Unwanted

Chapter 17

Archit

"Ok then, let me finish my food then I'll help you with your studies." I said while Sasuri Ma stared at us in disbelief.

"Good job." I said to Priyangshu who had successfully written all the numbers from one to ten after much pleading from me. Priyangshu smiled. "Can we take a break now?" He asked me. I looked at the clock. We have been studying for an hour. I think we should take a break. We both were sitting in Darshini's room, on her bed. I was helping Priyangshu with maths.
"Of course." I said with a smile. Priyangshu grinned. He put his pencil down and lied down on the bed.
"You are such a bright student." I said to him. I made sure to compliment him after he finished his work.
"Thank you!" He said making me smile.
"Welcome." I said.
"Accha shono na." Priyangshu said sitting up.
[Translation: Hey, listen.]
"Hmm?"
"What should I call you?" He asked looking down at his lap.
I stayed silent. I too, looked down at my lap. I don't know. I closed my eyes. I wish I knew the answer to this.
"Priyangshu, should we resume our studies?" I asked in a soft voice trying to change the topic.
"No!" He looked up at me and pouted.
I giggled. Aww, so cute.
"I don't want to study anymore!" Priyangshu said.
"Ok then." I answered back.
"Really?" He asked, his eyes filled with joy.
"No." I said making him pout.
"Baje chele!" He said to me making me giggle.
[Translation: bad (naughty) boy!]
"Did your parents never scold you as a kid?" He asked.
I stopped giggling. I looked at him and then at my lap. I stayed silent.

"If you do this again then I'll make sure that it's your last day on Earth."
"God why do I have to be stuck with something I never wanted?"

"Mister, are you okay?" Priyangshu said making me flinch in suprise.
"Ye-yeah." I said trying my best not to stutter.
"You still haven't answered my question." Priyangshu said.
"My Ma became a star in the night sky before I got the chance to meet her." I couldn't help feeling a little sad when I said that.
Priyangshu gasped. "Oh no! That must have been sad." He said.
I stayed silent. I didn't know what to say.
I didn't really know what to feel about that situation. Neither did I feel sad nor was I happy. I didn't really know what kind of a person my mother was. I just knew that Baba and Ma were madly in love with each other. That was, until I came into the picture.
I just smiled not knowing what to do.
"Yeah." I said. "My Baba on the other hand." I stopped before finishing my sentence. I clutched my wrist.

I looked at the broken photo frame lying on the ground. Oh no! I thought to myself. I had accidentally knocked down the frame while playing. I hurried over to the frame. I saw that it was a picture of my Ma and Baba. Both of them were smiling. It was the first time I had seen Baba smile in my eight years of existence.
"What was that noise?" Baba said entering the room, coming towards me. He stopped in his tracks when he saw the photo frame lying on the floor. He crouched down and touched the broken frame. He stared at it for awhile.
"What were you doing here Archit?" He asked, his voice filled with pain and anger.
"B-baba I-I wa-was playing and the ball accidentally k-kn-knocked it down." I finished my sentence with great difficulty.
Baba turned towards me.
"How many times have I told you not to enter this room?" Baba asked making me feel scared.
I looked down at the ground in fear. We both were in Baba's bedroom. I had sneaked in to play while Baba was out running an errand. I liked playing here because his room was the largest in our house. Baba hated me entering his room. He hated it when I touched his stuff, especially the ones which belonged to Ma.
Of all times why did he have to come back now?