Hard Times by Type400Tardis

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A small beam of light passed through the window and illuminated the bed in our small bedroom. We had become accustomed to waking by the touch of the sun, and had actually started liking it. I opened my eyes slightly before closing them again and gently putting my arm around my Rosa who lied next to me. We had only been living together for 4 months and money was tight. But being together made it all worth worth it. And it certainly beat living with our parents.

I pulled her closer to me as she let out a tired whine. Passively fighting against sleep and relaxing back into my arms. It was a Sunday, so we didn't need to get up but Rosa was an early riser and very driven. If she decided she wanted something, it would happen. And that day was a job hunting day.

Rosa already found a job. She worked as a cleaner in a barbershop. All day she would clean up the hair that had fallen to the ground from men sitting in the chairs. She didn't get a lot of money but it helped to tide us over for now. I spent all of my days looking for work but hadn't found anything yet.

Rosa opened her eyes.

'We need to get up' she said to me, the sleep very much still in her voice.

'Lets just cuddle' I said back to her.

'No' she said, gently pushing my arms off her and sitting up.

I reluctantly followed and sat up next to her, rubbing my eyes and running my hands through my shoulder length brown hair.

When you're poor, you quickly get used to living without luxuries. Be it a takeaway or a new iPhone- you kind of forget they exist. And one thing I had definintely forgotten about was haircuts.

'Todays the day we find you a job' said Rosa, brushing my hair behind my ear.

She said this every morning. Her relentless optimism was one of the reasons I loved her. She was exceptionally beautiful. Even in the dull light of our bedroom, her beauty was radiant. She had a short brown bob haircut, heavily textured and going to her shoulders and dark brown eyes with little yellow ring in the irish like pools of honey.

I smiled at her. I didn't understand why I wasn't finding any work.

'You need a haircut' she said to me, as she ran her hand through my hair.

'I know', I replied, 'but we can't afford the barbers right now'.

She furrowed her brow a little as if in thought. Suddenly she had a wicked little smile on her face. The type she has when she gets an idea.

'I know that look, what are you thinking?' I chuckled slightly as I said this.

The smile on her face grew larger and I teased her until she finally told me why she was smiling.

'I think I've worked out why you can't get any work' she said through her smile.

'Whys that?' I said back to her, admittedly not expecting this to be her reason for smiling.

'Your hair to too long' she said to me as she twisted a lock of my hair around her finger.

'You think thats why no one will hire me?' I replied. 'I look unprofessional?'

She nodded slowly, still with the wicked grin on her face.

'Well I'll just have to find somewhere that doesn't mind it'.

A moment of silence passed. I didnt think that was the reason why I couldn't get work but it probably didn't help. Eventually, she broke the silence.

'I could cut it for you'.

I took a minute to consider this.

'With what?' I said.

'We have scissors and I'm sure if I ask nicely my boss will let me borrow some clippers'.

I went silent again.

'I've been watching how the barbers at work cut peoples hair and it doesn't seem too hard' she persisted.

'What if you mess it up?' I responded.

'Well I can just give you a buzzcut' she said. 'I cant mess that up'.

I had never had my hair that short before. The shortest I'd ever been was in primary school when I had a short back and sides, but since then I'd always had my hair over my ears.

'I think you'd look really hot' she said, leaning in slowly and gently planting a kiss on my lips.

I considered it for a further second and nodded my hair slowly.

'Yes?' She said excitedly.

'Okay' I said.

'I can cut your hair?'

'Yes, okay. But not too short'.

She squeeled with excitement and kisses me passionately.

'We can do it tomorrow night when I come home from work' she said, as she continued to kiss me.

***

The next day Rosa went to work and I spent my day on the computer applying for jobs. 2 rejections but 1 new interview.

I spent most of my day thinking about what it would be like having a buzzcut. Would I look good? What would showering feel like? Would I keep it that short? These thoughts filled my mind all day.

Finally, Rosa came home. As soon as she got through the door she gave me a huge hug and kissed me on the lips.

'Look what I've got' she said, letting go of me and putting her hand into her handbag.

She pulled out a pair of wired silver hair clippers. I noticed some small hairs still on them, likely from someone who had their hair cut that day.

'Lets do it right now' she said, the wicked smile from yesterday returning.

'Right now?'

'Yes. Right now'.

I liked it when she talked to me like that.

'Go into the kitchen and sit on on at the table' she said.

I did what she told me to and sat myself at the kitchen table. I could feel my heart beating loudly in my chest.

'Take your top off so you don't get covered in hair' she said again in a demanding tone.

I took my white tshirt off and threw it to the floor.

'Are you gonna cut it first?' I asked her.

She didn't reply to me, instead she simply turned on the clippers and hovered then just at my hairline.

'Ready?' She said.

'Wait, what guard do they have on?' I said, panickedly.

She turned the clippers off and looked at the clippers.

'Dammit, I must have forgotten the guards at work'

'We can do it tomorrow' I said to her, feeling releaved.

'Or we could do it anyway' she said, turning the clippers back on.

I looked at her confused.

'I think you'd look really, really hot with really, really short hair' she said to me, pushing her hand through my hair.

I had never seen her this excited before. I couldn't say no to her. I'd do anything to make her happy.

'Errr... okay then'. I said.

'Are you sure?'

'Yes. Do it then' I said to her.

She bit her lip and she slowly pushed the clippers down the middle of my head. I could see my hair fall onto the floor below me. She slowly went around my head, taking extra care around my ears. I tried to reach up and touch my haid but she told me to wait until she was finished. More and more hair fell on the ground and I felt a mix of nervousness and excitement all at the same time.

She turned off the clippers after a while and rubhed her hands all over my head.

'You look so good' she said, kissing my freshly shaved scalp.

I reached my hands up and felt my head. My hair was extreemly short. It felt so good to touch.

'Go look in the mirror' Rosa said to me.

I got up and went to look in the bathroom mirror. I barely recognised myself. But I loved what I saw.

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