Bad Hair Day
He entered his home with a sigh of relief. It had been a long day and he was
looking forward to spending the next three days lounging around his house doing absolutely nothing.
"Hayden?" He called out and his voice echoed through the house. "Hayden? Are you home?" The only reply was a small sniffle
coming from the downstairs bathroom. He made his way through the den and down the hall stopping at the bathroom door. "Hayden?"
He spoke softly as he lightly rapped on the door. He again heard a sniffle. "Baby, are you okay?"
"No," came her quiet response, muffled by a sob.
"Sweetie, what's wrong?" he asked, his concern for her growing.
"You're just gonna laugh," she managed to choke out.
"No, I won't. What's the matter?" he asked. He leaned his forehead against the door frame as he waited for her to give him her
reason for being so upset.
"It looks awful," she finally responded.
"What does?" he furrowed his brow in thought of what she meant.
"My hair," she said and began to sob again. He let a small chuckle escape his lips. "Gustav! You said you wouldn't laugh!"
"I'm not laughing," he retorted. "It can't be that bad. Open the door and let me see it."
She felt horrible as she thought about the events that took place earlier that afternoon. She had gone to visit her sister, Sarah.
As she and her nephew Caleb were playing, his gum found its way out of his mouth, and into her hair. She and Sarah had tried
everything they could think of to get the gum out of her hair; peanut butter, ice, butter, nothing seemed to work. There was only one
thing left to do.
Hayden looked in the mirror at her hair and scowled. What once had been long, beautiful tendrils of golden curls down her back
was now a short mess surrounding her face.
"Come on, Hayden. Open up. I wanna see," Gustav insisted. It couldn't be that bad, could it? he thought.
"You'll hate it," she said followed by a sniffle.
"Now how do you know that?" he asked as he looked at the door and placed his hands on his hips.
"Because I do," she replied softly.
"I won't hate it. Open the door. Please?" he stood back as he heard the lock turn. She pulled open the door and stood there.
He gazed at her red, tear-stained face and then to her hair. "Shit, you look like that curly-haired guy from 1 Direction."
A look of pain shot through her sapphire eyes as she slammed the door shut blocking him from her sight again. "Fuck you,
Gustav!"
Gustav knew he'd hurt her feelings and bit his tongue for not thinking before he spoke. "Baby, I'm sorry."
"Go away!" she yelled.
"I didn't mean that in a bad way. Your hair just looks a little like his, that's all. Their fans go crazy over his hair. That's not a bad thing, is it?" he leaned against
the door and sighed, "I'm sorry." He picked at his fingernails and tried to think of something to say to rectify the situation. "I
think you look beautiful."
"Liar."
"No. I'm not lying. I like it. Really." He wracked his brain trying to find the right words. "It defines your cheek bones and draws
attention to your beautiful eyes." Hayden traced her finger over her cheekbones as she listened. "It makes you look elegant.
Classy. But in a sexy way."
Hayden reached for the lock and opened the door. Gustav, still leaning on the door, stumbled into the bathroom. He regained
his balance and looked down at her.
"You mean that?" she looked up at him and bit her bottom lip.
"Every word," he said as he placed his hands on her small hips and drew her closer to him. "You are the most beautiful
woman I've ever seen." He tilted her chin up with his index finger and lightly brushed his lips against hers. She slid her arms
around his neck and deepened the kiss. As their lips parted, he reached up and stroked her hair. "I love you," he whispered.
"I love you too," she replied as she leaned against his chest. She smiled and thought, "He's such a good liar."