The man with white hair falling on both side of his face lounged in his chair, his gaze fixed on the girl opposite him. The room was dimly lit, and the only sound came from the flickering candle on the side table. His body was covered in intricate tattoos that seemed to dance in the shadows, and his sharp jawline and well chiseled physique gave him an otherworldly look.
A girl sat nervously, twiddling her fingers in her lap. Her vibrant brown eyes contrasted with her dark skin and petite frame. She avoided meeting the man's gaze, her head hanging low.
He stood up and walked towards her, his tall and muscular frame looming over her. She remained still, unsure of what to do.
"Why won't you leave?" he asked, his deep voice echoing in the quiet room.
The girl stayed silent, still twiddling her fingers.
"Tsk," the man clicked his tongue in annoyance and started to walk away. Suddenly, she reached out and grabbed his hand, her touch surprising him.
"Don't… Leave… Me," she whispered softly.
The man frowned, puzzled by her sudden change in behavior. He had assumed she was mute, but now she was speaking. He gently freed his hand from her grip and walked away, but the girl followed him, wrapping her arms around him and clinging tightly.
"This is annoying," he muttered, trying to extricate himself from her embrace. He effortlessly picked her up and tossed her onto the bed.
"If you won't leave, don't stress me out," he warned her.
The girl looked up at him, her eyes shining in the candlelight. He could make out the curves of her body and the outline of her face. Despite his irritation, he started to feel something stir within him.
"Don't leave," she pleaded, her voice barely above a whisper.
The man sighed, his frustration subsiding. He took a seat opposite her and watched her closely.
"Fine, I'll stay. Just don't make it weirder than it already is," he said.
The girl got up from the bed and approached him slowly, playing with her fingers and keeping her head still hanging low.
"What now?" he muttered under his breath.
She sat down on the floor and placed her head on his lap. He looked down at her, wondering what she wanted. He could feel her warm breath on his thigh and the softness of her hair against his skin. He couldn't deny that he was intrigued.
___
"Jaden, are you okay?" Jaden's mother's worried voice called out to him.
Jaden slowly opened his eyes, feeling a bit numb and tired.
"Why are you on the floor?" Lilian asked, staring at Jaden suspiciously.
Jaden groaned, rubbing his head. "A dream?" He mumbled to himself.
"And what the hell did you do to your hair?" Lilian exclaimed, noticing the drastic change in Jaden's appearance.
Jaden's hand shot up to his head, feeling around frantically. "What? No way!"
But as soon as he touched his head, he felt his hair was short and uneven.
"Oh no!" Jaden gasped, jumping to his feet and running to the bathroom.
His mom tried to stop him. "Wait, don't look in the mirror-"
But it was too late. Jaden looked at himself in the mirror and screamed in horror.
He looked like a mad scientist had used his hair as an experiment. The hair on the right side was short and choppy, while the left side still had long strands that seemed like they had been hacked off with a dull pair of scissors.
"Mom, what happened to my hair?!" Jaden cried out, tears streaming down his face.
"I don't know, sweetie," Lilian said, trying to calm him down. "Maybe you cut it in your sleep?"
Jaden shook his head. "I would never do that! I love my hair!"
"Well, I don't know what else could have happened," Lilian said, looking just as confused as Jaden.
"I don't remember anything," Jaden said, holding his hair in his hands. "This is a disaster."
Lilian tried to comfort him. "It's okay, Jaden. We'll figure this out. We can go to the salon and get it fixed."
But Jaden wasn't convinced. "No, Mom. My hair is ruined. I'll never be the same again."
Lilian sighed. "Oh boy, I think we're in for a long day."
___
Jaden stood before the bathroom mirror, taking in his new hairstyle. The salon had expertly relaxed and conditioned his hair, leaving them soft and silky to the touch. Strands of hair now fell delicately onto his face, framing his features and drawing attention to his sharp jawline and deep-set eyes. The new style gave him a refined and polished look that was quite different from his usual vibe.
However, Jaden still had mixed feelings about the change. He was used to his previous look and didn't know how people would react to the new him. He sighed and slapped his forehead, anticipating the teasing he might receive from his friend Alex.
As he looked at himself in the mirror again, Jaden couldn't help but appreciate how much more handsome he looked. He started to admire himself, his confidence growing.
Jaden made his way downstairs and opened the door, finding Alex standing outside. "Woah! Where the hell is Jaden?" Alex exclaimed upon seeing Jaden's new look.
"Not now bro, I can't deal with your sarcasm right now," Jaden said, walking past Alex and closing the door behind him.
"Seriously, man, you look like a million bucks right now! You'd pull girls with this new look, believe me," Alex said, following Jaden.
Jaden stared at Alex for a moment before responding. "Whatever man."
"Why the sudden change, though?" Alex asked.
"You wouldn't believe the story if I told you, trust me," Jaden answered as they walked.
"That's why you didn't show up in school today," Alex realized.
"Yeah," Jaden confirmed.
"I'm heading to school for my training with Miss Thompson," Jaden said, changing the subject.
"Can I come with?" Alex asked.
"I don't know man, it depends on Miss Thompson," Jaden explained.
"I'm coming with you, damn it," Alex said, playfully pulling Jaden underneath his arm.
Jaden felt a little pressure as Alex pulled him in, even though he could tell Alex wasn't even trying. He seemed to have gotten stronger.
Finally, Alex released Jaden from his hold, and they walked down the sidewalk together.
***