Katey took a deep breath as she opened the salon door. She had never been to this place before, but she could already tell that she wasn’t going to like it.

The salon was the very definition of “trendy” to the point it was verging on parody. There was local art hung on the walls as well as shelves heaving under the weight of various knick-knacks and bits of tourist tat.

The whole place was lit by softly flickering Edison bulbs and smooth jazz crackled from what looked to be a very damaged record player. Some may have called it kitsch. Katey was not one of those people.

“Hey!” Shouted the woman stood at the desk, shaking Katey from her thoughts.

“Oh hey!” Mumbled Katey as she looked the woman up and down. Katey presumed that this woman was the owner of the place, if only because she looked like the type of person who would run an establishment like this.

She was tall, in fact, she towered over Katey. She had a very punky electric blue undercut that contrasted with her dark suit and brown leather apron.

“What can I do for you today?” Asked the woman as she tapped the end of her pencil against the desk.

“Oh.” Replied Katey, trying to map out what she wanted to say. “I was hoping to get a haircut. If you take walk-ins?”

“Of course we do! In fact, I just had someone cancel. So I can start right now!” Smiled the woman.

“If you think so,” mumbled Katey.

“I know so,” replied the woman as she waved for Katey to follow her.

As she followed the woman Katey’s heart started to pound in her chest. Waves of social anxiety washed over her as she tried to keep her cool. As they got close to the chairs, Katey noticed something that made her anxiety spike.

All of the barber chairs had leather straps attached to them. Thick brown leather straps with shiny brass buckles that looked like they had been stolen from an institution.

“Straps?” Whimpered Katey as she stood next to the chair.

“Right, those,” chuckled the woman as she patted the seat of the chair. “Aesthetic choice. Between you and me, the local hipsters are marks. They’ll pay for anything retro.”

Katey giggled. It was partially from nerves but she couldn’t deny that the woman was oddly charming. She settled into the chair and looked at herself in the large mirror.

“So, what are we looking for today?” Asked the woman as she put an off-white barber’s cape around Katey’s neck. “I’m sorry, I forgot to introduce myself, I’m Gem.”

“I’m Katey,” nodded Katey as she tried to hide her nerves. “I don’t really know! I was just going to get a trim.”

“No big changes?” Asked Gem as she looked over Katey’s hair.

“Not really. I’m not that type of person. I like to be practical,” mumbled Katey as she gazed at her own reflection. Her hair had been the same since college. She had found a low-maintenance style and had stuck with it.

“I see,” smiled Gem as she wheeled trolly towards herself.

“I usually get this done at the salon in the mall. But that place closed down.”

“Speed Snips?” Smiled Gem. “What a shame.”

“Yeah. It took me by surprise. That place was always full of people. But they just closed out of nowhere.” Nodded Katey as she looked at the items on the trolly. Despite the store’s odd aesthetics, the items on the tray seemed surprisingly normal.

“That is how it is being a small business,” replied Gem firmly. “Any allergies I need to know about? Scent sensitivities? Things you want me to avoid using?”

“Oh, I.” Mumbled Katey, slightly taken aback by the question. She wasn’t used to this kind of service and her socially awkward brain was unsure how to handle it. “I don’t think so?”

Gem nodded as she adjusted some of the items on the tray. “Good to know!”

“Still slightly weird to be sat in a chair covered in leather straps!” Chuckled Katey awkwardly.

“Well, there is a reason for that.” Smiled Gem as she put her hands on Katey’s shoulders. “See, way back in the olden days. Barbers were also surgeons and dentists. So the straps were there to hold people in place.”

Katey shuddered a little bit at the thought of being operated on. She didn’t like being restrained at the best of times, but being tied down as someone worked on her body was a chilling thought.

“Wow,” she mumbled as she tried to hide her anxiety.

“But not anymore,” replied Gem. “These days we just stick to hair. Which is likely for the best, I wouldn’t be a good dentist.”

“True!” Nodded Katey, her heart rate slowing as the image faded from her mind.

“So! Last call! No big change? Just a simple trim?” Grinned Gem as she picked up a pair of scissors.

“Oh, I’m not brave enough to be like you!” Smiled Katey. “I’ll stick with my usual.”

“I’m not brave!” Replied Gem as she started to trim Katey’s hair. “My undercut would suit you! But hey, maybe next time.”

