My hair was once beautiful. Everyone loved it. Sora, Riku, daddy, and even Selphie.
My mom? Thought it was a tangled mess.
"Ugh, when are you going to cut all that?" She'd often say.
I would just stare at her like she was crazy. My hair and cut didn't belong in the same sentence. I'd often thought she was just jealous because my hair was shoulder length and the prettiest red she'd ever seen. Her hair was cheek length (is that even a length…?) and was a dark, dark black.
Face it. My mom was a hater when it came to my hair.
Anyways, besides her, everyone loved my hair. It was one of the many things that distracted people from staring at my mouth.
Remember my braces? Yeah, they're green now. Really dad, really? CLEAR AND GREEN DO NOT SOUND THE SAME!
Okay, let me stop talking to myself. Well… technically I'm not… you people are listening to me. So yeah…
Everything was peachy until my mom told me this morning:
"Kairi, I'm sick of your hair! I made you an appointment with my friend Sharla to cut it for you."
What the hello?
"Excuse me!" I raised my voice at her.
Bad move.
"Who are you raising your voice at, young lady? Bring that tone down please," She glared slightly at me.
"Mom, I love my hair! Why would I cut it?" I waved my arms frantically.
"Calm down, Kairi. You're acting like it's the end of the world," She shook her head at me.
"It is the end of the world!"
"That's enough! Now leave, it's time for school!"
"…you're a hater…" I mumbled under my breath as I walked passed her.
"What was that?"
"I said, see you later?" With that, I ran out the door.
~!~
"No way! She's cutting your hair?" Sora blinked at me.
"Did I not just say that?" I said as I slammed my locker door shut.
"Sora, stop being slow. And Kairi, it's not the end of the world," Riku flipped his hair out of his eyes.
He did it on purpose. I know it. I hope you go bald one day, Riku.
"Shut up! My 2012 happens today!" I grabbed my hair like me holding on to it was gonna save it.
"2012 IS REAL!" Sora's eyes widened into saucers.
"Yup. Kairi is the cause of it too," Riku smirked at him.
"KAIRI WHY?" Sora said in horror.
Why are these guys my friends again? I have no clue.
"Sora you're a dumb-"
Riku immediately cleared his throat.
"Donkey…" I grumbled under my breath. "Anyways, I'm going home. Today starts the day of the rest of my life!"
"You're acting like you're starting a lifetime journey to the end of the world."
What's up with all the end of the world talks today?
"Shut up!"
~!~
"Hola, Carey!"
Here I am. Sitting in a salon chair in the living room of my mom's friend, Sharla.
"It's Kai-"
"What are we getting done today, Carey?" She smiled in my face. Front teeth missing and all.
"I'm getting my hair cut, and it's Kai-"
"Okay, Carey! I'ma hook you up, hun! All the boys will absolutely adore ya!"
"They already love me…"
And I'm pretty sure after this, they won't. This lady doesn't even look like she knows how to hold a pair of scissor-
WHY THE HELLO IS SHE HOLDING RAZOR!
"What are you doing? I'm getting a haircut, not an edge up!" I tried to move in the chair. What salon chair has a seatbelt?
"Calm down, Carey! It'll be over in a jiffy!" She smiled evilly at me as she put the razor to my head.
"IT'S KAIRI!" I screamed as I saw my long, beautiful hair fall to the ground.
~!~
"Kairi?"
"Shoo fly, don't bother me."
"Ugh, not again, Kai…"
Here I was again. In the same blue bathroom stall in school. I had a feeling I was gonna be in here a lot for the rest of the year.
And of course, little Miss Ray of Sunshine is here to supposedly brighten up my day.
"Hasta la vista, Selphie! Leave me be!" I moaned.
"You're so dramatic. What's wrong this time?" She asked as she bent down to look at my feet under the stall.
I pulled them up so she couldn't see me at all.
"My name is no longer Kairi. My new name is Carey. I live on a farm and my dream is to be a transvestite and live happily with 7 kittens in a beat up shack on that island we always play on. Oh, and I molest little boys. That explains why I hang with Sora and Riku all the time."
Selphie rolled her eyes. "You really are dramatic. You know that, Kai?"
"Who?"
"Kairi, c'mon! What's wrong?"
"I know no one of such name."
"KAIRI MARIE SANCHEZ!"
"I'm Carey."
Then Selphie did something I never knew she knew how to do. She picked at the lock on the stall with a bobby pin and it opened in an instant click.
There goes my hide away.
Selphie stared at me with big eyes. I attempted to hide my head with my arms.
I failed.
"What happened to your hair?"
I ate it. What else do you think happened to it?
"I was forced against my will to get it cut…" I frowned at her as I saw her try to suppress a laugh.
"I-it's not that bad! You still look gorgeous-"
"My head looks bigger than what it really is!"
"Well… yeah, but still-"
"My father didn't recognize me when I came downstairs for breakfast this morning…"
"But-"
"Sora and Riku joked me."
"Well… their reputation really is at stake now… with the braces and the hair cut…" Selphie looked up at the ceiling nonchanlantely.
"…Selphie…"
"Hm?"
"You're no help…"
"Gosh, Kai, you still look beautiful! Big head and all!" She smiled cheerfully at me.
"Go rape a-"
"Don't say cactus. That's old now…" She frowned at me.
"Kiss my-"
"Excuse you?"
"Foot. Kiss my foot."
"You're saying that to me after I complimented you?"
Obviously.
"Yes."
"… Kairi, c'mon! You're life will get better! You're still beautiful and such, so c'mon! Let's walk out this disgusting bathroom and let the world know you're a new person!"
"Named Carey."
"No… you're still little Kairi Marie Sanchez."
"I'm older than you… and taller…" I reminded her.
"Hush up! Let's just go!"
"Fine…"
As I said before… time to start the rest of my life…
As Carey.
"Kairi!"
"Get outta my head!"
Just great…
