wozziewoo
It’s time to get the competition underway. The entire team is excited to showcase all they have been working on. It’s not all smooth sailing, though as some unexpected conflicts arise.
As always for those needing a recap, here’s the link to the previous chapter:
This is the link to the first chapter of this Volume:
The Start of Something New: Volume II Chapter 1 — New Beginnings
Finally, if you want to go back to the beginning, The link to Volume I:
Now, the newest chapter:
A New Thrill
It had been an exhausting day. Heather was cleaning up the room after Melissa left. A few minutes later Betty came into the room. Heather and Betty had been really close and had a solid friendship. Unfortunately, Heather misread things, and their relationship had gone a bit south since their last overnight stay.
“Hey, kiddo. Hope all is going well.” Betty greeted her roommate. “Did things go better than last time?”
“Well, it was all head shaves, so those are simple enough. Nobody has any more hair to lose.” Heather answered. “Especially now that Melissa has joined in. In fact, I think you may now have the most hair of all the girls on the team.” Heather joked.
“Well, maybe we should change that.” Betty teased. “Because we can’t have that now, can we?”
Heather looked at Betty, her heart beating out of her chest.
“My hair is getting a bit long, at least compared to the rest of the team.” Betty continued. “I know tomorrow will be busy and you’ll be on a tight timeline. Let’s just take care of this now. Then it will be easier to deal with tomorrow along with everyone else, right?” Betty sat down in the chair, where all of Heather’s previous haircuts had just finished taking place.
“Betty? What’s going on?” Heather was trying to control her emotions. Betty was her weak spot. The first time Betty sat down in their hotel room for a haircut was when all the awkwardness started between them. She wasn’t sure if the outcome would be different the second time.
“What’s the matter, Heather? You don’t want to shave my head?” Betty was growing frustrated. She wasn’t used to this but hoped Heather would take the bait. “What if I made it a little easier for you?” Betty removed her blouse, exposing her lace bra underneath.
Heather could hardly contain herself any longer. She went for her clippers and turned them on. She knew what would happen, but she would find a way to deal with it. Heather ran the clippers over Betty’s head as little flakes of copper red hair tumbled down around them. After a few more passes, Betty’s head was reduced to mere stubble. Heather put the clippers back down. But before she could continue, she needed a minute to compose herself.
As Heather stood behind Betty, she felt herself leaking. Right on cue she thought. She took a deep breath as she prepared herself for the shave. But before she could continue, Betty reached around and pulled Heather towards her. Betty leaned down towards Heather and kissed her. Betty had finally reciprocated the kiss from a couple months earlier. Heather’s eyes opened wide as she realized what was happening.
Betty stood up, still holding Heather. Heather wasn’t sure what to do, but she knew she wanted to be closer to Betty. So, Heather wrapped her legs around Betty as they continued to kiss. They moved towards the bed and Betty tossed Heather onto it. Betty stood over her for a moment as she removed her bra and slipped out of her skirt. She then got on the bed and helped Heather remove the rest of her clothes. Heather was so overwhelmed with emotions, and let Betty take the lead.
After several minutes, both girls rolled over on their backs and just lay next to each other completely naked. Then Betty turned her head towards Heather and smiled. “Hey kiddo, that was amazing! Wanna go again?” Without waiting for an answer, she rolled back to Heather, and they continued to explore each other’s bodies. After even more time had passed and both girls were utterly exhausted, Betty asked Heather if she still wanted to finish her hair. Heather managed a nod but was too weak to get up. So, the girls stayed in bed, cradled in each other’s arms as they fell asleep. It was the most peaceful sleep Heather had had in months.
Confident Not Cocky
The next morning Janie and Anna were downstairs at a table having breakfast. Janie looked over and noticed Heather, so she waved to get her attention. “Wow, you look even happier than usual.” Janie remarked as their friend approached the table, seemingly floating through the air.
“Yeah, you’ve got this glow about you.” Anna chimed in.
“Thanks, I feel fantastic.” Heather responded, with an especially goofy smile.
“Seems like you had an especially good night.” Janie observed.
“Oh, I definitely did.” Heather smiled and then giggled uncontrollably. “Best I’ve slept in months.”
Suddenly there was some commotion across the room. All three turned in that direction.
“Yeah! We’ll see if you’re still thinking that tomorrow!” Came a familiar voice. “Put it out on the stage!”
A moment later, Melissa emerged from the crowd and headed towards her teammates.
“I don’t care what else happens, we will beat that team!” Melissa declared as she sat down.
“Is everything okay…?” Anna asked, wondering what was going on.
“Oh, yeah, sure. Everything’s great!” Melissa confirmed. “I just want to kick that team’s ass. We will not lose to them!”
“Well, I hope we don’t lose to anyone… but why that team in particular?” Anna followed up.
“Oh, you know.” Melissa casually rubbed her head. “They decided to make a big deal about our ‘unique’ look and how we weren’t real cheerleaders.” She smiled. “I said we didn’t need hair to toss around and distract everyone from our real talent.”
“Wow, Melissa, that’s really impressive.” Janie added.
Melissa chuckled. “You know, it’s ironic. A few days ago, I looked a bit more of ‘the part’ but I probably would have backpedaled pretty quickly if anyone said anything like that.”
“But now you feel differently.” Heather chimed in.
“You should know!” Melissa laughed. “Look, I feel amazing. I’ve never been happier or felt more confident. I just didn’t like them talking smack about our team. Especially based off something so silly.” Melissa rubbed her head again. “I’ve always been self-conscious about my lack of chest, so I’ve tried to overcompensate in other ways. Hence my hair, among other things. But I’ve never felt more feminine than these past few days.” She leaned forward and smiled. “I’ve never been more confident, I’ve never been happier, and never more excited or prouder to be a part of this team.”
“Well, that’s really great to hear.” Anna said.
“Yeah, so anyway. Once I heard the way that team was talking, I just couldn’t let it go. It took all my restraint not to do more than that.” Melissa looked down. “I wanted to punch them out, but I was worried about any repercussions. I didn’t want my actions having a negative impact on the team.”
“Thank you for that.” Anna said. “That was some quick thinking on your part.”
“I just want to beat them so bad now. They made it personal.” Melissa huffed, then she turned to Heather, “Though, you’re looking especially chipper this morning.”
“Yeah, you could say that.” Heather grinned. She still wasn’t sure how to wrap her head around what happened. She still hadn’t discussed anything with Betty this morning, so she wasn’t sure what to say, but she also felt like it was a private moment between them and didn’t want to share with anyone else.
