Just One More Minute

Chapter Seven: It’s All I Can Do

Kimya paused for a second. “Are you sure?” she asked me. “I don’t want to give you a haircut that you’ll hate.” I thought for a moment: Was this really what I wanted, or was it just rebellion? I toyed with my hair. To cut, or not to cut? Is that the question, or is it the answer? I’m not too sure. Maybe I’ll go on instinct. I’ll cut it. I was sick of it anyway.

“I’m sure,” I told her. My mouth ran faster than my brain. “Not too short though. Work your magic. I trust your instinct.” She nodded and grabbed a purple towel from the closet and draped it over my shoulders. She lead me to the sinks and pulled my head back with her gentle fingers. I closed my eyes. I wanted to feel change. To be left in awe.

I felt her tiny bones and muscles working together to massage water and shampoo into my scalp. The water of the sink felt like warm summer rain, pounding into me. The vibrations of the sink made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end for five whole minutes. When Kimya finally moved me back to the station, I felt like I was gliding perfectly across the linoleum.

I finally sat back down and was immediately pushed upwards by the chair. Kimya pulled a robe over me to protect my clothes. She took my hair in her hands and ran her fingers through it. “Are you sure you want me to do this?” she asked. I nodded.

“Do it.”

I could almost feel her nod as she let go of my hair for a moment. The next thing I felt was the cold of the silver blades and the soft brush flying through my hair. It was almost as if they were having a war, on my head. The blades jerked back and forth nervously with cunning, and the brush fell over those places, gliding smoothly like a hawk hunting for its prey. Soon enough, a new force intervened. Something sharp that cut right through with so much intensity, no other force could handle it. Everything retreated. The only thing left was the hot wind.

“You can open your eyes.” Kimya told me, pulling off the hair shield. “I really hope you like it. I did my best.” She spun my chair around to give me a look in the mirror. My jaw gave out and dropped. My hands flew up in nervous efforts to cover my aghast expression.

My hair was angling up from the bottom. It was layered and completely chopped up at the top. The edges at the top were rough, and the bottom of my hair was perfectly straight. But that wasn’t the most amazing thing. What was miraculous was the fact that my hair wasn’t that short. It was only trimmed at the ends a little bit, and was still past my shoulders. I lifted my heavy hands from my mouth to touch, to feel, the change itself. My mouth didn’t close.

“Do you like it?” Kimya asked. “I’ll understand if you don’t. This is just something I designed for a class. I wanted to try it, but if you hate it and want your money back, I’ll understand.” I shook my head.

“No,” I said, “I love it.” A smile pulled at my lips and won the battle. “Thank you so much Kimya.” I jumped out of the chair and ran over to hug her. She smiled gently, a gleam in her aqua eyes.

“I’m glad,” she stated, pulling out of my embrace. She pulled down a piece of hair that was sticking up. She help up a finger and pulled her scissors out. She cut the small piece and moved it down again. She nodded and put the weapon of beauty back in her pocket for the next battle. She smiled. “Now, why don’t we go show Frankito? He’ll surely enjoy it.” She winked at me and pulled me to the front.

Frankie was standing at the counter, talking to Kara about her college courses for next year. Kara was mid sentence on the subject of creative writing when the squeal released from her throat. “Kimya! You’ve done it again!” She ran over and hugged me, then wrapped her workmate in a tighter embrace. She let go after a moment and played with my hair. “It fits you Hayley. It really does.” She smiled at me. All I could do was smile back.

“Watch it hun. I spent a long time trying to get it perfect. Mess it up, you die.” Kimya told. Kara laughed nervously and let go of my hair. She opened up to have me face Frankie. His mouth was in a small oval shape of red against his pale skin and new black hair.

“What do you think Frankito?” Kimya asked, strutting over. “Es muy bonita, yes?”

“God, Kimya,” Frankie replied, “You know I’m no good at Spanish. And Frankito? Really?”

“You’re so finicky,” she sighed. “No fun. Anyway, don’t you think Hayley’s beautiful with her new hair?”

Frankie thought for a minute and smiled. He looked up at me, the grin across his small face. “She’s always beautiful.” he said, “The haircut just makes me able to see her glowing eyes even better.” My eyes welled up with water that drained onto my cheeks. Frankie walked over and took my hand. Kara wrapped her arms around me.

“Hale, hun, what’s wrong?” Frankie asked. I choked on a sob.

“Never has anyone, not even family, ever called me beautiful before,” I told him. “And with words like that, it means something.” Kara let go and let Frankie hold me close. “Thank you so much for saying that.” I pulled away, wiping off the tears. “And thank you Kimya and Kara. You guys have been amazing.”

“It’s not a problem Hayley,” Kimya told me, taking my hand and patting it gently.

“We’re always here when you need us,” Kara added, “Come in anytime.”

