When Jade is fourteen, she cuts her hair for the first time in years. She is bored and feels like a change, so one Friday afternoon she takes a pair of scissors from her mom's craft room (not that anyone used it) and chopped her hair.
For a while she stares at herself in the bathroom mirror. The cut is messy and a little uneven, falling just past her shoulders. Looking at her reflection, Jade can't decide whether she likes the cut or not, but it is a change, so she leaves the room satisfied.
Monday morning, Jade meets Cat as usual by her locker. Instead of being greeted with the bubbly redhead's brilliant smile (which, annoying as it could be, was a staple in her morning), Jade was faced with a confused expression.
"Your hair is gone," Cat points out slowly.
"I cut it," Jade answers simply.
Frowning, Cat reached a hand out to touch Jade's cropped hair. "I liked it long."
Nodding, Jade walked away while a somber Cat followed behind. Years later, although she never drew attention to the fact, Cat would realize that that was the last time Jade had ever cut her hair, letting it grow long instead.