Never short enough

Never short enough by snipsnip Sonia had had everything she could ask for, a lucrative job with a design company, a great love life with her boyfriend of four years, a house in the heart of town... she could have asked for nothing more. Sonia was an attractive 25 year old girl with gorgeous features, tall and dusky. She had extremely beautiful black hair that reached the small of her back and had gentle soft curls that cascaded down her back. However, today things had not quite gone according to plan for her. She had woken up to a cranky boyfriend who has just been snapping at her all morning. They had fought for no reason whatsoever and Sonia had gone to work feeling miserable. She had absolutely no idea what was in store for her that day. About an hour after she had begun work, her boss called her into the meeting room alone to tell her that as the company was downsizing, she could no longer keep her job and that she had to leave at the end of the month. This was the last thing Sonia wanted to hear. This day was a disaster! Sonia stepped out, her eyes full of tears, she didn’t know what to do, how to make this day better. She wanted to call her boyfriend but was too angry at him. She took the rest of the day off from work and decided to indulge herself and go shopping hoping that would ease the stress. Sonia headed down the mall to the shopping centre. She went into all her favourite stores and decided that today she would just let herself go. She was going to buy all those things that she had stopped herself from buying. After about three hours of shopping Sonia went over to leave her shopping bags, which by now were getting quite heavy for her to lug about, in her car. As she neared the parking lot, she passed a display board that read ‘INDULGENCE,’ it was the name of the hairstyling salon. This was the very thing that Sonia wanted to do today—indulge. She paused and thought, her hair had been cut 4 weeks ago and she generally trimmed it only once every 6 weeks. She didn’t really need a haircut just yet. She decided to go and leave the bags in the car as that would give her some time to think over the matter. Finally she thought, “What the hell, it looks a nice place and they seem like the types who will pamper me, might as well give it a shot.” It was true. How much worse could the day get? Sonia put her bags in the car and walked back to the salon. She pushed the big glass door and entered to a sweet greeting by the receptionist. “I was wondering if you had any slot open for a haircut.” Sonia asked without wasting any time. The receptionist looked into the register and said “you’re in luck! I have an opening in the next 5 minutes.” “Perfect!” Sonia exclaimed. This was the first thing that had actually gone her way. The receptionist went in and came back with the stylist. “Hi my name is Tina and I will be doing your haircut today.” “hi. I’m Sonia.” She said meekly. The first thing Sonia noticed about Tina was her hair. It was about half an inch on the back and sides and barely over an inch in the top with a slightly longer fringe. It was cut perfectly and seemed to have been cut recently. It looked stunning on her. Sonia couldn’t help but stare. Tina smiled warmly led Sonia to her styling station. “So, what are we doing today? Just a trim of do you want a change” asked Tina very matter of fact. “I don’t know, what do you think?” asked Sonia as she actually didn’t know how she wanted her hair cut. “How short are you willing to go?” “I don’t really know. I’v had long hair all my life and I quite like it.” “Okay then, why don’t I cut it a little shorter, maybe until here?” Tina showed said holding about 6 inches of Sonia’s hair. “And then I can give you layers and some bangs.” This surely was much shorter than Sonia usually had it cut. But she felt she could trust Tina and that she knew what she was doing. “I think that sounds nice.” She said. Tina wasted no more time with words. She led Sonia to the sink, a black cape was places around her neck and Tina began washing her hair. Sonia began to relax and enjoy as Tina massaged her scalp. This was so refreshing that Sonia totally forgot how bad a day she was having. She was woken up again when Tina asked her to rise and led her back to the styling station. Sonia’s hair was towel dried and Tina brushed through it from scalp to tip. This again was relaxing. Tina then picked up a pair of scissors and cut through some of Sonia’s hair. She could see how much hair was being cut as it was behind her. Tina then put the hair in front and showed her the new length of her hair. It was shorter but Sonia really liked this. Tina then moved over to the right side and cut the off about 8 inches. She would cut; shake the hair to see how it fell and then make adjustments to the cut, and even it up by cutting a little more or cutting the denser areas. Tina moved to the left side and cut more layers in her hair. Sonia loved this experience. This was a haircut she was thoroughly enjoying. It wasn’t like her regular trims where she just sat and got bored. She suddenly felt freer and decided to ask Tina about her haircut. “I really like your haircut Tina!” she said. “Was It one of your colleagues who cut it for you?” Tina laughed as she moved to the front of Sonia’s face and began combing the front section. “No no. nobody here does such good short haircuts. I got my hair cut just a few days back at a barbershop.” “A barbershop?” Sonia