“Thank you,” I said. It hit me then that I needed to pay them, but I had no money. I didn’t want Frankie to pay for me. My hands shook with panic. How could I be so reckless and so selfish right after Kara and Kimya gave themselves to me?

“Don’t worry about paying,” Kimya told me, practically reading my thoughts from my face. “It’s on me. Anytime I experiment, I pay myself.” I fidgeted. “Seriously. It’s fine. Don’t worry about it. Enjoy your hair!” I thanked her graciously and hugged her. I gave Kara another hug, and then Frankie and I were on our way.

When we got outside, it was raining. Jakob wasn’t there yet, and it was inching closer to my curfew, and my cell phone was in the bag I left in Jakob’s car. Frankie glanced at his watch and sighed. He fidgeted for a moment, and then pulled out his phone. He went on speed dial and lifted the device to his ear. He listened for a minute or two, only nodding and murmuring a “yes” once in a while. After five minutes of the, really a lack off, conversation, he flipped the phone’s head back down and pushed the silver into his pocket.

“Jakob’s working a midnight shift,” he told me. He looked at me and smiled. “You don’t mind a walk through the rain, do you?” I shook my head and smiled back. He took my hand in his, like a small child’s, looked both ways across the parking lot and pulled me after him to the sidewalk on the other side. We ran down the street, laughing our hardest.

When we ran out of breath, we carried on with a slow walk, clinging close together for body warmth. I leaned my head onto Frankie’s shoulder, relaxing my body for a moment. My thoughts raced through my head after we slowed down a bit more. Questions pushed past each other to get my attention all at once: How would Mom react to my hair? Would she yell? Get violent? Send me away? Imprison me in the house for all eternity? What would happen if she found out everything about me? Would she cry? Would I cry? Would I be able to stay strong for any longer? The conversation back at the salon came up too, in slow motion. Frankie’s words hit me again, harder than ever now.

Suddenly, we were stopping in the middle of the sidewalk. Frankie was in front of me now, holding my shoulders consolingly, asking what was wrong. I said nothing, and tried to stop my tears. The rain picked up and pummeled us both. My sobbing was now loud enough to be heard over the thunder. “Hayley, hun, what’s going on?”

“ Not even my family had called me beautiful before.” I repeated. “You were the first. I can’t even say it. What do you see in me? I’m arrogant, a recluse, and selfish. I’m dumb, and the ugliest piece of shit that God could create! What makes me great enough for you? I can’t even think of one good thing about me!”

“Hayley, Hayley.” Frankie held me close. “First of all, it’s bull up your family has never called you ‘Beautiful’ before. You’re like an angel, and should be treated as such. Next, you’re not any of that. you wouldn’t have agreed to tutor me if you were arrogant or selfish. Besides, everyone deserves to be selfish once in a while.

“You’re not dumb. You’re amazingly smart. You wouldn’t be in Honors English if you weren’t smart. You’re talented, intelligent, beautiful, and a great friend. Anything and everything a friend needs. And so what if you’re a recluse, or are hated by those cheerleaders and football boys? We’re all hated by them. The point is, at least we’re all social misfits together.

“I love you so much Hayley Bhloo.” Frankie told me. “And don’t you ever forget it. You’re the best thing that could have happened to me. I would be nowhere without you.” He pulled me closer and kissed my hair. I cried harder into his shoulder.

“Oh, Frankie.” I choked. “I promise I won’t forget. Ever. You’ve helped me so much too. You’ve always been there for me this past month. You’re probably the best friend I’ve ever had. Before you, I never thought people like you existed. Thank you so much. I love you too.”

We stood in the rain for a long time, letting the hard droplets soak us through to the bone. Maybe even past the bone. Maybe through to one another. When we finally did pull apart, we had to sprint to Frankie’s house. We laughed all the way there, joking like we normally did. Everything would be fine. I knew it.

When we finally got to the house, someone was on the doorstep. Only, it wasn’t Jakob. It was a woman, with light brown hair past the shoulders and tanner skin than mine. “Hayley Rosalie Evaleigne Bhloo!” Mom screeched. I didn’t flinch. I was used to my full name by now. I walked slowly up to the doorstep, hands in pockets. Frankie followed silently. “Where in the world were you?!” she asked frantically. I smirked. She hadn’t seen my hair yet in the dark. “I called your cell phone eight times, young lady! And don’t give me the ‘I left it in the house by accident’ or ‘It was about to die, so I turned it off’ crap! I want to know where you were this very-” She gasped when I stepped into the light.

“Hayley Bhloo!” she yelled, louder now, “You’re hair!” She reached out to touch it. It fell lightly out of her grasp as she pulled her hand back. “What happened to it?”

“I cut it,” I replied, nonchalantly.

“I’m sorry,” Mom stated, “What?”

“I cut it,” I spoke slowly. I smiled at Mom’s shocked face.

“Why?”

“I was sick of it.”

