"My hair?" Sarah asked confused, touching Nick's cap on the top of her head. Clementine sighed, that was the way she reacted when Lee told her that she needed a haircut as well. "But, why...? I mean, I know it's tangled but I can't help it. There's no hair brushes around here or I would brush it..." She rambled on, and Clem couldn't help but to stifle a small laugh. Did she act that bad?
"Look, I know it might sound silly at first, but it will keep you safer. Trust me." Clementine explained. "People won't be able to grab you by your hair, or walkers won't be able to either." And as Clem was telling to Sarah, it was almost as if the teen girl had a realization of some sort. Yes, it was the zombie apocalypse, and yes, you had to learn how to protect yourself and stay safe.
Sarah nodded a little slowly, "Are you sure this will work Clem?"
"For sure." Clementine answered.
"Okay then, I'll do it." Sarah nodded. She then handed little Al back to Rebecca who started to feed him again.
"You girls be careful, okay?" Rebecca said, "And stay where Kenny can see you."
"We will." Clementine nodded. She then grabbed Sarah's hand gently, and led the teen girl to an open spot on what was left of the observation deck. Once Clem was sure that this was a good spot, she had Sarah sit down so that she could cut the hair more easily. "Okay, I have to take your hat off." Clem said, grabbing what used to be Nick's hat off Sarah's head and sitting on the ground beside her.
"Am I going to look like a boy after this?" Sarah asked a little disappointed.
"You'll look fine." Clementine chided. "Now hold still so I don't mess up." She then heard Sarah take in a breath as she held her long black hair in her small hands. Clem hoped that she didn't mess up Sarah's hair too bed, because well, she had never done this sort of thing before. Sure, Clementine had cut the hair on her dolls just messing around, but a human person was so much more different than a doll.
"Okay." Sarah replied. "I'll hold still, just be careful."
"Here I go." Clem said, faking enthusiasm.
Clementine sighed, then held up the pair of metal scissors and started snipping away at Sarah's hair slowly. She took little pieces off at first, to get the feeling of cutting hair for the first time, but once she got the hang of it, she started cutting bigger chunks to get the job done faster. Sarah stayed silent most of the time, but Clem figured that she would. She was still mourning over the loss of her dad, and she hadn't talked much at all since his passing. And when she did talk, it was only to Clementine and not really anyone else. Clem figured that Sarah would have a little bit of trust issues for a while.
"Hey Clementine?" Sarah questioned, breaking the silence between the two girls. Her voice was much more softer, as if she didn't want Kenny or Rebecca to hear their conversation. Clem hoped that she didn't start crying again, because Clementine did not do well with crying people. She was not much of a comforter.
"Yeah?" She answered, and continued cutting Sarah's hair.
"You know... I never said thank you for saving me." She said simply. "Both times I guess." She added with a shrug.
"Sarah, you don't have to say thank you..." Clementine trailed off. "I saved you because I wanted to, because you're my friend, and friends look out for each other." She shrugged, only telling the truth and being honest with Sarah. Clem was always honest with Sarah, it was just something you had to do.
"I want to say it anyway." Sarah sighed. "So thank you Clementine, for saving me. I'm glad you did." Her voice was becoming more shaky by the second, and Clem felt her chest getting heavy. "You know... Even in the trailer, I thought Luke might have wanted to help me like you did, but he didn't... As soon as Jane told him to leave, he was gone. And then I thought he might have tried to help me again when I fell off the deck, but he didn't... And it feels like it's all Jane's fault..." A tear slid down her cheek, but she wiped it away quickly.
"But I saved you." Clem said, bending down to sit beside Sarah. "That's all that matters, you're still here."
"I know..." She hiccupped.
"And Jane's gone, so you don't have to worry about her." Clem added, trying to get Sarah to feel better.
"You're my only friend Clementine, the only one I can trust now." Sarah said with a steady voice. "Everyone else just gives up on me... Nick, Jane, Luke... Without dad, I just... I just..." She stopped talking after that, trying to catch her breaths that were now coming out in short pants. Clementine could tell she was trying her hardest not to cry, but her doe eyes were so watery, and tears were threatening to fall at any moment.
Without thinking, Clementine wrapped her arms around Sarah's shaking torso for comfort. "I will never give up on you. You're strong Sarah... You are so strong." It came out in a whisper, but Clem was sure that Sarah heard it. After that, the two girls sat there for a moment in their embrace until Sarah felt better.
"You should probably finish cutting my hair." Sarah pointed out with a small smile.
"Right." Clem said and stood back up, grabbing her scissors. The haircut was almost complete, just a few more little strands to cut off. She was going right to Sarah's hairline, leaving no hair hanging down. It was going to be just a simple pixie cut, nothing more, nothing less. "Alright, I think I'm done." Clementine said, and sat the scissors down. Sarah's hand immediately went to the back of her head.
"Oh my gosh..." She whined. "It's so short..."
"Relax." Clementine waved off and grabbed Sarah's hat from the ground putting it on the teen girl's head. "I think you look cute."
"Really?" Sarah questioned, a small blush coming to her cheeks.
"Yeah." Clementine nodded. "Come on, let's go check on Rebecca and the baby." She added, pulling Sarah to stand up.
