This is a story between Sunil and Swetha, Swetha is the elder sister of Sunil. Swetha is naughty and always pulls Sunil's legs in every occasion she could find.
Swetha is known in her school for her silky, soft and long hair. Sunil is 2 years younger than Swetha, because of his sister's irresistibly cute appearance she has attracted a lot of men who had to be eventually dealt by her brother to ward off from her path, In short he was her part time not paid body guard. Her hair is long, soft, silky and 21 inches in length. She is 5.5 foot tall and fair skin, her usual style is a pony tail. She had a layer cut the last time which is about 2 months ago and now her hair is slightly out of shape at the ends.
Sunil was playing cricket on a Saturday afternoon with his friends and he sees Swetha walking past the ground, Sunil runs from the field and asks his sister where is she going, she responds "I am going to the salon to get my haircut"
Sunil replies her "To go safely" and walks back to the field, Swetha says "I am not going to the usual salon, this is Naturals unisex about 3 km from here and you can also come, a long walk for me" Sunil then tells her "Oh, I can also have my hair cut"
Sunil tells his friends that he will be back to play in the evening and they both walk to the bus stop.
Sunil and Swetha walk towards the bus stop and she remembers that she has forgot her wallet and asks Sunil if he would be willing to pay from his pocket money and she would return him later. Sunil starts cribbing that she is always like this and forgets even very minute things and that he would not give her the money now so that she will learn a lesson to remember things and not be as forgetful as she is now. Swetha raises her voice to make Sunil keep mum which apparently fails to keep him mum. She raises her chin up and pretends not to talk to him any more and they walk towards he home.
As Sunil and Swetha reaches home an unexpected guest is already taking a first bite of the vada pav served by their mom with their father sitting in the other end of the hall introducing him as their relative through his brother in law named Aakash. The unexpected guest has turned up for something about which he wants to keep silent when Sunil and Swetha are still in the hall.
As Sunil and Swetha rushes into the room to grab her wallet, her mother comes in and tells Swetha not to leave the house as it will be disrespectful to the guest. She is disappointed as she wanted get her haircut and eye brows shaped desperately since she has a lot of happenings on the week coming. She cannot do her hair tomorrow (Sunday) as she has day full of tuition to catch up.
Swetha goes infront of the mirror with her face showing all the disappointment that it could, pulls off the band from her ponytail, with her left hand and thus her hair falls over her left shoulder, which covers more than half of her body like a shawl. Sunil makes sorry faces to irritate Swetha and she growls at him, he laughs over and over at her. Tells her "Its your mistake, if you have remembered to take your wallet at the time you left home, we would never have to come back see this guest and now you cannot have a haircut because of your forgetfulness" and he yells at her "Just be happy rather it didn't happen that you forgot to tell the stylist the length of the hair to cut"
Swetha is now angry and disappointed, she doesn't respond to her brother, Her eyes are already filled with a layer of tears. She might break any minute she seemed like. She grabs her hair into her hand, holds tight and with the other hand she circles it over to make a bun, she turns it and turns it and turns it over until she reaches the end which she wants to keep out making it look like a feather and puts on a big claw clip.
Sunil realizes how much upset her sister is over this and asks his mom how long is the guest going to stay and runs back to the room and tells Swetha that he is not going to leave until tonight 8pm.
Swetha shouts at him already that it is because of him that we had to be in the room right now, had he agreed to pay for the salon we would have been in the salon having the haircut. Sunil tries to avoid the blame but she is not ready to accept her mistake. Swetha tells Sunil that she would get his head shaved if she couldn't get her haircut today. Sunil is angry now. He says that "Who is the one to lose in every bet we had" he then adds "If you are going to shave my head if you cannot get a haircut today, then will you accept that you will shave your head if the guest leaves early and you still have the time for a haircut"
Swetha is now baffled, assuming the least possibilities for the guest to leave early she accepts for the bet. She is atleast smiling now, out of pride and to cowardice her brother she tells him that he is going to be shaved and people would be seeing him bald for sometime and he has to hide of shame.
Sunil also smiles now, he is actually happy for the bet. He goes close to his sister, touches her head with his palm and tells her that "When your head is shaved, I will keep your hair" and walks around her to see her hair bun and says in the most villain like voice "It will be years until you will be able to tie a bun in your hair, better buy a shawl or two you may need it to wrap around your bald head"
Swetha and Sunil have always had bets and Swetha is the one that wins mostly. She is just confident as she always was and she responds to Sunil "We will see about that" and shoos him away sarcastically.
Sunil asks her if he should take all the rubber bands and claw clips and give it to their neighbours as she wouldn't be needing them for years anyways, Swetha shows her tongue out signifying what he said doesn't bother her.
Swetha goes to her dressing table, reaches her hand to her claw clip and presses it to release the clip, unfurls her hair bun and it layer by layer unfurls itself to the length of it and she flaunts it to her right side and brushes it through with her favourite plastic black comb, holding her hair at her chest length she then combs the bottom part of her hair. She flaunts her back and then she combs hair behindher head, brushes it gently behind her ears, parts her hair a little to the right side this time. She brushes her hair out at the forehead making her hair project out and then reaches her thumbs into her hair just over her ears and holds the portion of the hair leaving the rest of the hair freely behind, claw clips it over making it a beautiful pony tail with claw clip. The sight is a delightful watch. Sunil just observed her as she finishes tells her “Remember, this might be the last time you do that in this year” Swetha gestures with her hands “Not gonna happen” and walks to the wash room to wash her face and hands. As she comes out the hair near her forehead is wet which forms a thick line as she combs over it a little bit again.
Their mom shouts that meals are ready and all are called upon to sit for lunch, Swetha rushes to the table first and sits beside her father so that she doesn't have to sit facing the guest or beside him. Sunil comes to the table and annoys Swetha by reaching close to her ears whispering "Tomorrow at this very table my sister will be sitting on this very same table bald and her hair will be in my hands to play" she replies "The same dialogue to you, my dear brother" with a sarcastic fake smile. Their father asks what are they talking about, both say "Nothing" and Sunil settles down next to his sister.
Aakash talks to them asks about school and other regular stuffs and they half hear what he says and respond. He asks about their school, Swetha quick to respond that she is the first in class most of the time. Their father doesn't let Sunil talk and finishes his dialogue saying that "I don't know if there is any curse that only one child in the family is born genius and the other fails in every test?" Sunil's chin down and angry of the insult his father presented infront of the guest, Swetha reaches her face near Sunil's and shows her tongue out and giggles.
Sunil raises his chin up and maintains a straight smile, He asks "Uncle, Have you come by bus or train" he responds "By Train, and that's why I am in a hurry, I have to go back before the last train at 4:30pm" Swetha's stomach pangs hearing that.
