By the time the two girls reached Nina’s flat, they were worse for wear. As they had left their adult computer course, it had been Nina who’d suggested going for a drink. Not wanting to offend her, her classmate, Simone, had agreed. That had been four hours ago, and the two now appeared to be well under the influence.

Nina had persuaded Simone to come back for a coffee to `help sober up’, with the offer of stopping over, or getting a taxi back to her own place. Upon opening the door, the pair was greeted by Nina’s flatmates Amy and Becky. By the way they were acting, they had also been drinking heavily, and had brought the `party’ home with them.

Simone sat on the large sofa, whilst Nina went into the kitchen to make the coffee. Becky stayed with Simone, whilst Amy followed close behind Nina.

“Is that her then?” Amy whispered, as she entered the kitchen.

“Yeah, do you see what I mean?” Nina answered.

“Do I ever!” She beamed. “When do I get my hands on it?”

“Steady! Let her relax a while and drink her coffee.” Nina advised her eager friend. “Then, when she’s chilled, you can offer to trim my ends. Once she’s comfortable, and had a few more drinks, we’ll persuade her into the chair, okay?” Amy grinned with excitement.

“I can’t wait!” She returned to the living room, and resumed her drunken act. Nina made the coffee, pouring in an extra ingredient into Simone’s cup.

Back in the room, the foursome chatted merrily away, and Simone drank her coffee as the other girls exchanged glances. Soon after, Becky got up and put some music on. She offered to make Simone another coffee, as the first hadn’t seemed to make any difference, strangely enough?

Simone was visibly more relaxed now. Amy seized the opportunity and stood up.

“I’ll do your ends now for you Nina?” Her flatmate smiled and looked up at her.

“Oh, will you? Great!” She rose from the sofa and pulled up a high-back dining chair. As she sat down on it, she turned to Simone.

“Amy’s a fantastic hairdresser!”

“Is she?” Simone answered half-heartedly.

Amy acted out her charade, even down to throwing a makeshift cape around Nina. As she combed out Nina’s short, brown locks, she realised that Simone was not really taking any notice. She nudged Nina, who quickly guessed that the drink had done its work.

“That’s much better Amy! Thank you!” Nina exclaimed. “What do you think Simone?” She added, as Amy began to remove the cape. Simone turned her head as she heard her name mentioned.

“Huh?” She said.

“What do you think of my hair? Hasn’t she done a good job?” Nina continued. Simone glanced at Nina, and nodded her approval.

“Yeah.” She slurred. Becky, Amy and Nina looked at each other and began to smile broadly.

“It’s your turn now Simone.” Nina said, reaching out her hand for Simone to pull herself up by.

“Huh?”

“It’s your turn. Amy’s done Becky and me. There’s only you left.” Nina explained. “Come on, take my hand?” Simone looked puzzled as Nina grasped her arm and gently began to pull her up.

“Come and take a seat Simone.” Encouraged Amy, eager to get her hands on Simone’s flowing locks. Nina managed to finally get Simone on her feet, and, with Becky’s help, manoeuvred her across to Amy’s waiting chair. Unaware of what was about to happen, Simone slumped into the chair without a struggle.

Immediately, Amy threw the cape around her and fastened it tightly around her neck. She sunk her hands into Simone’s waist-length, light-brown tresses, and fanned them out across her shoulder blades.

“Look at all that!” She cried, marvelling at the sight of Simone’s crowning glory.

“Hurry up and get on with it.” Snapped Nina, keen to see those precious locks cut sooner rather than later.

As Simone sat in the chair, with her head slumped forward, Amy picked up her scissors and comb and positioned herself behind Simone.

“Okay Simone, you’d like a shorter style would you?” Amy asked, whilst Becky and Nina watched from across the room. “How about something chin-length?” She slowly inserted the scissor blades into Simone’s thick and luscious locks. Schnick, schnick, schnick! To gasps from Becky, over eight inches of light-brown hair instantly dropped to the floor. Amy continued to cut straight across. Schnick, schnick, schnick. Within seconds, her glorious head of hair had been reduced to a crude bob style.

“Cut it shorter!” Nina encouraged.

“No, that’s bad enough.” Becky disagreed. “She’ll go mad when she sees that, let alone any shorter!”

“I don’t care!” Nina persisted. “We’ll never get another chance to do this. Amy, cut it shorter!” Amy didn’t need any encouraging. If she could have her way, then Simone would be having all of her hair cut off. Schnick, schnick, schnick! A mass of hair fell to the floor, as Amy hacked away at the back of Simone’s head. Becky voiced her disapproval again, leaving the room and wanting nothing more to do with it. Any sensed that Nina might have second thoughts as well.

“Do you want to do some cutting?” She said. “Here, take the scissors.” She handed them over to Nina, who cautiously cut into Simone’s tresses. She smiled as she cut a four-inch length free, watching it fall to the floor with great satisfaction. Schnick.  “You’re a natural.” Amy complimented her.

“Thank you. This is good fun.” Nina laughed, as she continued snipping away at Simone’s hair. Schnick, schnick. Amy rummaged in her bag, and pulled something out.

“Here, try these?” She told Nina. In her hand was a pair of hair clippers. Amy eagerly plugged them in, and they popped into life. Her outstretched arm offered the humming clippers to Nina. “It’s okay, they’re easy to use. Just press them gently against her skin, and push them upwards. It’s easy!”

“I dunno?” Nina hesitated, but a glare from Amy had her holding the clippers up to Simone’s head in no time. Amy smiled as she watched Nina push the clippers up Simone’s nape, sending a cascade of hair to the floor.

“Keep going, you’re doing a great job!” Amy called out. The more she did it, the more Nina became relaxed about shearing Simone. Carried away by the moment, and a few strong drinks, Nina had soon shaved Simone’s scalp completely and stood back to admire her work. Amy unplugged the clippers, blew the blades clean of hair clippings, and stuffed them back into her back. Simone just sat there, slumped in the chair, and covered in tufts of her once-beautiful long mane.

“She’s going to be mad when she sees it you know?” Said Nina.

“I’m sure she is.” Agreed Amy. “But I clearly remember her asking if we would cut her hair.”

“Oh, yes, I do.”

“And despite our objections, she demanded that it be cut shorter and shorter, didn’t she?”

“Yes, definitely.” Confirmed Nina.

“Well then, she’s only got herself to blame!”