Nature in Hiding

2- Discrimination or Worry?

Avan ran straight towards Ahana, pushing past Sameera who opened the door.

"Hey!" Sameera pouted, looking at the traitor with her arms settled on her waist.

"I missed you," Avan whispered to Ahana, before running back to Sameera Aunty to give her a hug.

"Hmmph," she turned away, making a face, "I don't want your hug now. We clearly know who's your favourite."

Avan didn't say anything in response. He just kept his hands forwarded for the hug, adorning the cutest expression he could master.

Sameera kept up her act for a few seconds, but melted away at the cute sight. Afterall, there wasn't a single person born who could ignore Avan's cuteness, not even Ahana, who was known to hate every single person other than her twin. Avan had a knack of melting everyone's hearts.

"Aww, come here you." Sameera bent down to hug him tightly. She had missed him so much. And why wouldn't she, Avan was the first person she met and got close after she got out of the captivity of twenty years.

"Look at the ladies man, giving all the love to the ladies while ignoring us both," Gyaan commented, and Neer nodded with a laugh, agreeing wholeheartedly.

Neer and Gyaan patiently waited for their turn, knowing that although they missed Avan just as dearly, they could never compare to the attachment Ahana and Sameera had for him.

"Seeing this reunion makes me feel really bad for keeping him away for so long," Payal apologized, before promising, "I promise to bring him more often from now on."

"Please do that," Neer said, before noticing that it was only Payal and Avan who came. "Where's Ayaan?"

Ahana too looked up, having just noticed that Ayaan was missing. It was rather odd, because Ayaan had promised to never leave Avan alone after an incident. The big brother in him had vowed to protect his younger brother, even if the latter one was with the powers.

"Oh...um.. he is in school," Payal answered, looking a little uneasy.

"Then why didn't Avan go?" Sameera questioned, before putting the back of her palm on his forehead, "Are you not feeling well?"

"He is not ill," Payal said, ignoring the first question.

"They are a year apart. Maybe they both have different school timings," Gyaan guessed.

"No, I don't go to school," Avan promptly said, before Payal could divert the topic.

"Sorry what? What do you mean...." To say the elements were flabbergasted was an understatement.

Ahana balled her fists, thinking Avan was receiving the same kind of mistreatment they faced. The only difference was that he wasn't thrown out of his house.

"Gosh! Please don't look at me like you will burn me," Payal said, backing away a little, afraid of Ahana's anger.

"Explain now, because right now the chances of your drowning are more than being burned," Neer said with gritted teeth, a whirlpool of water already forming in between his hands.

Neer was known to be calm and polite, but he was more dangerous than anybody if someone hurted his loved ones. If water was a boon for life then it also had the capacity to take it away.

"Neer, calm down. It isn't as serious as you are thinking. What Avan meant was he doesn't go to a physical school. He is homeschooled.

"Please relax. No one has taken away his right to education. We just cannot put him to a regular school."

"Why?" Neer asked, not putting down the whirlpool as he still felt suspicious.

Payal took a few breaths, eyeing the furious elements warily.

"I will explain, but please put down that water. Come on Neer, you are scaring Avan," Payal pleaded, using her son as a shield.

And just like that, the elements backed away. She was fortunate that they all had a soft spot for Avan or else she was a dead meat today.

"Explain," Ahana ordered in a barely controlled voice.

Payal sighed, wiping the sweat that had gathered on her forehead, before explaining, "You know how Ayaan is. He always keeps praising Avan and his abilities. If Avan attended the school, it wouldn't take much time for everyone to put the dots together."

"You could have just placed Avan in another school," Gyaan pointed out.

"Yes, but then he would still be in the records. In this digital world, nothing can stay hidden. So we gave Avan my maiden's name, and applied for homeschooling. As he doesn't have the same surname, no one knows that Ayaan has a brother. So even if Ayaan blurts out something about Avan, we just make it seem like Avan is Ayaan's imaginary friend."

"Wow!!" Ahana slow-clapped, letting Payal know that she was far from convinced.

"I can't believe how someone can go through so much lengths to make their child's whole identity disappear. You could have just explained to Ayaan the dangers of what his words might do to Avan, and he would have shut up," Ahana bursted out, feeling disgusted by the situation.

For some reason, she felt that being thrown out wasn't as bad as this. At least, the twins had their own identities with them.

"Don't teach me. I am his parent. I know what is right for him and what isn't. Just tell me whether you will babysit him or not, because I am getting late," Payal said.

"Leave him here," Gyaan said calmly, before anyone could react to her outburst.

"Thanks," Payal muttered blankly, before leaving.

Ahana looked down when she felt a soft hand caressing her fists. There he was, Avan with his calming aura.

"Don't be so angry Didi. The old tree near my house told me that my parents do love me. They are just scared that if someone finds out about me, then they will hurt me," Avan said, still caressing Ahana's fists, trying to reduce her anger.

"Kiddo is right. Their decision might be wrong, but it isn't made out of malice," Gyaan said.

"Let's give them the benefit of doubt," Neer said, blinking his eyes towards Ahana, promising her silently that they would go to the end of it.

Ahana heaved a sigh, before opening her fists and clasping Avan's hand in hers.

"What are we doing guys? Avan is back after so long. Let's keep the heavy talks aside and enjoy," Ahana hollered, before bending down to meet Avan's eyes and whispering, "Do you know, Sameera cooked all your favourites?"

"Really?" Avan asked, his eyes sparkling bright.

Upon receiving an affirmative nod, Avan grinned, before running off towards the kitchen.

"Careful," Everyone shouted in unison, before letting their fake smiles disappear.

"Make a plan Gyaan. It isn't enough for me to hope that everything is alright with Avan. I need hundred percent proof. And for that I am counting on your power of immense intelligence," saying this, Ahana went to join Avan, putting back her smiley face.