“So, when do we get a fresh shave?” Melissa prodded. All three turned towards her. “Hey, I’m all in on this. You shouldn’t be surprised.” She quickly rubbed her hand back and forth atop her head and smiled. “And if I wasn’t already completely sold on this look, that team just sealed it.”
“I have to double check with Emma, but I think we have a practice to get to soon.” Heather tried to divert the conversation back to the team. “After that, I think the plan is for Katie to stop by my room to take care of me and Betty. Then I’ll do her hair and cycle through everyone else. I don’t know the exact schedule, but everyone should be ready after the practice session. And once we’re all freshly shaved, we’ll all head over to the convention center for the competition.”
“Well, I can’t wait. And if you need assistance, I’m in.” Melissa informed.
“Thanks. I’ll keep it in mind, but I think for today we need to keep it simple and quick.” Heather replied.
“Ewww. I found them.” A voice from behind Melissa shouted out. The quartet all turned towards the voice. It came from a petite, tanned co-ed, dressed in a maroon crop top. Her exposed belly button was pierced, and her dark jet-black hair was piled high in a messy bun on top of her head. “If none of you are sick, why don’t you have any hair? Are you even girls?” Melissa bristled as she stood up and towered over the girl.
“Excuse me? Wanna say that to my face?” Melissa could barely contain her anger.
“Sure. Are you all sick or something? Are you even girls?” She snickered and turned, acknowledging the crowd that had begun to form.
“Oh, we’re girls. We’re better than that. I’ve got more femineity in my pinky finger then you’ve got in your whole body.” Melissa snarled back.
“OH, so, that’s where it all is. Not like it’s anywhere else. My 6-year-old sister has bigger boobs then you do.” The girl laughed, “and a lot more hair, too.”
Melissa’s arm flew up, ready to slap the girl across the face, when Anna reached out and grabbed her arm. Melissa was fuming, but also thankful that Anna had stopped her.
“Oh, look, daddy had to stop you.” The girl continued to taunt.
“Why don’t you just move along?” Anna interceded, trying to deflate the tension before it developed further.
“Why don’t you just move along.” The girl put her fists on her waist and shook her head back and forth in a mocking, taunting fashion.
“Care to back it up?” Melissa wanted to attack the girl but was held back.
The girl scoffed. “What did you have in mind?”
“A bet.” It would put her team on the line, but Melissa had the confidence to back it up. “You think you’re so much better than us? You think your hair makes you better cheerleaders? Back it up!” Melissa shook her arms free of their restraints. “When our team beats yours, you have to shave your head.” She reached over and grabbed Heather’s arm and pulled her over. “Our barber will even do it for you.” Heather tried to search for a way out. She hated confrontation and this was the last place she wanted to be.
“Yeah, and what happens when my team wins?”
“What do you want?” It didn’t matter what the girl said, Melissa was willing to agree to anything and felt confident in her team to pull through. “I’ll agree to whatever you want.” Melissa put her hand out confidently.
By this time, quite a crowd had formed. While many others were egging her on, many others, including many of the girl’s own teammates were trying to get her to back down. She stood there with her arms folded in front of her. “Well, I don’t know what I want. But I’m sure I’ll think of something.”
“So, do we have a deal then?” Melissa stood up straight, showcasing her full height. “You can ask for whatever you want. But when you lose, we get your hair.”
“Come on, Kathy. Let’s just go.” Her teammates tried to pull her away. “Don’t worry about them… we have our own routine to worry about.”
But Kathy wouldn’t budge. She and Melissa were in a stare down and she was determined not to lose. After a couple of minutes, Kathy extended her hand. Melissa grabbed it and shook, before she had the chance to change her mind.
“Enjoy your hair while you still have it.” Melissa said as she let go and turned away. “We’ll be coming for it soon enough.” Anna, Janie and Heather followed closely behind, trying to talk her down. “Don’t worry, I’m not even the slightest bit worried. We got this.” Melissa said as they exited the dining hall.
Doubling Down and Clarity
As the quartet made their way back to their rooms to get ready for practice, all they could talk about was what just happened.
“Melissa, I hope you know what you’re doing.” Anna said. “That was really bold.”
“I know.” Melissa smiled. “I surprise myself sometimes.”
“I think it’s best that we do not tell anyone else.” Anna informed. “Let’s keep it between the four of us.”
“That was so awesome.” Janie shadow boxed as they waked the hallway.
“No. No, it wasn’t.” Anna scolded. “And we shouldn’t enforce it if we win.”
“WHEN we win.” Melissa corrected, “and yes, we are. She deserves it. Besides, I think that we’ll be doing her a favor.”
“I don’t want to force anyone.” Heather piped up. “If she doesn’t want it, I’m not shaving her.”
“Well, she agreed, and we shook on it.” Melissa stood her ground.
“Okay, Melissa. But for now, let’s just focus on our own team and competition. We’ll be late if we don’t move it.” Anna hurried everyone along.
They got back to their rooms, quickly changed and then made their way over to the convention center, where they caught up with the rest of the team. Practice went off without a hitch. The team was in sync. It was the first time going through the routine, since Melissa debuted her new look. And Melissa was determined to perform well, now more than ever. They were able to run through their full routine three times in their allotted practice, and they all left feeling extremely confident.
“Wow I finally get what you mean.” Melissa said to Anna and Heather on the way back. I always thought having that epic ponytail flying through the air was such a great feeling, but I was wrong.” She rubbed her head, “I’m really aerodynamic! That extra height will make such a difference.” She smiled, “I wish I had done this a while ago.” Anna and Heather exchanged glances.
The team had a few hours free before they needed to head back to the convention center for their slot in the competition. Everyone needed to stop by Heather’s room for their head shave, and then to finish getting ready. Once they were all prepped, they were free to do as they wished, as long as it was nothing too taxing or strenuous.
Soon enough, Katie showed up at Heather and Betty’s door. After Betty let her in, they got down to business. Heather sat down so that Katie could clean her up. It was the first time someone besides Evan had done Heather’s hair. Then they switched spots, as Heather cleaned up Katie’s hair. Then Katie proceeded to deal with Betty. As Katie finished up with Betty, Elsa showed up. She was followed by Annie, Melissa, and Janie. Then Emma arrived, followed by Shandra, Jenny, and Jessie. Finally, Heather wrapped it all up with Anna. As soon as Anna was finished Betty let her out so they could finish getting ready. Already in her new cheer outfit, Betty cleaned up the area, while Heather got herself dressed and ready for the competition. A few minutes later they headed into the hallway where the rest of the team was gathered.
