Her Splash of Color | ✓

✤ 1.35 two of us ✤

Posted: August 26th, 2019

✤ Rihaan: 1.35 - Two of Us ✤

"Your mom is going to flip. I am going to be beaten up by your dad - if bhai doesn't get to me first. And, they are all going to make us break up claiming I am a bad influence on you. I am not ready to say goodbye to us yet. Please don't do this."

Sanya looks at me in amusement, the corners of her lips tugging up as she tries to hold back a laugh. But, I am very serious. When she pulled us into a hair salon, I figured she might have just wanted to trim her hair or something. It was entirely unplanned since we were just walking around aimlessly. But, when I overhear her talking to the stylist about coloring her hair as well, I sprung out of my seat in the waiting area and beg her not to do that. Not that it wouldn't look pretty on her. I just don't know if she has permission to color her hair. I mean, we are still teenagers. Even if our parents are considered to be 'cool parents', a line is drawn somewhere, yes?

She turns to the stylist and says, "Excuse us," before she wraps her hand around my elbow and tugs me aside to have a private conversation. "Will you stop overreacting?"

"I am not!" I exclaim in a quiet whisper. "I thought we were here just to get a haircut."

"You thought wrong," she casually puts it, causing me to frown. Between the two of us, isn't she the one who is careful and considerate? Thinking over all the options and consequences? Exhaling through her mouth, she begins to explain, "Rihaan, it's summer. Our first solo trip and I've never done something like this... something bold. I know it's probably not me and I might never color my hair again, but I want to give it a try just once. What's wrong with that?"

I understand that she is being curious and wanting to experiment new and different things. She is probably trying to figure out who she is - aren't we all? At each stage in our lives, we are constantly discovering new layers of ourselves.

"But..." When I try to counter, she holds her hand up in a 'stop' sign and silences me.

"Eh. No 'but's'. Be quiet and sit there."

My jaw drops as I gape in response. "Did you just tell me to shut up?"

"No," she replies with a sweet smile. "I said 'be quiet'."

I roll my eyes at the technicalities, "Same difference."

She points outs, "Nope. Be quiet is more polite. Now, here. Give me your phone."

Seeing as to how she looks determined and realizing there is no chance of me talking her out of this, I take my phone out of the pocket of my khaki shorts. Taking it, she taps a few things before returning it to me.

"It's going to take time so just watch the game." While I glance at the screen to check which game she turned on, she reaches up to peck my cheek, ""Thanks."

"Mhmm," I reply before she walks away, "Anyone says anything, I am blaming it on you."

She simply shakes her head and I walk back to the waiting area, pulling out my headphones from her small traveling backpack she had left with me.

*✧✤--------------------------✤✧*

Close to 5 in the evening, we return to the hotel room to freshen up and drop off the shopping bags before heading out again. Considering today was low-key, neither of us felt tired but we still just lounged around. Well, I am lounging around on the bed with my guitar while Sanya is organizing the things she bought in her bag and trying to clean up the mess we made in the morning.