Kelly is an adorable high school senior who sits near me in English class. She has the cutest face with bright blue eyes and a petite yet sexy body, toned quite nicely by her years on the soccer team. Despite all that her physical beauty has to offer, your eyes can not help but ignore everything in distraction, being drawn to her gorgeous, blonde hair. It is as fair as can be without actually being white, somehow maintaining a certain golden tone, maybe appearing so in contrast to her porcelain skin. It is poker straight and her ponytail is as thick around as your fist. When she wears it down it cascades all around her, trimmed neatly along the bottom of her shoulder blades. I’ve spent many a class not learning anything because I simply cannot take my eyes off her flowing mane.

One day my ears perked up as some intriguing news piqued my attention. Sitting amongst her group of girlfriends, each rivaling her in their own allure, I heard a sweet voice say “I’m thinking about cutting my hair.” Nobody seemed to pay much attention to her remark as nothing more was said and class began. Over the coming weeks, she would mention it again and again but, much to my dismay, her hair still graced the middle of her back the same way day in and day out. One day, just as I was about to give up all hope entirely, that same dulcet voice cheered “I’m cutting my hair tonight!” My heart began to race and my stomach began to churn. My body trembling, there was no way I would learn anything in class that day. I had to envision all of the possibilities. Would she get a bob, my personal favorite? A short one like in my fantasies? What were the odds of the clippers coming in to take her nape to the realm of ecstasy? She was so pretty that the shortest of crops would be almost as amazing as the dramatic transformation itself.

But, before I could even get my hopes up the ultimate disenchantment ruined the whole moment. After being asked by one of her friends how she was going to cut it she announced that it was going to be the same but up to her shoulders. Now a three inch trim may be something to a girl who has always worn her hair long, but to a man with an interest such as mine it was merely a cruel tease. I suppose I should have counted myself lucky that it wouldn’t be some shaggy, layered mess. I spent all night hoping that by some sort of miracle she would change her mind and go shorter, or a scissor-happy stylist would convince her to be more daring. Alas, no such luck.

When the sun arose and the school bell rang Friday morning, it was merely the very same boring trim as advertised, only it was actually just below her shoulders making it even more of a disappointment. I did pick up an interesting bit of gossip on my radar that morning, however. Apparently she called her boyfriend on the telephone when she got home from the salon. She teased him a bit, telling him she had cut it up to her ears and had bangs. Apparently he had a very nervous tone in his voice and Kelly thought he was freaking out about the loss of her lovely tresses. That night she would go see him, wearing a ball cap. She would let him get squirmy and then pull off the hat, allowing her freshly trimmed hair to be revealed, shorter but still long. Then her ruse would be a success and they could enjoy a laugh or two.

Friday came and went and over the course of the weekend I had forgotten about the tease and subsequent disappointment. I went to school Monday without any expectations of ever seeing a transformation that would satisfy my wildest fantasies. Suddenly, as I got off the bus I saw from behind a delicate blonde with an amazing haircut. One that surely garnered my interest to say the least. Who could this be, I wondered. Who cares? Just as my previous hopes had been smashed to pieces, a new round of excitement has come to light. I followed her towards a group of girls who looked awfully familiar. “Oh, my.Kelly! Look at your hair!” Shrill screams and shrieks of half-a-dozen teenaged girls filled the air, shattering ear drums across campus. I crept as close as I could without being noticed in hopes of hearing all the details. The following is the best transcription I can remember from that conversation:

To be continued.