Swetha is unable to finish the food left on her plate now, she feels very nervous and confused. Sunil is looking straight at her without fluttering his eyes. She couldn't help making even a fake smile now before she could get up from the table. She is already feeling bald in her head. She gestures getting up from the table, She withdraws her hand from the plate and pretends that she has to vomit and rushes into the wash room.
Sunil tells them that she had a lot of watermelons on the way back home and thats why she couldn't eat now and they all have a laugh about it. He did it just to keep them not doubting about his sister. Everyone on the table finishes their meals, Sunil now walks into the room finds his sister sitting on the bed bending her legs with her knees held to her chest and he asks her “My hands are wet, can I wipe it on your hair” she looks at him angrily, her eyes have already formed tears which may roll down any moment and she might go on weeping and he responds “Chill Chill”. Swetha asks him “Did you know before that he will be leaving early?” Sunil doesn't respond. Swetha puts her face down angrily. Sunil goes close to her takes her hand puts it on top of her head, touches her hair gently as Swetha pushes him away, he smiles and goes away to pack Aakash's bags.
Aakash enters the room and bids adeau and she gets up puts a fake smile with so much effort. Him leaving the house is same as the razor going on her head, she puts a drama that it was such a quick return before he could mingle with the family well and requests him to stay over. Sunil is angry on her foul play, but Aakash gently refuses to stay as he has some urgent work after he is back home. It brings back Sunil's smile.
Sunil pulls his sister to his side and tells her in her ears that “It is happening, Your head is going to be shaved, no doubt about it, no matter how hard you try to avoid” her hair slapped at him because of the jerk. It was a soft touch like a bird feather. She reaches her hands to the claw clip and pulls her hair through and tightens it again. Sunil says “Softly, I don't want my hair to be damaged” “It is not even your hair” says Swetha “Well it is going to be in my hands to play” says Sunil. She has no words.
Swetha looks herself in the mirror and thinks that there is still a last ticket to escape shaving her head, losing her amazing locks of soft and silky hair. She cannot imagine her losing her long hair, It has been long since so many years and she hasn't even cut it short, the shortest she had is 18 inches. It was just a trim every trip to the salon and she cannot see herself shaved off infront of other people.
Aakash leaves the house and heir father goes with him to send him off at the railway station. She has to honour the bet now. Her all time body guard became a threat to her personal beauty. He is going to rob her off her precious locks of hair. She smiles at him nervously and he says “How quick were you to accept the bet? You wanted to shave me off and look what happened now” Swetha reaches to him closely not that she wanted to talk soft, she is nervous and the feeling in her throat doesn't let her to talk aloud “I don't want to but I can still fulfil my bet, but I want to know if you can change your mind for me” Sunil takes her hand, places behind her head, gently rubbing her hair responds “I would do it for you, but you have never did and you will never do the same for me if i am in the losing position. So, this gotta happen” and takes off the claw clip letting the hair held to fall freely over her ears on either sides.
Sunil dresses up and Swetha prepares herself for the salon, She doesn't check her hair on the mirror this time as she leaves the house. It doesn't matter to her anymore. She is unusally so much shy now. She can barely walk straight. She doesn't forget her wallet though, she collects it, checks if she has enough money and hands it over to her brother. Sunil smiles but she doesn't want to exchange a smile.
Sunil asks his sister to change her dress from Salwar to Jeans and Kurti as it would go well with bald head as they return home. Swetha thinks it would be good too she says “Thanks” with a voice that says she doesn't really mean it. She puts on a light blue jeans and bright orange kurti, she also grabs a shawl, white colored thick with designs of peacock embroidered near the edges, which she wears around her shoulders for now which covers her hair from her shoulders down revealing just a few inches at the bottom.
Sunil goes around her, Observing her eyes which looks down, Hands held tight, Hair behind her head which is covered from her shoulders to the bottom and a few strands of hair peeping out of the at the end, He comes close to Swetha as she keeps her head down and not willing to look Sunil in his eyes, he catches her shoulders and picks up the shawl and gradually pulls it to her top of the head from her shoulders and put it to cover her hair till her forehead and smiles at her saying “Now you look very cute with this, you know what has changed?” Swetha gestures seeking his answer, he responds “You look very submissive, You look like a women who would wait for her husband's orders to do anything”
She sees herself in a position that she cannot backout or have any plan to manage the situation. After all, It is her brother who is demanding her to shave off her hair. The time is running very fast for her now, she feels hot air, she sweats a lot in her forehead. Sunil reaches his hand to wipe off her sweat in her forehead and tells her “Your eye brows have grown out very thick and not in shape” Swetha says “Please stop” he adds further with a giggle “Can we shave it off too” she is losing her patience “Enough Sunil” she shouts and Sunil has his laugh.
Sunil steps out of the home and puts on his shoes, Swetha steps out and Sunil goes “The last time you leave with your beautiful long hair” She is annoyed. He says “Let's take a selfie, put your hair infront, take the shawl off” she doesn't make a move “Not interested?” asks Sunil and Swetha responds “I am going to get my hair shaved off which I haven't done since my childhood, do you even realize how does that feel?” Sunil hugs her and pats her back and comforts her by saying “You are going to look beautiful no matter what, by means of the bet with me you are just going to get more beautiful” and asks her to pose for a selfie again. Swetha unwraps the shawl, reaches her right hand to the back of her left shoulder pulls all the hair to her right side and brushes with her fingers and puts on a smile with great effort. Sunil standing to her left now goes around her to her right and presses his left cheek over her hair on her right cheek and reaches his hand around to pull her other cheek with his fingers and she winks as they take a naughty selfie.
She grabs her shawl and holds it in her hand, she walks down and Sunil stands amazed by the scene of the yellowish sun light falling on his sister's hair and her hair shines like a crystal doll. The sight of it kept him speechless for moments until she wore the shawl around covering her hair. Sunil compliments her “I have never observed your hair so much as i did just now, I should appreciate you for maintaining it so well” he says this touching her hair behind her ears, he brushes her hair with his fingers from her forehead to the back, Swetha doesn't speak a word and moves back to avoid him touching her hair. About this time he starts to feel the excitement of seeing his sister lose bunches of her long hair to every stroke of the straight razor blade.
Every step she takes brings the image of her bald to her mind, the more she tries to avoid the thought, it comes back haunting her. They walk past a small old salon setup and a small boy is getting his hair cut and others are watching through the glass door of the salon. It makes her think about the situation she might have to face while she is being shaved, how many people will be watching when she is being shaved, who will be watching her, who will be watching her going in with her long hair and coming out with bald head. Will someone take a photo or a video of her. She is clearly anxious about the whole thing.
