I WEIRD YOU ❤️

THE BOY

ILAHI'S P.O.V

21 JULY 20xx,

"But Papa, you said she will be the accounts head." Niraj said walking towards his father who is sitting at the head chair of the conference table. My hands are trembling because I know I lose the opportunity but I will never show them how hurt I'm feeling.

"It's okay Sir. I understand. It was a pleasure for me to work with you." I said still regretting my childish behaviour.

"Are you really going to leave just like that? Without even asking for a reason" Mr Singhaniya asked, looking at me with serious expressions.

"I don't think so that I'm in a position to demand something from you sir. It's your company and if you think that someone doesn't deserve to be here so nobody has a right to question you." I said with disappointment clear in my voice. I hate myself for being so stupid. I was running like a kid in a conference hall instead of doing the work that is assigned to me.

"Why do you always believe that you don't deserve what you are getting, Ilahi?" He asks. I seal my lips shut because I don't have an answer for that. I look at Niraj who is surprisingly silent, for my support but he is also looking at me with disappointment clear on his features.

"Come here." Niraj's father gestures to the chair on his left. I walk to the chair and settle down without meeting his eyes. From the corner of my eyes, I can see Niraj taking a seat as well on his father's right across me.

"Let me tell you a story. It is about a boy who was almost 19 years old at that time. You know he lost his father at that young age. He was the eldest child and had 4 more younger siblings. Their mother was diagnosed with the severe depression which was leading her to death. He was hopeless and since he was a teenager nobody was ready to give him a job or any sort of work. They were middle class people and his father was the only one earning but after his death there was a time when they didn't even get to eat once a day. He started working as a laborer at the construction site during the day, selling vegetables after coming back from work and doing some stripping at night." My eyes widen at the stripping part. It doesn't take a genius mind to guess that Mr Singhaniya is narrating his struggle story. Niraj told me that they came from a very poor background but the way shock is written on his face, it's clear he doesn't know much. His story is similar to mine but the difference is I will never sell my body for money and fortunately my mother is not in depression. At first I had seen some signs of that in her but I never let her fall in that darkness. I never let her be alone for the first few months, always ask her what is going on in her mind and give her some positive words. Even her doctor appreciated me for that because she was on the verge of falling in that darkness but fortunately I saved her. I wish there was someone who could save me as well but at the end you have only yourself.

My eyes fixed on Mr Singhaniya again when he continued, "For almost one 1 year he worked like that but it was not enough to feed a family of 6 so his younger brother who was 17 years old also helped him after coming back from the school. His younger brother sells vegetables whereas the boy himself got a job as a worker in a textile mill. And from there the life of the boy changed. The owner of the textile mill was a very kind person. He had 2 mills and over 5 outlets but instead of donating money to the NGOs, he offered his money to his workers so that they can educate their children and at least give them a better life. After knowing about the owner, the boy approached him and explained to him about his whole situation. He wants to educate his siblings. Surprisingly the owner agreed to not only help his siblings to study but also the boy to get a graduation degree. Unfortunately the owner has no family because he lost them in an accident so he accepted the boy as his son. He was so impressed by the boy's hardwork. And from there that boy who was hopeless got an opportunity to become a CEO of India's one of the best textile companies only by his hardwork and faith in god." He concluded. My jaw is touching the floor will be an understatement. You know the problem with people? They think only they are struggling but the truth is everyone is having their own fights.