AISHA: The Cursed Name

Chapter 23- The Sword Fight

The Sword Fight

The week went by quickly. Aisha used to loiter around with her girls and spent little time at the library with her new friends. However, Keshav and Mridula didn't show up mostly. Their practices were going in an enormous whim of victory.

The night before the competition was exceptionally exciting. All the houses were praising their representatives and a few groups were arguing about the result to be in their favour.

Aisha sat with her friends, enjoying the last few hours together.
"So, just another day we have together before the summer break?"

Ishita smiled and looked at her friends when Namrata said,
"I'm so used to you guys, I don't know how will I manage at home without seeing you people."

Swara and Bani smiled as they shared the same feelings when Ishita's face turned gloomy as she said,
"Right! I'm so used to you people. I have to see you, people, every day. Although my parent's company is amazing, I love it at home, but around you guys, it's just amazing. Happy!"

"Well, now that's an honest truth. I love my home but something about this school feels a lot more comfortable than living at home. Though born and being bought up in that house takes an upper hand, I've discovered myself, grown up, and learned everything about life, magic, love and friendship over here. In this school. This place is the actual home I'd call."
Swara chunked in while Aisha showed her enthusiasm in the conversation. Although she wasn't that happy to be left all alone for a month and a half at school, she didn't even want her friends to stay. She wanted them to live a life she didn't have. She wanted to paint herself in the happiness of her friends being with their family since in her life, family was long lost while happiness, she had almost forgotten what that even meant. All she now knew were tears, silence, loneliness, uneasiness, sleeplessness, helplessness and misery. Just... These.

Bani agreed with Swara.
"True! However, I love it down there on Earth as well. My city, it's beautiful. My return home always excites me since the drastic change from the ancient and mythology world to the open and modern earth is amazing. What do you guys want from there?"

"I don't know... Umm... We have all magical alternatives here, so..."
Ishita hummed while the others too tried to think of anything they looked forward to having from Earth. Aisha sat silently for a while after which she looked with overloading hopes at Bani.
"Can you... Get me... Perfume? I want to smell my old days. I can't live them or anything but, at least, the smell. It will make me feel happy for once. It will make me feel like... I'm somewhere... Close to... Umm."

Bani understood everything. She assured Aisha with a calm blink of her eyes telling her that she'd bring her some essence of her home, of her family, her mother, her father, her sister, her beloved Life.

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

There was loud cheering and shouting made by the houses in the canteen. Aisha was too willing to be a part of the excitement but she failed to decide where her happiness lies. Moreover, all her four friends were in all different houses so it was no use in cheering for her friend's house. Aisha turned around to look at the crowd when she hopped and sat at her table. She placed her right leg over the left and leaned her head on her hand. She had a smile.

Her eyes fell over Siddharth, who had not approached her in the past months. They hardly had any conversation. Most of the time their eyes met each other and they used to stare at each other until someone else broke their eye contact for them. Although Aisha had sensed fear in his eyes, he behaved awkwardly around her. He maintained distance and didn't talk to her after that evening incident. An incident Aisha hardly knew about.