Chapter 7 — The Bag at the Door
Several days after another lockdown extension, Hemanth received a message from Varshini.
She wanted him to collect a bag containing clothes, cosmetics, and a list of instructions. She claimed the items would help him prepare for an upcoming hostel activity once restrictions were lifted.
Hemanth stared at the message for a long time.
The last time Varshini had arranged a makeover, he had been humiliated and photographed without permission. He did not trust her intentions.
The bag arrived later that day through another student. Inside were pastel chudidhars, hair clips, a comb, makeup brushes, and several small containers of cosmetics.
A folded note lay on top.
Follow the instructions. Don't make things difficult.
Hemanth felt the familiar pressure return.
Swetha visited that evening and found him sitting beside the unopened bag.
“Is it from Varshini?” she asked.
He nodded.
Together, they examined the contents. Swetha explained how the cosmetics worked and showed him the difference between a few hairstyles in a magazine.
Hemanth touched the sleeve of a pale-blue chudidhar.
“I think I would like to try something like this,” he admitted. “But not because she told me to.”
Swetha smiled.
“Then we can start there. You decide what you want to try, and we stop whenever you want.”
Her words changed the atmosphere in the room.
The bag no longer had to represent Varshini's authority. It could simply contain clothes Hemanth was free to accept or reject.
He selected the pale-blue outfit and placed it neatly on the bed. He chose a simple ponytail for his long hair and decided to experiment with light makeup another day.
The choices were small, but they mattered.
For the first time, he was not trying to satisfy a senior, escape a punishment, or prevent someone from laughing.
He was exploring his own preferences.
Before leaving, Swetha helped him arrange the clothes in his cupboard.
“Whatever happens when college reopens,” she said, “remember that you still belong to yourself.”
Hemanth repeated the sentence quietly after she left.
He still feared Varshini.
But he was beginning to discover the difference between obeying someone and choosing something for himself.
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