*** 4 years later ***

"Hey Ness, all set?" asks Naina, as we settle into our home for the next two weeks.

"Yes," I answer as I hang my clothes in the closet. I set my camera down in the corner carefully, so it doesn't fall down. This is my one darling possession and I won't let anything happen to this.

"Wow, look at the view," Naina calls from the balcony.

After setting my cupboard, I remove my shoes and look at my camera lenses, setting them in order.

"Ness, come on," she yells again.

"Coming," I say putting down the lenses and making my way to the balcony.

The view here is amazing. We were living in the Lakeside Hotel and our room overlooked the lake. The greenery around added to the serenity. I could hear the birds chirping, the sound of the lake as the oars pushed the waters and the sound of the commuters talking in the local hind dialect. It felt so lively yet peaceful.

"Wow, we have to thank Adarsh for giving us this room,"

"True. Or you could thank me. I took the keys from him," she says with an evil glint in my eyes. Being in the final year of college hasn't changed her at all. She still is how I remember her to be in our school days.

A series of knocks interrupts our banter, and I laugh it off on the way to the door.

"So are you guys settled in?" Ria asks us as soon as she comes in. She is the director of the show, which I'm co-shooting and Naina is co-hosting; and insisted on travelling with us since we are just Interning with their company TLC. She wanted to see our work for herself and then decide if she wanted to keep us or not.

Well, no pressure here!

She is in her early thirties and is someone I aspire to become a few years down the lane.

"Yes, the room is wonderful," I say, pointing to the balcony.

"Yeah, Naina was sneaky in taking the keys from Adarsh," she says laughing. She is such an amazing person and fun to be around when we aren't working.

"Well well, if it isn't the boss lady. Hello Riaaa," Naina says, hugging her.

These two became so close in the last week, that Naina has a nickname for her.

"Hello Naina," she says hugging her back.

"So guys, come down for a quick snack and post that we have to shoot the sunset and capture the essence of the lake at night," Ria says, back in her formal tone.

"Can't wait!" I exclaim as excitement runs through my veins. I'd be in my zone soon and nothing could disrupt it.

"I'm sure you are already thinking of all places we can travel," she laughs and then questions "Naina, you will be the host tonight, are you prepared?"

" I was born ready!" Naina says, flipping her hair.

Oh god!

"You know we will be going on a boat?" I question, rolling my eyes at her.

"Oh then, I will be ready," she says as she starts rubbing her palms and doesn't make eye contact as she says it. 

She is scared of boats.

"Better be ready in an hour. We will start the shoot then. Meet you down in half an hour," Ria leaves waving us goodbye.

After quarrelling, boosting her confidence and finally getting ready we head down. I put on my jacket, since it's cold outside and carry my camera along with the tripod.

I check myself in the mirror one last time. My hair is in a high ponytail, my brown eyes finally visible since I just got my lenses and my cheeks flushed. I finally started wearing clothes apart from my dear hoodie. I'm dressed in a black jacket over my white tee and black jeans.

Naina is in a white floral dress, which hit a few inches above her knees and nude heels.

"Thank god, I'm not on camera. I can't go out dressed like that in this cold," I say eyeing her dress.

"Lucky you," she says, grabbing her jacket and the keys.

"Here this way," Ria calls out when she spots us in the lobby.

"Hello Ness, hey monster," Adarsh calls out from beside her.

They have a love-hate relationship and are constantly bickering. 

"Hey guys," I reply while Naina gives Adarsh the worst glare she could.

"Where's Sid?" she asks, looking around.

"Sorry guys, I'm late," says a panting Sid who comes running to us.

"So let's check is everyone here? Naina,"

"Present!"

"Vanessa,"

"Yes,"

"Adarsh," The co-host wearing a leather jacket with a trimmed beard and wavy hair. Cute!

"YO!" he replies, running his hand through the wavy hair. 

"Sid," The assistant director of photography with curly hair, lean physique and wild.

"Here!" he says, all the while testing the camera. 

"Hitesh," the digital Imagining technician and editor with a good build, a lot of tattoos and messy hair.

"Yupp." he says, with a nod.

After a quick snack and tea, Sid and I cross-check the equipment.

"Let's go!" Ria says and we all follow her.

"Here let me help you," Hitesh says, grabbing the tripod.

"Thanks," I reply sheepishly.

The boat is waiting for us when we reach the lake which is just opposite our hotel.

