Paparazzi//Grayson Hawthorne

Chapter Thirteen

Xander came home just after 4 pm.

He quickly found me as I wandered the halls, Grayson had to leave about half an hour earlier, and I was still trying to get used to the place.

Xander rushed up to me, gently grabbing my arms just above my elbows.

"Why weren't you at school? I was going to show you around, but when I saw Avery, she said you hadn't been in the car," He quickly questioned.

"Alisa said she wants us to control the narrative, which probably means I don't go to fancy posh school until my face is okay" I let out a small laugh as I talked.

"Thats annoying," Xander sighs, but then he smiles a broad smile.

"Do you want to do something that might get us in a whole lot of crap but could be really cool?" He quickly asks.

I can tell he's getting excited as his eyes grow wide, and his smile gets wider with each second.

"Is it going to get either of us killed?" I quickly ask; I might not do it if it means I'll die.

"Probably not" He smiles wider."Then yes, whatever it is," I laugh before he once again drags me through the halls.

"You ever wanted a haircut?" He asks, almost jokingly, but I can tell he is serious. 

Yes, I've wanted a haircut. I've never really liked my hair long. It gets too hot in the summer, and it gets in my face all the time.

"Depends how short," I smirk as he sits me down in a chair in my bathroom.

"What about here?" He asks as he places my hair in front of me, placing a few strands between two of his fingers. The cut would be right above my shoulders.

I not only feel but also see the wide smile that spreads across my face as I nod eagerly.

"Okay, okay, I will be one second" He laughs as he runs out of the room quickly.

He comes back a few short minutes later, a pair of scissors in his hand.

"Okay, are you sure about this?" He quickly asks to which I nod.

"I was born ready, Xan" I smile widely."Okay, do you want to look while I do it or after?" He asks now, I think about it for a second.

"After, I want it to be a surprise" I smile as he turns me away from the mirror to face the wall.

"Okay, I'm going to do it" He laughs as the words leave his mouth.

I hear the snip of the scissors through my hair, then another few snips, I hear the satisfying sound of it making its way through the strands of hair.

It's satisfying to hear the hair fall to the ground beneath me. I don't dare look down at it, though.

I feel lighter, god I feel so much lighter.

It's like a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders, literally.

"Okay, it's all even," I hear Xander smile from behind me.

"Ready?" He asks, I feel his hands on the chair behind me, getting ready to spin it around again for me to look into the mirror.

"Ready" I smile widely, ready for the panic to set in about my stupid decision.

"Before that happens, I would like to remind you that I am not a professional, but we do have people who can help fix it if you don't like it," He reminds me.

He turns me around to face the mirror quickly. 

Holy. Shit. 

My mouth falls open as I look at myself in the mirror.

"Holy shit," I whisper as my hand quickly goes to where there used to be hair, but now there is just empty space.

"Oh my god," I whisper now as my hair goes to the top of my head and makes its way downwards, brushing through my now short hair.

Xander is quiet behind me.

He's smiling a soft, cautious smile, ready to break out into a large one if I love it and ready to break into reassurances if I hate it.

I can't help it when my smile grows wide. I've never smiled like this before as I touch my hair once more.

I quickly turn around to face Xander as I smile widely.

Xander's smile grows as he realizes that I do, in fact, love my short hair.

"I love it" I smile widely as I quickly hug him.

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you," I repeat as I hug him tighter.

I feel the tears quickly make their way down my cheeks as I pull away, whipping them.

"Hey, hey, what's wrong? I thought you loved it?" Xander quickly questioned, a concerned look on his face instantly.

"I do, god I love it, Xander" I let out a small laugh as I wipe more tears. "Then why are you crying?" He quickly asks, an even smaller laugh coming afterward.

"I never thought I'd cut it. I never thought I'd be brave enough to," I laugh.

"It sounds stupid because it's just hair, but it means so much, and I feel so much freer" I laugh, but Xander just brings me into another hug.

"It's not stupid, Ash. None of it is. It is all completely reasonable but looks at you now, short hair!" He smiles as he gets excited once more.

Xander and I laugh as we leave my room, the hair on the floor cleaned and the scissors taken back to their rightful home.

Josh's eyes go wide slightly as he sees my hair, but they go back to normal instantly.

Grayson is walking toward his wing when we leave mine. His eyes meet mine before they travel to below my eyes, my cheek before they travel to my hair.

His eyebrows furrow slightly before he walks over.

"You cut your hair?" He asks his attention fully to me.

I nod, "I did," Xander quickly speaks, proud of the fact he cut my hair.

I feel a small laugh leave my mouth as I smile."It looks good" Grayson lets a small, barely noticeable smile cross his lips as the words leave them.

Xander and I continue our walk, walking down the stairs toward the dining room.

"He doesn't smile for anyone you know? He's always so closed off, has always been, but last year it got really bad. When the old man passed, it got worse. But I think you're breaking through to him" Xander smiles at me as we continue walking.

[Xander is the best friend anyone could ever ask for and no one can ever convince me otherwise]