I Am Guilty

1. Denial

"Here, I brought the chocolates you love. Tell me what else you want for your birthday." Veena asked extending the packet of chocolate.

Bansi accepted the gift with a small smile.
"I am fine with this. And I have almost everything."

Veena chuckled at her words.
"There is a difference between everything and almost everything, Bansi. What is it that stops you from making it everything?"

Bansi looked at her and her eyes suddenly welled up. She blinked rapidly and looked at her father for a mere moment and blinking off her tears. She shook her head lightly.

"Mom, I am hungry. Can I have my breakfast? I need to study too." She said trying to keep her voice from cracking.

With her request, everyone went silent and was back at the table to have the first meal of the day.
The family was unusually silent and Veena did not try to interrupt anyone.
While they were still eating, a maid came knocking at the door of the dining room and that made everyone look up.

She walked to Bansi's father and handed an envelope.
"This is received for Bansi Ma'am."

Bansi looked up at her father and then at the envelope longingly. Mr. Aniket Mathur clenched his jaw and pushed the envelope towards Bansi. Bansi's eyes welled up. She excused herself and walked out of the room with the envelope in her hands. Once out of the dining room, she rushed towards her own room and closed the door behind her.
With tears brimming in her eyes, she looked at the envelope and the messy scribbling of her name and the address of the house. The white and pink envelope made her cry profusely in no time. She carefully tore opened the paper of the envelope and pulled out the card that had a image of a girl sitting in the meadows, with a hat on her head. She was surrounded by lot of healthy cows as she sat looking happy and content. A shade of purple was prominent in the picture a the flowers in the meadows covered the entire frame. The girl wore a light purple gown and carried a purple hat on her head.

On her every birthday, she looked forward for a morphed image that she would get. It was always the same picture of her eleven-year-old self with a different background and a simple 'Happy Birthday' scribbling at the back.

Bansi walked to her bed and lied down as the memories clouded her young mind.
She looked at the only frame that was kept on the side table. She had rebelled and protested for the photo in the frame. She picked it up and held it close to her heart.

Bansi was startled from her restless sleep when the frame was gently pulled away from her hold. She blinked and looked at Veena, who was now intently looking at the frame. Bansi sat up and pulled that frame back.
Veena looked at her and back at the frame that Bansi was trying to hide.

"Who is that?" Veena could not help but ask.

"No one." Bansi replied with a straight face.

"Won't you show it to me?" Veena asked gently.

Bansi could not deny the gentleness in her voice. Veena had always been a good friend. She had been nothing but considerate always. Bansi sighed and extended the frame. Veena looked at the frame.

Dark brooding eyes, gentle smile and wheatish coloured 17 year old boy stared at her from the photo frame.

"Is this..?" Veena was at loss of words.

Bansi hummed softly.

"He is so young." Veena whispered in shock.

Bansi looked down.
"That was when he stayed with us. Now I don't know how he looks. This is the only photo I have... Or this is the only one available in this house."

Veena looked back at the photo.
"What exactly happened?  I mean, no one ever talks about him. What did he do?"

Bansi shook her head.
"I was very young. But they say, he molested and murdered a girl. No one goes into the details. He was found guilty."

Veena looked at the gentle smile. It was hard to believe that a boy with such an innocent smile could do this damage. But they say, smiling faces can hide demons within.

The party was a mood changer for Bansi. She enjoyed to her heart's content. She could see the efforts put in by her parents. She did not want the efforts to go down the drain. Her parents were doing their bast to see their only child happy. Bansi made sure, she looked happy.

That night, when everyone was back home, Bansi could hold herself no more. She walked to her parents room.
Her mother responded to her knocks.

"I want to talk to Dad."

"Bansi? Come in Bachcha." Her father replied.

Bansi wrapped her arms around him and gave out the way to her uncontrolled sobs. Her parents were taken aback.

"Hey, what's wrong? Did anyone hurt you? What is it? You are scaring me, Bansi." Her father asked worried.

Bansi looked at him with tearful eyes.
"Dad, will you give me something if I ask for?"

Aniket clenched his jaw, knowing very well what his daughter might ask.
He gently pushed her away.

"Go back to your room and sleep. We already had a long day."

Bansi held his hand and gave out another sob.
"Dad, please. Just once. I want to meet him. I really miss him. Please, Dad."

Her father pushed her hand away.
"Get out." He harshly commanded.

Bansi gasped and took a step back.
She could not make herself stand there any longer and rushed out with a heavy heart.

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