Kayal

They say that when God fills someone's destiny with so much happiness, joy surrounds them from all sides. But for some, their fate is bound in chains of sorrow, and their happiness always slips away before it even arrives. Such was the fate of Kayal Tomar, whose happiness would always run away before it could even come close. Let's meet our Kayal Tomar.

This story is from Indore. The people of Indore are quite different. Just as Indore is the cleanest city in India, the hearts of its people are equally pure.

It was just a little before 4 AM in the morning when Kayal's grandmother woke her up.

"Will you wake up, or should I slap you with the slippers? Wake up, Kallo, make tea, my bones are aching, come on, make the tea," her grandmother said, even before opening her eyes. Without opening her eyes, she had already commanded Kayal to make the tea.

Kayal said, "I'm making it right now," and a few moments later, without getting out of bed, she stretched her hand out of the blanket to grab her glasses from the bedside table, put them on, and then poked her face out of the blanket. Kayal was a simple girl. She still wore two braids and thick glasses. Her face had two teeth sticking out, and her skin was dusky. The children in the neighborhood used to call her "Dant Devi" because of her teeth. She looked completely ordinary.

Kayal went to the kitchen, made the tea, and after serving it to her grandmother, she said, "Here, drink your tea. Consider this the first and last tea of the day." After finishing her chores, Kayal showered, dressed up, and stood before God to pray, getting ready to go to college.

Just then, her grandmother said, "Before you go to college, wash our dhoti, okay?"

Kayal replied, "The dhoti was washed long ago, and it's not 'kulej', it's 'college', Grandma."

Her grandmother asked her to come closer, saying, "I need to give you something."

Kayal walked over and asked, "What do you need to give me?"

Her grandmother then applied oil to her hair and braids and said, "Go, no boy or girl will come near you. Make everyone your friend, but never a close one, understood?"

Kayal said, "Yes, Grandma. And I will start making my place in the hearts of my teachers from day one."

After touching her grandmother's feet, Kayal left for her new college. Kayal was a brilliant student, and she got admission to a prestigious college through a scholarship.

About twenty minutes after leaving home, Kayal reached the main gate of the college. The guard seated at the gate allowed her entry. As soon as she took a few steps, she noticed everyone staring at her and laughing. But Kayal, undeterred, kept walking towards her classroom. She knew her classroom number but had no idea where the room was. She felt hesitant to ask anyone, fearing they would mock her. She then stood in a corner, hoping to find someone who would give her directions without making fun of her. That's when she noticed the gardener.

"Uncle, where is classroom 12(D2)?" Kayal asked.

The gardener replied, "Child, I've never even stepped into the college, so I don't know."

Without saying anything further, Kayal walked on.

After a while, she saw a teacher walking towards the college.

"Excuse me, Sir, can you help me?" Kayal asked, stopping the teacher.

"Yes, how can I help you, child?" the teacher asked.

"Sir, where is classroom 12(D2)?" Kayal inquired.

"It's on the first floor, go up the stairs, take a left and then a right, your classroom will be there," the teacher explained.

Kayal thanked the teacher and made her way to the first floor of the college. She was happy but also disheartened because people were still laughing at her as if they had seen a clown. But she didn't lose hope and walked to her classroom.

When she entered the classroom, she saw that the teacher hadn't arrived yet, and everyone was busy talking to each other. A boy sitting in the classroom looked at Kayal and said, "Guys, look, a cartoon has come among us, how do you like this cartoon?" The whole class started laughing.

Just then, a girl named Kanika Goyal, who was always a top student and quite arrogant, looked at Kayal's ID card and said, "Did the principal take pity on you and admit you to such a big college?"

Kayal, without fear, replied, "No, I got admission through a scholarship. Now, please tell me where I should sit."

"Oh! You've got some attitude, but you won't last here. Sit at the last bench, that's the place for people like you," Kanika said.

"Thanks, people like me deserve that," Kayal responded.

Kayal then addressed the class, "I admit I'm not beautiful and I have no interest in becoming beautiful. What interests me is standing on my own feet and fulfilling my dreams. So, laugh at me all you want, I don't mind, but don't do anything wrong to me, okay?"

Just then, a boy named Romil entered the classroom, clapping his hands and making fun of Kayal, "Don't waste time on her, better go to Aarav's show. Today's the first day of college, and there are no lectures."

The students all left to attend Aarav's show. But a girl named Komal, who was plump, approached Kayal and said, "Let's go to Aarav's show. He's an amazing rapper and sings his own songs."

"No, I have to go home. My grandmother is probably waiting for me," Kayal replied.

"Oh, what will happen if you're a little late? It'll be so much fun. Come on," Komal persuaded Kayal.

Kayal hesitated for a moment and then asked, "What's your name?"

"My name is Komal. Now, come on," she said, and Kayal decided to join Komal at Aarav's show.

When they arrived, they saw all the boys and girls cheering for Aarav. Aarav Kapoor, a handsome and tall boy with long, thick hair, stepped onto the stage. Everyone wanted to be his friend, and girls were trying to attract him in any way possible. Although Aarav wasn't exceptionally handsome or smart, his wealthy background gave him a lot of arrogance. Aarav loved showing off his money, but he hated his father and always did the opposite of what his father liked.

Then Aarav started his rap song, and the crowd cheered, shouting, "Start it!"

The rap song went like this:

"Cheat, cheat, cheat, the girl would do,

Cheating every boy was her passion,

She thought of boys as money plants,

And used her honey plants to lure them in."

Just then, the college principal appeared and stopped the show, saying, "Looks like I'll have to shut your mouth, Aarav."

Aarav, in his arrogant tone, replied, "First, talk to your father, then talk to me."

The principal, annoyed, retorted, "Talk to your father first, then start running your mouth, Aarav."

Aarav received a message from his father, after reading which, he angrily threw his phone and walked away. All the students also left the scene.

Kayal asked Komal, "What did that honey plant mean in the song?"

"That wasn't a song, it was a rap. We listen to the rap, not analyze its meaning," Komal replied.

After talking for a while, as Kayal was heading home, a masked woman handed her a letter and said, "You must do this task tomorrow, all the details are in this letter. Don't stray from your goal."

Kayal put the letter in her bag silently and walked towards home.

What is Kayal's goal?

Who is the masked woman?

What is Kayal going to do at her request?