"I did not do anything wrong!!" Riya kept justifying herself looking at the sunset through her boarding school dormitory. She was always irritated, never spoke to anyone in the boarding school and whatever little she spoke would always be out of irritation. She preferred to stay alone, preferred to keep her guilt to herself.
Riya was a 15 year old girl from Mumbai. She was from a middle class family. Her father HAD a decent job in town. Her mother is a software engineer by qualification but a housewife by obligation.
"Hey Riya, could you help me with this chapter?" her room mate asked with a little hesitation.
"Leave me alone!!! I don't know anything. I don't want to talk about it. I didn't do it purposely!!" Riya screamed in frustation.
"Are you mad? What is your problem? All I asked for is a little help and you start some sort of justification about something. You are definitely crazy as everyone says. I thought you were sane and they just tried to bully you but they were right. You are crazy" her room mate blurted out in anger shattering every small bit on self confidence left in Riya.
Riya walked out of the room with tears in her eyes vanishing into the cold winter night without any fear of her board exams the next day.
"Hey Ri. Your exams are getting over tomorrow. Mumma is coming to pick you up tomorrow. I missed you a lot and I love you."
"I love you too" Riya replied to her mother in a low blunt tone.
"Is everything ok Ri? Did your Maths paper go bad? Are you not completely prepared for your History paper tomorrow?"
"Mum, I'll see you tomorrow" Riya replied and banged the phone down.
Riya felt a little better being home, being back to her room where her dog was waiting for her. The chirping of the sparrows and the mild sound of the sea splashing on the rocks just calmed her down.
Riya sat on the terrace with her dog staring at the sun going down into the sea beyond the horizon. She had a smile on her face. She was finally back with her best friends.
"Ri, dinner is ready"
"I've made your favourite pasta."
Ding-dong Ding-dong The doorbell rang just as her mom was serving her.
"Ri, It's Kamal uncle"
Riya got off the dining table and started to go towards her room as soon as she heard this.
Kamal was her father's best friend. After her father's death he had been a major support to them. He helped them sort a lot of issues and soon became a regular at her place. He was a widower. His wife had died of cancer a couple of years ago.
"How were your exams Riya?" Kamal asked her making her stop.
"They were OK" Riya replied for the sake of replying.
"Why don't you join Riya for dinner? I've made pasta" Her mom said.
"Sure"
Kamal tried to have a conversation with Riya but without substantial results. Riya gave him one or two word answers.
This continued for weeks. Kamal visited their house every evening. He sometimes stayed over as well. Riya confined herself to her room with her best friends trying to ignore the humans outside. She was waiting for her exam results which were due soon.
"Congratulations Riya!! 89% is a brilliant score" Kamal congratulated her with a box of Ferrero Rocher.
"So what subject do you wish to pursue ahead?" Kamal asked.
"Medicine" Riya replied
"WOW!!"
"What Wow Kamal!! The fees are too damn high for the college she wants to attend. I cannot afford it. I barely earn enough for our survival. It has been very tough since her father passed away. I have somehow cleared all the money he owed at casinos and bars. I cannot afford her education" her mom said very disappointed and helpless.
"Hey hey hey don't cry, don't be disappointed. I will help you pay her fees. I will help you educate her." Kamal said taking her mom in his arms trying to console her.
"I want to marry you." Kamal proposed to Riya's mother.
"I know it's not the right time or place but.."
"NO!! YOU DON'T NEED TO. You are not my father, so don't try to be like him. And you can never be my father. Leave my mother alone. Leave us alone. We will manage."
Riya blasted and separated her mom from him.
"Get out of the house and don't come here ever again. I don't want to see your face again." Riya started dragging Kamal towards the door.
Slappp
Slappp
Slappp
Riya's mom slapped her hard.
Kamal intervened and stopped her mom.
"Calm Down. Let's go inside. She's a kid"
Kamal took Riya's mom inside.
Riya stood there alone. Her cheeks red. Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"MAIN PAGAL NAHI HOON" she screamed and banged her room door shut.
An hour later Riya's mom entered the room. She still had the tear stains on her face.
"I'm sorry mum."
"Its okay"
"Do you want to marry him? Do you love him mum?
"Yes I love him. But I love you more. I want you to accept him. I won't marry him if you can't"
"Did you accept that i did not kill dad? Did you accept I am not mad?" Riya asked with tears rolling down her face in anguish.
"Its OK. You won't understand. Calm down and sleep well" Her mom left the room.
Riya couldn't sleep. The memories of that incident kept flashing in front of her eyes.
That night her father returned home late drunk as usual.
"You're late today. How much will money will you waste on alcohol Ravi? her mom asked.