thought. “Why would a girl so pretty go there?” but the idea nonetheless was intriguing. Snip snip snip Sonia heard as she saw massive chunks of hair fall in front of her face and onto the cape. The pieces of hair were atleast 15 inches long. Sonia tries to get a view of her face by Tina was standing in the way. “You know, I had inhibitions too about going to a barber to get my haircut, but a friend of mine talked me into it, and I’m really happy I did it.” Tina continued as Sonia saw smaller pieces of hair rain in front of her. “They give great cuts and it’s really cheap too. And considering how hot It’s getting, it sure is worth a chance.” Tina finished with the bangs and stepped aside so Sonia could get a view of her new bangs. She hardly recognised this girl looking back at her. Her bangs were just above her eyebrows. Suddenly her eyes were highlighted. Sonia couldn’t help but smile. “Do you like it?” Tina asked. “I love it!!!” Sonia said. “It’s really nice! Thank you!” Tina blow dried her hair and showed her the back with a hand mirror. It was definitely shorter, just about touching her bra strap. But it was much nicer and curlier. Sonia smiled from ear to ear as Tina undid the cape. She has absolutely loved the experience and now she really liked the result. She paid for the haircut and tipped Tina handsomely. But there was still one thing she wanted to do, she really liked Tina’s haircut and wanted to know more about it. Tina noticed her staring again at her hair. “You want to cut your hair short don’t you?” she asked with a sly smile on her face. “You really must try it out, especially since you have never had short hair. You have great features, it’s a shame you hide them behind this hair. I’d suggest you sleep over it, and you can always come back to me for a short haircut. It’s only hair after all, it’ll grow back.” She was right. It was only hair and would grow back. But it was a plunge she would have to take. She tool Tina’s card and told her she’d call if she changed her mind about cutting her hair short. As she drove back, the thought of cutting her hair short kept growing on her. Finally she decided that this was the most ridiculous fantasy and that she should just do it. She pulled over and called the number on the card. “Indulgence—how can I help you?” the voice said. “hi, I’m Sonia, and I’d like an appointment with Tina please.” “I’m sorry ma’am, but Tina is booked out for the next three days.” “Oh hell!” She thought. That was the last thing she wanted. All the depressing thoughts of the morning came gushing back to her. She had to now have her hair cut. It was the only thing that could now make her feel better. She looked around and as luck would have it, she had parked right in front of a barbershop. She saw the barber pole spinning and the signboard that read ‘The Barbershop’. “How pompous” she thought to herself. But it did look inviting. It was a quaint little shop and she could see it had 2 barber chairs and one of them had a customer that the barber was capping, and she saw a girl, in tights jeans and a white T-shirt, about her age walk out. She had a rather short bob that seemed to have just been cut. It was very high at the back, shaved almost to her crown. This was it. This was the sign. It was all the push she needed. She parked her car in properly and walked in. She felt nervous. Though she had gone with her boyfriend to the barbershop before, this was the first time she was going in to get her own hair cut. She pushed the big door and walked in. “Good afternoon miss.” The barber greeted as she entered. Sonia smiled and took a seat in the waiting chair. She had a clear view of the two barber chairs from here. The chairs were made red leather, and had a massive mirror in front of them with a counter full of combs, scissors, clippers straight, a few brushes, razors, a blow drier and a foam dispenser. On the top of the mirror were name plates. Mike was the barber in the shop, the other name plate rear ‘Tim’. Sonia was more interested in the haircut than in the magazines. It was then that Tq noticed that the customer in the chair was actually a girl! She already had rather short hair, a little over two inches in top and about in inch in the sides and the even shorter at the back. “Wow!” Sonia thought, he sure has mane female customers, one just walked out, one in the chair and she was next!” The barber picked a large pair of clippers, changed the attachment, tilted the customer’s head down to her chest and began clipping. Sonia could see a white patch on the girl’s head as the clippers mower up her head to the crown. A few more passes and the back of the girl’s head was virtually bald. Mike then moved to the left side and tilted her head I little to the right. He changed the guard on the clippers and began running the clippers from her temples. He folded her left ear down and clipped the hair around it. This time the hair wasn’t cut as short, but was still very very short. He moved to the right side and tilted her head to the left and the clippers mercilessly ate into her hair. He then put down the clippers and picked up the spray bottle and sprayed her hair. He began from the right side and thoroughly sprayed the mist over the entire right side, then moved to the back which was completely wet within 2 sprays as the hair was so short. He moved to the left and a few more sprays there before he moved in front of her and sprayed the mist over the top