Legendary Head Shave Tales
It had been a year since Lavanya’s head shave, One day, Manasa suggested, “Lavanya’s hair has grown well, and it’s time for a trim. Amma, let’s go for a haircut I should get one too.” Lavanya smiled, secretly pleased with her plan. Before leaving for the salon, Lavanya sweetly suggested to Manasa, “Akka, butterfly cuts are in trend now. A lot of girls in college have them. If I had long hair, I’d get one too! You should try it.” Manasa, unsuspecting of Lavanya’s true intentions, nodded “Maybe… Let’s see.” They entered the salon and The barber greeted them.
Amma asked the barber to give Lavanya a nice, short bob cut. The barber examined her hair and suggested for an bobcut with nape shave that will suit her well, keep her cool, and easier to maintain.” Amma hesitated at first but later nodded in agreement. Before Lavanya could say anything,The barber trimmed her shoulder-length hair to neck level and then used trimmer to shave her nape, giving her a good undercut. He quickly finished Lavanya’s haircut, leaving her with a neat bob and a shaved nape, which she secretly enjoyed, Amma turned to Manasa. “Your turn.” Next, the barber turned to Manasa, who wanted just a trim. Amma and Lavanya left to nearby market for shopping.
According to Lavanya’s suggestion manasa asked the barber to give her the butterfly cut so the barber layered Manasa’s hair, giving it volume and bounce. Manasa admired the final cut . Then she joined Amma and Lavanya, her long hair now layered and voluminous. Amma looked at her and nodded approvingly, saying, “It looks lovely, but it might be hard to manage.” Lavanya, with a soft smile, added, “You look great, Akka, just like the girls at college.” Manasa touched her hair, unsure but trying to appreciate the compliment. Lavanya knew that the butterfly cut would be difficult to tie up, making it harder for her to manage in the long run.
Days passed, and as expected, Manasa struggled with her new hairstyle. Managing it for office became a hassle. Lavanya would conveniently take long showers, using up most of the shampoo, forcing Manasa to manage with less. Some days, her hair looked messy, and with the summer heat. Slowly, her office reputation started declining.The layered hair became difficult to tie neatly, especially during the busy office hours. Her unkempt appearance caught the attention of her supervisors, who had always valued professionalism. One day, her manager pointed out, “Presentation matters, Manasa. You need to look more put-together.” Despite her efforts, the situation worsened and within weeks, she was removed from her managerial position, leaving her devastated.
The day Appa returned home after long time even Aunt also visited them with an invitation for her daughter’s birthdayparty. she immediately noticed Manasa’s struggles. With a sly smile, she commented, “What happened to your job, Manasa? And with that hair, how do you expect to get another one?” She then turned to Lavanya and praised her, “See this girl followed the family tradition. Lavanya, I must say, you are looking so pure and beautiful after that ritual. Her words humiliated Manasa. Amma gave a small nod of agreement. Lavanya lowered her gaze, pretending to be humble, but inside, she felt a surge of satisfaction. Appa, observing all this, didn’t say much at the moment.
But that night, He called Manasa for a serious talk. His tone was firm but calm. “Manasa, I spoke to a friend. He can refer you for a job, but you need to look professional.” Manasa sighed, already expecting this conversation. “Appa, I’ll manage. I just need some time.” Appa shook his head. “Presentation matters. You need a proper haircut and a neat appearance. That will help you get hired faster.” Manasa hesitated but knew he was right. She had no choice but to agree. A few days later, Amma finally said, “Enough, Manasa. You need a proper haircut for job interviews. A bob cut will be best.”Ajji agreed. “Yes, take her to a salon and get it done properly.” Lavanya watched silently, satisfied that Amma had finally said what she wanted but she had better plan.
Later, when Amma and Lavanya were alone in the room, Lavanya softly said, “Amma… barbershop is better for Akka.” Amma looked at her, surprised. “Why? Salon will give her a proper bob cut.” Lavanya lowered her gaze, speaking with concern “Salon won’t cut it short enough… Barbers do it neatly. For her job, short hair is better, right?” Amma thought for a moment. “Hmm… Maybe you’re right.” Amma sighed. “Okay, I’ll tell Appa.” Lavanya hid her small smile. That evening, Amma spoke to Appa. “When are you taking Manasa for a haircut.” Appa nodded. “I am taking her to the salon tomorrow .” Amma suggested. “A barbershop would be better.” Appa questioned “Isn’t that too much ” and After a pause, Appa agreed. “Alright, I’ll take her there only.” Lavanya, listening nearby, smirked. Her plan was working.
Manasa followed Appa into the barbershop, expecting a quick trim at a salon. But as she stepped inside and saw men getting their hair cut short, her stomach tightened. This wasn’t a salon—it was a barbershop. She decided not to argue and sat on the chair as the barber draped a cape around her. The strong smell of shaving cream filled the air. “How short, sir?” the barber asked, combing through Manasa’s waist-length hair. “Shorten the length,” Appa replied. Manasa let out a quiet sigh of relief. At least it wouldn’t be too drastic. The barber chopped her waist-length hair to her shoulders. Before she could react, Appa ordered, “Shorter.” Her hair was cut into a bob, then reduced to a boy cut. When Appa asked for a trimmer to clean the sides, Manasa protested. A heated argument followed, and Appa lost his temper.
Appa shouted at the barber . “Shave it completely.” The barber switched on the trimmer, and the loud buzzing filled the room. Manasa sat frozen as he placed it at her forehead and pushed it back, stripping away a thick section of her hair. She gasped, watching in horror as her long strands tumbled down. “Appa, stop this!” she pleaded, but her father remained firm. The barber continued, running the trimmer over her head in steady strokes, clearing the top first and then moving to the sides. Hair piled around her as she felt the cool air directly on her scalp. With each pass, the last traces of her hair vanished, leaving her completely bald. Manasa stared at herself in the mirror, completely bald. Her heart sank.
As they reached home, Amma was in surprise and Ajji smiled at Appa. “You did the right thing.” Manasa didn’t say a word. She walked straight to the bathroom and locked the door. Lavanya quietly watched everything. The house was quiet after everything that happened. Manasa went to her room, refusing to speak to anyone. Amma, feeling relieved, sat with Ajji, who praised Appa for his decision. “It was necessary,” Ajji said. “Girls shouldn’t be too attached to their hair.” Amma agreed with a small smile. Lavanya observed everything and moved towards Manasa’s room . Manasa stood in the bathroom, running her hands over her stubble bald head, feeling angry but sad. Outside, Lavanya listened to her quiet sobs. A small, satisfied smile appeared on her face. Manasa had received her punishment, but Lavanya’s revenge wasn’t over , Her final move was yet to be executed.
A few days later, Amma casually touched her long, thick hair while talking to Ajji. “Manasa looks better now, It was the right decision.” Lavanya thought to herself. Amma really thought this was a good thing? Did she ever think about how she felt when she was forced into it?… She watched as Amma smiled, completely unaware of what was coming. The same mother who had justified her pain would now taste it herself. This time, there would be no warnings, no choices—only the sweet, silent revenge Lavanya had been waiting for the end move.
