Hades

Chapter Twenty Five - The Competition

Chapter Twenty Five: The Competition

On the first day back at school after summer vacation, Aya and Connor were surprised to see that Nanoe had had her hair cut. All of her long, silky black locks that had fallen to her thighs now swung around her elfin features in a dainty bob. Connor waved her over to his and Aya's table at lunchtime and she joined them with a nervous smile. Aya looked up and dropped her yoghurt with a splatter.

'Oh my...what the hell did you do to your hair?'

Nanoe tucked a strand behind her ear bashfully. 'Does it not look good? I feel more comfortable with it like this.'

'It's nice...just a bit drastic-'

'You look amazing!' Connor gushed, and both girls regarded him in surprise.

They had gone out several times during summer as a casual group of three, but Connor had barely spoken a word to Nanoe, preferring instead to gaze at her with awe and turn an unhealthy shade of beet red whenever she spoke to him – something Aya was irritated with. Connor was always quiet, but she'd never seen him so inarticulate.

Nanoe's face lit up at his words and they continued their meal in a contented, sweet silence made for two. Aya pushed her food away, feeling like she couldn't eat anymore.

*

The two best friends spent Sunday mornings studying together; it was almost a tradition. At least, 'studying' was the official explanation, but the reality was that Connor came over Sunday morning to help Aya with her homework and explain math problems to her. By lunchtime she'd have given up, and would begin playing card games by herself while Connor did the work for her. By dinnertime he'd have had enough too, and they'd go out and play along the beach together, collecting shells, walking in the cool evening sand and running in the surf. It had been this way since they were tiny.

One Sunday morning in late September, Connor went up to Aya's room with his usual pile of books.

'Hey it's me, are you ready yet?' Her bedroom door was open, and he leaned around the corner. 'Aya?'

'Don't come in yet!' she shrieked, but it was too late.

Connor's books dropped with a thud. A pair of scissors gleamed in Aya's hands. Her lovely, waist-length dark hair was severed to her chin; the discarded tresses lay limp on the floor around her.

'Aya,' he said, shocked.

'Don't look at me like that,' she said, suddenly feeling very angry at him. 'You shouldn't barge into a girl's room.'

'But you, you've had your hair long since...forever. You always said you'd never have it cut. And to do it yourself like this...'

'I thought it was time for a change. It's none of your business how I do my hair.' She glared out of the window, and was surprised when a hand took the scissors gently from hers.

'At least let me even it out for you,' said Connor softly, from behind her, and began to snip.

'I don't look amazing then?' she thought bitterly, and tried hard not to cry as he worked deftly on what was left of her hair.

*

Over their final two years in high school, Aya felt Connor slipping away from her more and more. It seemed the activities that only they had previously shared quickly became activities that Nanoe was included in, and in time the activities that Connor and Nanoe shared became activities that Aya was included in, and she was being included less and less. It was inevitable, like the tide in front of her house that came into shore and out again, gradually coming in a little less with each wave, yet this did not make it any less painful. Connor and Nanoe, in a serious relationship by senior year, seemed blissfully unaware of the sorrow building in Aya's heart. She knew they meant her no harm, and they always went out of their way to spend time with her in school and out, but being the third wheel wasn't her style.