Swetha makes a request to Sunil that they will go to the usual salon as Naturals Unisex Salon will also have male stylists and she also doesn't want other men to look at her being shaved off. Sunil agrees and they both reach their usual not-known-by-name salon to find it locked. “Everything is against you today” says Sunil to his sister. Swetha's nervousness triples and she is remotely happy because, she says “Sunil, you rememeber the bet again now? If the other salon is also closed then by condition I wouldn't be able to have a chance of getting a haircut anyways and I still win the bet” and this is the first time in the last couple of hours Swetha spoke to her usual tone of voice. “Don't be happy yet, I had in mind only to go to Naturals Unisex and you changed the plan, we have to go check that out” says Sunil intimidatedly and “You are running out of luck” says Swetha sarcastically. “If no salons are open nothing stops me to be your barber and shave your hair off myself” says Sunil with a threatening raising his eyebrows which puts Swetha to awe, she feels the chills below her feet now.
Starting to walk towards the bus stop, Swetha says “I will not let you shave my head, It is not even in the bet. Not happening, May be in your dreams” Sunil doesn't seem to care much about what she says he simply nods his head and adds “In short, the bet is If you got the chance for a haircut today after the guest leaves, you shave your head off” further he says “When I am your barber, where ever we stand is a salon and don't make me explain about the bet again” he quips and he turns around as they walk, gesturing he is looking for something and he says “I have to find just one shop that sells razors and blade” Swetha skips a heart beat. Her hands are chill, Her throat feels tuff and she can't speak she says “Sunil please don't do this to me” in a very shrill voice.
Sunil never ceases to make Swetha nervous this day starting from the morning. Her major concern right now isn't even to escape the situation of shaving her head, It is about two other things, How to avoid the chances of having a male barber do it at the salon and second, the chances of her brother shaving her head is a situation she desperately doesn't want to happen even in her worst dreams and they reach the bus stop.
“I am not kidding” says Sunil looking straight at her eyes like he heard Swetha's mind, as they stand in a bus stop to catch a bus to another stop from where the Naturals Unisex Salon is close by to walk.
Swetha puts on the shawl just on one side over her shoulder, she turns her head quickly to bring her hair infront over her chest and she stands hands folded, heads put down and looking aimlessly at the ground appearing thoughtful. What is going on in her mind is anybody's guess now. There comes a bus and they both board it, Swetha sits in the second last seat window side, Sunil gets the ticket from the conductor and sits on the last seat, behind Swetha. Swetha turns to ask and Sunil advances to say “Don't be puzzled, Hairstylists usually sit behind their clients” and she exhales out of irritation to her brother's annoying behaviour.
Sunil touches the portion of hair behind her head and Swetha tries not to react, he gently rubs on it and says “It is very soft” and he pokes his index finger at the place where the hair is all moved to her right as she has brought her hair forward flowing over her chest and he says “How deep my finger has to go before it could reach your head, you got so much hair” he giggles. Swetha tries not to react to any of this and occasionaly moves forwards and away as she feels annoyed.
He takes his finger puts it near to his nose and smells it and asks her “When was the last time you washed your hair?” It smells sweaty. She replies “I washed it just yesterday, all sweat is courtesy you for my heart beats hasn't come down since hours” the tone of her voice now slowly shifts from being worried and nervous to anxious and depressed. Sunil asks her “What happened?” she responds “What else to happen?” soon Sunil reaches his hands to her chin and lifts it up tilting her head down and then with his thumbs supported on her head at the center he puts both his hands as he plays like rinsing her hair on both sides of her head putting in and out his fingers freely into her hair and annoyed Swetha reaches to grab his hands on her head he is quick to withdraw and they have to get down now.
They get down and they stroll towards the Salon, Swetha now wears her shawl around her head covering her hair till the forehead. Swetha could now see the board of the salon, It is open. Which brings Sunil a smile and he lifts his eyebrows gesturing that he has got lucky and poor Swetha's heart starts to pound, her every step is taking her one step closer to the salon chair, cape and the straight razor blade. She ran out of luck now, She is one less of a chance to escape her bet.
Her feelings for her hair is intensified now, she wants to try a short haircut which she thinks she will funky and people will like. She imagines herself with her hair oiled and plaited tight and shiny, leaving the last few locks of hair free and curled with a comb, her braid put over her right shoulder and she is wearing a saree also with a garland of flowers decorating her braid. She soon clears her imagination and lands back to the reality where she is just a few steps away from the door of the salon and for her imagination to come true, it will take a couple or more years as she walks out through the same door. She hasn't kept her chin up in hours, she walks facing the ground even when she has to talk to Sunil, she couldn't look him in his eyes. She is feeling insecure of her situation.
'Welcome' reads the mat at the door of the Salon, Sunil pushes the door open and out comes very chill air from the airconditioned reception. Swetha already feeling a lot cold out of the nervousness, her knees shivers a little bit now as she steps her feet in. At the reception sits a charming young women on a couch placed facing the door, she is fair, 5 foot tall, black straight hair till her mid back, bangs cut, parted at the center leaving hair equally on either sides covering her ears and revealing just the face down from her eyebrows. Chewing a gum with an attitude in her face that pisses off women mostly.
Sunil walks up to the receptionist and she asks him “Hair cut, sir?” he responds “Not for me, for my sister, she is here to get her head shaved” and he points his sister to her and the receptionist gets up from her chair and she praises her that she has such a beautiful hair as Swetha takes off her shawl wrapped around her head and the receptionist asks “Are you donating your hair?” and Sunil responds “No. But we want the hair back after it is shaved” he says and the receptionist gestures at the women sitting on the couch in the reception that she has a client, but the stylist refuses to come and the receptionist walks up to her asking and she responds without leaving any space in her talk even to take a breath, with a voice a little bit louder that we can hear even from a 10 feet distance “I can't handle these soft girls, She is clearly not strong enough to shave her long hair off and she is also not hear for a donation which makes his brother forcing her to shave her head off and I for sure know she will cry to make a drama in the process and I cannot waste my time consoling or comforting” she says and the receptionist walks up to them and tells that the women is done with her day that there are few male barbers available and she can allocate him if they are interested.
Swetha didn't want her head to be shaved by a male barber, but bugged by the rude attitude of the women and seeing that it is still better than having it shaved by her brother. Sunil looks at Swetha if she will be ok for a male barber, Swetha responds “I am ok with a male barber” and the receptionist shows them inside the male barbaers takes a good glance each of Swetha and her long hair. She flaunts her hair to her back as she is looking herself in the mirror, Sunil goes close to her and whispers “Last few minutes” and she bluntly responds “I know”
When the receptionist asks who will be ready to attend Swetha for a headshave, all the barbers were desperate to have the experience of shaving such a long and beautiful hair off the women who is incredibly beautiful, there was one who was less eager and Sunil picked him to do it.
Swetha tells Sunil “Better have an answer ready for Mom and Dad as we reach home” and Sunil responds her with confidence “I don't have to have an answer, I actually have a solution” and smiles at her which again confuses Swetha and her nervousness raises as the barber asks her to walk with him to the seat.