“Yeah, maybe.” Mumbled Katey. The soft snipping of the scissors was oddly calming and within a few seconds, Katey felt her muscles relaxing.

After a few minutes of snipping, Gem looked into the mirror and chuckled. “I should turn the lights on! It gives you something to do!” She smiled as she put the scissors down and moved towards the mirror.

Katey looked at Gem in confusion. “Lights? Something to do?” She asked with confusion.

“Oh yeah,” smiled Gem as she flipped a switch on the side of the mirror. “Some places have TV sets. But I wanted something cooler. So I had these lights installed, they’re like a little laser show!”

“Laser show?” Questioned Katey, utterly confused by Gem’s statement. As the switch clicked the mirror slowly illuminated, bathing Katey in white light.

“Wait and see. It is pretty neat,” grinned Gem.

The soft snipping restarted as Katey waited for the promised laser show. At first, she wondered if she had been tricked. The mirror didn’t look like it had any special features.

However, over the next few minutes, Katey’s reflection started to change. It almost looked like the mirror was becoming deeper. Strange wisps of color started to dance in the glass as Katey’s eyes grew wide.

“Cool isn’t it?” Grinned Gem as she continued to snip at Katey’s hair.

“Yeah,” nodded Katey, utterly enthralled by the sight. She had to admit that it was an impressive effect. The longer she looked at the mirror the brighter and vivid the colors became.

The colors started to dance inside the mirror. Forming different shapes and patterns as time went on. It was like the mirror was full of neon fireflies who were engaged in a synchronized swimming display.

Katey’s eyes followed the patterns around the mirror. She had nothing else to do, so it made sense to just watch the show and wait for Gem to finish.

The strange wisps of light quickly twisted and tangled into a spiraling pattern. Katey let out a little gasp as this pattern started to spin around like a hurricane. It was so complex and so fascinating, she couldn’t pull her eyes away from it.

Something about it was just so relaxing. Katey couldn’t look away from the spinning lights. It was almost like they were sucking her into the mirror. Dragging her into their wonderful carefree neon world.

The lights twisted and spun as a warm tingle washed over Katey’s body. The tingle went from the tip of her toes to the top of her head, every single muscle felt warm and fuzzy. Almost as if they were being wrapped in static.

It was like she was dancing with the colors. Skipping around inside a glowing paradise that wanted nothing from her but her focus and enjoyment. She didn’t have to work or worry, all she had to do was dance with the colors.

“Relax,” cooed a voice as Katey continued to dance in the light. It took her a few seconds to recognize the voice. It was Gem, but she sounded different. She sounded calming, almost motherly.

Katey could feel some fingers massaging her temple. This mixed with the colors to make her relaxation even more intense. Every single inch of her was feeling warm and fuzzy.

The more she relaxed, the more wonderful the patterns became. It was like they were feeding off her calm. Like they were rewarding her for letting go of her stress.

As the thoughts danced through Katey’s mind she heard Gem’s voice. It was faintly repeating the thoughts she was thinking, almost like Gem was acting as her echo.

“Look at the pretty lights,” slurred Katey as Gem’s voice let out a soft giggle. It felt right to say it because it was true. The lights were pretty and she wanted to watch them dance forever.

As the lights twisted and turned, Katey found herself falling further and further into them. It was like her body didn’t exist anymore, as if she had merged with the light.

As the hurricane of colors twisted around Katey she felt herself slipping away. Her whole body was dissolving and becoming one with the light. She was floating along in a neon fever dream that only served to drain her stresses and leave her feeling blissful.

“Just relax,” cooed Gem. “Just relax. Fade.”

Katey couldn’t help it. She couldn’t control herself. The lights were carrying her away. Taking her to a place of pure relaxation where time meant nothing and all she had to do was relax and listen.

“And we’re done!” Said Gem as she dropped the scissors onto the tray.

A surge of energy ran through Katey as her mind kicked into high gear. “I, what?” She mumbled as she shook the cobwebs out of her brain. “Oh gosh! I’m sorry! I fell asleep!”

Gem chuckled and waved her hand. “No worries. It happens a lot! When you’re awake come up to the front and I’ll ring you up.”

Katey started at her reflection in the mirror, watching as it slowly came back into focus. Gem had done a good job with her hair. It was the best cut she had ever had. It looked so neat!

After a few minutes, Katey pushed herself out of the chair and walked towards the table, watching as Gem fiddled with her laptop.

