Fitoor

9 | Newfound Tolerance

Shehnaaz

I was braiding my hair in a fishtail when someone knocked on my door. I shouted a 'come in' from where I was standing, probably thinking it was the maids.

However, the door opened, revealing Neha. She had a cautious expression on her face as I stared at her impassively not knowing what to say. After she comes to stand in front of me, she raises her hands which held a plastic box of chocolate pastry.

She passes me an apologetic smile and I immediately burst into a laughing fit at her hilarious reaction.

She looks at me like I'm crazy then she herself joins me in laughter. "It's ok I forgive you. You know I can't stay mad at you for long especially when you bring chocolate cake" I say.

She passes me a soft smile and envelops me in a hug which I return. After a while, she lets go and I see her getting angry.

"Jeez, I feel so mad right now at Sameer. That bastard has the nerve to ask me about you" She says through her gritted teeth.

"Wait he asked for me?" My eyebrows rise in surprise upon hearing what Neha said.

"Yes. When you didn't show up at the dining hall last night, he asked me and I quote 'Hello Neha, will Shehnaaz not join us at the table? Is she ok?" She mimics him and rolls her eyes thinking about the incident.

"And what did you say?" I drawl out curiously.

She looks down at me and says "I said that you are busy working and left him on his own" She finishes saying proudly raising her head with a victorious smile adorning her lips.

I let out a small laugh and say "Neha sharma, what am I going to do without you?"

She cups her chin feigning confusion and says with mock horror "You will probably end up alone with a baseball bat hitting your head because of how stupid you are"

I roar with laughter because it was indeed true. Neha was my lifesaver and the only person who could insult me non-stop without making me mad.

I put down the pastry on my dresser
and return to doing my fishtail but that doesn't last long as Neha takes it upon herself to braid my hair. As I look in the mirror, then I notice that Neha looked really different. Her long waist length black curly hair was cut short to shoulder length and straightened making her look more sophisticated.

She was wearing a pastel pink lace top with black high waist jeans.

"Did you cut off your hair?"

She pauses on her work and looks at to meets my eyes in the mirror and shrugs.

"Yeah, I thought I needed a change after everything that has been going on. Do I look bad?" She looks up at me for approval.

"Oh no, you look different but gorgeous nonetheless" I smile with assurance.

"Hey, let s go check the pool that's in the back of the castle near the maze and then we can go check out the maze. I heard that it is beautiful and has many kinds of flowers in it" She suggests with glee.

"Yeah sure, but what do I wear?" I scratch my head in confusion.

'Just wear something short and casual" She shrugs.

I head towards the closet and pick out a black t shirt and pair it with denim shorts. I picked out my Chanel sunglasses from my handbag and tied my hair in a high ponytail.