"Mummy, Papa, I heard you talking yesterday", I say as we are having dinner together
"Yes beta, about that we don't think you should go alone to a foreign country, you papa and I both cannot stay with you we have work here, can you find colleges here nearby itself, you can go to Mumbai too"
Hearing that my blood boiled, "What do you mean find it nearby itself, you want to send me to a government college here in this city, If you wanted to do that then why did you even enroll me in Cambridge curriculum, you could have just thrown me in a CBSE school for all your sake"
"Don't say like that, your sister Tiya is also studying in India only the difference is she is in Mumbai"
"Of course she is, firstly because Masa and Masi are just too scared to let alone their only daughter, do you even think what is the condition of her mental health she is smiling from outside but crying from inside, do you even know how it feels to be restricted to do what you dream because of your silly fears! I am not going to stay with you all my life you have to give me a little freedom"
"So you are trying to say that we do not give you freedom", Mom
"You all are the same you are doing exactly what Dada(Paternal Grandpa) did to Papa."
"My dear please try to understand we are doing this for your own good", Papa says finally for the first time
"I don't want you to do that, I want you to support me in my decisions I am going to be 18 for gods sake at least trust me now to handle myself"
"Of course we trust you dear---"
"Oh I know its the world you don't trust right? Its useless to make you both understand, do whatever you want I am going to sleep", with that I get and put my plate away in the sink and go to my room.
"It's ok dear she will understand later on we were saying for her betterment only, she does not know the dangers of a girl living alone"Papa says to mom
"Yes Dhruv, did you see the news everyday how many girls are getting raped and human trafficked from their homes where they live alone! Some were even kidnapped from their families where they lived together, I can't even imagine that happening to our princess"
"Arnavv!", I say as soon as he picks up my call
"Are you crying again, what happened did you talk to them?"
"Of course I did talking to them feels like I am banging my head on the wall, I know they are nt going to agree I am going to be stuck for the rest of my life I tell you"
"Don't say like that they are your parents, they care for you Devi"
"They do not care for me Arnav they care for their reputation more than me, I know what they are thinking-What will happen if she does some mistake what will people say what will society say"
"It is not like that Devi, should I tell my parents to talk to them, do you want that"
"Can you do that do you think they will agree"
"Yes I think they will let me talk to them then I will get back to you okay?"
"Hmm call me"