A new symbol of friendship by Emily

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Alex and Ryan had been friends since high school, and it was back then that they made a promise: to grow their hair long as a symbol of their friendship. Now, both at university and living together in a rented flat, their hair cascaded down to the middle of their backs.

They thought it would never change, especially Ryan â€" more sensitive and a little shy, hiding behind his mane like a curtain of secrets. For Alex, hair was just hair. He had gotten used to it, but after a few years of growing it out, it had started to feel somehow burdensome. Then, one day, while brushing it in front of the mirror, he made a decision â€" it was high time for a haircut.

A pleasant thrill ran down his spine at the thought. Suddenly, he felt like getting rid of it all and feeling free.

The next day, he booked an appointment at a salon and told Ryan about his decision.

"You know what? I’m gonna cut my hair tomorrow," he said casually, as if he were just mentioning he’d rather have tomato soup than cucumber.

Ryan froze for a moment, staring at Alex with a glint of terror in his eyes.

Alex, seeing his expression, burst out laughing.
"Don’t look at me like that. I’ve had enough of it, and I can’t wait for the haircut."

The very word haircut sent another pleasant thrill through him. It would feel amazing to take all this long hair off.
"You can’t do this," Ryan said, his voice tight. He didn’t share Alex’s enthusiasm — to him, it felt like betrayal. He ran a hand through his own hair as if it were a precious treasure.

"We made a promise not to cut our hair as long as we're friends," Ryan said, trying to make Alex feel guilty.
But Alex just smiled, amused that Ryan took it all so seriously.
"Oh, come on," he said, giving Ryan's hair a playful tug. "We were just kids. It was fun back then, but you don't really think we're gonna keep it like this forever, do you?"
Still, Ryan was upset.

"I've already booked an appointment. I'm getting it cut tomorrow," Alex said firmly. "And you should get yours cut too."
"No way," Ryan replied. He couldn’t even imagine himself without his mane.
The next day, Ryan was still sulking, especially since Alex didn’t even try to hide his excitement. For Alex, short hair meant the beginning of something new and thrilling; for Ryan, it felt like the end of something symbolic.

"Stop acting like that," Alex said, starting to lose patience. "You’re still my best friend — I just want to change how I look. Come with me to the salon… please," he added softly, genuinely hoping Ryan would share the moment with him.

"Fine," Ryan sighed, finally giving in. "But I still think it’s a bad idea. You’ll regret it, you’ll see."

After all those years of wearing his hair long, Ryan couldn’t even imagine parting with it as easily as Alex did.
Ryan didn’t speak on the way to the salon. He was terrified by the thought that from now on, he would be the only one left with long hair.
Alex, on the other hand, stopped teasing him for a while — too happy and excited to notice Ryan’s silence.

"What can I do for you?" the barber asked when they finally arrived.
"I want a short cut," Alex said, grinning. "Preferably just with clippers all over my head."

Ryan felt a wave of sickness. He couldn’t believe Alex had really said that. His friend’s beautiful hair was about to vanish within minutes — and Alex didn’t seem to care at all.
He watched as the barber draped a cape over Alex’s shoulders, reached for the clippers, and turned them on, letting the buzzing fill the room.

He hoped for a second that Alex would change his mind, or at least ask for a slightly longer style. But the buzzing of the clippers didn’t scare him away. On the contrary, he felt oddly relaxed. Ryan, however, was staring in terror at Alex’s long strands flying down.
Alex watched too, but with a wide smile on his face.

"It feels amazing," he told the barber, experiencing the instant lightness and freshness.
Hair fell in thick masses, sliding over the cape, Alex’s shoulders, and onto his lap.
Ryan couldn’t bear it.

"Is it what you expected?" the barber asked
"Yes, I love it!" Alex replied cheerfully. And, just as Ryan had predicted, he felt a twinge of regret—but not for having cut it, rather that he hadn’t done it sooner.
The barber removed the cape, and Alex ran his fingers through his short hair for the first time.
"The best feeling ever," he said, unable to stop grinning.
"Now your turn," he added, pointing Ryan toward the chair.
Hearing that, Ryan went pale.

"No way," Ryan shouted a little too loudly, drawing the attention of other clients.
"Oh, come on," Alex didn’t intend to give up. "We grew it together, so let’s chop it off together now—as a new symbol of our friendship." He did his best to convince Ryan.
"You’ll feel great, I promise," he added, touching his own hair with pleasure and glancing at the long locks scattered around. "The floor’s the perfect place for long hair."

Yet Ryan didn’t budge. Tears welled up at the thought of seeing his hair lying there too.
"No," he said, simply, and left.

"I’ll talk to him again and bring him when he’s ready," Alex said, confident that Ryan would eventually agree.

The barber smiled, imagining the frightened Ryan being tugged into the chair by Alex, while Alex insisted he must get a haircut.

Alex didn’t mention anything for a couple of days. He knew it was a delicate matter. Even though he himself was over the moon with his new short style, Ryan needed more time to get used to the idea. Alex was convinced a haircut would give Ryan new energy and boost his confidence, but it had to be done gently.

One morning, while they were getting ready for classes, Alex was talking quietly to himself—but loud enough for Ryan to hear.
"Short hair's so comfortable. Just ten seconds and it’s done. No more brushing or blow-drying. Freedom".

Ryan pretended not to listen, focusing on brushing his own hair.

