|Chapter Sixteen|

It's been about an hour since the day's elimination rounds at the L'Oreal Hairstyling Harmony has been conducted, with Aisha securing the third spot with her hairstyle. Some Laksh guy bagged the best stylist of the day and Aisha felt that the boy indeed deserved it for his work was pure perfection.

But coming third on a daily basis ranking is the last thing on her mind for now. The strange coincidence where she and Tarika's hairstyling choices clashed was the part which has left her frustrated and thoughtful. Sighing, Aisha places her chin over her knuckles, her elbows propped over her knees as she sits over the bench outside the L'Oreal complex, gazing at the building with a preoccupied mind.

After pleading plenty to Veer to leave her alone for a while, the boy has given in and headed off to the café to grab a quick beverage for him and Aisha, giving her the silence she has been yearning for.

"Hey."

The feminine voice propels Aisha to turn to her left where a girl with bronze skin and blue highlights is standing next to the bench; it's Shweta Pathak, one of Aisha's competitors from the contest.

"Hi," Aisha greets back, forcing a smile on her lips as she sits up straight.

"I came over to thank you," Shweta speaks, beaming at the almond-eyed girl, "your advice about trimming the split-ends was marvellous!"

"I'm glad it helped," Aisha says, her smile growing genuine now.

"So," Shweta mumbles, eventually settling beside Aisha on the bench, "wanna be friends?"

"I think we already are," Aisha giggles, making the latter grin and nod in agreement.

"Where are you from?" Shweta asks, "I mean, originally from which state?"

"Assam," Aisha answers.

"Ah," the girl nods. "A pretty state, it is."

Humming with a nod, Aisha turns back to gazing at the building with saddened eyes. "You don't seem okay," Shweta notes, her eyes peering at her saviour with concern.

"Just wondering about that coincidental hairstyle choice," Aisha tells her, not really averting her eyes from those glass panels of the glimmering complex.

"Oh," Shweta mumbles. "Even I was surprised when you too chose the same style, it was a bad day probably."

"Yeah," Aisha nods.

"But look at the bright side," Shweta says, "You excelled Tarika in the same hairstyle by seven points!"

Aisha smiles at the girl's efforts. "Thanks, Shweta."

"What's up with the school uniform though?" Shweta asks, "I mean you and your friend were wearing the same grey outfits."

"It's a long story," Aisha smiles.

"I've got plenty of time," the girl insists, peering at her curiously.

Aisha contemplates for a moment and decides that Shweta's trustworthy enough. The girl's eyes speak volumes and they are far from cuckolding her in any way. "We technically bunk classes in a week and show up here, to take part in the contest."

"Whoa," Shweta gapes with wide eyes, a grin making its way to her face. "You're insane."

"Don't be too quick to judge," Aisha warns with a grin, "you'll reconsider your statement once you meet my friends who are crazier."

To this both the girls laugh, and Aisha realizes that while people like Tarika are here, looking for opportunities to let her down on mere things, there are better people as well, like Shweta, who know what feelings and friendships are.

__________

"No," Aisha's firm remark makes the hazel-eyed boy frown at her with protest.

"Come on, Aisha," Vivek insists, his hand still extended out for her to take.

"You don't understand!" Aisha sighs, flailing her hands expressively. "I don't wanna go..."

"But it's just a boat ride!" Vivek explains, not really finding logic to her denials.

"Vi, it's a no."

"Are you possibly scared of those ducks in the lake?"

"What? No!" Aisha shakes her head with a scrunched nose. "Why'd I be scared of ducks?"

"Are you two coming or not!?" Payal's impatient voice pierces through the cool air, causing the duo to avert their attention to the wooden waterfront where Payal and Veer are waiting for them both.

"You go ahead, Vi," Aisha tries.

"Okay then," Vivek nods with finality and turns to look at his brother and Payal. "You two go ahead, I won't be coming," he yells at the duo, making Aisha scowl at him.

"Sure?" Veer asks uncertainly.

"Yeah," Vivek tells him. Nodding with shrugs, Veer and Payal mount the little boat with the boatman handling the oars, splashing and sloshing as they head off into the lake with ease.

"You're unbelievable," Aisha grumbles before turning on her heel and marching off to any general direction. It's a sunny evening and the four of them had decided to visit the park to which Aisha had agreed happily. If only she knew there was going to be water in here, she'd have feigned a fever and stayed back.

Chuckling to himself, Vivek quickly catches up with her furious strides, skipping over the gravel engraved pathways as they stroll ahead. "And you're adorably angry as of now," he responds, his hands shoved into his jacket, and his dark locks brushing back lightly with the breeze.

"You don't have to miss out on things because of me," Aisha states, taking a sharp turn into the hedge-lined routes which are relatively sparse.

"Why don't you like boating?" Vivek asks, head tilted curiously as he follows her through the hedges.