“Okay, that will be nine dollars,” smiled Gem as she slid a keyboard towards Katey.

“Nine?” Blinked Katey, taken aback by the price.

“New client discount. I’ll need your address, phone number, and e-mail for the loyalty program.” Added Gem as Katey nodded and started to type. She didn’t usually sign up for loyalty stuff, but Gem had done a great job.

Once she had finished typing Katie pulled her card out and tapped it against the card reader. “Any other plans for the day?” Asked Gem.

“Nah, just going to have a chill night,” smiled Katey as she put her card away and left the store. “Bye!”

“See ya,” smirked Gem as the door swung closed behind Katey.

The rest of Katey’s day was pretty normal. She ran her errands before heading back home to relax. However, her mind kept wandering back to Gem’s hair.

She couldn’t deny that it was a cool look. She wasn’t sure if it was truly her style. But Gem had said that it would suit her, and Gem seemed to be a good judge of fashion.

Katey chuckled to herself as she ran her fingers through her hair. While the idea was interesting she couldn’t exactly go back. Two haircuts in one day? That would make her look weird.

She tried to push the thought out of her head. Doing her best to focus on something other than the salon. However, no matter what she tried, the thought kept creeping back into her mind.

As she watched a movie, she found herself looking at the characters’ hairstyles and wondering what Gem would say about them. She just couldn’t stop thinking about Gem.

Katey’s phone started to ring, pulling her out of her thoughts. She mindlessly grabbed it and checked the notification. She had received a message from an unknown number.

“Huh?” Blinked Katey as she opened the message. To her surprise, the message wasn’t text, but a small animation. It was an animation of a girl posing while mouthing the word “fashion”.

Katey felt something click in her brain. Her body started to move without her consent. She jumped up from the couch and grabbed her bag before leaving her apartment.

A small part of her brain was screaming. Saying that she should be sacred, but she couldn’t seem to feel that way. There was a blanket of artificial calm smothering her emotions.

With every step she took, she could feel herself slipping. Like she was falling asleep on her feet. She tried to fight back, but her numbed emotions combined with the natural rhythm of her walking was utterly soporific.

As she walked out onto the street, Katey felt herself spiral down into a deep void as her vision went dark.

Suddenly, Katey returned to reality. As her eyes came back into focus she realized where she was. She was in the lobby of Gem’s salon. A wave of pleasure washed over Katey’s muscles as a goofy smile formed on her face.

“Well hey!’ Chuckled Gem as she walked into the lobby. She was still in the same outfit she had been wearing earlier, but her smile was much more sinister.

Katey smiled as a wave of excitement washed over her. The excitement was so intense that it obliterated all of her fear and confusion. “Hey!” Cheered Katey.

“I’m glad you could come back. Ready for that big change?” Winked Gem as a shudder ran down Katey’s spine.

“So so ready!” Nodded Katey with a giggle.

“Excellent. Now come follow me,” replied Gem as she walked towards the backroom, waving for Katey to follow her.

Katey followed along obediently, her mind practically buzzing with joy and bliss. Doing what Gem asked of her was both fun and pleasurable, she had no idea why she had been so worried.

The back room was mostly used for storage. It was full of shelves that were heaving under the weight of various hair care products. At the very back of the room sat one of the mirrors from the main salon.

Gem turned the mirror on before quickly slipping some headphones over Katey’s head. “Just listen and enjoy, I’ll be back in a little bit,” smiled Gem as she walked back out of the room.

Katey’s grin grew wider as the lights appeared in the mirror. She was more than happy to let the pretty lights drag her back into their neon playground.

“You are a barber,” said Gem’s voice through the headphones. “You are creative and free. Nothing holds you back.” It continued as Katey gazed at the neon lights.

They were so calming. So relaxing. Katey could feel Gem’s words sinking into her brain. She didn’t care what the words said. The lights were so pretty, she would trust anyone who worked with the lights. She knew that the lights would never lead her down the wrong path.

“Free and creative. Willing to do whatever Gem says because Gem is your friend. You can trust Gem. Gem wouldn’t lie to you. Gem knows best.” Echoed Gem’s voice as Katey slumped forward.

Gem was right. Totally right. Katey felt like she had heard this information before. Not that she minded, it was nice to be reminded of such things. It felt natural to agree with Gem because Gem was a force for good in her life.

