Karoka
“Who’s Next?” As Peter asked that question, Aunt Lyra turned to Stephanie and said, “Go ahead sweetie.” Although the 17-year-old girl was slightly startled, she got up and walked to the chair as her sister and mother sat down on the sofa. Aunt Lyra spoke to Angelica in hushed tones, asking her younger daughter about her haircut and whether she liked it. Although soft-spoken, the 16-year-old seemed genuinely happy with her short buzz.
Stephanie made her way to the chair, giving Peter’s back a look of longing as he picked up a cape. She sat down as the young barber flicked the cape over her body and secured it behind her neck. Peter moved her high ponytail out of the way to clip the cape properly, taking the chance to feel Steph’s soft, thick hair. It was much darker, more of a caramel blonde than her sister.
He removed her hair band, letting down her lustrous locks, originally secured in a high ponytail. Peter marvelled at the glossy shine of her hair, and how healthy it is. He took out a comb and ran it though Stephanie’s hair, asking “What do you want done with Steph’s hair, Aunt Lyra?”
She reiterated her trust in him, giving him full control over her older daughters hair. Peter mentally went through several different clipper cuts while combing his special customers hair before finally deciding on the perfect one. He stopped combing Steph’s hair, and returned the comb to its drawer before picking out a fresh rubber band.
Peter secured a tight ponytail using Steph’s old rubber band before starting to weave it into a braid. He finished it, before securing the end with the new rubber band. The 18-year-old was standing there with a gorgeous caramel braid, about 18 inches long in his hands. It was shorter than Angelica’s but just as beautiful.
He reminisced for a moment, remembering how he had grown up alongside Stephanie as neighbours, watching her grow from a tomboy into a beautiful young woman. Although she and her family had been to his dad’s barbershop several times over the years, they hadn’t got clipper cuts in about 8 years.
The last time was when he had started learning how to be a barber from his dad, approximately 8 years ago. At the time, Stephanie left with almost no hair on her head and this time would be the same. Peter remembered being mesmerized by how pretty Steph looked at the time, with a really short pixie cut. He developed a crush for her that slowly turned into love over the years. But the young barber hadn’t had the courage to confess despite a suspicion that she felt the same way.
Peter hoped that this haircut would help them share a special bond and he was planning to confess his feelings after the big transformation. He had gotten Aunt Lyra’s blessings when she revealed her intention to bring the girls for a haircut a few days ago. She’d given him a playful wink, and told him to go for it.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Peter got back to the task at hand. He once again sized up his tools before decisively picking up his sharp shears, choosing to claim his second trophy.
<He stood behind Stephanie, lifted her ponytail, placing the shears close to her nape. The young barber made eye contact with his customer and asked, “Are you ready?” Steph nodded and Peter closed the scissors, sawing into her gorgeous braid. The thick hair’s resistance proved futile as the sound of chopping filled the barbershop. A few snips later and the braid came free in his hand. Stephanie was left with a jagged chin length bob.
Peter put it on the counter top and picked up his clippers, attaching a number 6 guard and turning them on. As a buzz filled the barbershop, he placed his left hand on the back of her head for support. The young barber then brought the clippers to her front hairline and dragged them down the middle of her head. Her caramel blonde locks slid down the back of the barber chair, tickling his arm on the way to the floor.
Moving the clippers slightly to the left, he took one more pass and then another. Quickly dlearing the left side of her crown. Peter then moved to the right side of her crown, buzzing it down with a few passes. The top of Stephanie’s head was now totally buzzed.
The young barber put his hand atop his client’s head, and moved it to the left while enjoying the feeling of her soft buzzed hair. He slowly pushed the clippers up her right cheek, before flodong Steph’s ear and buzzing the hair behind it.
Peter moved over to the left side and cleared that side quickly as well. He then moved behind her, placed his hand firmly atop her head and gently pushed it down. Stephanie complied, giving him access to the back of her head.
The 18-year-old barber moved his buzzing clippers gently up the middle of his client’s nape, watching as hair spilled on either side of the clippers. He shook the hair loose and began another slow pass. Peter cleared Steph’s nape quickly, giving her an all-around #6 buzzcut.
Although she looked stunning, he wasn’t done with the cut. He switched out the guard with a #4 and buzzed the back and sides shorter. He once again switched guards to a #3 and blended the lower part of the sides of her head and nape.
Finally, he took the balding clippers and cleaned up her neck, with the final result being a short crewcut. Peter shut down the clippers, rubbed his right hand all over Steph’s short hair, drawing a blush from the 17-year-old. He then took off the cape, saying “You’re all done. Stephanie gave Peter a bright beautiful smile, said thank you and made her way to her mom and sister on the couch.
Peter collected Steph’s hair in a baggie along with her braid, securing his second trophy of the day. As Angelica and her mother felt Stephanie’s short hair, he said, “It’s your turn now, Aunt Lyra”.
Is Lyra just Peter’s neighbor,or is she actually his aunt?
No, she’s just his neighbor. But a close one, where it’s kind of become a relationship where she’s kind of like his aunt. You know, like that neighbor you’d go to if your parents aren’t home. They become kind of like family. So calling her Aunt Lyra is a term of endearment.