"Because...I don't like the idea of floating over deep waters..." Aisha mumbles, brushing a few strands of hair out of her face as she navigates deeper into the pathway.

"You're scared of lakes, you mean?"

"Not just lakes," Aisha explains, "any water body which is not shallow."

"Says the girl who lives in Assam," Vivek chuckles, "the land where the mighty Brahmaputra River flows."

"Funny, isn't it?" Aisha deadpans, not even smiling at that.

"Okay, sorry," Vivek mumbles, attempting to wipe that grin off his lips.

"Wait," Aisha speaks, halting on her steps and causing Vivek to pause as well as she glances around confusedly. "We are in a maze?!"

"I thought you know that..." Vivek mutters, his eyes widening. "So you weren't keeping track of the path?"

"No!" Aisha shakes her head, "I was just walking aimlessly to vent my anger, how was I to know this is a maze?!"

"Um...okay," Vivek says, scratching his head as he takes note of the three diverging ways. "Innie, minie, miney, mo-"

"Are you bloody serious?" Aisha asks when he's trying to decide which way to take with a juvenile game.

"You got a better idea, then go ahead," Vivek offers, making Aisha grin as she thinks about it.

"Fine, go ahead, Sherlock," she tells him to which Vivek grins back. Turning to the route ahead, they head off for the one on the extreme right.

It's all pretty fun, with Aisha talking about the skies and the little flowers she spots every now and then amid the hedges and Vivek being a better listener who throws in little remarks as they try and find a way out of this maze. But eventually, the amusement fades away, the sun setting deeper and the skies appearing darker with the forthcoming night.

"Shit," Vivek mumbles, glancing at the phone in his hands, "it's been an hour since we've been roaming in here."

"Wait, I think I had spotted this periwinkle before!" Aisha says, pointing at the little flowers with frustration. "We are running in circles, just great," she adds with a sigh.

"I have a last option at hand now," Vivek mumbles, texting someone over his handset.

"What did you do?" Aisha asks when he pushes the device back into his pocket.

"I asked for Veer to contact the park's authorities, they'd find us in no time, I'm sure." Vivek looks at a gaping Aisha.

"Why did you not do this earlier?" Aisha asks, crossing her arms and furrowing her brows with fury.

To this question, the hazel-eyed boy only purses his lips into a thin line as he shuffles over his feet, his red sneakers brushing against the rough gravel underneath. Eyes glimmering with the faint essence of contemplation, Vivek looks at her through his lashes, his lips curling into the smallest human smile possible.

"The idea just struck me," he mumbles with a shrug.

"Oh yeah?" Aisha asks, raising a brow at him, "you're a pathetic liar, Vi."

"I'm being honest!" he yelps before turning on his heel and marching deeper into the maze speedily probably trying to run away from this conversation now.

"Vivek Deshmukh!" Aisha calls after him, chasing him closely with a giggle.

"Yes, Aisha Medhi?" he asks back, not looking at her.

"Tell me now!" she insists, holding him by his arm and gently pushing him until his back presses against the hedges, her arms caging him on both sides with dominance.

"You know, the roles are usually reversed?" Vivek asks with a scowl, feeling utterly dominated by the raven-haired girl in front of him.

"Times have changed, honey," Aisha coos with a smirk as she watches his hazel eyes closely.

"Grant me freedom?" Vivek asks, hoping she drops the topic soon.

"Only when you tell me the real reason," Aisha presents the deal, grinning up at him.

Vivek pauses momentarily, his honey-fawn hues assessing her face silently with his face appearing a fiery orange under the setting sun and his hair turning a stark golden with the remnants of sunlight raking through those dense locks. His lips part just a tad bit, about to whisper the words which have been clawing within him since a while now.

"Where are you two baboons?!" The booming voice of Veer echoes around the air, causing Aisha to lose her focus from Vivek as she glances in the general direction of the voice.

"We're here!" she calls back, waving her hand in the air and hoping for Veer to spot it.

All the while Vivek exhales a breath, somehow missing Aisha's proximity dearly as he watches her intently concentrated on the job at hand.

"Vi, you're taller," Aisha says, turning to look at him, "wave your hand up for Veer to see."

"Okay, madam," he tells her with a smile forced up on his lips as he follows the command, waving his hand through the air to which Veer responds, "Oh there you are!"

___________

Author's Note:-

I know I'm late with the update, but blame my festive ass who is excited about Magh Bihu which starts off tomorrow, 13th of January!

Where are my Assamese paltan? Raise your hands!

One a side note, have you ever tried a maze and discovered how pathetic you are with your navigational skills? I once tried a mirror maze, and DEAR GOD! I kept walking into those fooking mirrors so often that for I week I was traumatised by the mirror in my room.

Ciao for now!
*Waves a goodbye* *Muah!*