Chapter - 10

"Is this the time you return home?" Right after I returned home, mom dumped an aggression on me.

Sorry, I forgot my watch and didn't know when the time had passed." This entire time I didn't lift my head and just bowed my head down to avoid unnecessary talk.

She let out a sigh and reminded me to always carry my watch and don't return home late.

"What am I going to do now? Will you ever change?"

What the heck? Did I burn a building or murder someone to be so disappointed?

My efforts have thus far been unsuccessful in impressing her, and there is no need to continue trying. I am soon leaving this home, and I have no chance of succeeding now.

After a lot of thinking all this time, I came to realise that maybe I can go back if the story finishes and if I survive till the end?

So I need to look out for the main leads closely, so that nothing goes wrong, and I can fix it in time.

Without caring about anything, I went to my room and started looking through my closet to see which outfits I should pack in my luggage.

All I have are salwars, half sarees, some 3⁄4 shorts and some T-shirts. I decided to pack everything and leave those which I didn't like. Some sarees are quite flashy, like the ones worn by actresses in the movies, and I choose to leave those. I just want some light weighted simple sarees, and I would never wear those flashy ones. I packed some jewellery and left the heavy ones. Furthermore, I packed everything in two large briefcases and put them in a corner.

By the time I finished packing everything, I was covered in sweat. I nodded in satisfaction and went to bed.

A week went by in a flow and nothing much happened. I have three full suitcases to carry because I stored the seasonal snacks we make during festivals in tin cans and packed them in my luggage.

I know I can't carry them all. Likewise, I don't know what to do now?

She's finally acting like a mom now, telling me to be careful of everything for 10 mins when I get there. And telling me to not eat that or this, and about my health.

I'm glad that she at least showed her care this way, or else I would have confirmed that she's stone hearted.

Dad as usual said nothing and just gave me some pocket money which is not small at all, it's 10000 rupees and it's so much value during this time. Even when I refused to take them, he still insisted that I keep them. I put them in my purse in a safe place in my bag.

One day, dad called and forced me to sit next to him in the living room. His next lesson was that I must never leave the house at night or answer the door if someone knocks during the night without first calling him on his landline. After that, he taught me how to manage and save money, to take care of myself, and to never leave the house at night.

I listened carefully and realised that he actually cared for his daughter. Maybe he turned like that because his daughter became a brat. After the conversation was over, he returned to his usual mad expression and told me to go back to my room.

I packed some fresh notebooks I found in my room, and I have to buy the textbooks when I go to the city.

I have to leave a week before my college starts, as I have to adapt to my environment and have to settle in my new home.

The day before I left was very chaotic as mom kept on asking me if I packed this and if I packed that and checking my luggage every half an hour. In my excitement, I couldn't sleep the entire night, and I kept tossing around. After packing everything in the boot on the day of my departure, we drove to my new home, and with my parents in the driver's and passenger's seats, I sat in the back seat.

After travelling for four hours, we finally reached home. I like it. It's homely, and it has a little garden.

The house has a living room, a kitchen and two bedrooms. I'm so glad it has two bedrooms. I can convince someone to become my roommate, so that I don't have to live alone in this big house.

I didn't have to buy anything except kitchenware, since the house was already furnished. Mom looked around the house and inspected everything and also the neighbours.

I went out to look around the house.

Wow, this house looks so calming to me. The neighbourhood was good, this cool breeze made me feel like home, it reminds me of home. Tears started to fall unknowingly, and my mom noticed me as she came outside looking for me.

"Why are you crying? I know you're capable of adjusting here."

"Whenever you miss me, can you call me or send me a letter? "

I couldn't help but sneer inwardly as I listened to her. How rude! I'm missing my actual parents. Getting out of that hellhole is something I'm really grateful for. I'm never going to see you again, ever.

I screamed at her in my head.

I silently nodded at her words and started wandering around the house again and observed the beautiful garden. Not only that, but I think I have a lot of responsibilities here. I have to take care of the garden, house and myself.

Ugh, laziness runs in my blood, so how am I going to take care of these? I can't slack off like this. If I have to survive, then I have to make some effort.

I have to prepare a list as soon as they leave from here.

While I was admiring the view outside, my parents summoned me to come back inside the house.

They sat on the sofa as I stood in front of them like a kid waiting for her punishment.

"I don't know how you are going to take care of yourself from now on, but you have to do it anyway, without our presence and help. Do you understand?"

I nodded as he continued

"You did a lot of things in the past, and we forgave all of them, but now you're on your own, dad and mom can't help you any more. You have to face the consequences of your own actions."

"You have to study hard and become something in the future. We don't want my daughter to get married early without her achieving anything in life."

"This is your moment to make or break yourself; the opportunity of a lifetime. You could either transform yourself into a better person or risk ruining everything. We can't disclose any further details, but this choice could determine your entire future."

After saying a lot, they got up to leave.

Mom gently patted my head and kissed my forehead, which reminds me of my mother. She smiled and told me to take care of myself and left.

Sign. From now on, I'm on my own??

To be continued…