A Lifetime Of Memories||Chapter3:Sometimes||Page13 - Page 7

cindy..this concept is mindblowing! sumtimes girls cud really behave stupid u know..i just loved this part..i felt so bad for noor..continue soon and do pm me..

p.s- r u giving ur 10th too?

hi sindhya!!!

thnksss sooooo muchh guyss

what a nice intro.. its really sad... i can relate to this i have a friend who is doing something similar to this.. i should stop it before it ends up like something like this.. i really liked the end sentence too about taking her parents life and leaving noor like an orphan.. cont soon.

and PM me when you update again

hey sindhya..nice story..just caught up..

Chapter 2: Sunshine

When 2 roads join together, you don't really understand how it happens, you just know that somethings going wrong... but what?

Noor slowly spread her hands over the photo, the photo of her, sayeli and their parents. It was so hard to forgive sai for what she had done.

She had killed every reason that pushed noor to laugh, to move on, to live life the way it is.

But what hurt noor the most was the unsaid words that sais eyes had said before deciphering nothingness.

That helplessness in her eyes, those crazy thoughts of justin, the urge to see her parents again, there was so much pain in her eyes that night. And suddenly nothingness, thought noor, as she lay in her bed wondering what her life was leading her to.

'you ok?', a voice sounded from beside her table.

Noor quickly turned to see a 18 year old slim, model like woman standing there, with a painful smile pasted on her face.

'you are..?'

'kanika.'

'oh, hey. Im.. noor.'

'hey noor. You new here?'

'yeah.'

'what happened? Why did they leave you here?', kanika asked ponting at the picture in noors hand.

'they were summoned back to god.', she said as an awkward silence followed.

'it happens every day.'

'what about you?'

'well...ive been here since i was born.'

'sorry?'

'well, i guess my mom and died as i was born. And so i was brought here.'

'so you like it here?'

'theres nothing better for us, with fates of rock to ponder then here.'

'you must know everyone here.'

'yes. It pains me to see people sent here everyday. What did these kids ever do? I mean you see that kid right there', she asked pointing at a bounty cute kid except with a huge burn mark on her neck,'her names rapheeza. Her parents left her because of that burn. They i suppose expected her to grow up to be beautiful, so they could sell her off for good money. But the burn, it ruined their plans.'

'thats outrageous.'

'thats life noor. Ive seen so many little toddlers brought here like this, and then no one wants to adopt them. All of them want nice little kids who are clean and beautiful. A perfect kid!'

'what about you? Why didn't you ever get chosen?'

'this place is my home. Theres nothing else that gives me more happiness than being here able to protect these kids, and help them.'

'thats... thats really nice of you!'

'so how old are you?', kanika asked changing the topic.

'turned 16 a few months ago.'

'nice.'

'ummm.. what exactly happens like... adoptions and all..?'

'well basically parents who cant bear kids themselves come here to adopt some. In that way promising the kids here a future.'

'oh.so when do these parents come?'

'well they come from 5 to 7 in the evening. A nice evening for the kids. As some or the other person comes and plays with them, lifts them up in the air, cuddles them. For them its almost like a dream come true, having a real home you know.'

'yeah.'

' whats worrying you?'

'nothing. Just that... im no perfect kid and i don't...'

'youre one of the good options here. Believe me. Theyve all been giving you envious looks since the moment youve stepped in. A tougher competition for them. All those girls right there', kanika said as she pointed at a set of perfect dolls sitting on the bed being good girls,'thats tara, gayatri, kirti and chahat. They are supposed to be the good kids here. But its a little too obvious that you're way too pretty, thats what all the parents want.'

'wow! What sweet kids.'

'dont be too harsh. They just want a home, and parents, which they can their own. They are all fighting for their identity.'

'do you think they might have considered the fact that i don't want foster parents.'

'you don't?'

'i don't. And i definitely wont go to any god damn persons house. Its outrageous.'

'another one like her.'

'like whom?'

'like akreta.'

'akreta?'

'you think you wanna come with me upstairs? Thats where akreta is. On the terrace.'

'definitely.', noor said getting up from her bed, to follow kanika upstairs.

