The next day after practice, Katie and Stacey took Alicia to the finest salon in Cincinnati to get her hair done. Alicia didn�t know what type of appointment it was because it was supposed to be a surprise. She hoped that it would help her achieve a different look than her super conservative and boring straight brown hair.
She was dropped off and only had to wait for 5 minutes.
A pretty woman of 30, and a really hot guy in his mid 20s, came over to her chair.
�Hi, Alicia, I�m Christine Roberts, a colorist here at this salon�
Colorist? Wow, there were definitely going to be changes!
�And I�m Dan Anderson, I will be your stylist for this evening�
�Nice to meet the both of you. So, what do you plan to have done with my hair?� she asked them.
�Bring it to it�s fullest potential. When I look at you, you are a very pretty girl, but the hair isn�t working.
�How old are you?� Dan asked.
�16� Alicia said.
�No offense, but your hair makes you look like you are 30 almost� They all laughed.
�Is it really that bad?�
�Don�t worry, we�ll fix it. Once Christine and I are through with you honey, you will not recognize yourself�
She nodded. �But I really don�t want a look that�s totally high maintenance, because I�m a girl who doesn�t want to put much thought into her looks, and I don�t want to have to spend� like an hour on my hair every day, you know what I mean?�
�We can definitely do that. So, I�m going to start with blonde highlights that will really compliment your features and then Dan will come back and give you a haircut that will enhance them. So are you ready?�
�This year has been about chance since I came to Cincinnati, so bring it on!� Alicia told them.
They laughed �That�s the spirit, girl!� said Dan.
So then Christine began putting the highlights in her hair, and while she did so, they had a friendly conversation. Then she had to sit for 20 minutes and let them set it in. Then Christine washed it and sent her to Dan.
�So, Miss Alicia, how are you enjoying your salon experience?� Dan asked her.
Alicia nodded �It�s nothing like I have experienced before at all. Before I would have just chomped off a few inches of hair and be done with it�
�We are going to do FAR from that. As we said before, you are a gorgeous girl, but it really hasn�t shown through. So I�m going to take off several inches of your hair because it�s just hanging there like a dead dog�
Alicia blushed. �That bad, huh?�
�It does NOTHING for you at all, so we are going to take off about this much� Dan had his fingers on her hair just above her collarbone, which was a lot, because her hair went down to mid back.
She chuckled. �I don�t know about this Dan, I haven�t had short hair in a LONG time�
�Well, you said earlier that you wanted a change� Dan told her.,
�I did. So we will. Work your magic�
Dan laughed. �I will. Here, put your hair back into a low ponytail for me� He handed her a ponytail holder.
She did so, and he cut off almost that entire ponytail. And the experience wasn�t that bad at all.
�Here you go, say goodbye to all that hair� Dan handed her her hair.
Alicia laughed. �Oh my gosh, I can�t believe it was that long. Well, there�s no going back now, style it�
�Ok� Dan began to style it.
�Why do you cut the hair wet? Wouldn�t you have a better idea of what it would look like dry?� She asked him.
�It�s easier to style that way.� He said.
�I�m getting kind of nervous about what it looks like, because I haven�t been able to see in a mirror since I got here� Alicia told him.
�Honey, I�m a professional, I know what I�m doing. But don�t worry, you are starting to look hot�
She blushed again, but also laughed. That was definitely a compliment, especially coming from a hot guy like Dan. �You�re funny, Dan�
�Thank you.�
He finshed styling, and then blow-dried it out. �Are you ready to see the new Alicia?�
Alicia nodded. �Spin it around�
Dan did and then she gasped. A weird feeling came over her. She was content. THIS was what she was supposed to look like. It was definitely her and fit her new life. And she did have to admit, the layers did bring out her face and, dare she say it, she actually looked half way pretty.
�What do you think?�
�I LOVE it!!!! It�s completely me. Thank you so much Dan, you are a fashion genius.� She smiled.
�I�m glad you do. And it�s not too high maintenance, you can dress it up or down, all you need to do is come back here every 6 to 8 weeks to get it redone.�
�I can do that. Thank you again� she hugged him.
�You�re welcome, hun. Have a great night� He said.
�Same to you�
Stacey and Katie were waiting for her in the front. �Wow, Ali, you look really pretty!� Stacey exclaimed.
�Thank you�
� You look beautiful, it totally fits your new image� Katie hugged her �What do you think of it?�
�I love it. It�s what I was meant to look like. Now, can we please get some dinner, I�m starving!�
The trio went to Cooker�s, one of the family�s favorite restaurants. �Do you have much homework tonight, Leesh?� Katie asked. �Because you will be out kind of late�
Alicia shook her head. �Just two worksheets in French and History, and Trig problems. Nothing I can�t handle.�
They talked for awhile, till Stacey asked �What do you think the guy you like will think of your new look?�
Alicia shrugged. �We�ll see. I hope he does�
�Make him realize what he�s missing.� Katie teased.
�Well, I really don�t want a guy to like me just because I�m pretty, and he has a girlfriend. He probably only sees me as a friend anyway, if that�
�Alicia, you need to learn to be not so doubtful of yourself and go for the guys you like. You may even get a relationship out of it�
�Yeah, but I won�t steal another girl�s boyfriend, even if I hate her and she is an uber... well we won�t use that language around Stace, but basically, a total meanie� She sighed.