Katey lost track of time as she continued to admire the colors. It could have been seconds or it could have been weeks. She didn’t care. She was just happy to dance in the colors and to let Gem’s truth fill her.

As she felt the headphones slip off her ears, Katey let out a soft moan. Gem then moved and turned the mirror off, allowing Katey’s mind to think for itself again.

“Hey.” Smirked Gem.

“Hey!” Smiled Katey as she swayed on the spot.

“So, ready for your clients?” Asked Gem as she walked up to Katey and gently ran her hand across the girl’s chest.

Katey’s heart filled with excitement as Gem’s recording echoed in her brain. She was a barber, she loved getting clients. Clients were a chance to express her creativity.

“Hell yeah!” Shouted Katey as she followed Gem towards the door. As Gem pushed the door open, Katey could see that all four of the barber chairs had someone strapped into it.

Two of the chairs held women and the other two held men. None of them seemed happy to be in their current situation. They squirmed against the leather straps and tried to spit out the gags that were preventing them from speaking.

Katey giggled, the scene was so silly. Why would people be squirming during a haircut? Especially one given by a barber as talented and creative as her.

“Some of them are a little nervous. Isn’t that silly?” Giggled Gem, almost like she was reading Katey’s mind.

Katey nodded and grabbed one of the trolleys and wheeled it towards the first man. “Super silly! You can trust me! I’m a very talented barber!” She said as she ruffled the man’s scruffy brown hair.

The man continued to struggle. However, this struggling was in vain as the straps were far too tight. “So, you pick one client and I’ll do the other three. Okay?” Beamed Gem as she looked over the clients.

Katey nodded. She could have cut everyone’s hair, but she understood that Gem wanted to do some as well. Katey looked over the other three chairs and tried to make her decision.

One chair held a blonde woman with long hair that went down past her shoulders. Another chair held a woman with curly red hair and the final chair held a man with fluffy black hair.

Katey pondered for a few seconds before pointing towards the blonde. “I want her!” She shouted.

“Then she is yours!” Smiled Gem as she started to move down the line of mirrors, turning on the ones that sat in front of the people Katey hadn’t picked.

Katey moved her trolly up to the blonde and gently rubbed the girl’s hair. “So, what are we thinking?” Asked Katey as the woman’s eyes filled with dread.

“Oh, she wants a big change!” Interjected Gem. “A whole new look for a whole new her!”

“Gosh! Fun!” Cheered Katey as her eyes roamed the tray. As her eyes locked onto a razor she let out a happy little squeal. “Being bald is in right now! It is this season’s hot look!”

The woman started to thrash in the chair, desperately trying to wiggle out of the thick leather straps. However, it was a hopeless endeavor.

As the razor started to buzz Katey looked at the other seats. All of the other clients were staring into the mirrors with a glazed look in their eyes. Unlike Katey’s client, the other three looked so calm and relaxed. They all slumped forward as they started to drool all over themselves.

“You have good clients,” chuckled Katey as Gem smirked.

“You’re good with difficult clients,” replied Gem as Katey felt the fact sink into her brain.

Katey turned to the squirming blonde woman and gently patted her head. “Yep, you’re going to look so good when I’m done!” Giggled Katey as she slowly brought the razor up to the woman’s scalp.

As she did this, Gem slowly started to unstrap the other people. Surprisingly none of them tried to escape. They just continued to stare blankly at the mirrors.

Once they were all unstrapped, Gem went to each person and gave them a pair of scissors, her smile growing wider with each person.

Katey was only partially paying attention. She was utterly rejoicing in her work. As the razor made contact with the woman’s head, her blonde locks started to fall to the floor.

The woman’s squirming slowed down as she started to whimper, tears rolling down her cheeks as she watched her hair slowly come off. Katey giggled as she slowly moved the razor across her scalp. She felt so creatively fulfilled, she loved being a barber!

“Now,” smiled Gem as she looked over the other three people. “You need a haircut. Repeat.”

“I need a haircut,” repeated the three entranced clients, their voices dull and monotone.

Gem laughed as she listened to the clients’ parrot her words back to her. “Now,” started Gem. “Redhead, you’re getting a cute undercut! Brown hair, you want a mohawk and Black. Well. You’re going to be bald!” She cheered.

“Good choices!” Interjected Katey as she continued to shave off the blonde’s hair. The blonde could only stare at her reflection in the mirror as Katey continued to attack her head. She had totally given up on struggling.

