, but was she really ready to make that commitment now? The way she was feeling now, it would be an easy call. But she didn’t want to rush to a decision, and she had time. Even the fact that it warranted consideration said a lot. This was way more than she anticipated. She knocked on Coach’s door and called out for Emma.
“Emma? Are you here? Are you ready? You’re being requested.” Melissa called out as soon as she opened the door. She couldn’t wait to hear the news and hoped Emma would agree to tell it.
“Hey, Melissa. I’m here. I wasn’t planning to go next, but I guess I can. Is that okay with you Anna?” Emma replied as she stood up from the bed at the far end of the room.
“I should probably come in with you, though. Does Heather even remember that she’s supposed to be filming these?” Anna followed, as the three girls all made their way back to Heather’s room. “Hey, Melissa. Are you ready to make your debut?”
“What debut? I’ve been on social media before, if that’s what you’re referring to.” Melissa answered as she opened the door to Heather’s room.
“Sure, old Melissa has, but new Melissa…” Anna clarified.
Melissa gasped. This was something she hadn’t considered.
“Hey, Heather. Melissa said I was requested.” Emma walked up to Heather.
“Yeah, she’s the one who requested you.” Heather replied. “Hi, Anna.”
“Hey, Heather. I’m just going to set up the camera. Remember with all those fundraisers, we committed to the daily livestreams.” Anna chided as she set up the camera. “We can’t disappoint our fans.”
“Looks like the fans are getting a bonus tonight.” Heather answered. She still wasn’t a fan but had gotten used to the camera. She was getting better at interacting every day.
“So, Melissa, what’s up?” Emma inquired.
“Heather mentioned a barbershop but wouldn’t give me any more details. She said I had to ask you…” Melissa pleaded.
“Well, Melissa, do you remember the first night back from the holiday break and how I made a bunch of announcements? Then Anna started a discussion about the daily shaves.” Emma started.
“Yeah…” Melissa suddenly got very nervous.
“You complained about all the hair talk and threatened to leave, and Coach made us stop talking about it.” Anna chimed in. “You said we were all just waiting for you to shave your head.”
“So, Emma called me up to discuss the new uniforms, as a distraction.” Heather added.
Suddenly, Melissa felt sick to her stomach.
“I don’t know Heather… I’m not sure it’s fair that Melissa gets to find out before everyone else.” Emma teased. “Especially without committing to being a customer.”
“I’ll commit! I’ll commit!” Melissa, suddenly desperate to make things right, and letting curiosity get the better of her, didn’t even know what she had agreed to.
“But for how long, though?” Anna chimed in.
“I don’t know, Anna. That’s a good question.” Emma replied, as she, along with Heather and Anna turned towards Melissa.
Melissa nervously stroked her head. This felt like some bad set up. There was talk of a barbershop and given the current status of the entire team’s hair, she could hazard a guess what this was about. It had barely been 24 hours since she shaved her head and while she has loved every minute of it so far… Did she really want to get locked into it? “But there’s no pressure, right?” Melissa chuckled nervously.
“That’s true.” Emma turned towards Heather, “Let’s move on, I guess she can wait.”
“Things are all set up over here.” Anna informed. “I could stay if you want help.”
“Thanks, Anna. It’s up to you, but I do have Melissa.” Heather turned towards her new assistant. “I’m assuming that you’re still planning to stay.”
“Oh, I’m still staying.” Melissa bit her lip. “Emma, do you ever miss your hair?”
“Nope.” Emma replied without hesitation.
“Heather?”
Heather shook her head.
“None of us do.” Anna added.
Melissa took a deep breath. “Okay, fine. I commit to whatever I’m committing to for as long as I’m a student at this school and a member of this team!” She exhaled. There she said it. She wasn’t sure what it meant yet, but she hoped she wouldn’t regret it.