Swetha starts to walk, and she throws all her hair back with a quick jerk of her head and moves her right shoulder gently down allowing her hair to freely slide to her back. She walks hesitantly as she is led by the barber. Sunil watches the sheen on her hair because of the bright lights right above her head as she walks, her hair shines more now as the salon is brightly lit. He observes her hair as it moves along her left or right as she walks with her right and left feet forward respectively.
The barber asks Swetha to take off her sandals, she does and she feels a cold shock passing through her foot as she stands bare foot on the floor which rapidly makes her even more nervous. Sunil walks behind them slowly, the barber reaches to a seat and switches on the light around the mirror in front and asks Swetha to sit as he works the seat with his legs to adjust the height of the seat.
Swetha takes her seat slowly thinking “I will have no hair on my head as I get up from this seat” and looks herself in the mirror, adores her long locks of shiny, straight black hair and soon she turns back and looks at her brother in his eyes “Are you happy now?” she asks and he replies “Not yet, your hair is not still in my hands” and bites his tongue gesturing that he didn't really want the barber to know what’s going between them. Puzzled barber asks her brother what is he talking about for which Sunil responds “As you finish shaving her off, I want her hair handed over to me with knots like a pony tail and packed in a transparent plastic bag” and the barber asks “Is it a hair donation?” Sunil quickly responds leaving no chance for Swetha to answer “Rather this is like a Gift than Donation” the barber just laughs and settles with no more questions.
Swetha looks around the table in front of her, A pair of long scissors and a straight razor with a dozen of spare blades placed to her left and an electronic buzzer, combs of different types and water sprayer kept to her right and she feels a pang in her stomach as she looks at the arrangement. The barber puts on an apron and he prepares a cape.
The barber comes near Swetha and reaches her hair, pulls out her hair between the seat and her back and lets it all out to fall free. He takes a hair brush and brushes her hair roughly. He brushes her hair in the ends and he says “Your hair is perfect, there aren't any split ends here” that annoys Swetha, she doesn't want to hear any compliment about her hair at this moment, he combs her hair away from her shoulders and the portion of her hair over her ears and slowly brushes it gently on her head and parts her hair right at the center. He brushes as her hair appears even more shiny than before, He makes a straight center part, revealing a thick line of her scalp. He combed it perfectly parting her hair straight and equal, he keeps the hairbrush on the table and caresses her head with his palm and pushes it down from the center, making the scalp revealed by the partition appear thicker and adding more sheen to her hair as well.
Sunil witnessing all this asks the barber “How long do you think it will take for her to grow her back to this length?” and the barber responds “Normally hair grows about a millimeter everyday, for the same length of 21 inches it must take around an year and a half” “She's got an amazing hair, I must say” and without letting the barber finish, Swetha feeling all the nervousness due to the whole situation and tension mounting, disinterested with hearing anything to do with her hair, asks the barber “Can we start shaving my head” “Not yet” replies the barber and he adds “Right now your hair is a bit dampened by your sweat and I think you haven't washed your hair today, right” “Yes” replies Sunil, before Swetha could get her voice out of her lips. “So the normal procedure for donation or to even preserve hair in a bag is, we need to oil the hair well and shampoo wash it before we shave it off” saying that he walks out the door supposedly to bring an oil bottle from the other room. Swetha sighs “How long is it gonna be for me to be in this state?”
Sunil comes close to Swetha and gently taps on her shoulder saying her “Be patient, had you been patient in the morning you wouldn't have lost in a stupid bet you that put your hair on” that puts her back to her resentment thought spiral. Swetha looks up on her side to stare Sunil in his eyes and says “I hate you” and he replies “That’s just going to make it even better seeing you shaved off”
The barber walks in with a black tray held in both his hands, which has a pair of clean white towel, two bottles of 100ml Vatika coconut hair oil, a small cup with syrup like thing that looks like beer and a comb to untangle hair. Swetha gets a feeling that no matter how the rest part of the day has been and is going to be, she is going to love this part. She loves to get her hair oiled, she doesn’t mind to do the house chores just to get her mom oil her hair, it takes about 40 minutes until she is done but she thinks to herself “This is the first time I will have my hair oiled by a man” Swetha reaches her hands to the bunch of hair over her ears and pushes it behind her ears. She looks herself in the mirror and she decides to be at least happy and enjoy the moment. “How small a thing can also make a women greatly happy, though it is temporary” she tells herself and with that one thought she asks herself “What is Sunil’s solution that he told he has to convince my mom of me shaving my head?” and then her nervousness whirls around her back again.
“I have to wrap around the cape, I will roll your hair up and please hold it with your hands like a bun and you can drop it off after I put on the cape” says the barber. Sunil feels a little excited, as much as Swetha loves to have her hair oiled by her mom he loves to watch a girl getting her hair oiled. This is the first time ever he could stand up close to and watch it done, in fact he can record a video and watch it over and over again. As he thinks this he quickly reaches his hand to his left pocket and checks if he has his phone, Swetha observes this from the mirror and says “No photos or videos Sunil” with a commanding voice she managed to pull up after all she is going through this day. Sunil says “As you say madam” and sticks his tongue out. Swetha shakes her head gesturing it is useless telling him anyways.
The barber flips her hair, brushes it a little bit at the bottom and bends to collect her hair from the bottom and slowly rises to the top rolling her hair. He reaches the neck and Swetha gives him a hand and holds it in both her hands over her head. He brings in a pure white cape, puts it on her and ties it back, the cape contrasts the black chair and her black hair totally. “You can take your hands off your hair now” the barber says, her hair spectacularly unfurls from a thick bun straight loose and it shines as it moves like a swing gradually settling down. “The sight just keeps getting better” Sunil thinks to himself as he stands amazed watching it. He is turned on.
Sunil goes close to her and touches her hair on her nape and moves up, feels her hair with his palm and bends down to kiss her on her head. Swetha asks “Have you changed your mind?” and he says “No way, the kiss is actually not to you” Swetha raises her eyebrows puzzled, “It is to your beautiful hair” says Sunil and chuckles, she keeps mum.
The barber starts to brush her hair, He reaches the comb to her hairline in the forehead and pulls it back making her hair form deep lines on her head. He then combs hair from the sides and pulls it all backwards. Now he puts in the edges of the comb and draws a partition in the center, starting from her forehead all the way to the nape. And he inserts the comb in the partition and brushes her hair on the left portion all the way down to the front and repeats the same to the right. He brings all her hair over her both shoulders split equally. The partition in the center of her head revealing her scalp in a thin line, her hair drawn over both her shoulders hiding her ears and revealing her fair face like the pollen in the center of a flower makes her look so beautiful now. Sunil couldn’t resist asks the barber to step aside and clicks pictures, one standing behind her, one from her side and one from her face as she covers it with her hands.
