021 - The Curse, part 1

Hey guys, I'm mixing things up a bit by starting a new story segment in between updates of the Brownies story. I know a lot of you are really eager to see Mary have all her hair restored, but be patient. I think you'll like this one just as much. Anyway, here is a brand new character!

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Julie sighed. As she was walking to her first class of the day, a pleasantly familiar sight caught the corner of her eye. She turned, backing up against the wall and watched as Megan Richards walked by. That long sheet of golden hair was always something to behold. Julie would have given anything to have hair like Megan's. Her own plain brown hair was so thin and fine, she could never even grow it to her shoulders without it looking like a limp, drowned animal. She even tried to dye it blonde once, but it did so much damage to her hair that she had to cut most of it off.

She fell into step behind Megan, watching her lustrous tresses undulate over her body and legs as she walked. She tried not to dwell on the fact that she was so obsessed with it. Was obsessed too strong a word? She knew Megan's class schedule and always managed to find herself walking behind her between classes, even if it meant Julie had to find a longer route to her own next class. She always anticipated how Megan would wear her lovely hair every morning. Usually Megan kept it in twintails or a single long ponytail. Sometimes braided, sometimes curled (how long must that take to do?). Julie always found herself at school sporting events in which she feigned interest, simply to watch Megan's hair bounce as she led cheers...

Okay, maybe she was obsessed. But who wouldn't be? Julie had overcome her shyness a couple of times to actually say Hi to Megan, but didn't have any delusions they would ever be friends. Megan was a gorgeous cheerleader, she was so popular. What Julie wouldn't give to be friends with her. To be close to her. To be able to touch those golden tresses, play with them, and maybe even...

Julie fell out of her stupor of thought. She quickly realized, Megan had already entered her first period classroom, and Julie had continued walking without thinking. She looked around her. Had she really been so engrossed in her thoughts that she had left the school grounds?! She was standing in recently unearthed soil, at a construction site about a block from the school. What the hell was she doing here? Her question was partially answered by a subtle pull on her mind, as if some intelligent force had focused on her thoughts of Megan's long hair, had seized upon them, and quietly tugged Julie to this place. It was surreal, and hard to explain. She almost made up her mind to leave, she didn't want to be late to yet another class, but something caught her eye...