Is He A She?!

Oscar Nomination

Well, not as close as Rohan and I. But I didn't dare say that.

"Yes," I replied dryly.

Vimal Uncle smiled at me proudly. "Guess you've finished what you came here for. To be honest, I didn't expect any turnover by this act but you actually did it!"

I didn't open my mouth.

But he continued.

"Arun seems really worried and since the job is done, why don't you return?"

I gritted my teeth as I took a quick breath to calm my nerves.

"Are you saying I have to leave?"

My voice cracked but Uncle didn't notice it. Why are adults so ignorant?

"Haha yes, my child," he said sounding overjoyed. "You never liked coming here. Now, I saw your face four months back when I proposed this idea. And Rohan's father thinks he is wasting an innocent girl's life by this. So here's your release. You can go home!"

He was the once who sounded like a little kid going to Disneyland. He was the one who looked all happy and giddy. He was the one who was pressing my shoulders unable to contain the excitement. And I just sat there, eyes on his face, face devoid of any emotions, hands clutched and jaw grinding.

It was only after two minutes or so that he noticed my silence. The pressure clutching my left shoulder loosened and so did the happiness in his face.

He looked at me and I knew he knew it.

"Uthra.." he dragged in disbelief.

Vimal Uncle was the next man I loved, after my father and Jeremy since I never had any relatives. He was there when my mother's family disowned her for marrying my father. They both were rich. Yet it was another modern day Romeo and Juliet story. He was there during situations where blood related uncle were required. And he was there when we went bankrupt.

I can tell him.

"I don't want to go," I said point blank.

Uncle's hand retrieved from my shoulder to rest on the bridge of his huge nose.

"Uthra," he said slowly, "what you are asking isn't practical."

Practical?

I let out a boisterous, sarcastic laugh.

"Practical?" I spat out sarcastically. I know I was being rude but yeah, whatever.

"I was forced to join an all boys school. That isn't practical. And that too for the sake of a socially awkward kid. That isn't practical. Moreover I was assigned as a boy's roommate. That isn't practical. But it all happened! Now, you're trying to tell me that me wishing to stay with a boy I came to love as my best friend is impractical?"

I heaved hard because of the scorching anger and because of the impact of the words.

Vimal Uncle looked taken aback and it took him a moment to regain his composure.

"Uthra— honey, I know I made you do all that. But this is your life! You can't graduate as a guy. It can't go like that! Think dear.." He looked at me sympathetically.

What he said seriously came as a slap to me.

If I graduate from this school, I should be a guy at college, a guy at work... a guy... I can't escape and lie forever. And it's not like I can survive that long. Every lie comes to light. But at that age, it would be an offensive crime. They won't let me off the hook since I won't be a teenager then. A minor.