“On three, you’re going to go into a cutting frenzy! I want to see your new style!” Shouted Gem as she winked at Katey. “One! Two! Three!” She shouted before clapping her hands.

Suddenly the three other clients burst into life. All three of them leaned forward in their chairs and stared at their reflections as they started to furiously attack their hair.

The red-headed woman grabbed a fistful of hair before furiously hacking away at it. Doing her best to get rid of one side of her hair. Her eyes were totally blank, showing how deeply she was under Gem’s control.

The man with black hair was just in a frenzy. He had a deranged smile on his face as he snipped off random chunks of hair.

The other man was clumsily trying to shape a mohawk on the top of his head. However, his lack of skill was causing him to miss and cut the wrong area over and over.

Katey giggled as she watched the other clients try to cut their hair. “They’re not as skilled as us!” She winked at Gem.

“Well, you have years of experience!” Replied Gem as Katey felt her mind twist to fit the new information Gem had given her.

“Of course!” Smiled Katey. She looked back down at the half-bald woman who sat in front of her. The woman had totally stopped squirming. She was just blankly staring into the mirror, tears rolling down her cheeks.

However, Katey didn’t care. The blonde was obviously just happy with her new hairstyle. It was the big change the blonde has asked for. Why wouldn’t someone want a hairstyle as cool as this one?

The other three clients continued to attack their hair with the scissors. While they were enthusiastic their lack of skill meant that they were struggling to pull off the looks that Gem had picked for them.

The black-haired boy had various tufts of hair remaining on his head as his unfocused attempt at shaving himself bald only served to make him look even sillier.

The redhead was having slightly better luck. She was pulling on one side of her hair so that she could cut away the stuff on the other side of her head. While she wasn’t skilled with scissors she was more focused and ordered and this was helping her pull off the cut.

The mohawk was starting to take shape on the brown-haired man’s head. While tufts remained around the sides of the hair stripe, you could tell what he was aiming for.

Katey squirmed at the sight of the hair falling to the floor. She wasn’t sure why, but watching the hair fall down to the ground was so wonderful. It filled her with serenity and bliss.

Every time a lock fell from someone’s head, a warm wave washed over Katey’s whole body. She felt amazing. She was tingling from head to toe.

“Isn’t it great?” Added Gem as she smiled at Katey. “Isn’t it amazing to see people unleashing their true creativity?”

“Yes!” Moaned Katey as she watched the razor slide through the last strip of the blonde’s hair, leaving her totally bald. “You look so good!” She added as she rubbed her hand over the woman’s bald head.

“Come on! Show Katey what you can do!” Grinned Gem as she clapped her hands. The other three clients continued to chop away, covering the floor with hair as they snipped furiously. All of them doing their best to recreate the style Gem had told them they wanted.

“This is so good!” Groaned Katey as she started to shake.

“But hey, Katey.” Purred Gem. “Does your hair fit your persona? Is your hair the hair of a super cool barber?”

Katey looked at herself in the mirror. All her doubts from earlier resurfaced. But this time they were so much more intense. Her hair was boring. It was dull. It was a generic style that she picked because it made it easy to blend in. It didn’t reflect her as a person at all!

Thankfully, Katey wasn’t afraid of change anymore. The lights and Gem’s words had filled her with confidence. She quickly turned the razor towards herself and started to shave off her hair, doing her best to emulate Gem’s style.

With every stroke of the razor, Katey’s body became warmer and warmer. She could hardly contain her excitement as she started to squirm. Being so free and creative felt so good. It felt better than anything she had ever experienced before.

As her hair fell to the floor, Katey giggled to herself. She was falling in love with her new appearance already. It was like the falling hairs were things that were holding her back. Like they were negativity leaving her body, old blocks being erased from her psyche.

The undercut quickly took form as Katey started to manically giggle. She felt amazing, more amazing than she had ever felt before. She was so happy that Gem had shown her the light, that Gem had let her be her authentic self.

Once she was happy with the shape Katey ran over to a tray of dyes and started to inspect the colors. “What do you think? What color do you think suits you?” Asked Gem.

Katey’s eyes instantly locked onto a bottle of bubblegum pink dye. She knew it was perfect. She didn’t question or doubt her decision, the true her had bubblegum pink hair.

She grabbed the bottle and ran over to the sink, quickly pouring the dye into her hair as Gem returned her attention to the three clients who were continuing to cut their own hair.

