The shy boy from math class

Chapter 7| New do

     "Party? Genevieve, I'm worried about my boyfriend cheating on me and you're recommending a party?" I look at her with wide eyes.

The hairdresser looks up at me with a weird look and I turn pink in embarrassment.

"You won't tell anyone about our high school drama, right, Jimmy?" She chuckles.

"You're secrets are safe with me, Miss Genevieve." He replies with a thick accent.

She nods and he continues to wrap her hair strands with foil. Genevieve decided to get highlights at the beginning of the school year and they're personally my favorite hairstyle of hers. Is it even a hairstyle? I don't know. I just like the dark blonde mixed with her chestnut brown hair.

I continue flipping through the magazine as the old pop music blares throughout the salon.

"Oh come on, Selena! Get all those things away from your mind for one night! Don't ya think, Jimmy?" She smiles. He nods and continues to foil her hair strands.

"I think I'll just stay home and catch up on homework." I smile softly.

"Lame! Jimmy, what hairstyle do you think would suit her? My treat." She grins.

I start shaking my head no as they both look at me. "I'm not getting my hair styled all for a dumb high school party."

"Forget the party, you need a new do. Make Calvin regret being mad at you!" She squeals.

I look up at Jimmy who nods at me with a smile. "I'm not going to make you pay, Gen."

Jimmy turns the chair around so I can't see the mirror. He starts setting my hair with different products and trims a few times. I keep quiet the whole time and see all of the black hair on the floor.

After what feels like an eternity he stops and studies my hair one more time. He calls over Genevieve and she gasps when she sees me.

Jimmy spins the chair around and I feel my mouth drop when I see my new hairstyle. Genevieve squeals in the background and claps her hands together. "You did amazing, Jimmy! You never fail to amaze me."

He smiles proudly and takes the cape off. I slightly stretch and start bumping my hair with my hands. Since I was little my hair was super curly and poofy. I started straightening it in middle school because of what moody teenager wanted to deal with big curly hair. It lost its curl after a year and it's been wavy ever since.

Jimmy brought back my curls and I can't wait to see my mom's reaction. My hair looks just how it did in elementary school. "Jimmy I can't thank you enough!"

He waves it off. "It's no big deal!"

I pull out my credit card to pay and Genevieve swats my hand away. She hands Jimmy her card and I roll my eyes at her. After she pays we walk to a diner nearby. I walk down the sidewalk with confidence I never knew I had. I feel my hair bounce up and down as I walk.

"Maybe I should start going to Jimmy too for haircuts," I say.

"He's been a friend of my moms since high school. He was the one that recommended the highlights. I just love the way his mind works." She replies.

We enter the diner and sit down at a booth. Genevieve and I order chicken fingers and fries with an ice-cold water.

"So what do you say?" She asks.

"About what?" I furrow my eyebrows, dipping a fry in ketchup.

"The party?"

"I don't know. You know I don't really like going to parties and you know how Calvin feels about them." I shrug.

"Forget about him for one night! It's like your under his fucking spell or something. Get drunk or tipsy and just let your mind at ease. If you kiss a guy I won't tell." She smirks.

"When is it?" I hesitantly ask.

"Next Friday." She responds.

I take a deep breath and look down at my food. "I'll think about it."

She squeals and her smile widens.

☆

The weekend goes by way too quickly. I haven't talked to Calvin at all. Are we broken up for good? I mostly spent the weekend locked inside my room blasting music and binging whatever I could find interesting.

When I walked in with my new hairstyle my mom was almost in tears. She couldn't keep her hands off of it. It still looks the same even after showering. Well, I had to do my hair routine from middle school to keep it this way.

I close my car door and throw my bag over my shoulder. I walk inside and feel a few eyes on me. Oh my god, they all probably think I got a perm. Well, it technically is a perm if you think about it.

I head over to my locker and start spinning the lock.

I hear a whistle and Genevieve is leaning against the locker next to mine. "Everyone is practically staring at you!"

I chuckle and start getting my books for English. Genevieve starts talking to me about her outfit ideas for the party. I continue nod every once in a while so she knows I'm listening even though I don't understand anything she's saying. I can't think straight.

"So you're coming?" She asks.

I snap my head towards her and pout my lip. "Going where?"

"My house. I just explained it to you, Selena! Were you not listening?" She huffs.

"I was, I was," I reassure her. "It's just that I was uh reading my book assignment at the same time you were talking so I got confused."

"I'll see you at my place on Wednesday then. I'd say after school today but I know how serious you are with your tutoring sessions with Grayson." She nudges my arm and winks.

I gasp and she bursts into laughter. "See you in math." She laughs, walking away.

She stops dead in her tracks when she sees Calvin walking through the halls. I feel my heart beating faster and I hide my face into my locker. What the fuck am I doing? It's like I'm hiding from a crush. He's not a crush. He's my boyfriend for crying out loud!

I feel the chills running up and down my body as I feel someone standing close to me.

"What's up with the hair?"