"Who are you to ask me? You stay in the kitchen and handle the house." he replied pushing her.
"Enough is enough. To handle the house i need money. You waste all your salary on alcohol. You loans worth lacs from various people. They come home everyday abusing me and i have to handle them. I have had enough. I am going to work from tomorrow.And you dare push me again"
"Here, I pushed. and I pushed again" Ravi pushed her repeatedly.
Slapppp
"I told you don't. I have had enough" she said slapping her husband.
"How dare you slap me!!!" Ravi blasted at her angrily and held her by the neck.
"I will kill you" he said choking her.
Slowly he started lifting her by the neck.
"Ravi you're choking me. I can't breathe. It's hurting me."
Her eyes started to roll up. He face puffing. Trying to catch some breath. Her feet were a few centimetres above the ground.
CRASSSSSSSSSHHHHHHH.
Riya had stood at her room door all this while but could not see it anymore. She took the glass vase lying on the table and hit her father on the head so hard that the vase shattered to pieces.
Ravi left her neck and just crashed down to the floor. He became unconscious. There was blood all around from the back of his head. Her mom dropped to the floor.
Riya stood there motionless. Just as motionless as her father on the floor...
Riya startled up from her visions.
Her mom had come back.
"Can't sleep sweety? Come in my lap." she took her in her lap.
"I didn't kill him on purpose mom. I didn't mean to kill him."
"You killed him. Why did you hit him?" Her mom asked her.
"He would have killed you. I saw your eyes roll over. I just tried to save you. I'm sorry"
"It's ok sweety. I know you didn't do it on purpose.
I know you didn't kill him on purpose. I know you saved me. But i had no way out then.
I know you are not mad. But I had to say it because that was the only way to sustain your education and protect you from the hatred of our family. I could not afford your education. I did it to protect you."
"You are a very courageous and brave daughter. You're my only daughter. I could not lose you. I could let the police take you away. I made up the story to save you.Sending you to the remand school was the only way to protect and edducate you. I'm sorry. I love you"
Riya remained silent for a while.
"Leave me alone mum." Riya said and turned away on her bed.
"Hi, Kamal uncle" Riya said in a happy tone giving him an envelope.
'For YOU AND MOM'
Kamal and Riya's mom were surprised.
"Open it. Quick!!"
Kamal had a smile on his face, Riya's mom tears, tears of happiness on opening the envelope.
It had a message.
'KAMAL WEDS SONAL'
Riya was a 15 year old girl from Mumbai. She was from a middle class family. Her father HAD a decent job in town. Her mother is a software engineer by qualification but a housewife by obligation.
"Hey Riya, could you help me with this chapter?" her room mate asked with a little hesitation.
"Leave me alone!!! I don't know anything. I don't want to talk about it. I didn't do it purposely!!" Riya screamed in frustation.
"Are you mad? What is your problem? All I asked for is a little help and you start some sort of justification about something. You are definitely crazy as everyone says. I thought you were sane and they just tried to bully you but they were right. You are crazy" her room mate blurted out in anger shattering every small bit on self confidence left in Riya.
Riya walked out of the room with tears in her eyes vanishing into the cold winter night without any fear of her board exams the next day.
"Hey Ri. Your exams are getting over tomorrow. Mumma is coming to pick you up tomorrow. I missed you a lot and I love you."
"I love you too" Riya replied to her mother in a low blunt tone.
"Is everything ok Ri? Did your Maths paper go bad? Are you not completely prepared for your History paper tomorrow?"
"Mum, I'll see you tomorrow" Riya replied and banged the phone down.
Riya felt a little better being home, being back to her room where her dog was waiting for her. The chirping of the sparrows and the mild sound of the sea splashing on the rocks just calmed her down.
Riya sat on the terrace with her dog staring at the sun going down into the sea beyond the horizon. She had a smile on her face. She was finally back with her best friends.
"Ri, dinner is ready"
"I've made your favourite pasta."
Ding-dong Ding-dong The doorbell rang just as her mom was serving her.
"Ri, It's Kamal uncle"
Riya got off the dining table and started to go towards her room as soon as she heard this.
Kamal was her father's best friend. After her father's death he had been a major support to them. He helped them sort a lot of issues and soon became a regular at her place. He was a widower. His wife had died of cancer a couple of years ago.
"How were your exams Riya?" Kamal asked her making her stop.
"They were OK" Riya replied for the sake of replying.
"Why don't you join Riya for dinner? I've made pasta" Her mom said.
"Sure"
Kamal tried to have a conversation with Riya but without substantial results. Riya gave him one or two word answers.
