Lucy's Haircut

>Lucy sat in the van between her sister Lynn and brother Lincoln
>in the Loud House, haircuts happened all at once
>It was just easier that way
>Lucy was quiet
>Nothing unusual about that, except this time it wasn't because she was being her normal, observant self.
>She was nervous
>Borderline terrified
>She nearly walked across the street into traffic earlier that week
>Though she insisted it wasn't the culprit, Mom and Dad were more or less forcing her to get the hair out of her eyes
>Permanently
>She had confided in Lynn about her fears earlier today, but she took them about as seriously as she would take an astronomy test.
>"Luce, it's just hair, what's the big deal? It'll grow back, yeesh."
>She turned to Lincoln.
>He was absent mindedly staring out the window
>His hair was getting fairly shaggy too
>If she knew one thing, it was that Lincoln would always give her an ear, no matter how trivial her fears or worries
>Lucy decided to put that to the test
>"Lincoln?"
>Her voice snapped him out of his daze.
>"Yeah, Lucy?"
>He turned to her, smiling the inviting grin that put her at ease.
>"I'm... I'm kind of nervous about this."
>Lincoln raised an eyebrow
>"Nervous about what?"
>"Getting a haircut."
>Lincoln gasped.
>Normally Lucy only tagged along on haircut days to have her edges trimmed up at most.
>"You mean, you're actually—"
>"Yeah,"
>She sighed.
>"Moms making me get my bangs cut."
>At first, Lincoln was excited.
>None of the Louds had seen Lucy's eyes since she got into her... phase.
>Then he noticed her chin beginning to quiver.
>He put a hand on her shoulder
>"Hey, there's nothing to be nervous about!"
>Lucy rubbed the tears from her eyes with her striped sleeves.
>"It's not fair, I like my hair the way it is," she whimpered
>"Lucy, they're not cutting it off, just shortening it!"
>his platitudes didn't seem to help
>"I'm going to look stupid with normal hair." Lucy sniffed.
>"Everyone's going to laugh at me."
>Lincoln thought carefully
>"No way, your eyes are too pretty to hide behind your hair!"
>However, his sisters could be pretty cruel
>"Tell you what, I know of a sure fire way to make sure none of our sisters laugh."
>Lucy sniffed up her silent tears.
>"How?"
>Lincoln smiled.
>"Just wait and see."
>Vanzilla had just pulled into the barber shop as Lincoln finished hinting at his plan
>Each Loud filed out as Lucy stuck to the back of the line, as though she was on her way to the electric chair.
>Before she knew it, it was Lucy's turn in the chair
>Mrs. Loud told the barber what needed to happen
>Lucy's heart was pounding in her chest.
>She could hear the shears cutting through her own private curtain
>The one that shielded her eyes from the things she hated about the world.
>Cut by cut, the curtain fell away.
>She squinted at the intrusive light shining in her eyes.
>Soon, it was over.
>While the barber was digging around for the hand mirror, Lucy's eyes were shut tight
>She was already imagining her sisters laughing at her and her hideous haircut.
>Strangely, there was laughter, but not directed at her.
>She opened one eye
>Her sisters had all gathered around the chair next to her.
>The one Lincoln had climbed into
>She leaned over to see what all the fuss was about
>Lincoln had gotten a mohawk
>His sisters were nearly hysterical
>He turned to Lucy and smiled his same, comforting smile.
>He winked at her.
>She blushed as the barber returned with the mirror
>He held it in front of Lucy
>She smiled at her reflection
>Lincoln was right.
>She did have pretty eyes.