The 16-member group made their way over to the convention center. Decked out in their new uniforms, the group was in high spirits. There was a slight nervous energy, as months of preparation were finally about to pay off. The group attracted a small crowd and got plenty of reaction. The girls’ bald heads caused quite a contradiction with their bright teal halter shell crop top with a white trim border. The front of the top formed a deep V and the low-rise skirt fell just above the mid-thigh, with a small V cut into either side going halfway up. While the boys were dressed in teal tank tops with a white trim border and matching athletic shorts.
When the team arrived at the event stage, there were two more groups to perform before them, plus the group currently onstage. As the group on stage finished and rushed off. The next team flooded the stage. As the team waited for their chance, Melissa felt a tap on her shoulder. Melissa turned to see who it was. It was Kathy, clad in her team’s uniform, a bright red half-sleeved leotard with yellow polka dots. Her hair now in a long, high ponytail that went more than halfway down her back, with a big red bow on top.
“Get a tattoo.”
“Excuse me?” Melissa looked down at her new rival.
“I want you to get a tattoo. Of our logo. Somewhere on your face.” Kathy clarified.
“Are you serious?” Melissa scoffed. “I’m not getting a tattoo. Especially on my face.”
“You already agreed, you said you’d agree with whatever I wanted. We shook. This is what I want.” Kathy smiled. “You wouldn’t back out now, would you Baldy?”
“You know what?” Melissa stood up and smiled with pride. “I used to have hair like yours. It was my pride and joy, easily my best asset and favorite thing about me. I cared for it deeply. While the rest of my team was cutting and shaving their hair, I desperately held onto mine. I only did this a few days ago. But I absolutely love it and plan on keeping it this way for a LOOONG time. I don’t miss my long hair at all. So, while I know you wanted the name ‘Baldy’ to be some kind of insult or derogatory term, but I see it has a source of pride and badge of honor.” She extended her hand. “I’ll look forward to making you one of us. You have a deal.”
“So, when our team beats yours, you’ll get a tattoo of our logo.” Kathy extended her hand.
“No, when OUR TEAM beats yours, you’ll shave your head, and you have to maintain it that way for at least a year.” Melissa smiled as they shook.
“Hey! That wasn’t part of the original deal!” Kathy protested.
“No, but a tattoo is permanent, at least you’ll have the option of regrowing your hair.” Melissa countered. “Should you choose.” Melissa winked back.
“Fine.” Kathy agreed. “Doesn’t really matter anyway. There’s no way we’ll lose.” She walked away to join the rest of her team.
“Hey, Melissa. You were supposed to get out of it, not double down.” Janie, who had overheard the exchange, walked over to her teammate.
“I know, and I was going to, but then she just…” Melissa searched for the right words. “Something just came over me and I couldn’t let it go.”
“Well, I hope you know what you’re doing.” Janie said.
“I’m not worried and she could really stand to be brought down a peg or two.” She rubbed both her and Janie’s heads. “Besides, she’ll thank me later.”
“Alright, this is it! We’re up next!” Emma declared. “Everyone give it your all! Leave it all out on the floor! And remember that I’m proud of you no matter what happens.”
The team rallied together. Then the group before them exited the stage and it was their turn. As the music blared, they all ran on and started their routine. They hit all their marks and nailed every jump, flip, throw and stunt they attempted. It was a nearly perfect, flawless routine, and when it was finished the team was excited about how well they had done.
Unfortunately, they had to wait until tomorrow for their scores and the final cuts to be announced.
The team was on free time and dispersed throughout the hotel. Heather really wanted some time to talk with Betty about the previous night but got a call from Janie and Anna to join them at the pool. She didn’t want to pass up an opportunity to swim and wear her “dental floss,” so she figured that she and Betty would have some time to talk later.
When Heather answered the knock on her door a few minutes later, she was thrilled to see that Melissa was there as well. The quartet made their way to the hotel pool, all laughing and joking along the way. They were in good, positive spirits. Janie filmed the entire time, and surprisingly without Heather’s protest.
As they reached the door to the pool and went inside, Melissa froze. They weren’t alone, which wouldn’t have bothered any of them, but it was Kathy, her new enemy. “Never mind, let’s just go.” Melissa turned to leave. “I don’t want to be here anymore.” The other three all held her and encouraged her to stay.
“Hey, look who’s here. It’s Baldy and her bald friends.” Kathy taunted from the hot tub. She was in a tiny halter-triangle string bikini, with a black and dark blue zigzag pattern. She had a tattoo on her right breast of a tiger and a black lotus on her left upper thigh, right below her hip. Her hair was back up on top of her head in a giant messy bun. It was obvious she was doing everything she could to keep it completely dry.
“Wow, real original.” Melissa chuckled. “Got anything else to say?” Her teammates urged her to just ignore Kathy and not let her get under her skin.
“Come on, Melissa, don’t give her the satisfaction.” Anna pleaded.
“Yeah, don’t let her ruin our good time!” Janie added.
The four all headed to the side of the pool, where Heather quickly dove in. Janie quickly followed suit. As she resurfaced, she had a giant smile plastered across her face as her hands went to her head. “No more HAIR!” she exclaimed. The last time she had been in a pool, she realized how jealous she was of Heather and Anna. They had such an easy time, without having to deal with any issues with their hair. Melissa quickly followed suit, as she saw the fun her teammates had.
As she popped up to the surface, she too smiled and brushed her hands across her head. “One more advantage.” She swam over to Heather and leaped on top of her. She wrapped her arms around her and her legs around Heather’s waist. Normally, that wouldn’t have worked given their height differences, but in a pool, it was easy. “I am forever indebted to you.” She released herself and continued to float around the pool.
“You know, I used to be like you.” She shouted over to Kathy. “I had to protect my hair at all costs. I never got it wet, since the chlorine is bad for it.” She rubbed her head again. “Not a concern anymore.” She smiled, almost taunting her.
Kathy scoffed but otherwise ignored the group. After a few more minutes she got out of the hot tub and left the pool area, while the quartet continued to splash around and enjoy themselves. Melissa loved hanging out with the girls and was happy to be such a close part of the group.
Later, Heather found herself at the hotel gym, where she found Emma on the treadmill. She went over and started her run on the treadmill next to Emma. Emma looked over and smiled, then turned back and continued her run. After her time on the treadmill and a rotation through the rest of the equipment, Heathe made her way back to her room.
“Hey, kiddo. Did you have a good workout?” Betty asked. She was reading, sitting on a chair near the window.
“Yeah, it was great. I’m so glad I started getting into it.” Heather answered.
“That’s great. I’m so happy for you. It really seems to be paying off.” Betty smiled.
“Hey, Betty… Can we talk?”
“Of course we can talk. What’s on your mind?”
“Well, ah, it’s about last night. But can I clean up first?” Heather made her way to the bathroom.
