Selfish For You

1

The first rays of morning light filtered through the tattered curtains, casting a dim, uneven glow across Kritika's small, unadorned room. The peeling wallpaper and worn-out furniture bore the scars of years of negligence.

Kritika stirred in her narrow, lumpy bed, her awakening less gentle and more a response to the sound of her stepmother's harsh voice echoing from downstairs. The taunts and criticism that had become her daily alarm clock were anything but tender.

With a heavy heart, she dragged herself upright, her movements carrying the weight of years of emotional burden. Her dark hair, tousled and unkempt, framed her beautiful face as she tried to muster the courage to face another challenging day.

Her chocolate brown eyes helding innocence and hope. It was a daily struggle, a battle to find strength amidst her stepmother's relentless taunts, so it's nothing new for her

She quickly freshen up and dressed in a very beautiful plazo suit , well yeah her all dresses are pretty good as for her parents their fake reputation is very dear to them , so doesn't matter how they treat her behind four walls but when it comes to going out of them, they're the best parents one could ever ask for

She sighed looking at her reflection in mirror and smiled brightly to start a new day , she's a little excited to go to her new college as it's her first day there
She is recently transferred there although she just wanted to move in hostel but cause of her father's orthodox thinking she didn't able to

She picked up her beg and went downstairs looking at open sky and the rising sun, this is so refreshing . In this house there's three rooms, a small living room and dining room and a kitchen, and a small backyard but there's no house and is covered with trees at the back of house, her room is on rooftop and there's only that room ,other than hers others live downstairs

" look who decided to grace us with her presence " as she went towards dining table she heard her stepmother's taunting sharp voice, she didn't look at her and took her place

Her stepmother kamlesh sneered but didn't said anything looking at her husband Sandeep and served her own daughter Mahi a little more

" enough mom , i told you I don't want to eat anymore, stop it " Mahi said in somewhat frustrated voice and left from there pushing her plate a little back

Sandeep's face turned darker but he didn't said anything and finished his breakfast before getting up " finish quickly, I'll drop you at college as you are new here " he said and left the dining room

Kritika look at his back and then at her untouched plate and sighed as she was about to eat a little , a very annoying voice taunted her again

" what are you sighing for ? No one is dead yet " she look up at her step mother who's staring at her like she's some kind of trash in her eyes and she losted her appetite , she pushed her chair a little and stood up to go when her mother's voice again fell in her ears

" why didn't she died instead of her grandmother atleast a burden wouldn't have fallen on our shoulders naa "

Her eyes become teary remembering why she's here despite being unwanted, staying silent as always she followed her father and sit in car to start another journey

After nearly 30 min Sandeep stopped the car in front of college and turned to look at his daughter who's looking around curiously he cleared his throat and said catching her attention successfully

" as promised to your grandmother i enrolled you in a very well known college but I hope you will not do anything that will harm my reputation and will stay out of trouble, you come here to study so only do that there's no need to be curious about things , hope you understand what I'm telling you " he said firmly and she just look at her father's face for good 5 seconds before nodding and stepping out of his car , she keep standing there till the car disappeared completely before turning towards the college