16 Play - Play

Visha slept in to rest for her competition in the evening. She didn't want to look tired on stage. So she got out of her bed around lunchtime. She woke up with a smile and full of excitement. She couldn't help humming tunes while taking her shower, or picking out her clothes, or dancing down the stairs. Payal wasn't blind. She could see 'her daughter' was quite peppy this afternoon .

"Your birthday is still months away." she taunted. Visha puffed up her cheeks like a little child.

"It's my fashion walk today. And I loved my dress for tonight."

Payal laughed at how such little things made her so happy. Visha pouted her lips at her reaction. The Mother-daughter duo had lunch together. Payal had an off today so she witnessed the smile that wouldn't leave Visha's face. After her lunch Visha got up and started to get ready to go out. But there still a couple hours left in her competition. So where was she going? Payal could not understand. She looked at Visha questioningly.

"I am going to the Beauty Salon to get some things done. I want to look good." Visha could see her interrogating look.

Payal froze for a moment. She cannot let her go there. They would definitely do her hair as well. That meant untying them.

"No need"

"But I need to prepare for tonight. I have to get to the next round." Visha couldn't understand why her mother stopped her. She clearly knew how important this is for her. To her surprise Payal smiled and gently stroked her hair.

"Because, it's your important night. I will do all that for my lovely daughter myself." Visha immediately believed her. She knew her mother was very emotional and protective of her.

Payal went into her room and brought out a hair dryer. She sat down and brushed Visha's long beautiful hair. Her hair were her strongest point. They were the very epitome of beauty.

She then blow dried her wet hair. The smell of shampoo covered the entire room. Then made a beautiful braid. Payal went back in her room and brought back small pins with white flowers on them. She carefully pinned them within the braid and on her side rolls.

Visha went to check her hair in the mirror. She looked absolutely elegant and noble. This would go perfectly with the Angel vibe she was going for. She turned to kiss Payal's cheeks before leaving. She called Priya to tell her to meet up backstage in a few minutes.

Visha went straight to backstage and saw all the participants there. All of them looked nervous, as they got their make up done. There were five make up artists working simultaneously at five girls. Other were waiting for their turns. Visha looked around for Priya and found her holding the same bag from yesterday. She rushed towards her.

"Was it done?" Visha was worried if the alterations had been made. She was initially worried about the short time span to begin with. Priya nodded and she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Can I see it?"

Priya opened the bag to reveal the familiar white frills. Visha was filled with joy. Priya saw it and laughed internally. Just wait till you go on stage wearing that. Priya thought.

Visha was now assured that nothing would go wrong anymore.

***

Dhira had been working all day. She couldn't get Shivam's reaction out of her mind. Even though he didn't say anything but he was unsure. She had known him all her life, she could see he only agreed because he trusted her. Dhira knew her decision was rash but not for a second she believed it was wrong. She knew that there were still a few things about Visha that didn't quite make sense. What actually did make sense in the Wiccan world anyway. Like how she was able to withstand their pressure even though she hadn't started practicing yet. And how she couldn't do any spells by herself but she could with Dhira and Shivam there. And she wasn't lying for sure. Dhira knew that because she had secretly done a truth spell on her, on the day of the quiz. So she couldn't have lied about not being able to do spells or faked her surprise when she was able to transfer the attack on her. That attack this time was very viscous and very precise. They wanted her dead. It could have been the same one. When she was being schemed against by everyone, she just wanted to be sure to trust Visha. But she will have to find the person behind these attacks or the people around her would keep getting hurt. She barely made it with Visha. There aren't much people who are powerful enough to do the '12 Needles of Death'. It was a high level spell. And their target was the next heir of the most powerful coven of the country. It could have been anyone before. But the '12 Needles of Death' requires a belonging of the victim. And someone who had access to her belongings could have been either the culprit or a traitor. There were too many possibilities. Dhira sighed, this won't get anywhere.

Her ringtone interfered with her work. She picked up to silence it but saw Visha's name flash on it. She picked up.

"I'm working. This better be important." Dhira warned.

"Someone cut my entire dress. I need help asap."

"What do you mean by cut?"

"Someone went play-play with scissors on my dress. I have nothing to wear on stage now."

"How much time till your turn?" Dhira knew there was no point in arguing right now. It was not the time. She should let the situation subside before she goes godzilla on Visha.

"Half an hour at max."

"Get your make up done by then. I'll get the dress."

***