“Did you eat yet?” Betty asked. “How about when you’re done in there, we can go get dinner and we’ll discuss whatever’s on your mind?” Betty had an idea of what this was about, and she also wanted to clear a few things up, so it worked out well for both of them.
“Okay, that sounds good.” Heather called from the bathroom as she turned on the shower.
A short time later, Betty and Heather made their way to the hotel restaurant. A few of their teammates were also there. They waved and acknowledged them, but otherwise didn’t go over to join them. It was important that they had this discussion and felt it easier over dinner than back in their room.
“So, did you enjoy last night?” Betty asked after they had ordered.
“Oh, yes, it was great.” Heather smiled. “Maybe a bit unexpected.”
“I should probably start this with an apology and an explanation.” Betty began. “A couple months back, over Thanksgiving, you kissed me.”
“I remember.”
“Yeah, I didn’t handle it well.” Betty sighed, “Then things got a bit awkward between us. I’m sorry about that. Anyway… I’ve had my share of boyfriends. I’ve been into plenty of guys, but my track record is not great.” She smiled and reached her hands across the table and held Heather’s hands. “You are amazing. We originally bonded over our hair, but we’ve grown close, and it’s developed into so much more. I value you so much as a person, and as a friend, and I don’t want anything to jeopardize that.”
“I like you too, Betty. A lot.” Heather began. “I’ve changed so much over these past few months. I’ve grown and I’ve learned a lot. You know about what happened to me when I originally cut my hair off. You know about my leakage issue. It still happens every time I get my head shaved. It happened earlier with Katie. I have it mostly under control and have learned how to deal with it, but it still happens. It only happens with my haircuts though. With everyone else I’m fine. Everybody else, except you. The first time I shaved your head back at the house, I barely made it through.” Heather took a deep breath while looking into Betty’s eyes. “I was confused, I didn’t understand and really had no clue what was happening. I talked with Emma, and she explained things to me.”
“Oh, kiddo.” Betty sympathized. “I had no idea.”
“Yeah, so Emma told me I might have an attraction to you. I know we’ve gotten close, but honestly, I never had any kind of sexual experience before. I don’t have an attraction to anyone else, and I didn’t want to risk our friendship. I probably shouldn’t have kissed you, but I just wasn’t sure how I was supposed to respond.”
“No, I shouldn’t have kissed you if I had any doubt.” Betty reassured, “and our friendship, I would hope, is stronger than that. Anyway, this is the strongest relationship I’ve ever had in my life.” Betty paused. “I talked to Katie after it happened. I like guys, and I thought I was as straight as it gets… but that hasn’t really worked out so well for me. And I like you Heather, I really like you.”
Heather looked up and smiled. “You called me Heather!” she blushed.
“It’s your name, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, but you usually call me ‘kiddo.’” Heather explained.
Betty smiled. “Would you like me to stop calling you that?”
“No, I like kiddo. It’s like a pet name?”
“Sure.” Betty smiled. “Anyway, I’ve spent a lot of time these past couple months thinking, and I’d like to give this a shot.”
“Give what a shot?”
“Us. Our relationship. Is that what you want?” Betty clarified.
“Well, I enjoyed last night. That was fun.”
Betty smirked. “Yeah. Yeah, it was, but I think we should keep it between us.” The server arrived and placed their food down. “At least for now.”
They started to eat while they continued to discuss their newfound relationship.
“So, what about your hair?” Heather inquired as they finished up their dinner.
“What about it?” Betty subconsciously rubbed her freshly shaved head. “Currently, I don’t have any.” She grinned. “You’re a big reason for that.”
“I know, so does that mean it’s staying that way?” Heather grinned. “You know I’d love nothing more.”
Betty sighed, “I think it means you’ll probably end up getting to shave it way more than I ever anticipated.” Betty looked up at the ceiling and took a deep breath. “I’m never going to get to grow my hair again, am I?” Heather looked at Betty with big puppy dog eyes. “Okay, I’ll make you a deal. It won’t be every day, but if we keep it private and use it as foreplay, it will probably happen way more regularly than it has.”
“Foreplay?”
“Like last night.”
“Oh.” Heather smiled, “I liked last night.”
“Yeah, I know you did, but kiddo, there’s one more thing. I may want to wear my wigs a bit more than I have, if I keep my head shaved. You should look at that as a good thing though, and I’ll never wear them when it’s just us.”
“Oh,” Heather looked down, a bit dejected. “That’s okay, I suppose.”
The server brought over a giant bowl of ice cream and placed it in front of Heather and a slice of pie in front of Betty, while taking away the rest of their dishes. Heather’s eyes lit up, as she dove into her dessert.
“Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out.” Betty smiled at her new girlfriend, watching her go to town on her dessert. They quickly finished up their meal, and returned to their room, where they continued with dessert and cemented their new relationship.
Errors In Judgement
The next morning, Emma was in Coach Beth’s room early. The final few teams were still left to perform their routines, but they had gotten their scores from their routine. It was high and firmly secured their spot in the next round but seemed quite a bit lower than they were expecting. Coach Beth was trying to get in touch with the head judge and inquire into a further breakdown of their score.
“I just don’t understand, Coach. Where did those deductions come from?” Emma declared. “I know it may not have been perfect, but we should have scored better than that.”
“I know, Emma. I don’t understand it either.” Coach Beth agreed. “I’m inquiring now, to see if I can get a further breakdown. Let’s try to hold off on informing the rest of the team, if we can. At least until I can figure out what’s going on.”
“Okay, I’ll try, but I’m sure word will get out.”
A few hours later, the team was gathered in Coach’s room, as they discussed their schedule. While most of the team was still in the dark about the specifics, word had started to trickle out about their lower-than-expected score.
“How did this happen?” Melissa, on the verge of tears, cradled her face in her hands, while Janie tried to console her. “I can’t get a tattoo.”
“It’s okay, Melissa. We’ll figure something out.” Janie said. “It’s not over. There’s still another round.”
“I just don’t understand. Where did we go wrong?” Melissa whined.
Coach Beth, who had been on the phone for most of the morning, called Emma over. She showed her something written down on a notepad. Emma looked at the notepad and Coach inquisitively.
“Uniformity?” Emma questioned. “But that doesn’t make any sense…” Coach Beth continued to point to the notepad. She got back on the phone while Emma made her way back to the group. “Apparently our Uniformity score was lower than then we thought. Not entirely sure why or what happened, but Coach is trying to get further clarification.”
“How do we lose points on that?” Katie asked. “Just don’t let Melissa know. She could have cost us points before, but not now.”
