I may have told this story before, but in high school I had the biggest crush on this girl who was one year older than me. She had lovely thick brown hair that just kept getting longer and longer all year. In at least two classes, she sat right in front of me, and on occasion, if I was lucky, she'd throw that epic mane back over her shoulders where it would flop all over my desk.

I wanted so badly to flirt with her, say something witty, but I was all nerves and never did. I'd purposefully put my pen and books where her hair would go, just so I'd have an excuse to say something to her if her hair came flopping over. But all I ever managed to say was "Hey, my pen is in your hair."

Then one day, she was brushing her hair out in class. By then it was well past her belt, and she looked like an angel. The girl who sat next to her always whispered. "Your hair is so long!"

She usually smiled or just nodded, but this time she grimaced and made a snipping gesture with her fingers. She was planning to cut it. I don't remember seeing her hair shorter, but my heart broke a bit seeing that exchange.