A few hours later, we left the house.
The drive was quiet.
Neither of us said much.
After a while, my mom pulled over and parked.
I looked up.
A salon.
"I don't want to do this," I said quietly.
"I know," she replied.
That was it.
I opened the door anyway.
We walked in.
The place was calm.
A few people talking.
Hairdryers in the background.
"Hi," the woman at the front said.
Her eyes moved from my mom… to me.
She paused.
"Oh—sorry," she said quickly. "Him, right?"
My mom nodded.
"Yes. Haircut for him.
The woman smiled politely.
"He has really long hair for a boy," she added.
I looked down.
"Have a seat."
I walked over and sat in the chair.
Slowly.
The cape was wrapped around me.
The mirror was right in front of me.
I didn't look at it for long.
The stylist came over.
"What are we doing today?"
"Short," my mom said.
The stylist looked at me.
"Is that okay?"
"…Not really," I said.
There was a small pause.
"It'll be fine," my mom said.
The stylist nodded and started.
She ran her fingers through my hair.
Then reached for the scissors.
Right before she cut it...
A little kid walked past with her mother.
She stopped near my chair and looked at me.
"Mommy," she said loudly, "is that a boy or a girl?"
Everything went quiet.
My chest tightened instantly.
The mother looked embarrassed.
"Shh, that's not polite," she whispered quickly.
But the kid kept staring.
"They look like a girl," she added.
I froze.
The stylist paused for a second.
Then forced a small laugh.
"Kids say anything," she muttered.
My mom didn't say anything.
I kept my eyes down.
My hands felt cold.
"Let's just continue," my mom said calmly.
The scissors moved again.
Snip.
A piece of my hair fell.
Then another.
I didn't look up anymore.
I just sat there while it happened.
"Almost done," the stylist said after a while.
I nodded slightly.
A few minutes later, she stepped back.
"Okay."
I looked up.
Short hair.
Different.
"…It's fine," I said.
We paid and left.
Back in the car, I stared ahead.
My phone buzzed.
I looked down.
A message.
From my best friend(Sarah).
"So… did you cut it?"
I stared at the screen.
I hadn't told her.
Not today.
Not now.
My fingers tightened slightly around my phone.
And for some reason…
that question in the salon didn't leave my head.
Is that a boy or a girl?...