The best apology by Maxbuzz

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I clicked on the thumbnail that popped up when I opened YouTube. "My barber ruined my hair" was the title. His voice started to come out of my speakers after a short intro. "Hey guys, it’s me again coming at ya from my bedroom". I snorted a little, pathetic I thought to myself, I continued to watch as he rambled on pointlessly for about four minutes before eventually getting to the point of the video. "So as you can see.." he said as he whipped off his beanie and shook his hair vigorously the thick brown strands whipping around his face as he did. "My barber took way too much off" he whined as he pulled down a thick strand of his bangs indicating their length to be just past his eyebrows.

"Not enough length" I muttered under my breath as he ran his fingers through his hair on screen pushing it back into the emo sweep he was so desperate to maintain.

"My ears are still covered" he stated, turning to the side "and if I spin around like this, you can see it still just covers my collar, but not by much" he continued as he span around on his computer chair for the camera. "But he took way too much off at the front" he repeated as he shook his hair again and pulled a sad face before pulling his beanie back on his head again his hair overflowing from underneath it, the length and body still present even after the apparent over enthusiasm of the barber, who just so happened to be me.

I sighed and closed the video getting up to make myself a coffee, as the kettle boiled I reflected on how annoying this current breed of attention seeking "YouTubers" were. He can’t have been more than about 3 years younger than me which made him about 21 but he acted as though he was 17 playing up for the camera and flicking his hair about dramatically as he prattled away on screen reviewing new songs and making videos with generally click bait like titles that bore no resemblance to what the actual video was about. His hair was glorious though, it was dark chocolate in colour and wonderfully thick and silk. He always kept it long never uncovering his ears or collar and the bangs were always in his eyes even when I had finished cutting. He came in about once a month or so to keep his style just right and although his online persona was annoying he did have a good amount of chat about him when he was in the chair. He was pleasant and seemed fairly clever which is why it surprised me when he mentioned his YouTube channel and I went on to have a look at the videos. The guy on the screen was completely different to the guy whose hair I cut.

About 6 weeks passed over the Christmas break and I was just about to close the shop for the evening when the bell rang on the door and he walked through looking chilly. I greeted him and walked over to take his coat as he shrugged it off and wiped his feet on the door mat.

"I was just about to close early, you’re in luck!" I said as I patted him on the shoulder and pointed over to the chair. "I’ll just lock the door and pull down the blinds so nobody else thinks we are open" I said as I busied myself doing that.

"Sorry, I can come back another time" he replied sheepishly turning to look at me as I walked back towards him.

"No no, don’t be silly" I said as I pulled off his beanie and popped it on the counter. "You won’t be needing that just now!" I said as he instinctively flicked his hair out of his face.

"True, did you have a nice Christmas?" He asked as I threw the cape around him and lifted the hair at his nape to fasten it, feeling it soft against my fingers.

"Yeah, it was brilliant, family and way too much food. Just the usual! How about you?" I followed up as I began to gently brush his hair out with my fingers.

"Yeah, same I guess, was a bit quieter this year as my sister was with her new husband and his family in Oregan. It was still good though". He replied.

"What are we doing today then?" I asked as my fingers continued to run through his locks savouring the feel of them as I pulled them back off his face. "Just the usual?" I questioned.

"Yeah, just the normal" he replied smiling sheepishly at me in the mirror.

"No worries" I said as I picked up my comb and ran it through his hair making sure there wasn’t any knots my fingers hadn’t removed. "You sure you don’t fancy something a bit different?" I asked as I picked up a thick chunk of his bangs and held them up away from his forehead.

"No I don’t think so?" He replied looking worried as I trapped the locks tightly between my fingers and gently tugged his head backwards.

"I watched your last video" I stated as I continued to hold him in place with his hair.
"Apparently I’m a bit too scissor happy" I added as his eyes widened and he looked up at me standing behind him.

"It’s just for online" he said, almost pleadingly. "I get more views if I put dramatic titles on" he added as if that was a valid reason for lying about my barbering skills on the internet.

"I see.." I said dropping his bangs and letting him sit forwards.

"Sorry" he said, I should have thought about it before I put anything online. Sometimes it’s hard to remember people have businesses and reputations and stuff" he moaned as he turned to look at me in the chair.

"It’s fine" I said, "but I have a way you can make a lot more views!"

"Really?" He asked looking pleased at the idea of more viewers and potentially followers. "How?" He asked, his need for fame suddenly awakened.

"Yes, there are a lot of videos online of people getting their hair cut, loads of streamers do them now and they get heaps of views" I said as I pawed at his hair again.

