The Hair Rule
1211 Words
The next morning began almost like any other day.
Louise stood in the kitchen helping Pyra pack her lunch. The smell of toast filled the air, but the warmth in the house felt a little strained. Ken leaned against the counter, pretending to read the newspaper, though his eyes kept drifting toward Louise.
They weren’t arguing. Not exactly.
But the silence between them carried the weight of everything they had told Pyra the night before.
Pyra, meanwhile, was tying her shoes near the door. Her face looked normal, but her mind was anything but calm. The words princess, kingdom, and dead father kept echoing inside her head like distant thunder.
She grabbed her bag quickly.
“I’m going to school!” she said, rushing toward the door.
“Pyra?” Louise called.
Pyra paused and turned back.
Louise forced a gentle smile. “Don’t think about it too much.”
Pyra gave a small, tight smile in return. “Okay.”
Then she slipped out the door and hurried down the street.
Ken slowly lowered the newspaper and looked at Louise.
Louise avoided his eyes.
---
On the School Grounds
The school corridor buzzed with chatter, lockers slamming, and footsteps echoing across the tiled floors.
Pyra had barely stepped inside when someone suddenly jumped in front of her.
“PYRA!”
Lena.
They both burst out laughing and did their usual handshake—two claps, a spin, and a quick hug.
“Missed me already?” Lena teased.
“Obviously,” Pyra replied dramatically.
They walked together toward their lockers, talking and laughing like they always did.
For a moment, Pyra almost forgot about everything.
Almost.
---
In Class
Biology class had already started.
The teacher was writing complicated diagrams on the board while explaining something about chemical bonding and cellular reactions.
Pyra sat near the window, while Lena leaned closer from the next desk.
“Pssst,” Lena whispered.
Pyra didn’t turn. She just smiled faintly and whispered back, “Careful, Lena. We’re in class.”
Lena ignored that.
“Don’t go near that strange man again.”
Pyra’s smile faded slightly.
She slowly turned her head toward Lena.
“How do you know about that?”
Lena blinked.
For a moment she looked confused herself.
“I… don’t know.”
She scratched her head.
“Instincts?”
There was a pause.
Then both girls suddenly burst out laughing.
Unfortunately, the teacher heard them.
He turned around sharply.
“Mrs. Foster,” he said sternly. “Would you like to explain why you’re laughing during my class?”
The room went silent. Every student turned to look at Pyra.
Pyra froze.
“Um… uh…”
The teacher sighed.
“Forget it,” he said. “Instead, tell me the answer to this.”
He wrote something on the board.
“Explain Chemical Reaction 260 and its molecular balance.”
Several students groaned quietly. Even some of the smartest kids looked lost.
Pyra studied the board for a moment.
Then she calmly explained the entire reaction process, the molecular alignment, and even corrected a small part of the teacher’s equation.
When she finished, the class was silent.
The teacher blinked.
“Well… impressive,” he admitted.
A few students clapped lightly.
Madeline rolled her eyes.
The teacher then cleared his throat.
“Our test is tomorrow,” he announced to the class.
Groans filled the room.
“Be here by eight a.m. sharp,” he continued. “And come dressed properly. This is an exam, not a fashion show.”
He adjusted his glasses.
“And one more thing.”
He looked around the class.
“Everyone must come with their natural hair. No makeup. No paints. No dyed hair.”
Madeline suddenly snorted loudly.
“Sir,” she said sweetly, raising her hand. “Shouldn’t people who dyed their hair… you know… undye it?”
Her eyes slowly drifted toward Pyra.
Several students turned to look at Pyra’s bright red hair.
The teacher followed their gaze.
“Yes, that’s correct,” he said firmly. “Anyone who dyed their hair must return it to its natural color.”
Then he pointed directly at Pyra.
“Including you, Miss Foster. Must you really dye your hair red? Appreciate your natural hair, young lady.”
Pyra forced a polite smile.
“Yes, sir.”
The teacher gathered his books.
“Class dismissed.”
---
After Class
The moment the teacher left, Madeline and her group of girls walked straight toward Pyra.
Madeline crossed her arms.
“Well, well,” she said mockingly. “Are you not beautiful enough to show your real hair?”
Before Pyra could react, Madeline reached forward and tried to grab her hair.
But Lena slapped her hand away.
Madeline jerked her hand back instantly.
“Leave me alone, you loser,” she snapped at Lena.
Then she pointed at both of them.
“You two are going to lose anyway.”
She flipped her hair arrogantly.
“Everyone knows I’m the beauty of this school.”
Her group laughed as they walked away.
Pyra watched them go, completely confused.
She turned to Lena.
“Are we in some kind of beauty competition?”
Lena burst out laughing.
“No, Pyra.”
“Then what was that?”
“That,” Lena said, shaking her head, “was Madeline being jealous.”
Pyra blinked.
“Jealous? Of what?”
Lena looked at her like she had just asked the most ridiculous question ever.
“Of you being prettier than her.”
Pyra shrugged.
“Strange reason to be angry.”
Lena suddenly paused.
Her expression changed.
“Oh no.”
“What?” Pyra asked.
“You told me your red hair is actually your real hair.”
Pyra nodded slowly.
“Yeah.”
Lena covered her face.
“That’s bad. That’s very bad.”
Pyra sighed.
“The test is tomorrow.”
Lena leaned closer.
“You could skip the test.”
Pyra looked at her like she had lost her mind.
“You can’t be serious.”
“Just suggesting!”
Pyra shook her head.
“I do not like that suggestion. Give me another one. Preferably one that doesn’t involve failing the test.”
Lena thought for a moment.
Then suddenly snapped her fingers.
“I got it!”
Pyra raised an eyebrow.
“Should I be worried?”
“Listen,” Lena said excitedly. “Other people dye their hair different colors, right?”
“Yes…”
“So you just do the opposite.”
Pyra frowned.
“I’m afraid to ask.”
“You wear a wig,” Lena said proudly. “A normal hair color wig.”
Pyra blinked.
Then slowly smiled.
“Lena… I must admit… that’s the smartest thing you’ve ever said.”
Lena bowed dramatically.
“Compliment accepted.”
Pyra then looked around the hallway.
“So where exactly are we supposed to get a wig like that?”
Lena grinned mischievously.
“Leave that to me.”
Pyra narrowed her eyes.
“Why do I feel like I’m about to get dragged into something illegal?”
Lena grabbed her arm and started pulling her down the hallway.
“Because you probably are.”
Pyra sighed.
“Fantastic.”
- Writer
