When Claire was done with her client some ten minutes later, she cleaned up and then called out to me. "Alfie, you can come on and take a seat."
I got up and easily slid into the offered chair. I made myself comfortable as Claire asked me what I wanted done.
I cocked my head to one side and said, "Short and easy to manage. I mean, the long hair is always getting in the way and it's hard to manage."
"I see," Claire said. "Do you still want it long enough to tie at the back?"
I thought about this for a moment and nodded. "Yes, just enough to tie at the back when I'm working."
"Okay then," she said, and then proceeded.
I took off my glasses and left them sitting on the bench in front of me. Then I picked up a magazine, flipped the pages open, and brought it close to my face to read since I was nearsighted.
Claire chuckled. "Why didn't you wear contact lenses? It would have been easier to read while I do your hair."
I shook my head. "Contacts irritate my eyes."
"I see," she said. "Must be hard not being able to wear them, eh? Most young girls these days like wearing contact lenses because it shows off their eyes when they wear makeup."
"I get on fine." I chuckled. In fact, I liked hiding my eyes behind my glasses, simply because I never liked making direct eye contact with people when I was talking to them. I knew it was rude to do that, but there was simply something too raw, intimate, and intimidating for my liking when I had to look into someone else's eyes. I felt like I could see right into the depths of their soul, which was dark and quite morbid most of the time, and I didn't like it.
Some moments later, Claire went about washing my hair with some very delicious-smelling shampoo. And God, the way she massaged my head felt so good. In fact, I almost fell asleep in the process. Then I was back in the chair, and once again, I brought the magazine close to my face and started reading an article about an elderly couple who went on holiday to some old castle in Europe and found themselves being transported into another realm.
Really? What has the world come to? Another realm? Magical beasts, paranormal creatures, and such?
I rolled my eyes. Some people were just doing this for the money, right? Making up stories for the hype or something? Or was it the author's idea? Some journalist writing some fake article...
"Claire?" I asked.
"Hmm?"
"Do you believe there's another realm somewhere out there?"
The woman chuckled, no doubt in amusement. "I don't believe in stuff like that, Alfie."
I nodded in understanding. "It's just not tangible, right?"
Claire said loudly, "What about you, Joyce? What do think about the existence of another realm?"
The voice that clearly belonged to Joyce said from the other side of the salon, "Me? Hmm... I'm a bit of a fantasy girl, but still, the reality is stuff like that just doesn't exist. It's just not possible."
Claire said, "I say if you can see it, feel it, smell it, hear it, and taste it, then yes, it's real and it's tangible, like our world. But another realm? A bit too far-fetched."
I nodded in agreement. "Another realm is just hocus-pocus." Just as I said that, though, I couldn't help but let my imagination run wild with visions of a forbidden forest, grand castles, wide barren land, flying ships, unique beasts, and exotic creatures.
I sighed dreamily and then said, "Then again, wouldn't it be wonderful, though, to just be there for a day or two, like when you're visiting a country as a tourist? You get to see, smell, feel, hear, and taste what's on offer."
Claire chuckled. "You like traveling and food, don't you?"
I smiled cheekily. "That I do. And I love cooking, too."
"Are you studying to become a chef or something to do with traveling and tourism?"
I shook my head. "Unfortunately, no. I'm currently studying health science, and God only knows if I passed my exams or not. I have absolutely no chemistry with chemistry and have no idea what's up or down in physics. As for biology? It's okay. I think I'll pass that. And statistics? I'm no good with numbers either. All I did was memorize formulas and stuff and have no idea how that is related to life or how it's useful in life."
Behind us, Joyce laughed. "You poor thing. Why on earth would you study something that you have no passion for?"
I shrugged. "Security, I guess. I'm going with the majority. Just following the other lambs into slaughter." I chuckled nervously. "Fact is I was scared when I graduated high school because I had to think hard about what I wanted to do with my life. Since I passed all the science subjects, I figured I might as well go for health science, as that field is getting bigger and jobs are easier to find, I think. Then again, I didn't know university was so hard, much harder than high school curriculum."
"I guess that's true," Claire said. "That the health industry is getting bigger and better. Then again, passion, Alfie, is the most important thing when it comes to jobs. After all, you are going to be spending a large part of your life devoting yourself to it, and you don't want to spend it on a job you don't like. As for me, I love my job, and my work doesn't feel like work at all."
I put the magazine down as Claire's words gently seeped into my heart.
Claire was right, wasn't she? Was it stupid of me to think I could endure spending the rest of my life working in a field I had no passion for? Did that mean I'd have to change course come next year when I returned to university?
I sighed, feeling rather depressed suddenly.
"Done!" Claire said.
I leaned forward, picked up my glasses, and put them on my face. The moment I saw myself in the mirror, I could only stare. Short jet-black hair softly framed a slender, oval face with slanted dark-brown eyes, straight nose, plump lips, and small chin.
"Oh," I expressed.
"Like it?" Claire asked.
I blinked and then turned my head this way and that to check myself out in the mirror. My hair was so short now that my head felt light. I stroked my fingers through the strands and nodded. "I like it. I look like a boy," I said as I chuckled in amusement.
Claire cocked her head to one side. "You do, don't you? A cute boy with soft features. If you had pointy ears, you'd look like an elf for sure."
I laughed because she was right.
Then it was Joyce's turn to attend to me. She took me into a lovely small room filled with the aroma of scented candles, told me to lie on the bed, made me comfortable, and then proceeded with first doing a facial cleansing and then a full-body waxing. By the time she was done, an hour later, my skin was sore all over—though very soft and smooth. And of course, my body was as hairless as could be, just like a newborn baby. I had decided to go for a full-body wax simply because it was summer and I wanted to go to the beach wearing the newly acquired cute swimsuit that I simply adored, which I couldn't wait to do tomorrow afternoon. I just wanted to chill and have a good time at the beach and hopefully meet new people and make some new friends. Mom did mention that there were several girls and guys around my age who had just returned home from their universities for the summer holiday, as well, and that they usually hung out at the beach near the town center.
After paying the fees for my beauty treatment—a once-a-year treat for myself—I thanked both Claire and Joyce politely and headed out the door.