If I were to like her, then I must have gone mad.

I sat in the barber's chair. With one swipe of the barber's razor, my tears couldn't be held back. "Young lady, are you sure you want to shave it all off?" I nodded firmly. "Yes, cut it all." This was a promise between me and Max. Just a few days prior, Max had been diagnosed with a brain tumor, and he sent me the diagnosis report. "I don't want surgery," he said. "I'm not shaving my head because it's ugly." How could that be acceptable? Surgery was the only lifeline, and the cure rate for early-stage tumors was quite high. I persuaded him for a long time with all my heart. He finally reluctantly agreed. "Then will you shave your head with me?” "I don't want to be the only one laughed at." I agreed without much hesitation. The barber untied the apron, and my long hair fell to the ground. I touched my smooth head, feeling a bit lost. But soon I cheered up. I asked the barber to take a picture for me and sent it to Max. Look, actually, being bald isn't that scary. And even if you're bald, you're still handsome. I racked my brain to think of comforting words. But after a long wait, Max didn't reply. Passersby looked at me with strange eyes. I slunk home like a thief. But inside, I was quite happy. I accompanied Max in shaving his head; even if people laughed, at least I could share half the burden with him. Early Monday morning, I was waiting downstairs for Max to go to school together. Upon seeing me, his eyes were a bit stunned. I shyly lifted my hat, revealing my smooth head. Max's expression became a bit uncomfortable, and he averted his gaze. He had one hand in his pocket, and with the other, he gently rubbed his eyes. In a low voice, he said, "Gina, there's something I forgot to tell you. "The brain tumor was a misdiagnosis; I actually don't need surgery." "What?" It took me a while to come to my senses. "Really? That's great!" I was happy for him. In the classroom, before I had time to put down my bag. One of his friends, Jone suddenly lifted my hat. My bald head was exposed to everyone. He was first shocked, then laughed so hard his stomach hurt. "My God, she really did it!” "This time, I completely admit defeat, the game account is now yours." Jone gave Max a meaningful look. Max picked up my hat from the ground and put it on my head securely. Then he turned and kicked him. "Get lost." "Can you stop talking?" Max looked at me, his lips curling into a slight smile. "Fool, how can you be so gullible?" Before the age of ten, Max and I grew up together in the mountains, nurtured by my grandmother. She would make two vegetable pancakes, one for me and one for Max. I would sit by the stove and quickly finish mine, and seeing this, Max would always share half of his with me. With a smile, my grandmother would say, "Max is so kind to his sister." Max, with a serious expression, would declare, "Gina is naive; I need to protect her from being wronged." People said I was in my mum's tummy too long and my brain wasn't working well. But my grandmother always told me that great wisdom often appears foolish. When I started primary school, I was always at the bottom of the class. I knew I wasn't smart, but my grandmother would gently pat my head and say with a soft smile, "Not everyone can be a great hero; it's also good for our Gina to be someone who applauds the heroes." One evening after class, I forgot my keycard and found myself locked out of the community gate. Max was walking behind me. The security guard asked him if he was from the same neighborhood as me. Max just glanced at me, and I clutched my school bag straps tightly, turning my head away, avoiding his gaze. Max let out a cold laugh, "No, I don't know her." His handsome face and dismissive words carried a certain conviction. Then he strolled past me and entered the community. The weather was biting cold, and snowflakes fell on my eyelashes, making me shiver. It wasn't until a neighbor who had been out for a walk returned that I was finally able to get home. To my surprise, Max was waiting at the building entrance, his hands red from the cold, seemingly having waited for a long time. He stopped me from opening the door. "Gina, how long do you plan to keep this up?" he asked."Why can't you just obey me?" He gripped my arm painfully. I struggled, but he only held on tighter. Calmly, I told him, "Max, I don't want to be your friend anymore." He let out a soft laugh. "Just because of that trivial matter?" Max pulled out a large black bag from behind his back. "The latest model of a wig, as my apology to you. Is that sincere enough?" I shook my head. "Gina, don't be ungrateful," Max said, his eyes fixed on me with a smirk. "Do you think cutting your hair makes you my girlfriend?" This person is so annoying. Why can't he understand what I'm saying? Thinking my words might not have been clear enough, I repeated, "Max, we are no longer friends." Max's smile slowly froze. "You're serious?" he asked. I nodded. "Yes." "Fine, do as you please," he said, kicking the wig far away with a scornful laugh in his voice. "Gina, no one but me can tolerate someone as silly as you." He turned and left. I hesitated for a moment before throwing away the bag Max had discarded into the trash bin.