***

Kanika slowly walked upto a ghostly figure which stood on the edge of the rooftop facing the sunny side.

'aki? Theres someone here you might like.', kanika said, as the figure turned around to show a perfect sharp featured face with a pair of dark painless eyes.

'hey. Im noor.'

'hey noor, im akreta.', she said as she turned to see kanika leaving. But before i could protest a voice chimmed beside me.

'shes busy noor. Let her be.'

'oh.'

'so i see youre the one theyve been talking about.'

'whos been talking about me?'

'everyone. They all want to be your friends.'

'why?'

'isnt that freaking obvious? Youre breathtakingly beautiful.'

'oh.'

'its not just them.'

'sorry?'

'its not just the the kids here. The adults want you too, though saying it as friends would be an understatement.'

'but..'

'be careful. Don't walk around in the night. You might not find you're way back.'

'ill.. ill remember that.'

'if i were you, you might wanna leave soon.'

'leave?'

'impress the parents who come here to adopt. Be polite and sweet. And youll be leaving before you know it.'

'what if you are mistaken? What if what youre saying is not true.'

'im a victim of it noor. Im pregnant', she said her eyes filled with a flood of remorse as she pointed at her slightly pointed out stomach.

'i..'

'its 4. Go dress up. And remember be polite, courteous and sweet.'

'i wanna know what happened.'

'some other time.'

'no. I have an hour. Wont take me much time to get ready. Tell me now. Please.'

Akreta took in a deep breath before she started.

'when i came here, i was 17. Overly beautiful, extremely sweet and polite. The parents loved me. But i dint wanna leave. Kanika needed me.'

'kanika?'

'ill explain that later. Now coming back to the story. when i was new here, i would walk around nicely, not minding what the others thought about it. But then one night, when i got up to have water from the tank outside, i was cornered by two of the gaurds. They took me to the servant quarters. And the... feast began.', she said as a lone tear escaped her eyes as she looked back at me.

'i was dumb noor. But i don't want you to make the same mistakes as i did.', she said as the pain took over her.

'why..why don't you come with me and help me chose some clothes to wear.', i asked trying to change the topic.

'i cant noor. I cant.'

'why?'

'im not.. allowed to go downstairs. The matrons have asked me to stay here.'

'why?'

'you think they want the whole orphanage to know of my pregnancy? Ill be the- accused one.'

'but-'

'leave noor. Theres nothing more to say.', she said turning back to the sun as noor slowly walked downstairs thinking about what akreta had just said.

The girl was molested.. in the servant quarters. And shes the- accused one?

How disgusting, thought noor, as she walked by the servant quarters watching a set of hungry eyes watching her walk.

And that was when she decided, she was gonna leave. Forever.

***

That night noor lay in bed thinking about the parents who had come to visit her that day. But they had all wanted kids, toddlers.

as the evening passed, a new terror took over noor, what if she got—no. She wouldn't.

***

A few weeks passed, as noor kept on trying to impress the parents in vain. She would curtoesly talk to them. Offer them water. Take them on a round, open the door when they walked out beside her. But nothing worked.

And she finally gave up.

That night she walked to the bathroom to change into her night clothes when she suddenly felt herself being herded.

She looked up at the mirror and saw a reflection of a burly man standing behind the water cooler watching her closely.

Panic took over noor, as she wondered what she would do now.

Without another word she started running in the opposite direction screaming at the top of her voice for help, when suddenly she was pulled into the servant quarters by two powerful hands, which grabbed her thighs hard taping her mouth.

Noor tried to get up but it was impossible, the hand was holding her down tight. She felt herself go dizzy and then there was nothing more she remembered.

***

The next morning she found herself lying alone in a white room covered with curtains on 3 sides.

She tried to keep her head straight as a buzz of questions passed through her mind.

She felt consciousness settling in slowly and steadily as she felt herself go weak on the lower part.

Was she pregnant too? Was that why she was being kept away from the others.

Obviously yes. Soon she'll be taken to the terrace to join aki, she thought when a clean shaved smart looking guy came in wearing the doctors coat to sit beside her.

'how do you feel noor?'

'tired.'

'do you feel pain anywhere in your body'

'no'

'do you feel naustalgic?'