Swetha withdraws her hands from her face as Sunil stops clicking pictures, her heart beat is loud for her to hear it clearly as the barber is walking towards her mixing the vatika hair oil to the syrup like liquid which he has brought in a small cup. He explains “This is tea oil and it is very good for the hair growth, applying this will increase the hair growth rate” Swetha nods her head approving him to apply in on her hair.
He gently pushes her head down to the front and drops the oil in her partition at the center of her head allowing the oil drops to roll over freely to the forehead and her nape. He draws his index finger along on her scalp line along the partition. Swetha feels goose bumps, she closes her eyes and enjoys it. He now pulls her head to the back holding her forehead with his left hand; palm placed open. He grabs a lot of oil in his right hand and pours it over her head.
Swetha with her closed eyes feeling the oil flowing through her hair, over her scalp and she feels goose bumps again. He uses both hands, inserts his finger tips and circles it on both the sides and she closes her eyes tight. She is feeling high. He doesn’t stop, he circles it over and over and over till the oil in her hair has spread all over and shines bright. Then he moves to the back, pours another palm full of oil on her nape and it soon drips down to her neck and a little to her back, too. He oils the hair in her nape with both the hands, keeping his finger together and spreading it, he repeats it for some time and he moves to the hair behind her ears and rubs it with his thumb. He then pushes her head down to the front, takes a comb, pulls all her hair over her shoulders to the back and brushes it from her forehead to all the way to the tip of the hair. He repeats it from the left and right sides.
Her oiled hair formed thick dark lines by the comb. Her head is shining, reflecting any little light in the room. Her face is looking oily, her eyebrows holding some oil as well. She is keeping her eyes closed. She doesn’t want to open it, at least until it is done. He again takes a lot of oil and pours it in his palms and keeps both his palms over her head. The excess oil in his palms is rolling in drops over her combed hair, as we could see and reaches her side burns, and he reaches to her side burns and puts on his two oily fingers over and rubs on. She is in absolute delight; she hasn’t had a hair massage like this in years. He presses her head with his palms, from the top, from the sides, from the front and back, and then he moves to the bottom of the hair and oils it too. He rolls her hair from the bottom and bends up and rolls it over and over like a bun, he then grabs oil and pours it from the top and lets her hair drop freely and slowly. At this point her hair has reached a stage that it cannot contain and oil drops out from the hair tips and he slowly withdraws his hands out as Swetha drops her head back completely relaxed.
The sight is amazing “We’re done, lets wash your hair” says the barber. She opens her eyes, looks on the mirror, sees the barber standing to her side and She’s shocked to see Sunil standing behind her seat, his face looks very pleased, it is her brother, who has been oiling her hair all along. Swetha’s stomach pangs.
Swetha is still in shock, sitting on the chair as the barber asks her to get up as they have to move on to wash her hair and his words only go unheard. She is in mixed emotions. Should she be happy because she got the best hair massage from her brother which she will never forget or should she be upset because her brother has put her in this position and taking advantage of oiling her long lustrous hair. She doesn’t want to think much but Sunil doesn’t talk at all. She is hesitant to let her brother know that she liked it, she is confused if she should look him in the eyes while she talks, should she smile at him and before she could come out she just explodes “Why did you do it, Sunil?” and he responds “I know you did enjoy, don’t pretend you didn’t like me doing it” Swetha says with a loud voice “Of course I enjoyed, but that was without knowing you were doing it” “What’s wrong” asks Sunil, “There is nothing wrong as I know, I just feel may be it is not right either” she replies in a shrill voice. Sunil taps on her shoulders and says sarcastically “Chill Chill, I know you are having a tuff day” and Swetha quickly responds “Yea and you are responsible for it” he says “don’t start the blame game all over again” and adds to the barber “I think she didn’t hear you saying that it’s time to wash her hair”
Swetha staring at Sunil, holds the chair’s arm and lifts herself up along with the cape, the barber comes to help but she manages to get up and walks. The barber and Sunil walks a few steps behind as she walks towards the corner of the room with a neat seat comfortable for lying as long as the hair wash will span, Sunil now enjoys the sight of her long oily hair swing along with her as she walks. Her hair is ultimately shiny as its soaked well with oil. The barber comes walking towards her to take the cape off, before that Swetha suggests she would make a bun otherwise the oil in her hair will stick all over in her salwar.
With a quick shake of her head to the right and allowing all the hair to fall over her right shoulder, she puts her hand to finger brush her hair from the forehead and she stops at the place where it would be perfect for an up do. She holds her hair tight like a claw clip without leaving the position she reaches her other hand and starts to twist her hair to a bun. She had to do several twists before could completely bun her hair, her eyes look blank and she starts to imagine what would it be like without having any hair on her head, as she thinks she reaches to the tip of her hair and she inserts the last few inches the hair into the bun to tie itself without a clip.
The barber now unwraps the cape and Swetha notices her neck, a little in the back are oily and she feels uncomfortable in her salwar. She decides to take it off.
She asks the barber where is the change room and Sunil asks “You don’t have another dress” and she replies “I don’t feel comfortable as my salwar is oily, for as long as we are going to be here I will be with the black sleeveless t-shirt I am wearing in” the barber points to the rest room saying “The rest room is big enough, you can change your cloths there” and she turns quickly without even acknowledging that she got it. She walks in and walks out in a few seconds with her salwar in her hand.
Sunil stands amazed with a straight smile, she looks beautiful with the black sleeveless t-shirt, which contrasts her fair skin greatly. Her face is oily, the hair in her eyebrows are stuck together in small bunches as it is soaked in oil dripping down from her hairline in the forehead, her hair is arranged neatly as she finger brushed her hair before she made a bun, her bun looks stunningly thick and shiny, her back, shoulders and her chest revealed by the sleeve less t-shirt is shining because of the oil again dripping down from her nape. Sunil grabs his phone out pointing the camera at her and Swetha plans to get her face blurred in the photo by moving her face away at the click of the photo. Sunil walks close to her and says “It is a video darling” She is annoyed.