All three of them were mostly finished with their new look. Despite their inexperience, they had done quite well. While their hair was scruffy, you could tell what they were trying to emulate.

“Sit!” Shouted Gem as she clapped her hands. The three instantly sat back down in their chairs, their eyes glazing over as their bodies went limp.

Gem picked up a pair of scissors and then smiled at Katey. “Just focus on your hair. I’ll neaten these people up.”

“Okay!” Nodded Katey. Gem’s words made perfect sense. Her client was done so she could focus on her new style. She put her head down into the sink and let the soft gurgle of the water drown the world out.

Katey spent the next few minutes dying her hair. Her body felt wonderful all over, it was like Christmas and a sugar high all rolled into one. For the first time in years, Katey felt like Katey. Not just someone impersonating her.

Once her hair was done, Katey pulled her head out of the sink and looked over at Gem and her clients.

Somehow, Gem had turned the client’s amateur efforts into professional-looking haircuts. It was impossible to tell that these people had done most of the work themselves, further proving how talented Gem was.

“This is so cool!” Grinned Katey.

“Thanks!” Smiled Gem. “Get behind your bald girl!”

Katey didn’t question Gem. She quickly walked up to the formally blonde woman and gently rubbed her bald head. The woman wasn’t crying anymore, in fact, she was staring blankly into the mirror.

“Good. Eyes on the mirror please,” grinned Gem as she quickly walked down the line, turning the mirrors on as she did. Katey knew what was about to happen, but didn’t resist it.

She wanted to look into the lights. She was more than happy to let the lights take her back to the neon wonderland where she could dance all of her troubles away.

The lights in the mirror instantly relaxed Katey. Her mind fogged over as a familiar fuzzy static filled her body. She could feel her body swaying on the spot, but it didn’t feel like she was inside her body. It was like she had floated out of it and was sitting in the mirror, enjoying the neon helter-skelter.

Gem’s voice pushed through the warm haze that surrounded Katey’s brain. “You love your new haircuts,” she said firmly. “Repeat”.

“I love my new haircut,” replied Katey automatically. The clients also echoed the statement, their voices sounding almost like a choir.

“You love your new hair. Repeat” continued Gem.

“I love my new hair.” Replied the choir of voices.

“You will forget this whole event. This is the cut you left with today.”

“I will forget this whole event. This is the cut I left with today,” repeated Katey and the choir. As she said it, Katey could feel her memory of the night growing fuzzy.

“Gem is a great stylist. She convinced you to be the real you.”

“Gem is a great stylist. She convinced me to be the real me.” Replied the voices. The statement felt so right to Katey. Gem was an amazing stylist and she had convinced Katey to be the Katey she wanted to be.

“You don’t care what people say. You love your new hair. You are happy I talked you into this.”

“I don’t care what people say. I love my new hair. I am happy I talked you into this.” Echoed the voices. Katey smiled to herself as she let the words soak into her mind.

“You will forget this, but remember the happiness,” giggled Gem.

“I will forget this, but remember the happiness.” Mumbled Katey as the warm fuzziness overwhelmed her brain and sent her spiraling down into a dark deep sleep.

Katey groaned as she stumbled out of bed and moved towards the bathroom. As she walked she tried to get the cobwebs out of her brain, hoping that her mind would quickly get the memo that it was time to wake up.

As she walked into the bathroom she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She stopped her slow stumble and turned around, looking at herself head-on.

“God I look good,” she smiled as she gently ran her fingers through her bubblegum pink undercut. “This is such a good look on me. I feel like a new me!” She grinned as she leaned forward and splashed some water on her face.

In the bedroom, her phone started to buzz. Katey instantly stopped what she was doing and quickly dashed back into the bedroom, keen to see who was trying to contact her.

As she grabbed her phone off the bed, Katey realized that Gem had sent her a text. “Want to grab lunch? Do some clothes shopping? Come back to my place?” Mumbled Katey as she read the message out loud.

She didn’t need to think twice. She opened the message and quickly typed out a reply. The idea of going clothes shopping with Gem was really exciting. Gem had such an eye for style, she would totally find an outfit that was perfect for Katey.

Katey hit the send button and quickly made her way back to the bathroom. Her brain was firing on all cylinders and her body was full of excited energy.

“Gem knows what is best for me,” grinned Katey. “We’re good friends. Best friends.” She added, nodding softly to herself as she started to get ready.