Ruby woke up feeling a bit…off. Her thoughts were buzzing in her head like bees trapped in a jar. What should she wear? Where was the best place to go for lunch? Engrossed in her thoughts, she missed the edge of the door and knocked her head with a loud thump.
“Ouch!” she wailed.
She hurried to the mirror to assess the damage—and jumped in shock. Her hair was no longer ginger. It was rainbow-coloured. She leaned closer and ran trembling fingers through the vibrant streaks. Each colour glowed faintly, like an electric current pulsing through it.
How did that happen? And how could she show up to work looking like this?
Tears began streaming down her cheeks. This day, already unsettling, was officially ruined. But then she noticed something strange. With every tear drop, her hair turned a deeper, more melancholy blue.
“Oh dear, that’s even worse. What do I need to do to go back to my normal colour?” she groaned. As if in response, purple streaks appeared, shifting and swirling like clouds of dye in water.
“What was that yoga posture she learnt the other night? Lion roar? No, lion’s breath.” Ruby shouted at the top of her voice while pulling a ridiculously scary face. Her hair joined in the drama, turning bright, fiery red.
“That’s great!” she huffed, stomping her feet in frustration. But then the tears started again, and her hair faded to light blue. Collapsing onto the floor, she cupped her face in her hands, willing herself to calm down.
Gradually, her thoughts began to settle. When she peeked through her fingers, she noticed green streaks shimmering through her hair. “What if I just pretended this was planned?” she thought. “I’ll say it’s for the summer festival that’s around the corner.”
Yes, that could work.
When Ruby glanced back at the mirror, her hair had returned to its natural ginger.
“Hooray!” she cried, patting her head. A smile crept across her face. Her rainbow hair wasn’t the problem, after all—it was her chaotic thoughts that had caused the mess.
Still, she couldn’t help but wonder: what would she look like in love?
Then she shuddered. “No, I don’t want to know. Pink definitely wouldn’t suit me.”
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