“Well, we’re converting the Coach’s cottage into a barbershop. I’ll still be able to live upstairs, but downstairs will be a full-service shop. All the girls on the team will be able to put in time, and it’ll be a chance for them to pocket some of their own money. It will be led by Heather, obviously, but hopefully others will want to join in as well.”
“So, I’m expected to visit with Heather every day, and be a client, so she can shave me?” Melissa clarified. She was practically there already. It was a long time to commit for, but she was practically ready to go until the end of the semester already. So, she figured it was only a matter of time, and she’d get around to that anyway.
“Pretty much. I think it will be Heather’s choice what she does, though.” Emma confirmed.
“Fine, but I have two conditions. From this point forward, I want to be included in any and all hair discussions and choices by anyone on the team. Especially with you three. Any talk of the barbershop or decisions, I want input on.” Melissa firmly stated. “And I want to be the one to tell the rest of the team. Ideally, tonight as everyone comes in, and then tomorrow for anyone else that didn’t come in tonight.”
“I think that sounds acceptable.” Emma looked at Anna and Heather who nodded in agreement. They all walked over to Melissa and gave her a hug. A huge smile was plastered across Melissa’s face. There was something oddly satisfying about what she had just agreed to. She was no longer shocked by her decisions and feelings, she had fully accepted her new arrangement, and she was excited for what was in store.
“Okay, it’s getting late, and the rest of the team is still waiting. Do you still want me next?” Emma tried to bring the focus back. “I guess I’d need to go change really quick, though.” She was not dressed for the agreed upon attire for her haircut.
“It’s alright, I don’t.” Anna took off her T-shirt, revealing a tiny bikini top underneath. “You can go and line up everyone else and then end with you.”
“That sounds good.” Emma turned and headed for the door, while Anna took a seat in the chair. Melissa went over to the camera to make sure it was on, while Heather prepped everything she needed and squirted the shaving cream into her hands.
“Hey everyone!” Anna started. “So, we’re coming to you a bit later today than usual, but that’s because we had a very busy day traveling. We’re at our competition!” Anna continued as Heather began to apply the shaving cream to her head. “However, we wanted to make sure we fulfilled our obligation to all our wonderful fans. Be sure to check back tomorrow, as our entire team gets ready for the first round.”
Melissa had missed out on the team’s fundraiser early last month. At the time, she wanted no part of it and stayed in her room far away from all the activity downstairs. As she looked back now, she so desperately wished she had participated. She rubbed her head. Since it had just been decided, she shouldn’t expect to have hair again any time soon, she hoped she would have other opportunities in the future and was determined to never miss out on an event like that again. She couldn’t help but admire Anna and the job she was doing. She was so poised and comfortable in front of the camera. Heather was slowly getting better in front of the camera. However, Heather mainly interacted and responded, while engaging in the task at hand.
As Anna finished up, Melissa went across the hall to get Janie. On the way back to Heather’s room, Melissa excitedly got to share the big news with Janie. She told her all about the barbershop, she mentioned her commitment to her new style, and she apologized for any negativity she had caused the team the past few months. She was truly sorry and vowed to do better. She, herself, had missed out and deeply regretted her past behavior. Janie was excited for the new Melissa and thought she looked stunning. As long as she stayed confident, which Melissa seemed to be doing, everything would go well for her.
When Janie was done, Melissa retrieved the twins. She made the same speech to them that she had just made to Janie. They both admired her commitment and admitted they thought they could do it. After they each took their turn, Annie was next. She thanked Melissa for what she felt she needed to say, but since Annie was graduating, she felt she didn’t really need to commit to anything further. Although Elsa was graduating as well, she identified with Melissa. She was so attached to her bangs, but they ended up holding her back. After getting over the initial shock, she adjusted and now felt she’s much better off without them. The fact that Melissa has had zero regrets and adjusted so quickly said a lot. As a pioneer of the group, Katie felt she was leaving her mark on the team. She told Melissa that she represented her legacy more than most on the team. She was happy to see Melissa embrace her new look and told her to stay strong and not worry about what anyone else thought. With Katie finishing up, Melissa went back across the hall to get Emma again. She had learned so much from talking with the team and was excited to share her feelings with Emma.