'no. What happened? Am i.. pregnant?'

'no.'

'im not?'

'definitely not.'

'oh. You.. you aborted the kid. Right?'

'no.'

'then...'

'you were saved.'

'by whom?'

'akreta salve.'

'aki? She saved me?'

'yup. Charged on the guys with a bricks i assume.'

'oh.', was all that i could manage.

'then why am i here?', i continued.

'before akreta charged on them, they gave you a very high dosage of chlorofoam. Its lucky you're alive.'

'by the way, the incharge of the orphanage is waiting outside for you. Do you think you can talk to him?'

'i assume yes.'

'great.', he replied before going out, sending in a smart looking man in his 70s who took the doctors seat beside her.

'Good evening noor.'

'good evening sir.'

'how are you now my child?'

'recovering.'

He smiled at her before he continued, 'noor i have a very good news for you child. Theres a parent who wants to adopt you. Her name is Mrs. Maansi jain. She lives alone and wants a child to take care of. And she was very interested in you. '

'why me?'

'its a better question to pose to the woman. She seems very sweet, polite and has made all arrangements for you. Shes signed the papers, sent them along with the money. Now all thats left to do is you have to sign the papers too. Do you think you want to meet mrs jain before signing?'

'sure.', i said as he left leaving space for a woman in her late twenties wearing a white kurta and blue jeans.

'hii.', she said taking a seat beside me.

'heyy.'

'im maansi. Maansi jain. You can call me mom.... actually whatever you want.'

'no problem mom.', i replied as i saw the tears well up in her eyes.

'then mom it is.'

'you look young.'

'yes.'

'how old are you?'

'29 and a half.'

'nice.'

'well ill tell you some things about myself jaan. I am a widow. i work as a designer at kieryle seasons. And well...'

'its enough.'

'you don't wanna know about me?'

'no. Just gimme the papers, ill sign.'

'no noor-'

'enough mom. Youre adopting me after everything thats happened to me. What more could i want?'

'thanks.'

***

1 week later, a truck was seen moving upto the 2^nd house on the street which had been up for sale.

A woman in her late twenties and a teenage girl stepped out of it to take their first steps into the house.

'are you nervous noor?', maansi asked in an excited tone as she unlocked the door to their new house holding noors hand in hers as she did taking her into the house with a warm bliss.

Noor took in the fresh breath in her new house, with this woman who she had almost started to love. She was calm, sweet, caring, understanding, and lets not forget maansi was an amazing cook.

She cooked noors favourite dishes almost everyday.

And her dressing sense was amazingly modern.

Maansi slowly pulled noor behind her in a protective way as the workmen began to unload the furniture into the house.

It took them nearly half an hour to unload all the stuff into the house after which they left the two alone to arrange everything.

'you know i think the sofa should be kept slanting, that'll look hot', said noor as she sat there wondering how the sofa could be kept in order to make it look more attractive, when maansi came out of the kitchen with 2 glasses filled with hot chocolate.

'here you go noorie.'

'thanks mom.'

'why don't you go set up your room?'

'why don't you come along mom?'

'you sure?'

'ya! Obviously!'

'i thought.... well forget it! Lets go!'

***

It was nearly 5 30 by the time noor and maansi had finished setting noors room.

'why don't you go downstairs. Theres a huge ground a few blocks away. You might actually like it.', said maansi, trying to make noor happy, to which noor simply shrugged and went to change into her jacket and jeans.

***

Noor put on the walkman which maansi had recently gifted her and started taking a walk to check the grounds, who knows she might actually find someone she likes, she thought as she walked along the lonely road, the song buzzing in her head.

Beauty queen of only 18 she

Had some trouble with herself

He was always there to help her she

Always belonged to someone else.

Strangely the song reminded her of aki, the girl who had saved her. Had akreta not been there, she might've been the second one sitting on that terrace with a swollen tummy.

She knew maansi had helped her move on, since things did not hurt the way it used to anymore. She had finally forgiven sais mistakes, and had promised herself not to let anyone scar whats left of her.

Except.... suddenly things weren't going according to her.

***

hey sindhya..u updated after long huh..nice part anyway..