This continued for weeks. Kamal visited their house every evening. He sometimes stayed over as well. Riya confined herself to her room with her best friends trying to ignore the humans outside. She was waiting for her exam results which were due soon.
"Congratulations Riya!! 89% is a brilliant score" Kamal congratulated her with a box of Ferrero Rocher.
"So what subject do you wish to pursue ahead?" Kamal asked.
"Medicine" Riya replied
"WOW!!"
"What Wow Kamal!! The fees are too damn high for the college she wants to attend. I cannot afford it. I barely earn enough for our survival. It has been very tough since her father passed away. I have somehow cleared all the money he owed at casinos and bars. I cannot afford her education" her mom said very disappointed and helpless.
"Hey hey hey don't cry, don't be disappointed. I will help you pay her fees. I will help you educate her." Kamal said taking her mom in his arms trying to console her.
"I want to marry you." Kamal proposed to Riya's mother.
"I know it's not the right time or place but.."
"NO!! YOU DON'T NEED TO. You are not my father, so don't try to be like him. And you can never be my father. Leave my mother alone. Leave us alone. We will manage."
Riya blasted and separated her mom from him.
"Get out of the house and don't come here ever again. I don't want to see your face again." Riya started dragging Kamal towards the door.
Slappp
Slappp
Slappp
Riya's mom slapped her hard.
Kamal intervened and stopped her mom.
"Calm Down. Let's go inside. She's a kid"
Kamal took Riya's mom inside.
Riya stood there alone. Her cheeks red. Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"MAIN PAGAL NAHI HOON" she screamed and banged her room door shut.
An hour later Riya's mom entered the room. She still had the tear stains on her face.
"I'm sorry mum."
"Its okay"
"Do you want to marry him? Do you love him mum?
"Yes I love him. But I love you more. I want you to accept him. I won't marry him if you can't"
"Did you accept that i did not kill dad? Did you accept I am not mad?" Riya asked with tears rolling down her face in anguish.
"Its OK. You won't understand. Calm down and sleep well" Her mom left the room.
Riya couldn't sleep. The memories of that incident kept flashing in front of her eyes.
That night her father returned home late drunk as usual.
"You're late today. How much will money will you waste on alcohol Ravi? her mom asked.
"Who are you to ask me? You stay in the kitchen and handle the house." he replied pushing her.
"Enough is enough. To handle the house i need money. You waste all your salary on alcohol. You loans worth lacs from various people. They come home everyday abusing me and i have to handle them. I have had enough. I am going to work from tomorrow.And you dare push me again"
"Here, I pushed. and I pushed again" Ravi pushed her repeatedly.
Slapppp
"I told you don't. I have had enough" she said slapping her husband.
"How dare you slap me!!!" Ravi blasted at her angrily and held her by the neck.
"I will kill you" he said choking her.
Slowly he started lifting her by the neck.
"Ravi you're choking me. I can't breathe. It's hurting me."
Her eyes started to roll up. He face puffing. Trying to catch some breath. Her feet were a few centimetres above the ground.
CRASSSSSSSSSHHHHHHH.
Riya had stood at her room door all this while but could not see it anymore. She took the glass vase lying on the table and hit her father on the head so hard that the vase shattered to pieces.
Ravi left her neck and just crashed down to the floor. He became unconscious. There was blood all around from the back of his head. Her mom dropped to the floor.
Riya stood there motionless. Just as motionless as her father on the floor...
Riya startled up from her visions.
Her mom had come back.
"Can't sleep sweety? Come in my lap." she took her in her lap.
"I didn't kill him on purpose mom. I didn't mean to kill him."
"You killed him. Why did you hit him?" Her mom asked her.
"He would have killed you. I saw your eyes roll over. I just tried to save you. I'm sorry"
"It's ok sweety. I know you didn't do it on purpose.
I know you didn't kill him on purpose. I know you saved me. But i had no way out then.
I know you are not mad. But I had to say it because that was the only way to sustain your education and protect you from the hatred of our family. I could not afford your education. I did it to protect you."
"You are a very courageous and brave daughter. You're my only daughter. I could not lose you. I could let the police take you away. I made up the story to save you.Sending you to the remand school was the only way to protect and edducate you. I'm sorry. I love you"
Riya remained silent for a while.
"Leave me alone mum." Riya said and turned away on her bed.
"Hi, Kamal uncle" Riya said in a happy tone giving him an envelope.
'For YOU AND MOM'
Kamal and Riya's mom were surprised.
"Open it. Quick!!"
Kamal had a smile on his face, Riya's mom tears, tears of happiness on opening the envelope.
It had a message.
'KAMAL WEDS SONAL'
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