Chapter 4: Day 1 as Ashika

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Scene: Ashu's room, morning.

Ashu stands before a mirror, his reflection a stark reminder of the day's challenge. He adjusts the wig on his head, the artificial hair feeling foreign and uncomfortable.

Ashu: (grimacing) Seriously, a wig? This is ridiculous.

He sighs, his fingers grazing the unfamiliar length of the wig. Tugging at the collar of the frock, he frowns at the way the fabric clings.

Ashu: (muttering) How do girls even wear these things? It's like wearing a prison.

With reluctant determination, he proceeds to put on the breast forms, a task that feels awkward and unnatural. He stands awkwardly, staring at his reflection as he tries to make sense of the person looking back at him.

Ashu: (grimacing) Ugh, this is so uncomfortable. How do girls walk around with these things stuck to their chest?

Next comes the challenge of managing long hair. He stares at the brush in his hand, feeling a pang of sympathy for his mother and the hours she must spend on her own hair.

Ashu: (muttering) Alright, let's try this. How hard can it be?

Minutes turn into an eternity as he wrestles with the tangles, the brush occasionally getting stuck. He finally manages to tame his hair into something that vaguely resembles order.

Ashu: (rolling eyes) Great, now I have hair longer than half the girls in my class.

As he steps into the world as "Ashika," his steps are hesitant, each movement feeling like a calculated effort. Walking becomes a delicate balance between not tripping over the frock and trying to emulate what he thinks is a "feminine" gait.

Ashu: (to himself) Act girly, they said. Smile, they said. This is exhausting.

Throughout the day, Ashu grapples with the constraints of his new identity. He struggles to sit without adjusting the frock's fabric, battles the itchiness of the wig against his scalp, and finds himself sneaking a glance at his reflection to check if the breast forms are still in place.

Ashu: (whispering) Two weeks of this? How am I going to survive?

As the sun sets, Ashu stands in front of themirror again. He takes off the wig and carefully removes the breast forms,feeling a mixture of relief and discomfort. His reflection stares back at him-aboy tired from the day's performance, a boy whose world has been turned upsidedown, all for the sake of a charade.

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