Three Friends, One Secret, Adventure

Chapter 3 — The First Long Braid
The first time Arjun's hair became long enough for a proper braid, Maya and Nandu treated it like an occasion.
They cleared a space, gathered brushes and clips, and asked Arjun how he wanted it done. He chose a simple single braid. Nothing elaborate—just a neat style that would keep the growing hair comfortable.
Maya carefully divided the hair while Nandu stood behind him, checking that the sections were even. Their first attempt was slightly uneven, and all three laughed. They started again, this time moving more slowly.
The braid gradually took shape.
Arjun watched in the mirror as the loose length became a single neat line down his back. He looked surprised, then pleased. It was the first visible sign that the promise he had made months earlier was actually becoming real.
Nandu brought out a small string of jasmine. She asked before adding it, and Arjun nodded. The flowers were placed gently near the beginning of the braid.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Maya finally smiled and said, “Now it really looks like you committed to growing it.”
Arjun laughed. “I think I did.”
From that day onward, the braid became one of his favorite styles. Some days he left his hair loose. On other days Maya or Nandu would braid it for him. The routine was never forced. It happened because he enjoyed it.
And, importantly, the scissors stayed away. Arjun had decided that the long-hair journey deserved time.