When Melissa turned the camera off after Emma’s head shave, Melissa shared what she had learned. “Everyone likes the idea of the barbershop and most of them are looking forward to helping out. Katie thinks of this as her legacy and is sad to leave. Elsa gave me a lot of good advice and suggested the fact that I’ve been so positive the past day and haven’t had any regrets should be taken as a good sign. I told her I agreed.”
Both Emma and Heather praised Melissa for her positive attitude and were thrilled that she was truly a part of the team. To be clear, she was always part of the cheer team, but she liked having her on their hair team as well. As Emma left, Melissa eagerly sat down for her second shave. She had had more fun than she thought possible but was excited for Heather to get to work.
“I know you did this once already and this is technically my second pass, but do you think it might be possible to do another two passes now?” Melissa asked.
“Melissa, how much do you think your hair grows?” Heather responded.
“Doesn’t matter. I like how it feels.” Melissa got in one last quick head rub before Heather lathered her up. She smiled. “And I like how it looks. That oil you apply really makes my head shine. I never realized that was a thing I’d like. Now I never want it any other way.”
“Never?”
“Well, for the next 2 ½ years, at least.” Melissa smiled.
“So, what about Franklin?” Heather inquired.
“What about him?” Melissa admitted that he was a major reason why she did this in the first place, but really wasn’t sure where things stood. “We’ve barely spoken at all.”
“But you’re still into him?”
“Of course, I am. Who wouldn’t be?”
“Well, I could put in a word if you want. We talk all the time. He’s an interesting guy.” Heather stated as she continued to scrape away at Melissa’s head.
“Ugh, I probably should have just gone to you from the start.” Melissa whined. “So, is it true what I’ve heard? He’s into bald girls.”
“Is that why you did this?” Heather asked in mock surprise.
“Well, it wasn’t just that.” Melissa sighed.
“I can neither confirm nor deny.” Heather said. “And that’s not me being cagey. That’s me genuinely not being sure and not wanting to lead you on or give you false information.” Heather finished up Melissa’s scalp and reached for a towel. “If it helps, I can be sure to put in a good word for you though.”
“Thanks Heather! That would be great!” Melissa looked at her and smiled.
“So, what happens if he is into your bald head?” Heather asked as she started to lather her hands again.
“Then I guess the next two and a half years will go by really quickly.” Melissa answered excitedly as she saw what Heather was doing.
“And if he’s not?” Heather started to massage Melissa’s head.
“Then, I did this for me, and I’m going to enjoy it.” Melissa smiled at the thought and closed her eyes as she relaxed, giving an ever so slight purr.
“Wow, Melissa. You have a really great attitude.” Heather continued a bit longer than usual, just for Melissa’s benefit. “I promise to go easy on you going forward.”
“How so?” Melissa asked softly, only half listening.
“Just in general. I know you don’t think so, but you may eventually get tired of this.”
“Well, what about you? Couldn’t you say the same?”
“True, but I’m not committed to constantly being shaved. I’ve fluctuated between that and a short buzz. I also haven’t completely ruled out growing it a bit somewhere down the line. I just highly doubt it and it still wouldn’t get that long.”
“Oh, well, neither am I.”
“Sure, but two and a half years is still a long time. Way longer than any of us envisioned.” Heather explained. “Anna thought we’d be pushing it going til the end of next year’s competition. You blew well past that.”
“You might be right.” Melissa admitted. “I may have gotten caught up in the moment.”
“It’s okay. I’m happy to see you so excited by it. It sure beats the alternative.” Heather began scraping away at Melissa’s head one final time.
“You mean if I hated it and was miserable?” Melissa asked. “Honestly, I can’t even imagine that