Swetha walks towards the seat meant for the hair wash, Sunil walks close. The barber asks Swetha to lie down on the seat and comfortably placing her neck over the pillow so that her head will be just near to the sink. Swetha does as the barber said, she lies down, reaches her both hands to her neck as she places her neck over the small pillow and unfurls her hair with both her hands into the white sink and the barber stops her, takes her hands away from her hair and he finishes to unfurl her hair as it dramatically opens up from a bun and flowing like a spring. Before she withdraws her hands back, Sunil holds her right hand as he is standing to her right. Swetha asks “What?” Sunil says “What is this? You have a lot of hair in your arm pits” Swetha replies “I don’t wear sleeveless usually, so I never cared to shave it off, does that answer your question?” she gestures sarcastically. “It is not about the dress, it is about your personal hygiene” says Sunil and asks the barber “Do you shave armpit hair too?” the barber replies yes. Swetha is annoyed she raises her voice as she says “You don’t have any interest in me having hair anywhere in my body, do you?” and Sunil smiles and responds “Not exactly” he keeps his cool. Swetha asks “So if I shave my armpits, will you let me have my long hair?” and Sunil quips “Never, please don’t beg, it is happening there is no change”
The barber settles Swetha’s head down in the sink and opens the tap as the water flows through the sprayer, he feels the water in his hands to check if it is warm and sprinkles a little water on her hair and asks her if the temperature is fine and she gestures a yes. He then opens the sprayer and wets all her hair from the hairline on her forehead to all the way back and asks to lift her head a little to scrub her nape a bit with the water with his fingertips. Her hair on the head is all wet, he sprays water on the hair lying on the white sink and then with both his hands rubs it gently. Closing the tap, he checks if the hair has enough water to rinse with the shampoo, he reaches to a shampoo bottle whose name is not written on the bottle and that worries Swetha she doesn’t want an unbranded shampoo, the barber gets the message from Swetha’s looks and tells her that it is a product by naturals and this is the best we have.
He takes the nozzles off the shampoo bottle and drop by drop pours the white shampoo on her hair, right at the center of her head. Sunil feels turned on. He lets the shampoo to roll down in her wet hair and then pours a couple of more drops near the forehead, the drops roll to the back of her head. Swetha closes her eyes, she is enjoying the feeling of thick shampoo rolling down on her head slowly down. With his palms he gently rubs the spots where he dropped the shampoo, to spread the shampoo evenly. He then opens the shampoo bottle and pours a lot of shampoo on her head, and starts to spread evenly on her hair. The sight is delightful to watch. White shampoo on her black hair. He spreads it evenly like a hair pack and continues to rub shampoo till the hair ends. The barber says “I will leave it like this for a minute and I will be back” and leaves the room. Sunil comes close and sees Swetha in her eyes and tells her “You look more and more beautiful today” and she asks “You enjoy seeing me like this? Hair is all shampooed up” without answering her he takes a few pictures.
The barber returns with a thick white towel to wrap her hair. He stands behind the sink, opens the tap and then sprinkles water on her hair and starts to rinse. Foam starts to raise up, He rinses it harder, he scrubs her head well with his fingertips, he brings his right hand over her forehead and circles the fingertips on it. She keeps her eyes closed, she feels dozed. He continues to circle his fingertips on both sides of her head and then sliding down to her nape, he carries her hair in his hands and rinses it well. The sink is covered with white foam, her hair too.
The barber opens the tap and pours warm water on her hair, soon it reveals the black shiny beautiful hair covered in the foam, he keeps pouring water to drain off any foam in her hair. Her hair is clean, shiny because of the water and contrasting her fair skin. The barber checks her hair if it needs another rinse as some oil might be held, it is not. Her hair is very silky that it has let gone all the oil even with one rinse. The barber sprays water by keeping the sprayer very close and rinses with his fingers, to end it, he wipes her hair from her forehead to the back with his palms pressed tight on her head to drain off any extra water, he repeats it a few times. He asks Swetha to lift her head up a bit, as she lifts few drops of water rolling down from her nape enters her back and she feels chill. The barber then brings the thick towel and wraps around her hair.
We’re done, let’s go to the seat for the big cut says the barber. Swetha lifts herself up holding the towel wrapped around her hair with her one hand. She walks nervously, Sunil follows her he says “This is it, the moment has finally arrived” says Sunil and Swetha doesn’t talk, she keeps mum. Her eyes are indistinguishable between sleepy and upset. Sunil tries to make some fun, I am gonna record the video he says, Swetha turns to stare at him. She has reached the seat; the barber asks her to sit as he stands behind to grab the towel.
The barber unwraps the thick towel from her hair, her long black hair dramatically drops down freely. Water drops are dripping down from the edges of her hair. The barber reaches a blow dryer and blows her hair and combs her hair a little. Sunil asks him to stop, goes right behind her and snaps a picture of her beautiful long hair, as he looks at the picture just taken he sees the flash reflecting from her hair because of the water her hair has retained.
The barber wipes her hair with the towel, blow dries it and combs it to prevent tangles. He repeats it over and over until her hair is partially dry. At this moment, Sunil calls the barber and whispers something to his ears for about a minute, the barber responds approvingly. Swetha is getting nervous over what he might have said. As the barber is walking towards her seat grabbing a cape she asks “What did he say?” and he responds “Nothing” she persuaded “I saw you were talking, what did he say? Is it about my eyebrows?” Sunil interrupts “Oh! How did I miss that” and adds “You have some surprises dear sister” Swetha responds in shrill voice “Does your surprises involve making me cry?” he replies with a tone merciless “It is up to you”
The barber wraps Swetha a fresh bright white cape, her hair is still dripping water and the barber starts brushing her hair with a comb, which leaves hard ridges separated by her hair sticking together in small bunches as the comb browses through. He puts the comb at the hairline on her forehead and combs it all backwards, he then puts the comb on either sides and repeats the same, holds her hair like a pony tail just over her neck. Swetha’s stomach pangs, She closes her eyes tells herself to calm and does a small talk to herself. She is going to lose something that has been her part all along since her childhood. The length of her hair may not even grow back. Sunil hasn’t changed slightly off from his thinking to present his sister what she dreads.
The barber doesn’t stop combing her hair, she combs it over and over and forms a sleek pony tail like hair that is all stuck together till the bottom and the water drops from her hair slowly reduced. The barber reaches to the desk and pulls out a couple of rubber bands, he puts one of the bands in his hands and rolls it back till his wrist, he holds all her hair in his hand at the back of her head and rolls the rubber hand towards her hair with the other hand and pulls all her hair through the rubber band and repeats it a couple of times to tie a tight pony tail.
The barber reaches to his desk again and takes a shiny scissor and looks at her hair and puts it back on the desk. Swetha turns her head and looks at Sunil, she smiles a bit, what is happening, she asks. Sunil responds back with a smile. Swetha asks eagerly “Have you changed your mind?” Sunil responds “Didn’t I tell you I wouldn’t?” she asks “What is with the scissors then, the bet was to shave off, I know you are not going to” he stresses further “You are only going to be disappointed if you had hopes” she plunges her head down.
The barber puts another rubber band a little below the first rubber band. When he pulls her hair through the rubber band, the water in her hair sprinkled itself on Sunil’s face. Sunil feels excited. Swetha notices Sunil enjoying the moment seeing him through the mirror. The barber comfortably puts on another rubber band just below 5 inches from the first rubber band. Her hair is 21 inches long. Thick dark hair is now tied with two bands tightly. She watches on the mirror eagerly.
