Jessica thought she had seen it all, but this girl’s tangled locks hide a devastating truth…
Jessica was a skilled hairstylist who had been working in the salon for many years. She was known for her gentle touch and her ability to transform even the most damaged hair into something beautiful. So when a new client named Emma walked in, Jessica was excited to see what she could do to help. She thought the messy hair was the biggest problem she had to take care of. Turns out, underneath this girl’s hair there hides another secret.
Natural talent
Jessica started working as a hairdresser early on, even before she graduated from high school. She had a natural talent for making people feel good about themselves through their appearance, and hairdressing allowed her to do just that. She began assisting at her aunt’s salon during her senior year of high school for some extra money. When it came time to go to college, she decided to focus on pursuing her passion for hairdressing. She never could have predicted the impact it would have on her life.
Her passion
After two years, Jessica found a job as a hairstylist in her city. Her ultimate goal was to open her own salon, where she could fully explore the world of hairdressing. She worked at the salon for four years, experiencing all the good and bad that came with the profession. She thought she had seen it all until that fateful Saturday morning.
A busy day
That Saturday was a busy day at the salon, with each stylist booked solid throughout the weekend. Jessica was finishing up with one of her regular clients when she noticed a teenage girl peeking through the windows. She didn’t think much of it, as many people looked in to see what was happening inside the salon. But the girl’s actions caught Jessica’s attention and made her stop what she was doing.
Nervous
The girl, dressed in a pair of blue sweats and an oversized hoodie, stepped into the salon. She scanned the crowd with her blue eyes, her hood pulled over her head and her fingers fidgeting nervously at her sides. Jessica could tell that the girl was nervous and uncertain. She put down her clippers and smiled at the girl, but the girl turned and quickly left the shop.
Curious
“Excuse me,” Jessica said to her client, apologizing for the interruption. She made her way through the crowded salon and out into the street. “Hey!” she called out to the girl, who was just about to turn a corner. “Come back,” Jessica said, urging the girl to return.
Was she okay?
The girl stopped and turned to face Jessica. There was fear in her eyes, and her lips were trembling. She looked away from Jessica and didn’t say anything. “Please come back,” Jessica repeated, her smile returning. She wanted to make sure the girl was okay.
Uneasy
“What’s your name?” Jessica asked when the girl walked back to her. The girl muttered her name, and Jessica introduced herself. “Do you want to come inside?” she asked. Even though the girl nodded and entered the salon, Jessica could tell that she was still uneasy. She led the girl through the busy salon, past all the stylists and clients. When the girl finally lowered her hood, Jessica understood why she had run away.
Messy hair
“Cut it all off,” the girl said, looking at Jessica with desperation in her eyes. Her hair was matted and messy, with thick clumps that hadn’t seen a comb in a long time. “Why do you want me to cut it?” Jessica asked, realizing that she would have to clear her schedule for the rest of the day. “Because it’s worthless,” the girl said, her eyes filling with tears. “I’m worthless. Please, just cut it all off.”
Tangles
“Let’s take it slow,” Jessica said, trying to sound soothing. “We’ll start with a comb first, and really work through the tangles. We’ll use the clippers as a last resort, okay?” The girl looked at Jessica with a mixture of confusion and hope, but she nodded. “Why do you care?” she asked. “Nobody else ever does.”
Working all day
This broke Jessica’s heart. She cleared her entire weekend, rearranging her clients and enlisting the help of her colleagues. She spent the whole day with the girl, working tirelessly to comb out the tangles and restore her hair to its natural beauty. As the day came to a close, Jessica turned the girl around to face the mirror. They had transformed what was once a mass of matted curls into a more manageable head of hair. The girl smiled for the first time that day, and Jessica knew that they still had work to do. She smiled back and asked the girl if she could come back the next day.
Sunday morning
On Sunday morning, Jessica opened the salon, even though she normally didn’t work on Sundays. She wasn’t sure if the girl would show up, but when she pushed the door open, she saw her reflection in the glass. “Come in!” Jessica said, smiling and inviting the girl into the salon.
A problem
Jessica picked up where she had left off with the girl’s hair. She asked her what length she was comfortable with and what styles she liked. Although the girl was sometimes reluctant to talk, Jessica found her to be a fascinating and delightful person to talk to. They spent hours together, and Jessica enjoyed the work. However, as she continued, she noticed a problem.
Damage
While most of the large clumps and matted sections of the girl’s hair had been fixed, there was still a lot of damage near the scalp. Jessica frowned, unsure of how to proceed. They had made so much progress that Jessica was afraid that if she mentioned the remaining damage, it might set the girl back and make her feel hopeless again. She came up with a plan instead.
Buy some time
Jessica knew that she needed to buy some time in order to figure out a better solution. If she stared at the girl’s head for too long without working, the girl might get suspicious. Jessica’s mind raced as she tried to think of ways to prolong the situation while she worked on a solution.
A delicate situation
Jessica had been successful in the hairstyling profession because she was talented. However, her customers also knew that she offered another service that was priceless. With her older clients, Jessica always felt comfortable. However, the girl’s issues and the weight she carried made the situation more delicate.
Questions
Tough circumstances
Jessica was eager to learn more about the girl. She could tell that she was carrying a lot of weight on her shoulders, especially for someone so young. Jessica understood the hardships of growing up in tough circumstances, as she had experienced them herself. As a child, Jessica had to help her mother support herself and her three siblings with very little money. She had been forced to drop out of school at a young age and put her dreams and ambitions aside in order to provide for her family.
Difficult
Things only became more difficult when Jessica’s father abandoned them when her mother was only 22. Despite this, Jessica’s mother worked tirelessly to make ends meet, taking on three jobs at times. Just when it seemed like things were starting to look up for the family, Jessica’s mother became ill and passed away when Jessica was just 17. Losing her mother at such a young age had been the most difficult experience of Jessica’s life, and she still felt the pain of it every day.
A plan
As Jessica looked at the girl’s damaged hair, she felt a deep connection to her and knew she had to help in any way she could. Instead of asking the girl to open up about her struggles, Jessica began to talk about her own difficult childhood. As the girl listened, Jessica came up with a plan to treat the girl’s hair. Jessica realized that if she applied a special treatment to the affected areas, it would untangle the hair without causing the girl any discomfort. She knew that treatment contained harmful chemicals and were not meant to be applied directly to the scalp, so she had to be extremely careful.
Something strange
Gathering her tools, she mixed the treatments and began applying them to the girl’s hair with the precision of a surgeon. Luckily, Jessica was skilled at what she did and was able to apply it without getting any on the girl’s scalp. Jessica carefully rinsed the treatment out of the girl’s hair and began to work on the finishing touches. She was thrilled to see that it had worked perfectly, untangling the matted hair without causing the girl any pain. She could see the relief on the girl’s face as she worked, and she felt happy to be able to help her. But as she continued to work, Jessica noticed something strange.