which was still pretty long. Mike put down the bottle and picked up a fine comb and a pair of scissors. He went to the back and began by blending the sides and the back. Mike seemed to cut with utmost precision and Sonia was now really looking forward to her haircut. Just then the door opened and a man tall dark and a clean-shaven walked in. “what sort of a haircut could one possibly give him?” Sonia thought. He stood By Tim’s chair and announced “I’ll take whoever’s next!” Of course! He was one of the barbers! Sonia rose from her seat and slowly walked over to the barber chair. Tim turned it for her to sit in, “hi I’m Tim.” He said as she sank in the barber chair. God this was comfortable. It was so soft she just sank in. “So,” Tim said as he reached for a red cape from the drawer. “What are we doing today? Since you’ve come to Barbershop, I presume you want to go short.” He placed the cape loosely around her neck, reached for a roll of tissue and places it tightly around her neck and then fastened the cape tightly around her. This was new as her stylist never wrapped and tissue. But Sonia liked the feeling. She felt cosy with the tissue. Tim looked over at Sonia in the mirror as he stroked her hair. Sonia loved the stroking. She finally met is questioning gaze in the mirror. “Yes, I’d like a short haircut.” She mumbled. “That’s not good enough lady. There are many types of short haircuts. How exactly do you want it?” “Well I guess something upto here?” she said holding some hair at her chin. “Okay then, let’s get rid of this bulk” Tim said as he picked up a pair of scissors from the counter. He held her hair about 4 inches from her head in his fingers and began snipping. He went all around her head and reduced her hair to a mere 4 inches. It was raining hair all around her. Her cape was covered with curly black hair, and there was a ring of black hair on the floor around her chair. Sonia suddenly began to wonder if this was such a good idea after all. Yes it was only hair, but she’d have to live with this look for sometime atleast. Sonia saw that Mike had just finished cutting the girl’s hair. She barely had any hair. It was shaved at the back and sides and she has about a quarter of in inch on top. She looked fantastic with his new haircut. Sonia saw that she rose from the seat, looked the cut more closely in the mirror, smiled at herself and then paid and left. Tim put down the scissors, and picked up his spray bottle and sprayed in the air a couple of time to check. Then he came around and began to spray her hair down from her right temple. He would spray and then move the hair around with his left hand to ensure the water seeped in. She loved the feeling of his hair rubbing her head as he sprayed the water. It was a great feeling. He moved to the back and wet hear hair there with the mist bottle. When he was satisfied, he wet the left side and then the top, always stroking her head as he sprayed. Finally he sprayed her bangs wet and he put down the bottle and picked u a comb and the scissors. Tim combed all of Sonia’s hair back. Her bangs no longer existed as the rest of her hair has cut just as short. Tim started work at the back, cutting the hair about one inch at the bottom and longer as he got closer to the crown. He would comb out a strand of hair, old it between his fingers and snip it. Sonia was having a great time as she watched small pieces of hair fall into res cape and the floor behind her. Tim moved to the right and began with the sideburns, cutting them about an inch, and making it longer as he went up. With the right side done, he moved to the left side and began cutting. Tim was very gentle as he combed, held and cut Sonia’s hair. When Tim was done with the sides, he began work on the top. He didn’t really cut much here; he was only evening things up a little. He cut her hair from the front to the back and when he was done, gave her hair a good shake and a massage. Sonia absolutely loved what she was going through. Tim placed the scissors and comb back and reached for the blow drier. “Is this it” Sonia thought as he began blowing the hair dry. She hadn’t had enough for sure. She had a lot more hair and surely wouldn’t mind giving up some more to be in this seat a little longer. And she loved Tim’s touch. When Tim was done blow drying, he pulled out a hand mirror and shower her the back. It was much longer than she had thought. It was like a very long wedge cut. She decided that she was going to ask for more hair to be cut. “I’d think I’d like it shorter.” She said as she felt her newly cut hair. This took a lot of courage. “What? Did you say shorter? How short would you like me to cut it?” Tim said stopping himself from undoing her cape. It was clear that Tim too was happy to give Sonia a shorter haircut. “Um... I don’t really know, something a little shorter, maybe short back and short sides? ” “Would you like a short wedge cut?” Tim asked with a little glint in his eyes. He pointed to a poster on the wall, “like that.” Sonia looked over at the poster; it was a picture of a man with very very short hair on the back and sides, with it little longer on top. It did look very nice but was terribly short! “No not really that short. I don’t want you to really cut that much off.” “How about then I just cut it a little shorter. It’ll be very similar only about an inch shorter on top and a little less on the sides.” Tim said eager to get started. Sonia looked at him in