Swetha eyes are filled with a thin layer of tears, the barber reaches to the Shiny scissors again. Sunil goes close to her hair and adjusts the rubber band a little high. She doesn’t look amused. “What is this, Once in a life time opportunity?” Sunil says to his sister and she looks puzzled. Sunil grabs the scissors from the barber. Swetha’s eyes open wide as she asks “Are you going to cut it?” Sunil pushes her head down with his left hand. “Don’t move, imagine a sword hanging on your head” Sunil says in an ordering tone of voice.
As Sunil brings the scissors close to her hair, the scissor reflects light on her hair. The scissor is open and very close to her hair, about to make the first snip, Swetha closes her face with both her palms. Sunil withdraws the scissors, pushes her hands covering her face back to the chair’s arm and asks her not to close her face and open her eyes. “This is the time you must remember in your life that you lost your long hair to a bet you made out of your hastiness and carelessness” says Sunil, Swetha might cry any minute now.
Sunil raises Swetha’s chin a little bit with his hands, reaches to the back and pulls her head a little back, he holds the pony tail with his left hand and caresses it for a few times. He puts the scissors at the second rubber band and moves a little high from there, opens the scissors wide and Swetha doesn’t blink. Sunil looking one glance at her face in the mirror, makes the first snip, which cuts a few strands of hair. Few tears roll down from Swetha’s eyes with that. “Crying like a little baby” says Sunil and prepares for the second snip, wide opens the scissors again and makes another snip, this time a bunch of hair was cut. Swetha pulls back the tears reaching out through nose by inhaling gushes of air. With this last snip her hair will be reduced to merely four inches from the 21 inches she had.
With every snip she wasn’t just losing her hair, it is a part of her, part of her beauty, part of her self-esteem and a part of her ego. She is losing all. Sunil opens the scissors wide again, her hair is still thick to cut it in one stroke, he makes another snip with the scissors to catch the freely falling pony tail with his other hand. Swetha closes her face with her palms again, Sunil laughs loud out of happiness holding scissors in his right hand and her hair on the other, he jumps as the hair he is holding in his hand shakes up and down, Swetha watches it from the mirror, she doesn’t talk a word, she doesn’t cry but her face turned red. She is stressed.
Sunil proudly displays the pony tail he had cut like a medal won. Sunil kisses the 18 inches of her hair he is holding in his hand as he walks to a chair to sit and he puts the hair on his thigh, looking at that, Swetha feels as if she is sitting on her brother’s lap.
The barber takes his position back; he sprays some more water on her hair. Combs her hair. Swetha feels weird, the comb doesn’t have to go beyond an inch from her neck, her hair is just that length. She keeps her left hand supporting her forehead expressing stress and winks looking at herself in the mirror and pitying on her for this position. The barber pulls her back holding her shoulders and made her sit straight.
The barber takes the scissors and starts to trim the edges of her hair at the back. “Sunil, please tell me it is over” says Swetha and he responds sarcastically “I know you would wish that, but we are just getting started dear sister” the barber combs her hair over her forehead, some to the sides and some to the back, revealing the centre of hair on her head. He then combs a few inches from the bottom to the nape and twists it and puts on a claw clip. The barber then shifts to comb her hair on the sides and puts on a claw clip leaving the hair from the crown portion of her head free.
The barber pulls her head back and he combs a bunch of her hair over her forehead from a couple of inches on her head and adds some more hair with the comb and twists it again and claw clips it. Now he combs the hair on her crown portion, brings all the free hair together and twists it and puts on a claw clip. Sunil walks close to Swetha pats on her shoulders. The long wait is about to end now he says with an evil smile. Swetha is in absolute panic.
The barber opens the drawer, picks the straight razor, wipes it clean with a tissue, loads a new half
Blade. Swetha inhales deeply as she feels butterflies in her stomach. She holds the chair’s arm tight. She feels terribly nervous. Sunil picks up the water spray bottle and sprays some more water on her hair. The more wet the hair, the smoother the blade slides on your head and you will have less irritation he says. His sister isn’t enjoying this moment, but he clearly is enjoying it. Swetha asks “Why did you keep me building hopes that you wouldn’t shave my head” Sunil responds “That is not my fault, I tried to keep you down each time you flew with your imagination that you will leave this salon without shaving your head” Swetha presses her lips hard, bites her tongue not to cry.
The barber stands behind her and asks her to bring her head back. She manages to control her tears flowing out wildly and she looks up, closes her eyes. The barber reaches the blade on her head, to shave off the crown portion of her hair first. The blade is on the portion where the crown partition was made, an inch away from her forehead. With his left hand on her head, the barber uses his thumb to stretch her skin where he makes the strokes with his razor. Sunil doesn’t blink, he watches eagerly. He is turned on.
Swetha gets up from the chair she turns to Sunil and says “I am not shaving my head” Sunil stands up and rolls her hair he’s holding in his hand and puts it on the chair, he walks up to her and says “Don’t make me force you” she doesn’t listen and she moves away from the chair, Sunil holds her on her shoulders and pushes her back on the chair. He holds her face tight from the front and asks the barber to start shaving her head. “You are going to get some cuts on your head by the blade if you keeping shaking your head” says Sunil and Swetha swallows her cry and settles down.
The barber moves the razor to make the first stroke, which reveals a few centimetre of her scalp. She keeps her eyes closed. Sunil takes his hands off his sister’s face and touches her bald scalp with his fingers. “That’s it, there is no going back now” says Sunil and he bends down goes close to her face and says “Be like a brave girl, shave it off” and kisses on her cheeks which tasted salty for him because of the tears and sweat.
The barber makes another stroke and time a bigger bunch of her hair. One more stroke. The barber mercilessly passes his razor on her head, a large portion of the shiny fair scalp is revealed. The barber reaches to the water spray bottle and this gives Sunil some space to check on what his sister is feeling. “Oye, how are you feeling” Sunil asks rubbing his fingers on her bald scalp. Swetha responds in a shrill voice “Don’t talk to me, I hate you” and some tears rolls down from the edges of her eyes as she keeps it tightly shut. Sunil bends down and kisses on her bald scalp and Swetha jerks her head to make him know she doesn’t like it. “I feel like licking it, may be later” whispers Sunil into her ears and he walks back.
The barber sprays some more water on her hair, some drops of water fall on the bald scalp too; She feels really chill on her head but hot on the ears because she is upset. With a very wet hair, the barber makes a big go with the razor and this time he reaches from the centre of her head to the end of her in the knot, which is all the crown portion. He carefully shaves the left over hair on her crown portion, he goes over her head again and again to make sure a clear and smooth shave. The barber keeps his palm open on her head, he feels warm and asks Swetha “How are you feeling madam?” She opens her eyes; it looks slightly red because she is crying inside. She manages a very little smile to the barber. She lifts her head; she closes her eyes again. She doesn’t want to see herself with bald scalp in the centre and about 4 inches of hair surrounding it.
