Chapter : 01
“Hello students , how are you all ? and how is your annual week going on ? “
Ms. Sharma, the class teacher asked the students enthusiastically.
"It’s going really good ma’am. We are having so much fun. Kirthi won 1st prize in painting ma’am", replied one of the students.
"Why only Kirthi ? Aaj toh Vishal ne bhi price jeeta,'said another one. With that the entire class started squeaking and chit chatting while giving information to Ms. Sharma.
Vansh looked at his entire class nonchalantly. All these doesn’t matter to him. Everything stopped mattering to him since his mother left. He hates to be in public. Wherever he goes people starts gossiping. Siya and Ishani are still small so they don’t understand much. But he knows the truth. And the truth is his mother has left them due to their father. Vansh knows his father isn’t an easy man to be with. Their arguments weren’t hidden from his ears. He always ensured Ishani and Siya never gets to understand but being the elder one even if he didn’t, he understood the broken relationship between his parents. But yet, the selfish kid inside him never thought his mother would leave. He never thought out of everything she could leave him, his Vansh out of everyone. His day always started with his mother. Until she woke him up he didn’t even open his eyes. After coming from school, he used to go directly to his mother. He had so many things to share with her. Being an introvert, he anyway did not have many friend. Few friends he has for namesake just because they belong to the school basketball team along with him. Siya and Ishani was never friend to him but his responsibility to keep them safe. His one and true friend were his mom. And now that she is gone, Vansh does not even feel like talking to anyone. Let alone open up. He didn’t even want to come to school but Dadi forced him so that everything seems normal to his sisters and they come to school too. Besides he is well aware of the bullies that hurts Siya. Ishani being the youngest is quite extrovert and can fight. But his Siya is too naïve for the world and dare anyone hurt her. So even if he wanted to hide from the world, but for his sisters so that no one can tell them anything he comes to school and pretend everything is normal in the Raisinghania clan.
“Vansh !!!” A bit loud voice broke his revere. He looked up only to see the entire class looking at him and Ms. Sharma who was the source of the sound looking inquisitively at him. “Oh God, what I have done now “,Vansh scowled.
“Penny for your thoughts Vansh ?” Ms. Sharma asked. “Nothing,I wasn’t thinking anything,” Vansh reluctantly said. “Then may I ask why you didn’t participate any of the extra-curricular activities this year ?” Someone whispered something and Vansh immediately knew what they were talking about. They were talking about his mother and her disappearance. His blood boiled. He felt like hitting something really hard but he cannot create a scene and making into people’s gossip again. With a straight face he said, “I didn’t feel like it”. “Well, as those were voluntarily activities I cannot force you. But we have a small activity today and every student must participate. And that means you too Vansh and I am not listening anything,’ told Ms. Sharma even before Vansh could refute.
God knows what she will make me do now. Vansh thought feeling irritated. Ms. Sharma started distributing some papers. While distributing she explained,” As you know final day is day after tomorrow of this annual week and like every year we have decided to host a pen-friend event where you will be writing a letter to an anonymous friend. You can write anything you want to share. But remember no derogatory comments or words. These letters will be collected and put in a box on the final day and will be open for all. By all I mean the guest students from other schools too who will be joining us for the event. Students can come and pick one letter. Remember you are not supposed to mention your name in the letter. Just your mailing address. If your pen-friend decides to write you back, only then you guys can reveal each others name on mutual decision. This event is to create an understanding between the cultures and different environment. Hopefully you will write according to it.” Saying this she stopped beside Vansh and handed him over the paper and envelope. “I will be checking if you wrote a letter or not Vansh, so do not skip it”, said Ms. Sharma
Vansh gritted his teeth. Here he is , feeling suffocated in every living second being betrayed by his mom and his teacher wants him to write a letter. He crumpled the paper and was about to throw it when he saw Ms.Sharma’s stern look on him. “Damn it, looks like I have to write it.” Vansh looked at the paper irritated. He took a look of entire class. Everyone is engrossed writing. How they do it Vansh wondered. Opening up to a stranger not knowing if the person is even capable of knowing their secrets, their fear. What if they do not understand what he wants to say? What if they make a fun of it, uses it against him. Vansh Shuddered. No. He made a mistake of giving all his trusts to his mother and getting nothing. His own mother didn’t value what he would feel when she left, how a stranger will? With that same thought he took the pen and scribbled, “I don’t want to talk, do not write me back.” With that he closed the envelope and waited for the bell to ring. One by one everyone gave their letter back to Ms. Sharma. Vansh gave his letter to her and was about to leave when she called him from behind. “Vansh ! You didn’t put your address.” “Damn this woman. Why is she after him? Doesn’t she get it that he do not want to be a part of this?” Vansh wanted to say a lot but decided against it thinking it will create unnecessary issue. Besides she is the only one who didn’t treat him differently after his mother fiasco. Otherwise every teacher looked at him with such scrutiny and sympathy that sometimes Vansh felt like not to exist even. Respecting her , Vansh turned back and hurriedly wrote his address and left the classroom.
Ms. Sharma looked at Vansh’s retreating back and sighed. She can’t believe what this guy became within a span of few months. Vansh was introvert, but he was never inattentive. There was always a spark in his eyes. He is quite smart and good student. He was mature and calculative in his words, but there was this playfulness in him, But after his mother left, this guy changed overnight. Raisinghania’s are really rich and famous and the news of Uma Raisinghania eloping spread like bonfire. She really would like to know what happened but seeing Vansh, she could never bring herself breaching the topic. In fact she pretended absolutely clueless so that the poor guy feels comfortable. She can never forget the hollowness she witnessed in his eyes the first day he came to class after that incident. Something broke inside her and she wanted to hug that kid tight and tell him all will be okay. But decided against it. Since then Vansh become so quite in class and all activities. He hardly talks, barely attentive in class. Not that his exams are going bad. Given the smart student he is, he caught up quite easily. But it is his mental being that is worrying her most. The original Vansh is lost somewhere. This hollow Vansh is not something she is familiar with. His fights with his friends aren’t unknown to her. She really wished to meet Uma Raisinghania and ask her what was the fault of her kids to suffer for the differences their parents has. Ms. Sharma has seen all Raisinghania kids and it breaks her heart whenever she sees Vansh isolating himself, or Siya sitting at the corner of the class so that no one teases her or Ishani, fighting every other student who says anything for her family.
A lone tear escaped from her eyes. She looked at the envelope in her hand. It wasn’t a mandatory task. But she made Vansh do it so that he can at least open up. It helps when you talk to stranger. But looking at his timing, she doubts if he has written even one line or not. She took the letter and kept it with others to submit it tomorrow and sent a silent prayer for Vansh. For whatever it takes, May this kid gets his smile back.
Pheww... There goes first chapter. Do let me know your feedbacks !!!!!
Finally decided on Raisinghania kids age
Vansh : 16 years old
Aryan : 14 years old
Sia : 14 years old
Ishani : 11 years old
Edited by jisa - 4 years ago