ᴀ ᴛᴡɪsᴛ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴀʟᴇ

6. || Dreams and Goals ||

"What a great mother I have!"

"Raghav! Go now or else-"

"ok ok, I'm going!"

Raghav started taking out some clean clothes from his wardrobe when his phone rang. It was an unknown number.

"Hello? It better be important. I'm already dying of hunger and my mother said-"

"Umm, Its me, Aadhya"

Raghav stopped abruptly.

"A-Aadhya? How did you get my number? And why are you calling me, all of a sudden?"

"I'm sorry, I took it from my brother's phone. I need your help"

"Help? What sort of help?"

"My brother wants to give up dancing, his dream, his everything."

"What?! But why? I thought he loved dancing more than anything!"

"He does! But something happened and he changed his mind. Can you please talk to him about it?"

"I'll see what I can do. Don't worry"

"Thank you so much!"

"No need. He's my friend too!"

With that, the call ended. He looked at his phone for a strong minute.

He showered quickly and left.

"Aai, I'll be back soon!"

"But weren't you hungry?"

"Yeah but it's important. See you!"

"Raghav!"

But he had already left.

------------------------------------------

Shravan sat on his bed, head in his hands. Tears flowed from his eyes and with them flowed his dream of becoming a dancer. Never, even in his worst nightmare, had he thought that he'd have to give up the goal of his life and yet there he sat, mourning for his future that would never come.

His phone ring brought him back to reality.

"Hello?''

"Shravan? Its me, Raghav. I need to meet you, now."

"But why? What happened?"

"I'll tell you face to face, just come meet me at the central park."

"Ok, I'll be there."

Shravan wondered what Raghav Malhotra might want with him but with no answers coming up, he decided to ask him directly.

"Aadhya, I'm going to meet Raghav, take care."

"Ok Bhai, you too."

Aadhya smiled, knowing exactly why Raghav must have called him.

-------------------------

Niyati was doing her Literature assignment when a knock on the door interrupted her. She sighed and went to open the door. To her utmost shock, it was Aditya Agnihotri.

"Umm, do you mind if I come in?"

"Not at all."

Aditya entered her room and took an overall look. The walls were painted sage green and white. The bed lay covered with a white sheet with xanadu colored flowers printed on. The bookshelf held hundreds of books. The curtains were also xanadu colored. The pots on the windowsill had succulents in them. Her room was aesthetically pleasing to eyes.

"Is there a reason you are here or did you just come to creepily stare at my room?"

"Oh no no, I came here to talk to you actually."

"Go ahead then. I have work to do."

Aditya was taken aback by her remarks. But then he remembered how she had shut Krish completely up on their first day and shook his head.

"Of course. Actually I want your help with the assignment."

"The literature one?"

"Precisely that. As you may have guessed, I don't particularly like English Literature, especially the metaphysical poetry..."

"Didn't you tell me that you like Shakespeare the other day?!"

"Liking Shakespeare is different to liking literature as a subject..."

"Yeah Yeah. I suppose I can help you but only for a little while. Oh and btw, how did you even get my address?!"

"I asked Priyanka who asked Karthik who asked Raghav and Raghav knows everything so naturally that's how I got your address"

"Raghav knows everything or Navya told Karthik, huh?"

"I don't know what you-re... Oh are they dating?"

"Yeah, since forever."

"Oh, I didn't know. To think that Priyanka fooled me like that-"

"She didn't. Raghav does know everything. How he knows is a different question though. Anyways, let's start with your assignment."

"Sure and thanks."

"Anyti... no, not anytime. I'm mostly busy. Next time, just inform me in advance so I could adjust ,my schedule in advance."

"uh, sure."

--------------------------------------

Ever since Karthik had come home, his father hadn't shut up about how good of a son Rey is to his parents and how disappointed he is in his own children.

"...and he even started his own company! And my kids, they-"

"Papa, please! We've heard these facts 100 times now! And Rey Bhai didn't start a company, he started a dance academy."

"Is there any difference? He's made his name in the society while my kids are barely passing school"

"We've been A grade students throughout school! I am doing pretty great in college and Krish and Prinku just started college! How are we supposed to do anything when you won't give us time to do it?!"

"I'm quite happy with you but when will they start doing something? When I'm dead and you are about to die?!"

"They're trying dad, atleast have some faith"

"I'm starting to lose faith in you too. You have started to disobey me as well. What wrong must have I done in my past life to get children like you!"

"Dad, PLEASE SHUT UP! ALL OUR LIFE, YOU'VE COMPARED US TO OTHERS' KIDS! WHEN WILL YOU BECOME POSITIVE AND SUPPORTING LIKE THEIR PARENTS?! WHEN WILL YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE TRYING TOO?!"

"DO NOT RAISE YOUR VOICE IN FRONT OF ME, YOU UNGRATEFUL CHILD! I'VE GIVEN YOU THREE EVERYTHING AND WHAT DO I GET IN RETURN? ARGUMENTS AND DISRESPECT? I WILL NOT TOLERATE THIS!"

"Karthik, go to your room, please son!" his mother said, in tears.

Karthik stood up and ran to his room. Krish and Priyanka had heard everything that had took place downstairs and they both rushed to see their brother.

"Bhaiya, please don't pay attention to him. He is just frustrated because Chachu doesn't stop singing Rey bhaiya's praises in front of him."

"And? Does that justify how he behaves with us? Please don't even try to justify him Prinku! Bhai is right! He needs to stop treating us like this!"

"Krish please! Stop instigating him more!"

"CAN YOU BOTH TAKE YOUR BICKERING SOMEWHERE ELSE?! I'M NOT IN MY RIGHT MIND RIGHT NOW!"

Priyanka flinched at his tone while Krish stood up.

"Sorry Bhai, all I'm saying is that you're not wrong and I feel the same. Let's go Prinku."

With that, they left to their rooms, leaving an angry and frustrated Karthik behind.