“Yeah, that’s what I mean.” Emma concurred. “That was the one area I was least worried about.” Coach waved Emma back over.
“What!” Emma exploded. “That’s outrageous!” Emma blew past everyone and headed for the door. She stepped out and the door slammed shut behind her. Everyone looked towards the door. Katie and Anna ran after her. Emma was pacing up and down the hallway. “It was one judge, apparently.”
“What was one judge?” Anna asked.
“Our Uniformity score. We should have gotten 10s across the board, because, you know.” Both Katie and Anna nodded in agreement. “Well, we did. Except one judge, who decided to give us a zero. I don’t know the reason. Anyway, that zero averaged in with the other scores lowered our overall score.”
“Can we do anything?” Katie asked.
“Well, our score is still high enough. We will qualify for the next round later today, and we can’t lose sight of that. I don’t want our fighting to impact our performance.” Emma explained. “However, I don’t want the same thing to happen again, because if there’s another huge deduction like that, we might not survive.”
“So, what do you need from us?” Anna inquired.
“Just don’t let on, you know. Try to get everyone pumped up and ready for later. Coach and I will figure out what it means and if we have any course of action.” Emma replied. “I just need another minute or two to cool down and I’ll be back.”
Anna and Katie went back into the room and rejoined their teammates.
A short time later, Heather was once again giving the team fresh shaves. Once she was done, the entire team would once again make their way over to the convention center for their second-round performance. While the team was disappointed by their first-round score, they were determined not to let it get them down and wanted to put on a strong showing and prove they deserved reconsideration.
When they reached the event space, Coach Beth and Emma were pulled aside by an important looking man in a suit. They chatted for several minutes, and the conversation got very animated. After a few minutes, Coach Beth and Emma returned with giant smiles on their faces.
“Our score has been adjusted.” Emma declared. “One of the judges was disciplined and removed. The details don’t matter right now, but our overall score has gone up by two points. We’re in third instead of seventeenth. Everything is being reseeded, but our performance slot is the same. Logistically, there isn’t enough time. So, everyone get ready because we’re next!”
The entire team was ecstatic and jumped up and down. No one was more relieved than Melissa. Before they really had a chance to fully process the news, they were called onstage. Whether it was adrenaline, or something else, the team found a way to improve and perform an even better routine than the first time around. The team left it all out on stage and they performed a flawless routine.
Payment Due
The competition was over and now there was nothing left to do but wait. Coach Beth made the team go out and do something to get their minds off the wait. It was out of their hands, and they might as well enjoy the time they still had.
The trio of Anna, Janie, and Heather had become a solid quartet with the addition of Melissa. With Melissa now fully on board with the team’s extreme look, Anna wanted to make sure she felt included. Never one to pass up an opportunity to flaunt in a bikini and being unable to go anywhere else, the pool once again seemed like the logical place to pass time.
“So, Melissa… Are you ready for Monday?” Janie inquired as she splashed her tall friend.
“You mean going back to school and class?” Melissa clarified as she splashed back. “I mean, it’s school. This weekend has been a fun getaway.” She leaned back floating on her back.
“Sure, that too. But also –” Janie rubbed her head.
“Oh.” Melissa bolted and stood straight up. She reached her hand to her head and grinned. “I guess I do have that to look forward to.”
“So, no issues?” Heather chimed in.
“Should be fun!” Melissa laughed. “Hey, think you can give me a fresh shave right before class?”
“I can probably make that happen.” Heather answered.
“Excellent!” Melissa giggled.
“Hey, are you the girl that made the bet?” A voice called from the door of the pool. Melissa followed the voice and looked up. There was a girl with wavy blonde hair in a ponytail. She was in tan shorts and a blue tank top. “The one that made the bet with Kathy about shaving her head?”
“That was me.” Melissa answered.
“Well, she’s ready.” The girl responded. “Well, maybe not ready, but well… you know.”
“Oh, that’s okay. You can let her know we don’t plan to follow through.” Anna interjected before Melissa could say anything, then silenced a rebuttal with a fierce look.
“Yeah, it’s okay… That was all in fun.” Melissa reluctantly agreed.
“That’s unfortunate. We thought you were serious,” The girl replied disappointed. “Kathy is such a big talker. Some of us on the team were actually looking forward to it.”
Melissa looked back and forth between Anna and Heather. She really wanted this but only if her teammates agreed.
“IS she ok with it?” Heather spoke up.
“Oh, she’s terrified.” A small smile creeped across the blonde’s face. “Which kind of makes it better.” She paused for a moment and started to turn away. “And she absolutely would have made you follow through with the tattoo. I guess I’ll go tell her she’s off the hook, but this will only feed her ego…” She started to walk away.
“Wait!” Anna shouted out. The blonde stopped and turned back around. Anna looked at her teammates and nodded.
“We’ll be right there!” Melissa grabbed Heather’s hand and started to drag her as they both headed for the pool stairs. She got out and stood on the deck. “How much time can you give us?”
“Oh, she’s not going anywhere. If I know that you’re coming, we’ll hold her until you’re ready.” The blonde declared. “This is our entertainment for the night.”
Melissa looked at Heather and grinned. “What do you think?” She looked back at the blonde. “But if she won’t do it then I will. I just did this a few days ago.” Melissa rubbed her own bald head.
“Hey!” Heather interjected.
“Okay, in fairness. I buzzed it off myself and then she finished the job. But I’m in for whatever is needed.” Melissa corrected.
The blonde looked back and forth between the two. “Okay, you two are hilarious. I’m sorry to interrupt your swim, but hopefully it was worth it.”
“Totally.” Melissa smiled. “We won’t keep you waiting too long and this one knows how to make things entertaining.” She wrapped her arm around Heather.
“Sounds great. See you both soon.” The blonde headed off.
Melissa and Heather headed back towards their rooms. Both were already dressed comfortably and would have been fine to just follow the blonde back to their teams’ rooms. But since Heather needed her supplies, they decided to take a few minutes and clean themselves up a bit.
Before long, they were back in the hallway again, headed towards the other teams’ rooms. Melissa led the way, clad in black mini shorts and a dark green micro bandeau top, with Heather, who was dressed similarly, right behind.
Melissa knocked on the door. The blonde who they met at the pool opened it, greeted them, and invited them in. There were about a half dozen other girls in the room. Seated in the middle of the room was Kathy. She was in a dark blue sports bra and black capris. Her hair was piled high on her head in a giant bun. Her eyes were red, and her face was wet as if she had been crying. She looked up at Melissa with a certain vulnerability.
“Please go easy on me.” Kathy said softly. “I don’t want to be bald.”
“Shave her!” One of her teammates proclaimed.
