Part 2Replace Me

When I returned to the dorm with a freshly buzzed head, dyed a shocking shade of bubblegum pink, Jenna’s face went pale.

“Ava! Why would you do that?” she demanded. “And that color! It’s an embarrassment to the whole university! You need to change it back right now!”

I scoffed. “What I do with my hair is none of your business. And show me the rule in the student handbook that says we can’t have pink hair.”

Knowing she was losing the argument, she changed her tack. “I’m not saying there’s a rule, I just mean… pink doesn’t suit you.”

That was all Kristen needed to hear. She jumped to my defense. “Are you serious? My girl is a natural beauty; she doesn’t need your fashion advice. Pink is a tricky color, though. It definitely wouldn’t work on someone with your… complexion.”

The comments popped up again.

[Kristen is a legend. That little mouth of hers is a lethal weapon. The villain is turning green, LOL!]

[No wonder she's freaking out. She spent all her loan money. Her bank account is flashing red, only two hundred bucks left.]

[LMAO, Villain's dilemma: Change hair, insufficient funds. Don't change hair, all previous effort wasted!]

[I take back what I said before. This girl knows exactly what she's doing.]

An unexpected bonus.

But I had underestimated Jenna’s determination to steal my life.

The next day, while I was trying on wigs at my mansion, Kristen texted me.

“Ava, when are you coming back to campus?”

[image]

[image]

“OMG I’m dying! The copycat dyed her hair pink to match you, and she looks like a gorilla in drag. It’s a crime against humanity!”

In the photos, Jenna’s hair was a disastrous shade of pink, making her look like an angry flamingo. Apparently, she’d bought a $3 box of dye and borrowed a flat iron from another roommate. After hours of effort, she had achieved a hairstyle that was a sad, 70% match to my wig.

A slow smile spread across my face. I took a long, black, wavy wig from its stand and put it on. I wondered what Jenna’s expression would be when she saw my new new look.

When I walked into the dorm, Jenna was in front of the mirror, yanking at her pink hair in frustration. The cheap dye was already fading, the ends turning a sickly yellow.

“Ava! You’re finally back!” she chirped, striking what she must have thought was a glamorous pose. “Sorry, I just thought the pink was so pretty, so I…”

Her voice trailed off as she saw my hair. Her pupils contracted. “You… you changed it again?!”

I twirled a black curl around my finger. “I thought about what you said. You were right. Pink is too flashy. Black suits me better.”

“Ava, you…” Jenna was trembling with rage, unable to form a complete sentence.

Kristen delivered the final blow. “What’s wrong, Jenna? You’re not smiling. Are you just not a happy person by nature?”

[Kristen is a master of psychological warfare. I can't breathe!]

[I mean, say what you will, but at least our girl has the looks to back it up. Jenna with that fluorescent pink skin tone looks like a walking dragon fruit.]

[This is what happens when you try to fake it without the resources. A new level of pathetic!]