It was a big boat with a hood above us, unlike the small ones I saw from my room. We set up one camera in front of Naina. Naina and Adarsh stand on one end of the boat from where the setting sun is perfectly visible. While the rest of us sit opposite them. I set up the camera with great difficulty since the boat is swaying.

Sid sits on the other end capturing the surrounding visuals.

I nod at her suggesting we are ready whenever she is. She soon turns into the diva I know her to be. She goes about explaining the tale of this lake and how beautiful it feels to be here with the cool breeze fanning us; the boat swaying underneath and the sun which is now setting. I zoom the camera over to capture the setting sun, making sure I capture the mountains behind which the sun is slowly fading away.

We venture to the other side of the lake when Hitesh comes to sit beside me.

"So why Violet?" he asks, pointing at my hair.

"Well, that's a long story,"

"We are in the middle of a lake with nothing to do. I wouldn't mind a story," he asks, looking at me with his killer eyes.

"Okay so, one day being the rebel that I am I coloured my hair violet, as you can see" I point out to my now long, wavy hair.

"Wait details please, where were you, what were you doing?" he asks, his eyes focussed on me.

"So I guess I was on the way to get back my phone, that's when I come across the hair salon I used to go with my mom as a kid,"

*****

On the way to get my phone, I come across the hair salon I used to go to with my mom as a kid. Like, literally the only place she'd take me to get a haircut. She wouldn't trust others with my hair but she somehow trusted these people.

I remember when I saw someone dyeing their hair for the first time.

'Mom, can I dye my hair?'

'No, it damages your hair.'

'Please, mom, I promise I will take good care of it.'

'Fine, when you grow up and are old enough to know better you can dye it.'

"But mom, I know better than Derek about what I want," a younger me argues.

"Okay, how about we make a deal? You can dye your hair when you are brave enough to sleep alone when there are thunderstorms,"

"But mommy, I'm scared of them," I say clutching her hand tight.

"So when you grow old and are brave enough, you can dye your hair,"

"Hmm..." I sulk.

"I think I'm old enough now Mom and I slept alone for quite a few years. Do you think It will be okay if I dyed my hair now?" I ask no one in particular and walk into the shop.

"Hello!" I say to the women by the counter.

"How may I help you?" she asks politely.

"I want to dye my hair!" I announce with a grin on my face.

She smiles at me and gets up asking me to follow her. She takes me inside and tells something to the women inside and leaves me there.

Shit! Is this fine? What if my dad doesn't like it? What if I don't look good?

All my insecurities come rushing by, just as a woman approaches me.

"So which colour would you like your hair to be?" she asks me politely.

"Umm, I'm not sure. I don't think I want to do this," I say, afraid of the outcome.

"That's okay, I see people come here every day. Some excited, some scared, but everyone comes to change their look hoping it makes them feel better about themselves. It's just about what you want, not what others think of you," she says smiling.

****

"That was a very bad day. I remember how my own classmates called me a traitor, how I was suspended from school. How I hated everyone in my life and the ones I loved were no longer with me. Amidst all the frustration and anger, I agreed to colour my hair. I decided I couldn't care less about the people who hate me and maybe do something I like for a change,"

"That's good! You gotta stand up for yourself," Hitesh says.

"I felt maybe, self-love is what I needed at the minute, so I went ahead with colouring my hair,"

His eyes follow my every word and he seems to be listening very intently.

******

"So which colour do you want?" the hairdresser asks again.

"Umm. purple," I say without thinking. It was my mom's favourite colour and I guess I could give it a shot.

"But can I just get highlights instead," I say, not sure about doing this whole thing?

"Sure," she says smiling at me. She points towards the chair and I take a deep breath to calm myself down before going there and end up sitting there for an hour. I looked at the mirror and was wondering how will any of this affect me.

She dries my hair and then turns me around for me to look in the mirror. The purple streaks stand out against my black hair.

Wow! It looks so nice. I finally like my hair. Maybe this is what I needed.

******

"So that's how it ended up in violet and I never changed it later," I say smiling, reminiscing at the first time I acted like a rebel.

"Wait, I have a lot of doubts? Why were you called a traitor? What did you do?"

"Guys, come on, we reached the boat club. We have work to do!" yells Ria.

"Maybe some other time, " I answer and walk away to get my camera.

Author's Note:

Hey guys. How are you all?

So there is a time jump here and I sincerely hope you guys liked it. Feedback and suggestions are welcome :)

If you like this chapter, please do LIKE, COMMENT, SHARE.

Until the next update.

Lots of Love,
~Vaishnavi.