: "Mom! where are you? We are waiting, come soon".
: "Aai dear we are just on the way...".
CRASH.
:"!!... Mom! DAAD...!.".
Afternoon,
: "Huff ( heavy breath ) when did I get here?". She got up and walked out of her room.
: "Oh! Aai, you awake?".
: "Brother! what are you doing here?".He walked close to her and checked her temperature.
: "Good, it seems your fever's down. I'd a call from your work so I camed to pick you but you had already passed out. Well just on time, I've cook something, let's have it together".
The two sat to eat. A few minutes later while eating,
Brother: "Aai... why don't you just..quit your job?".
Aai: "...".
Brother: "It's not that I don't like it. Look I'm still healthy to earn money and even dad has saved enough for your future. And you will be starting school in two days. Studies and work, you will be tired".
Aai: "Brother, I'm...not working to earn just money. I'm learning to be independent. You...too have your own life. You won't be staying with me...forever. Someday you will get married and have your own family to take care of".
Brother: "Aai! I'm never going to leave you again". He interrupted".
Aai: "Everything doesn't always remain the same and doesn't work on our wish brother. Things do change and people...people too change and do leave...you. ...Brother...you don't have to worry about me. I'm fine. You must do what you wish to do for yourself. I... don't want to take anything more away from you.....".
Brother: "Aai!..don't".
Aai: "Brother! I'm full. I'm going to take a walk". Saying she leaves. He sat there clenching his fist, then his phone rings,
Brother: "Yes? I'll be there soon". He dials a number.
: "It's me, I want you to...".
When Aai returns home, she finds no one there. Her dog rubs itself on her. She hunches down,
Aai: "See, just as I said. Will you too leave me?". She pats it. The dog clings to her, whining.
The following days Aai works her shift out and pass her days.
Days of secondary school,
Aai is among the ranked student having a low-key life with no friends or interactions. In class she always choose the last window seat. She either reads a book or puts her head down. She doesn't like making friends nor talk with anyone. Even if someone speaks to her, she's...
: "Wow, your keychain looks cute!". one of her classmate asks her. Suddenly a girl pulls her away,
: "Oii! what do you think you are doing?", she whispered.
: "What happened?".
: "Don't be close to her. You might not know, last year some girls were telling that they had seen her with some delinquents and just the next day she came wearing some bandages on her. It seemed she was involved in some fight. She also didn't attend school for days".
: "Really? then we better not involve ourselves with her, let's go". Saying the girls walked away. Aai paid them no mind and continued reading.
After the end of classes, a girl came to Aai, "He...hello! I'm Pearl, we were classmates last year too and now we are seatmates let's get to know each other?" Though she seemed afraid, she tried to talk.
Aai: "...You...even if we are seatmates nobody is forcing you to speak here. I'm not interested in getting to know you". she got up and left with her bag.
"See I told you it's no use speaking to her", a girl told Pearl. "I thought since we have been classmates, we can speak with each other, but...".
"Come on, don't be sad".
As Aai in thoughts looking down walked out of the school gate, her name was called. She raised her head to see the students gathered. When she was called again she turned to see a young man having a tall figure, fair with pale dark body pigmentation, long legs covered by straight pants and body wearing a t-shirt and a dark hoodie, standing with his glasses on. He was with another young man who looked like a delinquent, sitting on a bike.