Let Me Redeem [Completed]

Wrong Move, Rohina

No, she must act a little sensibly, if not more. Her stomach gave a low growl again, and taking it as a means of escape she was about to leave for the cafeteria when her small Nokia phone started buzzing. With the salary now she'd get, she was definitely going to save for a smart phone of her own. Pressing the left button, she received the call from her uncle and raised the device up to her ear, sighing with relief at getting away with the awkward conversation she was having with her roommate and her friends.

"Some people from your university just came." Her uncle informed after all the greetings, his voice a gruff croak.

Surprised, Mirha asked as she closed the book and got up from the bed. "University? For what?"

"Wanted to look around the house, they said. Something to do with the scholarship you applied for. Said that it was important to know who's deserving and who just wants to take the advantage. Also said there'd be an exam of some sort."

"Oh, right." Nodding her head, Mirha mused. "And yes, there is going to be an exam."

"Would we also have to sit for it?" Her uncle's worried voice sounded from the speaker of the phone as she walked out of the room, leaving her roommate with her friends who had resumed their positions around the phone plugged on the charger cable.

Mirha chuckled, amusement glinting in her eyes. Such was the innocence of the people deprived from the right of education, living in the under developed villages away from the modern and oh-so-literate people of the cities. 

"No uncle, it's only for me." She assured, the corner of her lips twitching as she walked down the corridor to get to the gravel path.

"Oh, thank God." Her uncle laughed sheepishly. "I feared I'd fail you because I don't really know anything." 

She let out a low laugh, starting toward the small canteen by the admin block. "Don't be absurd, you know a lot. Anyway, how's everyone at home?"

"Fine. Everyone's fine. Pray for your aunt though. She's getting weaker by the day."

A weight settled on Mirha's heart. "Why is she not getting better, uncle? She is regularly taking proper prescribed medication . . . isn't she?" She added as an afterthought, her attention prickling on the sudden swarm of concern, that things might not be all well at home. Eyebrows furrowed with concern, she unconsciously began to wring her fingers. "Did you take her to the hospital?"

A millisecond hesitation was enough to confirm her fears. "No dear," he said after a brief pause and released a long helpless breath,  "who's got the money for these things." 

"Alright then," she spoke in a firm voice, "as soon as I get my salary, I'm sending it to you. And the first thing you're going to do is to take aunt to the hospital, okay?"

"Beta," Her uncle began to protest but Mirha cut him short. A new smartphone could wait. 

"That's it uncle. I'll ask Shazil whether you took her or not."

Her brother was the most honest child in the village. He was generally quite the prankster, popular among everyone for all the mischiefs and pranks he pulled on the other kids and the elders alike. People always knew it was him every time because he never lied, and was always present for a little scolding he knew he'd earned. While villagers got irritated by his frequent pranks, it never ceased to amaze them how Shazil never put the blame on the other kids and always apologized in the end as well.

"Okay dear, whatever you wish." Her uncle said, as if giving up.

"Good." She grinned, still on her way to the canteen, that was still a long way to go.