Blanca Like Snow

Chapter 31 - Eco-friendly

Chapter's Glossary

Chugule: Do you wanna die?
Arasso: okay/ I understand

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      "Nora," I call while we sit on our bed, getting ready to go to sleep. She's braiding my hair so it's not a bird nest when I wake up and because it helps me relax so I can fall sleep.

Nightmares? They are my constant companion. Just because I don't mention them doesn't mean I don't have them, that I don't wake up screaming from time to time because I see myself trapped in a car that's falling down and about to blow up. Most of the time I don't make it out.

Just because I don't let them keep me down every day doesn't mean I sleep soundly at night. I honestly believe the day when I don't have a nightmare from this experience will never come.

Nora always holds me tight, braids my hair, even has created playlists with just instrumental music from different movies and dramas so I can focus on that instead of my thoughts when falling asleep.

"Oh?" she mumbles absentmindedly, nudging me to continue with whatever I want to say.

"Do you think change is possible in a company like ours?" Her hands stop in my hair and it's just silence for a few heartbeats that make me really nervous.

"What type of change?"

"Well, you know... trying to become more eco-friendly but without risking anything of what make us ourselves. Quality, or comfort or our signature. Do you think it's possible?"

She is silent again for a few seconds and I don't dare to look at her, but then I feel her hands moving again, continuing the infinity braid I asked her to do this time.

Nora isn't an expert at doing my hair, but she does have the guilty pleasure of watching youtube tutorials of different hairdos and because it's easier to practise on someone else, she tries them on me. There's this youtuber she enjoys watching who uploads tutorials of different hairstyles. I like her videos too, they are clean, simple and very feminine. You only see her hands working on the head mannequin that always has a different hair colour, and her soft voice guiding you through the steps. Her name is Roselle, which I think sounds as soft and delicate as her voice.

"Possible, of course it is. Perhaps not simple, as you'd need to get approval of the different departments and go through a lot of market research and such. But it's possible and actually, a good idea. Nowadays, being eco-friendly is a plus." I fidget with my fingers, trying to think of how to even start to make a change within the company. "Simple things like changing the procedures, or big projects like having a self-sustainable hotel."

"Hmm... Risky but also good."

"Environmental awareness is growing stronger. Between an eco-friendly and one that's not, a large percent of people will prefer the former," Nora continues and I faintly nod my head. "But why are you asking now? Weren't you about tradition and keeping things like your father wanted them."

At my mind comes the memory of my father, always working hard, always trying to do the best. No matter how much I idolise him, he wasn't a perfect man. He made mistakes, he surely hurt and stepped on people. But that doesn't make him a bad man, either. Just a man.

"I've been talking to Will about environmental awareness. I still think it's just a hopeless battle for him," I begin, taking deep breaths. "But he is indeed fighting for the right reasons. He wants a better world not for himself, but for everyone. We all live here, right?" I can hear Nora humming. "I don't think the world can be saved, because as species we are a really toxic and destructive one. We cannot live in balance with the world, we have to reshape it to our liking."