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Nine

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Kei sanaa - my precious


Nine
• • •

In two weeks' time, Nicholas received Raven's letter and ever since, her picture remained in his uniform's chest pocket or either in his wallet-when he didn't need to wear his uniform-along with his mother's picture.

Whenever he could steal time off from his work, he'd pull out the pictures and give them a second or two to refresh their memories in his mind. Raven hadn't changed much in the picture. She still had her fringe, and her almond eyes shone as she softly smiled into the camera. She was wearing a white collared, polka-dotted shirt which she neatly tucked inside a traditional wrap-around, which they called Karkhop in their Uipo dialect. Standing outside the big, white church lawn with a Bible in her hand, she looked as pretty as the daylight. And seeing her wear a karkhop absentmindedly put a smile on his face.

'A lady now, huh? Already wearing a karkhop,' he thought.

Back then, she was just a Sunday school kid who wore frocks and jeans to Church. Karkhop was usually worn by grown-up ladies who were most probably a part of the Church Choir. Each time he looked at her pictures, he grew more eager to see her. There was something about her that kept his curiosity locked on her. He considered her a kid for long, but now he realized that maybe she wasn't at all a kid anymore.

The next time Nicholas received another bunch of letters, there was another one from Raven too, and that was the only one written in her handwriting. She told him she'd been studying in Herbert for higher secondary education. She would have to stay in the girl's hostel for the next two years that follow so, she probably wouldn't be able to write to him anymore.

By then, Raven had already moved to Herbert hostel and started going to school. Out there, there were a number of don'ts and so less of dos, and everyone staying there preferred to call it a study prison.

No one was allowed to use phone. Once a week, the authority permitted them to call their parents, save for emergencies. Twice a month, parents could visit their kids on the second and last Sunday of the month, and one got so less opportunity to go home. The first two months had been a struggle for Raven, as it were for most of the freshers who had never before stayed away from home. Raven often cried when she talked to her parents.

But somehow, when she left the hostel after two years, she came out a stronger and happier person. She had learned a lot, especially from the rushing schedule-time constantly chasing them-she'd learned to make the most of each second, cherish each moment she got to spend with her friends.

In the end, she was more than glad that she got to stay where they initially called 'The Prison'. And when she left the hostel, she left with hopes of returning to visit it again someday, aware of all the lessons that place had unknowingly taught her along the way. But life had to go on. There was more to learn.

Right after she gave her higher secondary exams, she left for Shillong to pursue her bachelor's degree. Her father had wanted to send her to Delhi and stay with Elliot but, the crime rate in the city made her mother object to the idea. Besides, Elliot was now busy working as a music teacher and music influencer on Youtube, earning way more than a decent government job.

He had found his way. Or he had his way found for him. Nicholas had paid a visit when he returned to Delhi after his first deployment in Kashmir, just like he promised. Nicholas had seen posters about a national singing competition. He came, initially, to talk Elliot into participating. When Elliot, who knew about it himself, in all glory of his obstinacy and despondency, refused to give it a shot, Nicholas assorted to drinking with him through the night. And drink they did, of course. They drank like pigs.

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by Hermyne
@HermyneKhaling
Now available as Audiobook on Audible India. When thirteen year old R...
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