"I do have my go pro in my coat pocket" he said thinking aloud. "Can I record you cutting my hair?" He asked eagerly as he stood up and almost ran over to his coat, the cape flowing behind him as he did.

"Of course!" I said as he came bounding back his hair flying and plopped his camera on the bench. He checked the angles on his phone and once he was happy with the placement he pressed record the the camera started to flash steadily.

"Amazing, I hope this works and we can get heaps of viewers!" He said excitedly as I picked up my comb and scissors again and stood behind him.

"I’m sure it will!" I said, "why don’t you get a close up of the first cut on your phone?" I said as he held up his phone and started recording, the image of him caped with his shaggy hair popping up on the screen.

"Can I do an intro?" He asked as I nodded and stood behind him smiling as he recorded his trademark opening remarks.

"Cool so you came here for your normal haircut right?" I asked as he nodded, smiling to the camera. "We aren’t doing that today though" I stated as he continued to record.

"Oh really?" He asked, still smiling for the camera as he looked back at me briefly.

"Hold still" I said as I picked up a small chunk of his bangs and held them away from his head.

"Wait?" He questioned as I smiled for the camera, still recording.

"Just trust me!" I said as I opened the blades on the scissors and swiftly brought them up to the doomed lock of hair. He tried to move away but I held tight and pulled his head back slightly as he fought to keep a hold of his phone and continue recording. It was as if stopping that might stop his heart beating. The scissors started to close on the lock close to the scalp as he let out a yelp and I held him in place tightly with the remaining uncut hair. He gasped as the scissors continued their path through and eventually I held up a severed lock of hair 6 or 7 inches long. He jumped out of the chair still recording as he leant into the camera to inspect the damage before trying to save face.

"So guys, that was today’s surprise video he said with a smile, I’m actually cutting off all my hair today, it’s time for a change! I’m sick of this mop of hair so I asked my barber to fix me up with something shorter!" He announced as he sat down again and beamed for the camera before turning off the recording on his phone.

"Ok then" I said as he dropped his phone in his lap and I handed him the severed lock. He fondled it in his fingers as a tear ran down his cheek before he regained composure and sniffed deeply drooping the lock as he dried his eyes on the back of his hands.

"Sorry I feel bad but I was pissed off that you slated me. But I do genuinely think you’ll get a lot of views from this transformation" I continued as I swept his bangs back over to the side and marvelled at how his hair was so thick you couldn’t see the damage I had just inflicted.

"It’s ok, I get it, everything online has consequences" he said as he smiled at me in the mirror briefly before a twinkle started in his eyes and he stated "you can’t even tell" he said, noticing what I had that his hair looked undamaged.

"I know, it’s crazy" I said as he smiled at me again.

"Let’s do something good from his!" He said as I came to stand in front of him puzzled by his change of heart and tone.

"I’m listening" I said as he fondled his hair feeling for the chunk I had cut out.

"If we can hardly tell then nobody else can, I wear my hat like 90% of the time anyway".

"True, you literally can’t tell" I agreed stroking his bangs back into place. He reached up and grabbed my hand as I tenderly pushed his bangs out of his eyes.

"I’m going to make a video and say that I’m raising money for cancer and that I’ll get a buzzcut if I can reach $2,000"

"Wow, that’s really a genuinely nice idea" I replied running my hands back through his hair. "And you still get your views" I added smiling at him knowingly.

"And you get to give me a buzzcut which is something you’ve been itching to do for a very long time" he stated giving me a wink as he let go out my hand and pushed his bangs up off his forehead.

"Ahhhm" I said as he shook his head gently and smiled at me as I blushed.

"I know" he stated as he reached over and pulled me closer to him so that one arm was wrapped around my waist. I fondled his hair gently as he looked up at me and smiled.

"You know that I’m dying to give you a good haircut or that I have had a crush on you from the first time I cut your hair?" I asked my cheeks flushing redder still as he smiled.

"Both" he said as he reached up and grabbed my shirt pulling me down to kiss him deeply on the lips. Eventually our lips parted and I spoke.

"I think that’s why I was so upset when you slated me, because I enjoy seeing you even if it’s just once a month and it hurt that you said those things. Even if you didn’t mean it" I added.

"Yeah, I’m sorry, but look, I’ll make it up to you! He said, as he pulled me down to sit on his lap. "This mop is yours now.." he said as he flipped his hair about and lent towards me flicking me in the face with it.

"That’s the best apology present I’ve ever had" I said as we kissed again my hands buried deeply in the hair at his nape feeling it soft and doomed between my fingers.

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