“You never told me this.”

“You’re right,” I admitted. “I didn’t.”

Mom’s eyes darted around the dark, probably hoping no neighbors would see or hear anything. Her eyes landed on Frankie, standing on the walk directly in front to the steps. Mom’s finger shot out towards him, not looking away from me. “Did this, this boy influence you to do this?” she accused. She spat “Boy” like it was a monster or disease. My fingernails cut into the palm of my hand from how tight they were clenched.

“Mom!” I yelled.

“I’ll admit that I may have had an influence on Hayley’s decision to cut her hair,” Frankie spoke, playing along. “But I truly believe that the decision was hers, no matter who may have, supposedly, ‘made her’ cut her hair. Personally, I like the change. It’s quite flattering on her.”

“Well, I’m sorry,” Mom snapped. “But I don’t think we have the same tastes. I don’t think the hair looks that good. It shapes her face strangely.” Mom looked at Frankie like she had overcome him. Frankie looked at her with his usual subtle stare.

“Okay.” he said. “That’s your opinion.”

“Excuse me?” Mom said. She crossed her arms and looked at Frankie with her non-intimidating glare. “But I think I know what I’m talking about. How old are you? Fourteen, fifteen? How old am I? A lot older than you. I’ve had more experience with this sort of thing, and I’m her mother. I know what’s best.”

“I don’t think age really has to do with anything,” Frankie stated. “It’s an opinion after all.”

“But I’m her mother! She never told me she’d wanted to cut her hair! And if you know so much about my daughter after, I don’t know, a month, why didn’t you have her call me and have us discuss it first?”

“It was Hayley’s decision,” Frankie explained. “And I didn’t have a clue beforehand. I suppose it was ‘spur of the moment.’ She only made an appointment an hour and a half ago. Maybe two. When she made the decision, she had no access to a phone.”

“Oh, so the salon didn’t have a phone, huh?” Mom inquired. My eyes darted back and forth with the conversation. I watched the two blather on for a while. It truly was daunting. Frankie was so calm with his well-informed and opinionated answers, while Mom’s words were spewing black and white left and right. I would have let them babble on and on for hours on end, but one sentence made me get involved.

“Don’t you tell me what to think and not think you little queer! You have no idea what you’re talking about!” Mom yelled at Frankie. At that, Frankie sort of stepped down. He mumbled a reply that Mom started to egg him on for. My hands were about to bleed from the clenching and the containing of this emotion.

I yelled, as loud as I could muster, “Mom, shut UP! You have no fucking clue what you’re talking about! You’re fucking ignorant and a selfish bitch! Don’t you EVER talk to my friends like that! EVER! Especially Frankie! Without him, I’d probably be dead right now, or something worse! Be glad he came into my life! You should get on the ground and kiss his converse!

“I hate you Mom! You don’t give people a chance and I hate it! Whatever happened to that women who used to bake cookies and not care what other people thought? Huh? Is she still with Daddy?” Mom took no more after that. She smacked me, hard, across the face.

“Don’t you ever speak to me like that again Hayley Bhloo!” Mom scolded, grinding her teeth. “I am your mother, and you should at least pretend to respect me. I won’t put up with this crap if you keep at it. I’ll send you right to boarding school. Mark my words, I will. You should be glad you even have a home.” I looked at her for a minute, not moving. I was too scared and shocked to work my legs. “Come on. We’re leaving.” She began to walk away. She stopped a moment and shook her head. “You’re such an embarrassment to this family.” She said it softly, so I barely heard it. But Frankie’s hearing was immaculate, and the reaction to the vibrating sound waves was to step right into Mom’s path as she turned to get me.

“If you want respect so badly,” Frankie started, “You should start to give it. I’m not letting you take Hayley back to where she’s miserable. At least not tonight. Go home. Think about what you’ve said, and I’ve said, separately. Hayley will be here with me and my brother Jakob. We’ll keep her safe. Don’t you worry. Just go and really give everything thought. Call in the morning before you come to get her. I don’t believe any of us acted correctly tonight. We’ll work it out tomorrow.

“Goodnight Miss,” Frankie paused. He looked at me for help on Mom’s last name.

“Magday,” she told him. She said it quietly, like she was having trouble with her voice and gaining her strength. Frankie nodded and smiled as Mom walked to the car. As she pulled out, she made eye contact with me through the window. Her eyes were sorrow-filled and small.

The night was quiet with Frankie. I didn’t feel like talking. I kept thinking about Mom, and the fight we had just had, all three of us. I thought back to fights with Dad. Mom had called him millions of names I never stood up for. Why hadn’t I? Was I naive, or just unaware of my surroundings? I thought of the offer from Kimya and Kara. Did it apply now? I thought of Mom’s last, sad glance at me before she left for the night. Maybe there’s more to this “daughter of a single mother” thing.

Maybe she’s not the she-devil I thought she was.