“Shut up, Brianna!” Kathy turned towards her teammate, then back to Melissa. “You won fair and square. That was the deal.” She sniffed. “Please just don’t gloat about it.”
Melissa looked between Kathy and Heather. “Hey, we don’t have to do this…” Melissa was proud of herself, given Kathy’s vulnerability.
“No. You must.” Kathy’s voice cracked. “You won. And I always pay my debts.” She sniffled again, fighting back tears. “Just get it over with.”
Melissa started to feel bad. It was almost hard to believe this was the same person who had teased and taunted her all weekend. She looked at Heather, who didn’t know how she was supposed to respond. She helped Heather set up and asked some of the other girls to assist. Once Heather was ready, she walked over to Kathy and stood over her. She reached up and pulled at the hair tie in Kathy’s hair, which sent her jet-black wavy hair cascading down all around her.
Heather froze. She saw herself sitting in the chair, or at least her old self. Suddenly she was transported back to that fall day several months ago, when she was in a similar situation. Her hand casually brushed across her head. If this was really what Kathy wanted, or as long as she was okay with it, then Heather would oblige by replicating her original cut as closely as she could. She asked the group for all the hair ties or rubber bands they could find. With Melissa’s assistance, she created dozens of ponytails all over Kathy’s head.
For Melissa’s part, she enjoyed getting to “play” with someone’s hair again, even if it did make her a tad bit jealous. She rubbed her own bald head. She enjoyed her new look and hoped that Kathy would as well. Once the pair had finished tying up Kathy’s hair, Heather went for her clippers. She wanted to emulate her own experience as closely as possible, however, she realized that she had blanked out for most of it and didn’t actually remember that much. As she stood in front of Kathy, she turned the clippers on and they came roaring to life. This caused Kathy to jump in her seat.
Heather brought the clippers to Kathy’s forehead and slowly brought them back. The clippers chewed through Kathy’s hair like it was nothing. In mere seconds, Heather lifted to the first long strand of hair, now detached from Kathy’s head. She held it up for the group to see, which elicited many cheers and applause from the group. She then handed it off to Melissa, who waved it in front of Kathy, before setting it down on the table next to her. Kathy, upon seeing her severed hair, couldn’t help but burst into tears.
Heather didn’t exactly enjoy this cut, and wished she reacted differently, however, the enthusiasm from the crowd kept her going. Each time she cut a ponytail she felt a slight surge of energy with each reaction from the crowd. Every ponytail was handed off to Melissa, who happily accepted. After a few ponytails, she stopped the taunts and simply collected the hair and continued to place it on the pile. Kathy continued to bawl the entire time. About halfway through, Melissa actually started to feel bad for her adversary. She signaled to Heather to hold up for a minute, as she bent down and offered a hug.
“Hey, it’s going to be okay. You are so brave. Don’t worry, you’ll rock this look.” Melissa tried to find words to console Kathy, but it didn’t seem to work. She scanned the room and noticed everyone was laughing and mocking her. This angered her. “Are you all serious? This is your teammate. How could you be laughing right now?” She looked over at Heather. “Heather, I’m sorry I dragged you into this. This was obviously a mistake.” She turned towards Kathy. “I’m so sorry, Kathy. I wish we hadn’t started. However, at this point, we’re far enough along, that I think we have to finish, but we’ll do whatever you want.”
Kathy looked up through her tears and mouthed, “Thank You,” before she nodded for them to continue. Melissa stood back up and signaled to Heather, who turned the clippers back on.
Melissa’s mission changed. She turned sympathetic and aimed to make Kathy’s experience as positive as possible. She could see herself in Kathy’s shoes. Sure, she loved her bald head now and would always be a positive advocate for it in the future, but it wasn’t that long ago that she would have reacted like Kathy. She couldn’t believe the way Kathy’s teammates had acted and was extra thankful that her teammates were never like that and that they supported her fully. Eventually she came around, and was glad she did, but she was able to do it on her own terms.
Heather continued to remove Kathy’s hair from her head. She didn’t fully understand everything that was going on, but she knew something wasn’t right. Before long all of Kathy’s hair had been severed from her head. There was quite a contrast between her tanned body and the pale scalp left behind. This only made the snickers and jeers from her teammates worse. Melissa couldn’t help but be disgusted by what she had witnessed. She quickly grabbed Kathy’s hand and pulled her up out of the chair and led her out of the room. She indicated to Heather to clean up as quickly as she could and follow behind.
Melissa led Kathy back to her room, with Heather right behind. It was getting late, but she knew Jessie wouldn’t be back for a while, as she was out on a double date with her sister and their boyfriends. “Please, take a seat. Make yourself comfortable.” Melissa said as she opened the door, and they entered the room.
Kathy had cried the entire time but now she started to calm down. She made her way over to a chair and sat down. Melissa quickly pulled Heather aside.
“We have to make this right.” Melissa confided. “I’m not sure what that entails, but I can’t leave that girl like this.”
“I understand and I agree.” Heather nodded in agreement. “But her options are limited… what would you suggest?”
“I don’t know.” Melissa sighed. “You’re the expert. I hoped you would have some ideas.” Melissa rubbed her head and looked over at Kathy. “Maybe in time, she’ll feel like us.”
“So, we’re going with hope.” Heather pointed out. “Got it.” She paused. “And for the record, I’m no expert, far from it.” She took a deep breath. “But at this point, I see two options… and I’m not making the decision.”
“Heather, I’m so sorry you got dragged into this.” She leaned down and offered her friend a hug. “At this point, I’m not doing anything without consulting with Kathy, but what are your thoughts?”
“It’s okay, Melissa. I enjoy this and I’m all too happy to help. It’s just… This is the first time someone has had such a negative experience. Even with Shandra… well, she was a different case, but even she wasn’t this bad.” Heather recalled softly. “At this point, her hair is basically gone. I can’t put it back. What she has is the stubbly remnants that I had originally, that you had after your initial buzz. I could finish cleaning it up a bit and she can just go with that, or I can get out the razor and cream and finish the job.”
“Okay,” Melissa sighed. “I’ll talk to her.” Melissa walked over to Kathy and crouched down to her level. “Listen, we want to make this right. We are both sorry for our involvement in this negative experience. There is obviously something else going on with your team that we weren’t aware of. I personally want to apologize for suggesting this. For what it’s worth, both Heather and I can relate to you. Her hair was actually longer than yours only a few months ago. She shaved it all down to impress one of our teammates… and while that didn’t work, she adapted, and it has led to a lot of other positive changes. I just did this myself a few days ago. I was so against all the haircuts going on, it made me physically ill. But in a show of team unity and to get the attention of one of the guys on the team, I reluctantly followed suit.” She paused to let her words sink in.
