Broken Strings

Pi

Swecha POV

I remember the first time I entered the mansion that belonged to my grandfather. I was 4 at that time. The disapproval in his eyes was very evident. But he didn't have a choice. Neither did I. Not at that time at least. The first time I met my mom. Ananya. Ananya Agrawal. She hugged me in a tight embrace and led me through the door. I didn't  understand the look my dad gave to me that day when she was leading me through the house. I understood it after a week though. Mom locked herself up the entire day in her room and never came out. I kept knocking at her door. Not going away even though she screamed at me. She was the only one who  I had over there. The only one who actually cared whether I was happy or not. I was afraid. Afraid of losing her too. o I kept knocking. Knocking till my hands hurt and the screaming stopped.

There was a sound of shuffling and I heard footsteps coming towards the door. I beamed up at her as she open the door with a look I might never forget. This time I was scared for an entirely different reason.

She dragged me to my room, my hand clutched too tight in her hand and my small legs were too weak to keep up with her stride. She pushed me into my room and locked it up with us inside.

After a torn belt and three broken ribs and broken bones here and there she went out locking me inside.  Blood was flowing down my face. Into my nose and mouth making it difficult to breathe. My throat was too dry to scream anymore. But no one came. No one.

I woke up next day in a hospital with my mom next to me smiling down at me. Her eyes looked pain and she was holding my hand.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

I nodded. She nodded back at me and brushed away the stray strands an my face. I flinched at the contact. And she flinched back at me.

"You shouldn't have disturbed me. This wouldn't have happened if you didn't. " She said her voice filled with concern.

I nodded. She was right. It was my fault and looking at her looking down at me like I am the most precious thing she has ever seen I believed it.

"I would never hurt you if it isn't necessary, Swecha. You know that, don't you? You are my daughter. You do believe that I am your mother, don't you?   You can't survive in that place without me by your side. You know that, don't you?" She asked looking at me expectantly.

I swallowed and nodded.

"I love you, honey. You know that don't you?"

"Yes, mom. I love you too."

.............................................................................................................................................

A week has passed and Jay was walking up and down the corridors to prove a point and collapsing on the bed exhausted. During this one week I somehow became a part of their routine. The knowledge of one of the greatest secrets they both are hiding from others qualified me to stay and hang out with them as I please. Though Jay grumbled and mostly ignored my existence for most of the time, he never actually asked me to get out. I take that as his way of warming up to me. And as for Maanav we are debating almost everyday about the book we would read that day when Jay would be sleeping or going through medical procedures. And I actually fought with Jay and made him angry when I said that I don't actually like Jon Snow much. He went as far as to call me as taboo for the entire fans of the show. I flipped him off and he glared at me.

If you don't know about the power of Jay's glare let me describe it to you. You would prefer to take a dip in the lava than catch that look from him. It's hazardous and scary. Not that he is any less scary when he is not glaring. His very existence scares the shit out of me. But when he is glaring he takes scariness to a completely new level.