Strings Attached

~Chapter 1~

"Like that would ever be possible. Go or you'll miss the bus, slowcoach!" my sister hurries me, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Don't you have to go to college today?" "That's none of your business, douchebag."

Nevertheless, I do give a well-aimed smack to her head as I leave, and smirk to myself. "Mom! Hidayah just hit me on the head," she shouts hoarsely, lunging to get back at me at the same time. I make a dash for the stairs. Childish girl! "Hidayah, come down right this minute, or I'll give you a well-aimed smack myself," my mum shouts angrily from downstairs.

"I'm coming, mom. Just a few more minutes," I holler in a rush. But, unfortunately, I'm not fast enough, and Raafiah gets to smack my behind. "Don't ever mess with the boss!" I hear her shout from the landing, shaking her finger at me. Somebody give me a baseball bat, please. I need to wipe that irritating smile off her face. "I'll get even with you when I come back, just you wait!" I whisper narrowing my eyes, only to hear her cackle from behind me.

"What were you doing all this time? I've told you not to fight with your sister, since it only wastes your time, then why do you? Also, she is elder than you, and you should respect her," my mother tells me, as soon as my legs hit the last step of the stairs. OH! Respect, my foot! The word doesn't even suit her. But I don't say that aloud. 

"Shouldn't she act like one, then? And by the way, she was the first one to irritate me." I tell her, and she looks at me as if I've sprouted more heads than one. "No need to argue, little missy. You both need to work upon your manners. Always fighting like jungle-queens." Great! I'm always the one who has to listen to the scolding for all our fights. Just awesome!

"With manners like that, I don't understand how you'll ever get married. No one will even allow you to enter their house, let alone marry you." "Oh, do shut up about the marriage-thingy, mom. We're great as we are. Who needs husbands, anyway?" 

"See! That's what she does. Shutting up her mother like that. Today's generation and its manners! Tauba hai! Is that what I've taught you?" Ok, now I've rattled my mom, and she's in one of her rant modes. Let me just skip out the side door...... OH! But there's no side door! How silly of me!

"Gee, mom. I didn't mean to shut you up. I just wanted you to not talk about marriage on such a fine morning," seeing no way out, I try to reason with her. "No, no. Let your father come from the masjid and I'll complain about you to him. You're getting out of hand." 

"Ya Allah! What did I say wrong, now?" "No need to shout like that. Just finish up your breakfast, and move your lazy ass to school." "I'm already very late," I state, looking at my wristwatch. Then I proceed to mumble, "So, I'll skip breakfast today," and make a dash for the door.

My mother is quick to realize what I said, and grabs me from behind before I can go any further. "Not so fast, young lady. Eat your breakfast, then go to school. No breakfast... no school, got it?" Yeah, you read that right. My parents are really strict about having breakfast before going out in the mornings. No one, absolutely no one is allowed to skip the first meal of the day in any circumstances. 

And I've realized over the years that what they promote is totally justified. I had quite a noisy proof of it once when I skipped breakfast, and my stomach kept rumbling loudly in class until break time came. God! It was embarrassing! Just the memory of it makes me sigh in submission, and I give in. I'm so going to be late for class today.

So much for punctuality......

_____

The moment I touchdown on the school grounds, I make a run for my class. In case I forgot to tell you, I'm a class twelfth student at one of the famous convents of Delhi, the St. Patricks' Senior Secondary School. In fact, it's my first day of my senior year, and since I took the test for the exchange program about a week ago, I don't know what my fate's gonna be like in a few days when the results come out.