“I must say, I was prepared to hate it. I expected to react the way you are now. I planned for months, even years of misery. I have to say though, that I absolutely love it.” She smiled while she rubbed her head. “I don’t miss my hair at all, and now my regret is that I didn’t do it sooner. I’m planning to keep it this way for a long time.” Kathy looked up.
“Now, words have an impact. And the way you first spoke to me? That could have broken me. But like I said, I like my look and I’m proud of my team, so what you intended as an insult, I took as a compliment.”
“Now I realize that not everyone is the same, and you feel differently. I know how I could have felt if I had been in your position before I did this.” She pointed to her head. “So, I hope we can somehow make this up to you. What would you like to do? Heather and I will try to fix it any way we can to make this better for you.”
Kathy stopped crying and tried to calm herself down. She looked at Melissa for several minutes in silence. She looked back and forth between Melissa and Heather multiple times without saying a word. Finally, she looked down. “Shave it.” She replied softly in a barely audible whisper. “I’ve gone this far, might as well finish it off.” She sniffed.
Melissa smiled. “I think you’ll look amazing.” She called Heather over. “Would you like me to hold your hand?” Kathy nodded slowly. Melissa reached for Kathy’s hand as Heather headed over and laid out her supplies. She then reached for the cream and started to lather her hands. As Heather began messaging the cream all over Kathy’s head, Kathy started to giggle.
“That’s such a weird feeling. My dad uses this on his face every morning when he shaves. I never thought I’d need it on myself.” Kathy exclaimed.
“Yeah, it’s a great feeling.” Melissa agreed. “You get used to it.” Kathy looked at her sideways. “That’s assuming you continue with this look.” Melissa chuckled nervously while she grazed her hand across her head.
“You both dress so boldly. Is that a result of you having no hair?” Kathy had started to feel more comfortable and got very chatty.
“No,” Melissa answered, “I’ve always dressed like this. I just enjoy wearing as little as possible. Showing off my body, but in a tasteful way. This one though…” she pointed towards Heather.
“I used to be totally covered up. While it was not directly related to shaving my head, they did happen around the same time.” Heather chimed in, while picking up the razor. “I feel more myself, now, though, then I ever did before. Ready?”
Kathy looked up and saw the razor in Heather’s hand. “I guess. Might as well get this over with.” She sighed. Melissa held her hand with both of hers and squeezed tight. Heather placed the razor at Kathy’s forehead and began to scrape straight back. Kathy’s breathing started to pick up a bit. “I can’t believe I’m doing this!”
Heather worked quickly, as she usually did. However, in this case she felt it best to get it done with and not drag it out as Melissa, Emma, and others sometimes request. Within just a few minutes, Heather finished her first pass over Kathy’s head. As Heather got out the towel and started wiping down Kathy’s head. Melissa smiled sweetly at Kathy. “Now, just a warning. Heather is finishing up her first pass, but she’s going to do it again. Just so you’re prepared.”
“Your hair is thick and very dark. I’m trying to make your head as smooth as possible.” Heather reached for the cream and began a second lather.
“Oh, okay.” At this point, Kathy was completely submissive and down with anything. She was calm and accepting. “Thank you.” Melissa continued to crouch down next to Kathy the entire time and held her hand.
She looked up at Heather and smiled. “You’re so pretty.” Kathy remarked. She reached her hand over towards Melissa’s head. Melissa happily leaned her head forward towards Kathy’s hand. Kathy vigorously rubbed her hand over Melissa’s scalp. “Feels so smooth.” Melissa couldn’t help but grin.
“Yup, and yours will feel like that soon enough!” Melissa excitedly replied. As Kathy pulled back her hand, Melissa lifted her head and looked at Heather, “Although, I think I’m due for another shave soon.” Melissa rubbed her head and smiled.
“No, you’re not Melissa. Your head is fine. We just did it a few hours ago.” Heather replied as she reached for the razor and began the second pass over Kathy’s head. “But maybe we’ll let Kathy decide.”
Kathy’s eyes lit up. She hated what was happening, but she had to admit that Heather and Melissa had tried to make it the best possible experience for her. It was her own fault she was even in this spot to begin with. She couldn’t imagine anyone enjoying this or willingly wanting to keep it up, especially not anyone who claimed to be like her. Yet Melissa fit that bill, and Heather seemed enthusiastic about it as well. Melissa had been so kind to her, so Kathy felt inclined to support her. If she was being honest, the look wasn’t as bad as she had thought, and she did enjoy how it felt. “Only if I can stay and watch.” Her words surprised her slightly, but she also knew she had no desire to rush back to her teammates, especially given her new look.
“Of course you can!” Melissa clapped with excitement. “Who would have thought things would turn out this way?”
“I just don’t really want to go back to my team right now…” Kathy admitted. “I don’t know if I ever want to go back…” Kathy put up a good front, but she was fighting tears.
Melissa looked at her with sympathy and then looked at Heather, who stopped the second pass for a minute. Melissa reached in and gave Kathy a hug. “Stay as long as you like. We’ll figure out a way to get your stuff.”
Heather resumed the process and finished up quickly. She wiped Kathy’s head and then sprayed it. When she was done, Kathy got up and Melissa sat down. The experience between the two could not have been more different. As the three continued to talk, Kathy got more comfortable. She opened up and told them about herself. She refused to touch her head or look in a mirror, but otherwise seemed ok.
Melissa saw a lot of herself in Kathy, and the two were getting closer. Melissa shared how the whole head shave phenomenon had spread across the team. She stated how and why she always saw Heather as a rival on the team, even if she had no way to back it up. But since she shaved her head, they had become fast friends, and now Melissa is fully in support of the team’s new identity.
Although she would never identify herself this way, in high school Kathy would have been classified as a Mean Girl, in addition to being the Head Cheerleader. She was one of the most popular girls and had all the guys at her beck and call. She could get whatever she wanted without lifting a finger. She assumed it would be more of the same when she hit college, but instead, she had a lot of trouble fitting in. She fit in well and adapted easily when it came to the cheering and cheer team, but she struggled everywhere else.
Heather remained mostly quiet but chimed in on occasion with a comment or two when she felt she had something to add. She had long finished on Melissa’s head but kept going to keep herself occupied. Melissa would have objected to the end of the shave anyway.
Finally, the new friends made arrangements for the night. Melissa did not want Kathy going back to her team and Kathy was all too happy to stay. She was willing to sleep on the couch, even the floor if necessary. “Um… there might be a free bed in my room.” Heather presented an alternate idea. Both girls looked at her confused. “Can you keep a secret?” Both girls nodded that they could. “I wasn’t supposed to say anything, but Betty and I have been sharing a bed the past few nights.”