the mirror and nodded with a faint smile. Tim stepped forward and ensured the cape was still tight. He reached forward to the spray bottle, picked it up and began spraying her hair down again. Sonia enjoyed the feeling of his hands running over her head. He began spraying the back this time, played with her hair moving it around as he sprayed. When the back was wet, he moved over and wet the sides, then the top of her head. He put the bottle back and exchanged it for the scissors and comb. He began cutting the back of Sonia’s head, she couldn’t really see how much he was cutting. She sometimes caught a glimpse of the falling hair, which was about half an inch long. He finished the back and moved to the sides. Now she could see what he was going. He was cutting about half an inch on the sides and keeping it longer as he worked his way up. The top was trimmed about an inch shorter. He shook her hair again and Sonia smiled as she loved the feeling. Tim held the hand mirror to show her the new length. “Is that short enough?” he said. It was clear that he was hoping she would ask him to cut more. “Shorter” Sonia said looking at the hair in the mirror that Tim was holding behind her. “I want it shorter! But no clippers please only with scissors.” Tim shrugged his shoulders and began spraying Sonia’s hair that was already wet. This didn’t take long as it only took a few sprays for the hair to be wet enough to cut. He put down the bottle and played with her hair a little; moving it his way and that. Sonia could sense that he liked the touch of her hair. And she didn’t complain either as she liked it too. Tim picket up a pair of scissors and a fine comb and tilted Sonia’s head down firmly. She liked the authority with which he was working. He combed all her hair down and began cutting scissor over comb on the right side of the back of the head. Sonia could feel that Tim was cutting her hair rather close. Tim moved to the middle of the back section and continued cutting scissor over comb. She could see some hair falling on the cape but there was so much of her hair on the cape, she couldn’t really tell which was which. She tried to catch a glimpse of the falling hair in the mirror but Tim forced her head back down into her chest. She could only hear the sound of him cutting away at the back of her head. The back was all evened and Tim moved over to the right side of Sonia’s head. He pushed her head so left ear was touching the cape, and began cutting around the right ear. Tim lifted little sections of her hair and cut it very close to her scalp. He cut scissor over comb until the right side was reduced to less than half an inch. Tim moved to the left side and cut it just as short exposing Sonia’s ears. She really liked the exposed ears and wondered why she had hidden then for so long. Tim then walked back to the counter and exchanged his comb for a thicker toothed comb. He ruffled up Sonia’s hair on the top of her head before combing it back. He began from her forehead, picking up strands of hair and cutting it barely an inch long. He moved slowly towards her crown, Sonia looked on in wonder and Tim’s skill at what he did. When he had finished cutting the hair on top, he moved in front of Sonia and combed her hair forward so it fell on her forehead. She felt the cold blades slide in and Snip! Some hair fell onto her face. A few snips later Tim turned around and picked up a brush and cleared the hair off her face. When she got a clear view, Sonia saw that her bangs had been cut almost down to nothing! Tim put down the comb and scissors and picked up the straight razor and changed the blade on it. Tim moved to behind Sonia’s head and pushed her head down. Sonia didn’t really know what Tim was doing with the razor and her pulse began to race with excitement. She couldn’t really see what Tim was doing. All of a sudden Sonia felt the cold sharp steel on her neck and shivered. She felt the blade scrape against her neck. Tim stopped, reached forward to the spray bottle and sprayed a couple of times on her bare neck. He put the bottle back and got back to work on her neck. Sonia couldn’t resist the smile and felt goose bumps all over. When Tim was done cleaning up around the back of the neck removing the small pieces of stray hair he could see that Sonia’s neck was filled with goose bumps. “Would you like me to clean up the sides as well?” He asked. Sonia could only smile sheepishly and nod. Tim moved over to her right side, placed the razor high on her sideburns and shaved it right down her cheek taking off all the tiny baby hair on the cheek. He then folded her left ear and cleaned up the hairline before moving over to the left side and doing the same. Tim put the razor back and pulled out a bottle of after shave from the drawer and applied it on the newly shaved area. This was a totally new experience for Sonia and she loved the sensation. Tim dusted the stray hair off and pulled out the hand mirror to show her the back. It was short, really short. She pulled out a hand from inside the cape and touched it. Sonia felt it and moved her hand around but she could barely hold the hair. “Wow!”She said under her breath. Tim undid the cape and the tissue and Sonia rose to her feet. She has absolutely loved the act of having her hair cut. She paid Tim and tipped him and left the shop thinking of how the haircut had saved her day and wondering how long it would be before she could be back for a haircut.