They got home about nine. �Who is this beautiful girl that just walked in?� Jeremy asked.
�It�s me, Alicia,� She said.
�You look gorgeous, this look totally fits you� He hugged her. �Oh, and Chloe called. She said she really needed to talk to you and to call her as soon as you got home�
Alicia groaned inwardly. Things had been growing hostile between the two sisters lately. She would call after she did her homework, because she knew that if she called and they had an argument, she would not be motivated to do her homework.
She did it and it took her about an hour to do. �Chloe is going to be mad at me, but I�m really tired and not in the mood for an emotional talk�
So she went to bed.
Alicia got up the next morning, excited to show her friends the new look. So she brushed it out and left it down, did her make up and put on an orange baby tee and her favorite pair of low cut jeans that she had gotten at American Eagle. �Wow, I must say I look good, though it is something the old me would never have DREAMED of wearing� she whispered to her reflection. �I hope my friends will recognize me�
She got to school, finding Drew, Jeff, Justin, Les, and Desiree standing in a group together.
Jeff gave out a whistle. �Who�s this sexy mama we have here?�
Alicia blushed five shades of red, and Desiree said, �Now, Jeff, you must not hit on other women. You have a girlfriend�
�Hey, I�m a guy. Guys notice these things�
�So I guess this means you like my new look� Alicia said, still blushing. She was not used to this kind of attention.
Jeff nodded. �Love it, actually�
�You look gorgeous, you always had the potential to look this good, but it just needed to show through� Desiree said.
�It�s a wonder what hair and make up can do to confidence. Look at you girl, you look like you could take on the world� Justin said.
Alicia said, beaming. �It�s comments like that that make me feel that way� She paused, �Where�s Dani?�
�I haven�t seen her today� said Les.
Jeff was looking awkward, so Desiree and Alicia decided to go on ahead to History.
�So, what do you think Nick will think?� Desiree asked in a little bit of a teasing tone.
Alicia shrugged. �I really don�t know. Have you seen him today?�
Desiree shook her head. �Not at all. But you�ll see him next period though, won�t you?�
�Yeah, he�s in my French Class�
French Class came and when she walked in, Nick wasn�t in there. �Darn, I hope he�s here today� She thought.
She sat down in her seat and Nick walked in just before the bell rang. He didn�t look like he was having a good day.
After class, Alicia called to him. �Hey Nick, wait up!�
He turned around. �Hey hot stuff!�
Alicia was trying with all her might not to blush. �Wow, thank you. No one�s ever called me hot before�
�But you really do look hot, with that haircut and the outfit. You should keep your hair like that�
�Thanks. And I�m getting compliments left and right, I�m not used to this� She told him.
�You deserve to stand out. See you at lunch � He walked away.
Alicia felt as if she was on top the world. Nick had complimented her! This was definitely going to be a good day.
At lunch, it was her, Justin, Les, Drew, Desiree, Nick, Megan and Missy sitting at the table together. And Nick was sitting next to her, which made her slightly nervous.
�I really don�t want to go to practice today,� Nick said, �It�s been a bad day�
�Well, if it has, you can go pretend to be someone else for a couple hours. What�s so bad about that?� She asked him.
�I�m just really stressed, Alicia. About everything�
�Do you want to talk about it?�
He shook his head �But if I do, I�ll tell you, ok?�
�Ok�
He stood up. �I�m gonna go. See you later�
�Chin up, Nick�
�I�ll try� He started walking away.
Alicia felt a lot of sympathy for him. She wished she could help him feel better.
�I�m worried about him. He�s really been zoning out lately,� Drew said, watching him leave. �He�s been locking himself in his room a lot, except for last night when I made him come with us�
�It�s probably something to do with him and Sara� Justin said. �I�ve noticed she�s been a lot bitchier since Alicia and Nick were cast as leads�
�Why can�t she get over the fact that she is not lead actress material and she doesn�t always get what she wants� Megan rolled her eyes. �I want to slap that bitch so bad. I wish she would leave�
Before Theater, Sara came up to Alicia, which made her nervous. She still couldn�t stand up to her enemies.
�Hey, [nice person]. Trying to steal my boyfriend?�
�No� Alicia said �We�re just friends�
�[freak'n] off Sara, she never did anything to you� That was Ashlyn.
Sara gave her a nasty look. �What are you going to do about it Ashley?�
�It�s AshLYN. Now, remove your ugly face from our sight�
�Gladly� She walked away.
�ummm� Thank you ashlyn� Alicia said.
�Don�t mention it. She is out of your league and just jealous of you�
Now, that was something new. NO ONE had been jealous of her before.
Alicia got home around 6, after an average practice. Chloe was waiting on the phone for her. She knew she had to talk because Chloe was probably really pissed off.
�Hello?� Alicia answered in a calm, even tone.
�WHERE WERE YOU YESTERDAY? I REALLY NEEDED YOU!� Yep, she was pissed all right. Guilt started to set it. This was going to be a LONG conversation.