The barber makes another pony tail with the hair shaved off from her head and hands it over to Sunil. Sunil collects the second pony tail, a short one this time and smells it. Sunil now comes close and looks at her face, then touches her hair and then slowly rubs his hand on her just shaved head. He scratches her head with his fingers, circles his finger tips on her bald head. Bends down and smells her bald head and kisses one more time. “You are such a sweet heart of mine” says Sunil, Swetha opens her eyes, she just looks at her brother on his eyes, her looks are not bothering Sunil anymore, she has lost her ego, her eyes look submissive. He knows his sister would listen to his words, the lesson would stay in her mind for the length of her life. Swetha doesn’t talk a word, she wipes a few more drops of tears from her eyes. She doesn’t cry out loud, she may have reserved it for the bathroom cries she is planning to do later. Sunil does one cheekier touch on her head with the tips of her hair from the long pony tail he held in his hands and moves back to the seat.The barber removes the claw clips from the back, sides and over her forehead and combs all her hair to the back which hides the bald portion of her head. Swetha feels odd when the comb goes over her bald portion of the head. He switches on a blow dryer, he dries her hair by running the dryer through her hair and combing it simultaneously. As the hair is comfortably dry, he then picks a thick black band and puts on a pony tail, which is very short. The barber picks up a scissor and trims the edges of her hair from the pony tail.
“Open your eyes, we are done” Swetha opens her eyes puzzled she knows it is definitely not done. She looks herself in the mirror, her bald head is covered by the hair combed back from her forehead, she puts her head down and raises her eyes to see if he bald scalp is visible. She takes a lot of time looking at it because she couldn’t see it clearly as her tears are blocking it. “What do you mean we are done” Swetha asks. “This is the solution I had” he says calmly and adds “It is bet you lost and you must remember it” he further adds “I will have no situation for others to mock you for something I did to you, because I am your brother” Swetha doesn’t look delighted, though she has a reason to be, the thickness of her pony tail has reduced as the hair in the centre of her head is shaved off. She doesn’t talk a word back.
She is happy for one reason; she is not going to look bald in front of others as long as she maintains a pony tail or a bun with a claw clip. The barber takes the cape off, cleans her neck with a towel, she looks absolutely stunning with the short, sleek pony tail and the black sleeveless tees she is wearing. The barber sprays water on her face and wipes it with tissue papers.
Swetha stands up from the chair holding the arms, she looks herself in the mirror admiring her short hair which is shiny as always. She was rather dreading for losing all her hair and standing up from the chair with a bald head. She reaches her hands to the pony tail and tightens the band by twisting it again and pulling her hair through it. She feels odd because of the length and thickness. Something is better than nothing is a philosophy that comes to her mind for her peace. As she holds pulls her ponytail with both her hands to the back. Sunil spots hair on her armpits again, she gestures to the barber to shave it off.
The barber asks her to remain standing and arms up folded over her head, Swetha understands why and doesn’t ask a question and does as he says. He sprays water on her right armpit first and the hair curls back, he opens the straight razor, starts shaving from a little up, makes a stroke, some strands of hair fall freely down. He repeats a couple of strokes and her arm pit is clean revealing the fair skin with dark patches formed naturally because of the wrinkles. Swetha puts her arm down, she feels empty under her arm.
The barber moves to the left arm and sprays water on her arm pit hair, Swetha turns to see her brother rubbing her pony tail on his face and smells it over and over. He wraps her hair around his arm from his wrist and smiles at her. Her stomach feels a pang for some reason, she doesn’t ask anything to her brother.
The barber makes a large stroke with the straight razor to shave her arm pit hair in one go. He manages to shave it all off with one more stroke. Her hair dramatically drops rolling over her body and finally on her left foot and she jerks her foot for the hair to fall down.
She feels shy to ask anything, which is very unusual. One thing she cannot be the same with him anymore. Sunil asks her aloud sitting in his chair “What are you thinking?” and she says “Nothing” Sunil asks “You would have shaved my head all off have I lost the bet, wouldn’t you?” she doesn’t respond and he adds “I feel very happy to have a bald girl in my room. I can play with you whenever I want to” Swetha reaches her hands on her head and touches her hair and she says “When my hair is wet after washing or after I oil my hair, my bald head will be visible” and Sunil was quick to respond “I will brush your hair and make sure it is always hidden until your hair grows back” she keeps mum. She feels a little thankful for not shaving her head completely.
The barber brings plastic covers for the two pony tail Sunil is holding in his hands. Swetha goes to the change room and she puts back the salwar and prepares to leave. The barber walks them to the reception and Sunil pays this time. Swetha smiles and says “Had you agreed to pay in the morning” Sunil interrupts to finish “I wouldn’t have had 17 inches of hair in my hands” and a guy hearing that approaches Sunil and says “I would like to buy the hair; how much is the price?” Swetha feels a pang in her stomach and she feels insecure that her brother might sell her hair. Sunil refuses saying that he is not selling which restores the smile on Swetha’s face. The guy gives Sunil his number and asks him to call back if he ever decides to sell.
They leave the salon, catch a bus and reach home. As they enter home, Sunil shouts “Check who’s got a makeover” and goes to his room without stopping and keeps the bag with her hair under the bed so that their parents wouldn’t find out. Her mother comes out first and Sunil looks at her with an accomplished look, she goes around Swetha and looks at her short hair, she holds her pony tail in her hands and feels the thickness has reduced and Swetha responds “It is cut short and hence it appears thin mom” and her father asks “Why so short?” and she responds “Long hair disturbs me a lot and it takes a lot of time to maintain, so I got it cut short” Sunil laughs from the room and enjoys the position his sister is in, she has to answer every question for the haircut now while he was the whole reason for it.
“That was easy right” Sunil asks his Sister for managing their parents so easily. Swetha sighs, she stands in front of the same mirror she used regularly and this time she is standing with too little hair, bald in the inside and at least a pony tail for others to see. Sunil now has one more toy to play with, his sister’s hair. One long pony tail of 17 inches and one short pony tail of about 4 inches. Whatever he does to her hair, Swetha feels like it is done to her. Sunil receives a text from the guy who they met in the Salon reception, his message reads “Hi This is Prem, I can give 10,000 rupees if your sister shaves her head and for all the hair” Sunil shows the message to his sister and she feels a pang in her stomach, she drops the phone down and runs into the bathroom and Sunil laughs and chases her but she quickly shuts the door. Swetha shouts “Not again Sunil, never again” he continues laughing, he is not interested, at least not now, after all that his sister has been through. He says “Come out, it is not going to happen” and She steps out after washing her face, she isn’t ready yet to look at him in his eyes. He goes to bed keeping her hair locks under his pillow. From now on everyday besides being her body guard, he should also brush her hair well and tie a pony tail to hide her bald head.
