"How much does a plain old computer cost anyways?"

I should have never asked that out loud.

Before I could even blink, Charlotte was on her phone scrolling through the websites of the local tech stores.

"Oh! The cheapest one is only about $200!" Charlotte seemed relieved, but I went numb.

"Only $200? That's a lot of money! You've barely checked! Look again! I honestly don't care about the brand or if it's used, I just need a decent laptop."

"Sara, trust me. I've filtered the prices from low to high just to be sure. Plus, this one has low storage and no camera. Believe me, this is cheap for a computer these days. A really good one can cost thousands!"

I rub my temples as I figure out how many haircuts I would have to do to make a purchase like this. To many, this may seem like a decent price for a laptop, which is probably true, but it would be a pretty extravagant acquisition for me.

"Let's say I charge $20 for a haircut. That would mean..."

"$20! That's it? I told you, people, where I come from, spend at least four times that to get their hair cut! Just a cut and dry! And that doesn't even include the tip!"

"Char, forget about tips. There may be wealthy kids here, but we're still in college. I don't think anyone here is up to spending $80 on a haircut. Plus, it's an incentive for people to come to Sara instead of the local shops that charge more." Maddy interjected.

"Maddy's right. Sure I charged more at home, but this is different. I'm not even sure anyone would trust me to cut their hair. They don't even know me!"

"Oh, we'll make sure people will come to you all right!" Elizabeth had a devious look in her eyes.

"Yeah! You can style our hair and when people ask who did such an amazing  job, of course, we'll tell them where to go!" Mariana suddenly got excited as she read Elizabeth's mind aloud to the girls. They all squealed.

"Oh! I see! You're planning on pimping my services to the campus!" We all burst out in laughter at my bad joke.

"Hey, free marketing in exchange for gorgeous hair every day? Doesn't seem like such a bad deal to me!" Lara's shyness had disappeared soon after we had our first in-person meeting. Now, the girls' chattering was becoming more and more exuberant as they discussed all of the possibilities their plan of serving as my walking billboards would open up to them. How many compliments will they get? How many new friends would they make? Would any cute guys walk up to them?

To be honest, I was getting kind of giddy myself. I never thought about how doing hair could benefit me in any way.

I had gotten so used to the burden of the reputation that I never let myself take pride in my apparent natural talent. But, I still can't shake the idea that people are the same, no matter where you try to escape to. There's always going to be the Addison Leigh's of the world to remind me of exactly where I stand.

I worked hard for a reason. I came to Yale for a reason. I don't want to throw away my chance at a fresh start.

The last thing I need is to embarrass myself, and my friends, with the labels that I so badly wanted to erase all throughout my adolescence. I don't think they know what we would be getting ourselves into.

"Guys, I don't know if I can do this." I want them to have the "normal" college experience, not be forced to run around campus advertising for their roommate, the hair cutter.

"Sara, it wouldn't be you doing it. It would be all of us. Together." Lara then proceeded to pull me in for a Danny Tanner-style hug.

"Oh, come on Sara! Stop doubting yourself for goodness sake! You need to do this. At this point, I would be convincing you to do this even if you weren't in dire need of a computer. I think we've all noticed how self-conscious you are about your skills! You need to realize that they are something to be proud of, even something to show off." All of the girls nod their heads in agreement with Elizabeth. Then, she said something that made me agree to her ludicrous plan before I could even finish thinking it through. "Plus, I'm actually a little jealous of you myself. 'I don't even have any good skills. You know like nunchuck skills, bow hunting skills, computer hacking skills...'"

I know, it was an impulsive decision. Even for me. But do I really have any other choice? Seriously, I'm asking anyone and everyone if they have any other ideas because I'm having a really hard time thinking of anything, as I have five crazy, relentless girls setting this operation in stone right before my eyes. Plus, there's no denying a Napoleon Dynamite quote!

The fact that I just agreed to practically run a salon from my dorm suite because of a Napoleon Dynamite quote should prove that I am not of sound mind, therefore I should not be allowed to operate a business.

But obviously, no one here is any better than I am, because they are currently planning their hairstyles for the first day of classes, or rather, asking me to plan them.

                                                             ↞↠    

As I lay in my new bed, trying to get some much-needed rest after listening to the girls' planning all night, I try to assess my current situation.

First of all, I think "This is not me!" I have craved freedom from the confines of Wallace County ever since I can remember. Even though I don't really have a choice, I feel like there must be an alternative. But for some reason, my gaze keeps falling on the kit propped up on my desk. Nothing else is coming to mind.

Also, I can't help but feel like this might not be such a horrible idea. The girls received my secret well. Surprisingly well. So maybe, just maybe, I have a chance here that I didn't have back home.

My next thoughts do not come in my own voice but in the voices of two people that have had an impact on my life in some way or another. The first is that of Amanda Stoger thanking me for providing her with something invaluable. The next, the one that always tends to linger the loudest in my mind, is the honeyed voice of Addison Leigh, as she degrades my mother in her own salon.

Finally, before I fall into another restless sleep, a final question makes my chest tighten. I'm not sure, but I might have even asked myself aloud. "What am I getting myself into?"

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Hi everyone! Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to read my work! I'm sorry it was a little shorter this week. I've been really busy with exams and preparation for graduation.  (So exciting, yet so stressful!)

I would love to hear from you in the comments section! I am open to helpful advice and constructive criticism, predictions, questions, etc., even if it has nothing to do with the story and you just want to know more about me!

Once more, thank you, and I hope I see you again next week!

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*I do not own the Napoleon Dynamite Photo: https://www.8ball.co.uk/products/napoleon-dynamite-t-vote-for-pedro

*I do not own the Napoleon Dynamite gif: http://gifimage.net/napoleon-dynamite-dance-gif-6/

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Well...