Melissa’s jaw dropped. “Heather!” She ran towards her friend and offered a hug. “You and Betty! I had no idea! I didn’t even know you two were – I mean I knew you were close, not like that, but – congratulations!” Melissa stumbled over her words, but the sentiment was real.
“No one is supposed to know though, so you both can’t tell anyone.” Heather reenforced her statement. Kathy and Melissa both confirmed their lips were sealed. “So, anyway… I guess Kathy could have the other bed. I just need to check in with Betty, though.”
“Let’s go do that now, and then we can figure out how we’ll get Kathy’s stuff.” Melissa stated.
“Thank you both so much.” Kathy declared. “I am so indebted to you both.”
“Don’t ever even think that. Let’s just get through the night and we’ll figure out how to proceed from there.” Melissa reassured Kathy, as the trio cleaned up and headed next door to Heather’s room.
“Hey, kiddo.” Betty greeted her roommate as she entered the room. “How was your night? Looks like you made a new friend.”
Heather and Melissa proceeded to recap the story. She explained who Kathy was and how they originally met. The bet between Melissa and Kathy, the reaction from Kathy’s teammates, the way Heather and Melissa rescued her, and the present situation. Betty agreed that Kathy shouldn’t return to the team that night and that the bed would be available. She was a bit disappointed about the whole situation, but Melissa and Heather handled it as best they could given the circumstances. She suggested she go with Melissa to get Kathy’s things and Heather could stay back in the room with Kathy and help her settle in.
“So, you and Heather, huh?” Melissa grinned as she and Betty started down the hall towards Kathy’s room.
“Yes, Melissa, but we’re not going to discuss that right now. We’d really prefer no one knew while we try to figure things out.” Betty said. “I understand why Heather felt the need to tell you, but that doesn’t mean that I have to be happy about it.”
“Sorry, I understand.” Melissa made a zipper motion across her lips and then turned her hand and tossed the invisible key.
When they reached Kathy’s room, Betty knocked on the door. The same blonde that had hunted them down at the pool answered the door. Betty introduced herself and then explained that Kathy wouldn’t be returning. They were there to pick up her stuff and would be out of their space as quickly as possible. The teammate Kathy had called Brianna, was also in the room. As Betty and Melissa walked in, Brianna handed them a duffle bag. Then Betty and Melissa left as quickly as they came.
Headed Home
The next morning, Heather awoke to a knock on her door. She opened the door to Melissa. She wanted to check in on Kathy, who was still sleeping. It had taken her a while to settle down, but she was thankful for all they had done for her.
At breakfast, Melissa filled in Anna and Janie on all that had happened the previous night, since she and Heather had left the pool. They were soon joined by Heather, Betty and Kathy, who all arrived together. Kathy, who had somehow managed to avoid a mirror or touch her head, felt comfortable sitting with her new friends. Although she had yet to fully acknowledge the image she now projected, she knew what she was in for and at least felt like she could fit in with this group. Seeing them all so confident and secure in themselves gave her hope that she could be okay and would find a way to adapt.
“I think I’m ready to rejoin my team.” Kathy announced as they finished up. “Thank you all for the help, but I think I need to face this head on.”
“No.” Melissa declared. “No, you’re not.” Everyone turned to look at her. “There’s one thing you have to do first.” She reached out and held both of Kathy’s hands. “You have to acknowledge how you look. Any one of us will tell you the most important aspect of pulling this look off is having confidence. Believe me, I can attest to that.”
“She’s right.” Betty interjected. “You need to stay positive, no matter what. Regardless of how you personally feel, don’t let them see a vulnerable or negative side.”
“I suppose you’re right. Denying it doesn’t make it less real.” Kathy admitted. She started to reach her hand up towards her head.
“Stop!” Melissa cautioned. “Let’s do this the right way. You need to see it.”
“I think I can help with that.” Betty added. “Let’s present the best you that you can be.” Everyone looked at her, unsure of what she had in mind. “Trust me?”
Kathy shrugged. “I have no reason not to.”
The group all got up and headed back towards Betty and Heather’s room. Once there, Betty had Kathy sit down. Everyone else stood around and watched as Betty got out her makeup and started applying it to the top of Kathy’s head.
“Now, this isn’t a long-term solution, but at least for now, until you figure out what you’re doing, we can blend it in, so there isn’t such a stark contrast.” Betty informed.
“Wow, Betty! That’s such a great idea.” Melissa admired. “Kathy, you already look great! This will put you over the top!”
Kathy grinned nervously. “You guys are great. I’m so sorry how I acted earlier.”
After a couple more minutes, Betty put the finishing touches on Kathy’s head. Kathy closed her eyes, and Melissa went over and guided her to the mirror. Melissa stepped back, while everyone else looked on. Kathy took a deep breath and then opened her eyes. Her first reaction was to scream, but she didn’t. Her second reaction was to cry, but she didn’t do that either. Instead, she just stood there, frozen. Everyone else was waiting for her reaction.
Slowly, Kathy reached her hand up and tentatively felt the back of her head. Nonplussed, she immediately drew her hand back as a shiver ran down her spine. Slowly she reached her hand back up again. This time it lingered just a bit longer. She turned and faced the group. She had a blank expression on her face and the rest of the group had trouble reading her.
“Well?” Melissa was the first to break the silence and arguably the most invested, for multiple reasons.
“I, um, I really don’t know what to say.” Kathy started. “I don’t hate it. At least not as much as I expected to. But I’ve had the time to process and accept it.”
“That’s great! I had a feeling you might like it.” Melissa replied.
“Nuh uh.” Kathy shook her head. “I didn’t say that either.” She sat down on the edge of the bed. “I’m really at a loss. I don’t know what to say or how to react. It’s definitely different, and I miss my hair. But I think spending this time with all of you and seeing how confident you all are helps soften the blow a bit.”
Melissa sat down and wrapped her arm around her new friend. “Just know, no matter what happens and whatever the future holds, you’ve got a friend in me, and I feel confident saying that holds true for all of us.” The rest of the team nodded in agreement.
“Thanks, that’s really good to know.” Kathy stood up. “I think I’m okay to go now. I should get back to my team, but I’ll never be able to repay you for all you’ve done.” She hugged everyone goodbye and left the room.
After a few minutes to decompress, the quintet exited the room and finished packing. Then they met up with the rest of the team and headed back to the convention center for the Closing Assembly, where they were awarded the first-place prize. Upon returning to the hotel, they emptied their rooms and waited for the bus to pick them up and start the journey home.
