*Beep Beep*
Her phone beeped, she read the SMS which have just arrived.
Final Year Graduation Results to be out Today. Reach College by Noon.
She sighed reading the message. She was scared now. Her results are going to be out in some time, it's not that her papers went bad, her all the papers were super good, though she was scared 'Human Nature' she thought and moved towards the bathroom taking her clothes. It's 10 a.m. now; she has got 2 hrs to reach her college. She took a long hot shower, still scared about her results. What if she does not get good marks? No she does not want that she has to get good marks. She put off the shower and moved out of the bathroom after wearing her clothes. She got ready and headed to the small temple which was in her house.
"Please God, I want good marks" she prayed to god; stood there for few minutes and moved towards the door to go to her college. She took the bus to her college praying to God all her way.
She reached her college and headed towards the notice board where the results were displayed. Looking towards the sky she prayed for the last time and finally looked at the Score Sheet on the notice board. She started to glance from the bottom of the sheet, she moved her eyes slowly upwards finding her name and there it was.
AROHI AHLUWALIA ' Passed With Distinction ' 89%.
She let out the breathe which she was holding and jumped with happiness. "Yes, Yes, Yes" she said. She was very happy there was no limit of her happiness.
"Principal Sir wants to meet you" said a peon to Arohi. She nodded to him and moved towards the principal office.
Principal looked at his door and saw Arohi coming in. She was wearing light pink colored dress which had a little work of silver on it. "Congratulations Ms. Ahluwalia, you have topped the exam" said the principal moving his hand forward. Arohi moved her hand forward to shake, and said "Thank You Sir." "I am very proud that we had such an intelligent student in the college, best of luck for your future." Said principal handling her, her mark sheet. "Thank You" said Arohi again taking the mark sheet and moved out of the room bidding bye to her principal.
"Congratulations Arohi" said few of her classmates in unison. She quickly said "Thank You" and rushed out of her college. She had to reach home as soon as possible. She has to show her mark sheet to her Dad and tell him what she had planned for her future. She headed towards her home.
~*~
*Ting Tong*
Arohi rang the door bell and waited for the door to open she could not wait to tell her marks, she was feeling very restless. The door was opened by a lady. "BHABHI" shouted Arohi and hugged her Bhabhi tightly and said "I scored 89% and topped the college" breaking the hug Arohi looked at her Bhabhi, Mrs. Purvi .S. Ahluwalia.
"I knew you will score extremely good" said Purvi she was very happy for her sister-in-law. She then moved towards the hall, Arohi behind her. "I had told you, but you were busy being scared" added Purvi and then both sat on the sofa. Arohi pouted listening to Purvi. Purvi smiled looking at Arohi.
"Where's Dad and Bhai?" asked Arohi after few seconds of silence. "They had an important meeting, they'll be back soon" replied Purvi knowing the reason of Arohi's questions. Arohi nodded and then was going to get up but stopped when Purvi asked "How are going to convince Dad?" "I don't know" she replied and her face fell. She headed towards her room hoping that her Dad gets convinced.
After few hours the door bell rang and there were two men who entered the house. Arohi came out of her room to see that the two people for whom she was waiting have finally come back, her Dad and her Brother.
She went down the stairs directly to her father and said "Dad I topped the college. I scored 89%." She touched her father's feet to take his blessings. She stood up and looked at her father. Her father didn't give her blessings as always. She waited for her father to say something. "Good" said her father Arvind Ahluwalia coldly and started moving towards his room. "Dad I want to talk to you" said Arohi hoping that her father will stop but no. "Later" he said moving towards his room. He didn't even glance back at her.
Her Bhabhi and Brother Salil Ahluwalia observed the whole conversation silently and now looked at Arohi who had tears in her eyes which did not flow off her eyes. She was trying hard that they don't come out. She always controlled herself; she always showed that she is very happy; she did not want Salil and Purvi to know that she is sad.
Arvind Ahluwalia is the owner of the biggest publication house in Chandigarh. Arvind was married to Preeti Mittal and had a son Salil and was soon going to be father of another child. He was very happy. One day they got a call saying that Preeti's Sister and Brother-in-law met with an accident and died but their daughter was still alive and asked them to take the girl as there was no one apart from Arvind and Preeti to look after the little girl 'Arohi'. Arvind and Preeti then adopted her and came back home with little Arohi. They decided that they will give her all the love which a child needs but Arohi was heartbroken she just wanted her parents back. Slowly, Slowly Arohi had started accepting Arvind and Preeti as her parents and Salil as her brother. But during all this time Preeti didn't take care of herself, she was so engrossed into making Arohi happy that she had forgotten that she was pregnant. Her lack of care towards herself had led her to death. Due to her carelessness she was having complications in her pregnancy and one day both Preeti and the baby died. Arvind could not bear this and blamed Arohi for his wife's death. From that day onwards Arvind loathed Arohi. He took care of Salil like a father but never cared about Arohi. He just kept a nanny to take care of Arohi. He gave her toys, sent her in good school but never looked at her.
Arohi would just stare at Salil and Arvind when Arvind would talk to his son lovingly and would not even look at Arohi. Her heart pained looking at them sharing a father-son bond. As Arohi started growing up she concentrated more on her studies. She would study hard and always secured 1st rank or 2nd rank just for her father. Hoping that scoring good marks will impress her father and her father will love her the way he loved Salil, but he never got impressed, he didn't care if she scored good marks or she fails. Once Salil had asked his father about his behavior towards Arohi and Arvind replied to Salil saying that she was the reason for his mother's death. Salil never agreed with his father. Salil loved Arohi very much; he never let Arohi feel that he is her step brother. Arohi got all the love from Salil but Salil could not give her the Father's love which Arohi needed, he could not take away the pain which he could see in her eyes. But all these pain could not take away one thing from her, that's her innocence.
Even now Arohi told about her marks to her father hoping that he will keep his hand on her head lovingly but deep down she knew that this will not happen. Arohi wanted to study further she wanted to do post-graduation but not from here she wanted to Delhi, she had also found out all the information about the colleges out there. But this was a difficult task for her she was scared that Arvind will not let her go out and study. Arvind had once told Salil that he will get Arohi married after she completes her graduation. Salil had then told him that she wants to study further, but Arvind didn't wanted Arohi to study more. He just wanted her to get married and leave his house. She can do whatever she wants after she gets married. He cared less about her. Salil was feeling very bad for his sister, he was feeling sad that he cannot do anything for his sister; he even told Purvi about his conversation with Arvind. Salil and Purvi knew that Arohi wants to study further but they didn't know that she wants to go to Delhi for that, when they got to know about this they were shocked, and were feeling bad for Arohi but they didn't let Arohi know that Arvind will get her married after her graduation, they just told her that it's going to be difficult for to convince Arvind. She worked very hard for her exams so that she can score good marks and can convince her father.
"So my little sister is a graduate now huh. Where's the treat?" asked Salil to change the atmosphere. Arohi turned towards her brother trying hard to control her tears and she was successful in doing that. She smiled and replied with a little attitude in her voice "Thank You Bhai and I am not going to give you any treat instead you should give me I studied hard then why should I give you a treat?" "So it's decided that Salil will give us the treat" said Purvi taking Arohi's side. "You can decide the place" Arohi said pointing towards Salil and then both Arohi and Purvi moved towards the Kitchen. Salil shook his head seeing them teaming up and also felt happy for the same. 'I hope dad let her study further' thought Salil and went towards his room.
Edited by veds_6791 - 13 years ago