"Listen, Ryan," Alex said, turning to him without a glint of teasing this time. "If you don’t want a cut as short as mine, you can choose something a bit longer." He took Ryan’s hand and placed it on his own head.
"Feel it. Isn't it incredible?" he asked, excited at the memory of the clippers leaving that wonderful softness.

Ryan felt short fresh texture beneath his fingers and got a thrill.
"You see? You like it," Alex said with a mischief twinkling in his eyes, certain that this time his friend would give in.

Yet, Ryan stayed silent. He did like it, but it was different when it was his hair that had to be cut, not his friend’s.
Alex, however, noticed the hesitation on Ryan’s face, which he took as a good sign. They went to school, and Alex didn’t mention the haircut again.

Later, in the school corridor, Ryan realized just how much Alex had gained. He had always been confident and sociable, but now it was even more noticeable. Surrounded by a group of curious girls, his new look made him exude charm.
Ryan felt a twinge of jealousy, quickly followed by a sense of guilt. After all, it had been his idea to grow their hair together, and Alex had agreed without hesitation. Now it seemed only fair for Ryan to consider a haircut too.

That evening, back at their flat, Alex was studying for a test, sprawled comfortably in an armchair.

"You know," Alex began, "I'm gonna book another appointment at the salon. My hair’s grown too long." In fact, it was still really short, but the touch of the clippers had been kind of addictive.
Ryan froze. He felt it was the right moment to speak up, but Alex already seemed to know.

"You’ll come with me, won’t you?" he asked, a mischievous smile on his face. "You’ll feel lighter, freer. Just trust me."

Ryan chewed his lip. He could almost hear the buzzing of the clippers in his imagination. Alex read his thoughts.

"You’ll look amazing," he said with certainty. "Besides, we’re friends, remember? We should do this together."

"Ok, fine," Ryan said weakly, shocked at his own words.

He didn’t sleep a wink that night. He had agreed, but he still wasn’t sure whether he’d gone crazy making such a brave decision. He wanted to be a loyal friend, but his hair meant a lot to him as well.
Lying in bed, he tried to picture the moment, yet every attempt only made him feel worse.

When the moment finally came, Alex couldn’t stop laughing.
"You look like you’re about to face a firing squad. It’s just a haircut!"
For Ryan, however, it felt like the end of the world.

The barber smiled when he saw them again.
"I just want to freshen up my cut," Alex said, sitting comfortably in the chair. "And in the meantime, my friend here will say goodbye to his mane."

Ryan shot him an irritated look but only gritted his teeth and chose to endure it.

When his turn came, he thought he might faint. The clippers in the barber’s hand looked more like an instrument of torture than a tool for a haircut. He wasn’t sure he could keep himself from crying.
He looked in the mirror and saw a pale, frightened guy with a cape draped around his neck staring back at him.
"I envy you, Ryan," Alex teased with a grin. "It’s going to be an unforgettable experience."

Finally, the hungry clippers began their dance. Ryan closed his eyes, gripping the chair as if it could save him. He almost jumped out of it when he felt the first heavy strand slide down. He wanted to look, but his eyelids felt glued shut. The clippers buzzed softly around his ears, claiming more and more of his hair with every gentle pass.

The barber, seeing Ryan’s terrified expression, paused for a moment — but Ryan still didn’t open his eyes.
Alex, standing beside him, patted his shoulder and playfully flicked a strand of hair that had landed there.

"Relax, Ryan," he chuckled. "Or you’ll miss the best part."

Ryan was curious to see what he looked like now, but his fear was just as strong. Still, he knew he’d have to open his eyes sooner or later. He did it slowly and peeked into the mirror. Half of his hair was still long — the other side freshly shorn.

"Feel it, Ryan," Alex encouraged. "Watch your hair fall — you probably won’t get this chance again."

"May I continue?" the barber asked, closing the clippers again.

Ryan nodded slightly, still too shocked to speak.
Now he was watching, eyes wide open, as the rest of his hair disappeared, creating a pile around the chair. He felt a sudden thrill. The touch of the clippers, gently stroking his head, wasn’t so bad anymore. His heart raced, and his hands trembled beneath the cape.
"Isn’t it the best feeling ever?" Alex smiled, winking at Ryan in the mirror. "You won’t regret it, I promise."
Ryan felt a little more relaxed. Maybe Alex was right. Maybe this was the beginning of something good. The last strands of long hair flew down, and Ryan watched intently so he wouldn’t miss a thing, just as Alex had advised.

"And how do you like it?" the barber asked, slightly amused by this unusual client.
Ryan stared at his reflection for a moment, then a barely perceptible smile played on his lips.
"I guess… it's nice," he said slowly, his heart still racing.

"Didn't I tell you?" Alex teased lightly. Ryan hesitated, then slowly raised his hand to touch his short hair. Another pleasant thrill ran through him as he realized it was just as soft as Alex’s now.
The new sensation of lightness felt strange—but in a good way. He glanced at the floor with a mix of fear and curiosity, eager to see his long hair scattered there.

And, to his surprise, he didn’t feel any sadness. It was as if he were celebrating a new chapter in their friendship.
The next day, Ryan made a huge impression at school. Everyone was stunned that this shy guy, who had always hidden his face behind a curtain of hair, was now walking confidently down the corridor.

"I have some news for you," Alex said later, a mischievous smile on his face. "One girl asked for you. You know... officially".
Ryan blinked, surprised, and then a genuine smile spread across his face. "Thanks, Alex," he smiled back.
"You were right about short hair. It’s... amazing".

"So… friends forever?" Alex asked, with feigned solemnity.
"Forever," Ryan replied without hesitation.

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