"Mummy, Papa, I'll keep the folder here. Please have a look at it, even a minute would suffice, sooner or later, whenever you have time..." Aashna said, in a low, disheartened voice as she kept a folder on the table while her parents ignored her words. She glanced at them for one last time in hopes of getting some attention from them, but nothing happened. Disappointed, she left her home.
Girisha was already standing outside Aashna's main door. Just as Aashna unlocked the door and stepped out, Girisha lifted her chin upwards, as if questioning her, 'How did it go?'
Aashna locked the door behind her and simply shook her head in a 'Not Well.'
Girisha hadn't expected anything more so she just pressed her lips and nodded while looking down. Both of them walked down their building's stairs in complete silence. Aashna had so much to speak and Girisha knew all of it, even when Aashna didn't have words to express her thoughts. Nothing could be better than silence at that point of time. Before they could reach their destination, Aashna remembered something. She was here for Girisha. A week ago, when she came to know about the theft in Girisha's family shop, she hesitated to return home for 3 whole days. Finally, on the fourth day, she gathered enough courage to step into the home she had left half a year ago. It was all for supporting Girisha and yet, here she was, taking in Girisha's support for herself.
As soon as she realised the situation, she spoke up, "Uhmm... What about police complaint? Judicial Magistrate? Where do you- What-"
"All that is done already. Chill. The police said they were undertaking action. We had all the CCTV footage, and a few people even saw the robbers running away. They'll be caught soon. You can care about your home right now. That seems more important... and difficult." Girisha replied.
"I'm sorry... I can't be of much help and I'm constantly asking for your hand-holding-"
"Oh shut up! We're going to my shop and I'm not having you there with this ugly near-crying face. Fix it or sit out. I don't care." Girisha said and started running towards her shop leaving Aashna behind.
"You never let me finish my dialogues!!" Aashna yelled from behind and ran after her.
Reaching Girisha's shop, Aashna scanned every corner while entering. It was a huge stationery shop, with all kinds of art supplies available there. Everything was organised, neatly placed and taken good care of. A few customers were lined up against the counter, asking for whatever items they were there for.
An employee working there, saw Aashna entering with Girisha and immediately greeted both of them. Greeting him back, Aashna realised what she was yet to know. "Uhm... By the way, how much worth was robbed?" She asked and noticed that the employee blankly staring at her.
"Around Twenty-Three Lakhs," Girisha replied and held Aashna's hand to drag her further into the shop.
They sat in the inside most room of the shop where all the stock was kept. Aashna adjusted her chair and cleared her throat before speaking, "It's been a while since I visited. Everything's pretty much the same. Now only if we-"
"I've already said this and I'll say it again, so OPEN YOUR EARS AND LET MY WORDS GO DIRECTLY TO YOUR BRAIN. Care about your home right now." Girisha raised her voice while pulling Aashna's ears.
"Ah- Okay- Aaa-" Aashna was trying to free herself from Girisha's grip but only succeeded when the latter decided so. Aashna continued, "What more can I possibly do now? You've seen me trying for the last four days, and almost six months before that. I keep giving them shreds of evidence of my advancement and they keep ignoring me. They are not even ready to listen to me. How can I care for my parents when they don't accept it and don't care back for me? I can't be putting in efforts in an endless well..."
"Are you, though?" Girisha asked.
"What?"
"Putting in efforts."
"Of Course! Can't you see?"
"No, I can't. All I can see is that you and your parents care a lot for each other but none of you is putting in any effort to understand the other point of view. Your mother still keeps your favourite peeled peanuts at home, in the hope that one day you'll return home and she'll welcome you with that. They care! Believe me, they do. Aashu, what has happened to you? Since when have you started talking like this about others? You always understand everyone's perspective, so why not theirs? You know, right, that they behave according to the ways they've been brought up and the mindsets they were raised in. Isn't it unfair to expect them to change their well-established opinions overnight? Let them have their time, no? Explain to them how the times have changed, how new fields of studies have emerged and how we can equally respectfully excel everywhere else. If you think they are old-fashioned, or narrow-minded, explain it to them accordingly, in their kinda vocabulary, then. Aashu You know all of this already. Then why am I repeating it? Because you've given up. You don't even want to try anymore. You are okay with living in sorrow all your life. Please, I can't bring myself to see that younger, lost, almost dead Aashna again. Bring yourself together, one last time, please. If you need someone, I'm here, always. You know that. Are you listening? Aashna!"
Aashna sat there, quietly, tracing her thumbnail along the corner of her chair, feeling the texture and the shape, in an attempt to focus on it and somehow forget her ongoing thoughts. As soon as she heard her name coming out of Girisha's mouth, she jolted and looked at her, nodding vigorously.
- X - X - X - X - X -
Dear Blossom,
The Art Competition was done amazingly well. I'm really happy with how it all turned out at the end. I hope the same goes for Aashna and Girisha back there. I wonder how they are doing.
Wow, this feels nice. I'm writing in this diary after so long, that too sitting on a hospital bed. Never had I ever imagined this scenario, HAHA!
___________________________________________
A/N: Oops! Abeer is in hospital... Hmmm... Let's see where this takes us hehe
(I've posted some spoilers on Instagram!)
Anyway, that's all for today's chapter! See you in the next one! Until then, Happy reading!
YOU ARE READING
His Favourite Book
General Fiction*MATURE BECAUSE*: It contains serious, sensitive and triggering topics like self-harm, unhealed trauma, assault, murders, etc. Reader discretion is advised. We are all flawed in some way or another, aren't we? How far can we go into our real persona...
