Chapter 10 — A Moment of Vulnerability
The hostel bathroom was warm with steam when Hemanth finished washing his hair.
His long hair had become increasingly difficult to manage. It took time to wet it thoroughly, distribute shampoo, rinse away every trace of product, and condition the lengths without tangling them.
He had begun to enjoy the routine. Caring for his hair gave him a little time when nobody else was telling him what to do.
After rinsing, he gently squeezed out the excess water and wrapped a towel around his hair. He secured a second towel around himself before stepping into the corridor to return to his room and change.
He had barely taken a few steps when he noticed Varshini and two seniors standing nearby.
One of them laughed at the sight of his wet hair. Varshini began asking intrusive questions about his appearance and why he spent so much time caring for it.
Hemanth tightened his grip on the towel.
“Please stop. I just want to get dressed,” he said.
The seniors continued teasing him, and his face grew hot with embarrassment.
Swetha came out of a nearby room and immediately understood that he was uncomfortable. She fetched a robe and a clean set of clothes, then helped him reach a private space where he could change without being watched.
When the door closed, Hemanth finally let out the breath he had been holding.
“I can't even take a bath without worrying about what they'll say,” he whispered.
Swetha sat nearby while he dressed.
“You deserve privacy,” she told him. “Nobody should turn an ordinary moment into something humiliating.”
Once he was dressed, she helped him care for his wet hair. She showed him how to blot it with a soft cotton towel instead of rubbing it vigorously and how to separate tangles gently with his fingers before using a wide-tooth comb.
Hemanth looked at his reflection. His hair fell in damp waves over his shoulders.
He felt tired, but he also felt grateful that someone had listened when he asked for help.
That evening, he began making a small list of things he needed to feel safer in the hostel: a private place to change, a predictable haircare routine, and people who respected his boundaries.
It was a practical list, but it represented something much larger.
Hemanth was beginning to believe that his comfort mattered.
And that belief would become an important part of his journey toward Himaja.
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