The Path You Choose

Chapter Five

Zara

Zara opened up her locker to find a mustard colored envelope resting on her textbooks. She removed the contents of the envelope finding a typed note and three pictures. All of the pictures were pictures of Zara and DJ at different places. The first picture was a picture of Zara and DJ on the Brooklyn Bridge. Another picture was of Zara and DJ sitting in the bakery and the last picture was of Zara and DJ making out in Prospect Park. Zara’s cheeks reddened as she kept her focus on the photos in her hand. How did this person know where we were? Looks look I have a stalker. Zara unfolded the note and read:

I know you and DJ are dating. Don’t want your precious friends to know? Okay but you have to do something for me. Cut your hair into a mini fro. If I see that you still have all of your hair by Thursday I will give your friend Leah copies of the same pictures you have. Oh yeah, and if you tell anyone? I’ll know. So I wouldn’t advise you to do that.

Zara’s arms kept trembling as tears dripped on the note in her hand. She crumpled up the note and threw it in her locker. She shut her locker with a huge slam. Some students glanced her way. She gave everyone who looked at her the middle finger and maneuvered her way through the groups of people just standing in the hallway like that didn’t have a class to go to. Zara felt a hand touch her shoulder and she turned around to see who it was. Michaela stood at her side with her eyebrows drawn together.

“Are you okay?” Michaela asked.

“Yeah I feel just dandy!” Zara plastered on a fake smile. “Just great. I feel spectacular.”

“Then why did you just flip off all those people a few minutes ago?”

“You know I don’t like when people stare at me.”

“I mean, you’ve been really happy for the last few weeks now you look like you’ve been crying. You know you can tell me anything.”

Zara pushed her hair out of her face. “Well this time, I have to to face my problem alone. Thanks for caring.”

Zara pulled Michaela in for a bear hug. She wanted to tell Michaela what was going on and cry on her shoulder so bad but she couldn’t. She had a secret that needed to be kept a secret. She also didn’t know who she could trust other than DJ. She was still puzzled on how whoever her blackmailer was, always knew where she was. The only place she was probably safe was in her own home.

***

Zara stood in front of her vanity brushing her long curly locks. A pair of scissors laid on the vanity a few inches away. She was going to miss her luscious huge mane. Zara felt like her hairstyle was apart of who she was. Do it for DJ, do it for Leah and Victoria. She thought while contemplating to pick up the scissors.

She took 40 minutes to twist her hair in ropes then she snipped off thirty inches of her hair, leaving behind two inches of hair sprouting from her scalp. She then unraveled the twist on her head with her eyes closed. Once she was done she opened up her eyes to look at herself in the mirror. She ran her fingers through her short curly ‘do. All I need is a nose ring and I’ll look like your average dyke. But I have to admit, this hair looks kinda cute on me.

Zara posed with the duck lips as she took a quick selfie. She sent the picture to DJ and her friends. DJ was the first to respond.

DJ: Whoa. Is this really you?

Then three messages from her friends came in at the same time.

Michaela: This is one of the most daring things you’ve done this year. What made you do it?