lockdown Headshave ~ DAD please NO! by aryan agrawal

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The lockdown had turned my life into a nightmare. My grades were plummeting, and my dad’s strictness felt relentless. After failing yet another math test, I braced myself for what I knew was coming: my third forced head shave during this never-ending lockdown.

One scorching afternoon, I lay sprawled on the couch, sweat trickling down my neck. "Dad, it’s too hot! Can’t I just catch a break?" I whined, hoping for some sympathy. Instead, I was met with a glare that could freeze fire.

"Catch a break? You’re failing! We need to do something about that hair!" he barked, grabbing that dreaded beard trimmer, its metallic surface glinting ominously.

"No! Not again! Please, Dad!" I begged, panic rising in my chest. "I’ll study harder, I promise!"

"Discipline, Aryan! You’re wasting your potential!" He switched on the clippers, and the buzzing noise filled the room, drowning out my protests. Before I could argue, he yanked me up from the couch.

"Outside. Now!" he ordered, dragging me to the backyard. My heart raced as I stumbled behind him, feeling utterly helpless.

In the bright sun, I was shoved onto a stool, the heat amplifying my dread. "This is so unfair!" I mumbled, but he ignored me, focused on the clippers in his hand.

"Hold still!" he commanded, and I flinched as he approached. The first cut felt brutal, the clippers tearing through my hair. I gasped as clumps fell to the ground, each piece a reminder of my humiliation.

"Look at Aryan! Takla ban gaya!" shouted a kid from the neighborhood, laughter ringing in my ears. "Kya style hai! Head shave ka naya trend hai kya?"

I felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment as they continued their taunts. "Mat jao, Aryan! Garmi se aise takla hota hai, kya?" they laughed, each jab piercing my pride.

With each swipe of the clippers, I felt more and more defeated. "You don’t understand how much this hurts!" I shouted, but he was resolute. "Every time your hair grows back, we’ll do this again if your grades don’t improve," he declared, his voice unwavering.

As he continued to shave, the kids kept chiming in. "Kya maza aa raha hai, Aryan? Takla aur garmi ka combo!" one yelled. My heart sank further with each jeer.

Finally, he stepped back, and I braced myself for the mirror. I was completely bald again, and the sight of my reflection shocked me. "There! Now you’ll think twice about your grades," he said, satisfaction evident in his voice.

But the punishment didn’t end there. "You need to learn a lesson," he insisted, leading me toward the garage. "You’re spending the rest of the day in here to think about what you’ve done."

The garage was stifling, no AC to cool me down. I slumped against the wall, overwhelmed by the heat and my sense of defeat. "This is torture!" I shouted, but he just locked the door behind him.

"Think about your choices, Aryan!" he called through the door, leaving me alone in my misery. The sun blazed outside, turning the garage into a sauna.

The kids outside were relentless. "Kya maza aa raha hai garage mein, Aryan? Takla aur garmi ka combo!" one yelled again. "Bol do, tum bhi kuch nahi ho! Sirf takla!"

I wanted to scream back, but all I could do was sit there, feeling utterly humiliated.

When my dad finally returned to unlock the door, I was ready to confront him. "Have you thought about your mistakes?" he asked, his expression still stern.

"Dad, I hate this! You don’t care how I feel!" I shouted, my frustration boiling over.

"Every time your hair grows back, we’ll do this again if your grades don’t improve," he repeated, and my heart sank further.

"Why can’t you just support me instead of punishing me?" I cried, feeling helpless. But he shrugged, indifferent to my pain.

As I stepped out into the fresh air, the laughter from the neighbors echoed in my ears. "Aryan, takla ho gaya! Kya scene hai!" they teased.

"Next time, wear a cap, ya nahi toh garmi se maar jayega!" another added, and I felt the sting of their words.

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