Chapter 6 — The Empty Campus
The lockdown announcement arrived on a rainy evening.
The college would close temporarily, lectures would move online, and students were instructed to follow public-health guidance until further notice.
At first, Hemanth felt relief.
He would not have to pass Varshini in the corridor. He would not have to face the principal's warnings or wonder whether someone had shared his photographs.
For the first time in weeks, he could breathe without expecting another confrontation.
But the relief did not last.
The hostel grew quiet. Friends returned home or became absorbed in their own worries. The classrooms stood empty, and the familiar rhythm of college life disappeared.
Hemanth spent long hours attending online lectures, completing assignments, and looking through the window at the rain.
His hair continued to grow. Sometimes he tied it into a loose ponytail; sometimes he left it falling over his shoulders. He found comfort in brushing it slowly at the end of the day.
Yet the silence also gave his thoughts more room.
He remembered the pink outfit, the laughter, and the moment he had cried alone. He wondered why the experience had left him with such complicated feelings. He had hated being forced into the makeover, but he could not deny that he remained curious about feminine clothing when he was alone.
Was he simply interested in fashion? Was there something deeper he needed to understand? He had no immediate answer.
One evening, Swetha called him.
They spoke about online classes, their families, and the strange experience of watching the world change from inside their homes.
Eventually, Hemanth told her that he was confused about how he felt about himself.
Swetha listened carefully.
“You don't have to decide everything today,” she said. “You can explore your feelings slowly. Whatever you discover, it should be your choice.”
Hemanth closed his eyes.
Nobody had ever given him permission to take his time.
As the lockdown was extended, he began keeping a journal. He wrote about his fears, the clothes he was curious about, the hairstyles he liked, and the moments when he felt most comfortable.
He did not write to prove anything to anyone.
He wrote because he wanted to understand himself.
The campus remained empty, and the future was uncertain. But in the quiet of his room, a new kind of journey had begun.
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