Falling Softly

SILENT STRUGGLES

Aaryan's POV

I adjusted my bag when I got out of the lift. In a hurry, I took quick steps, but stopped when I heard someone loudly call my surname.

I turned towards the voice and saw the landlord coming with a black purse in his hand. "When are you planning to pay the rent? It's been two months already. Make it quick or I'll have to throw you out," he shouted as he came close to me.

Before I could speak, he shouted again, "I want my rent in two days, or else start finding a new flat. I'll also file a police complaint. I'm not in the mood to lose my money."

"Sir, my salary will come on the 10th of the month, and today is the 3rd. Give me at least seven days," I pleaded. I had been trying to avoid him every morning, but today he caught me.

"Alright, but these will be the last seven days," he said, applying his saliva to his finger and continuing to count the rupees in his hand. He folded the money and placed it in his bag.

I caught the bus and got in. The morning crowd was crazy, so I had to commute standing. My eyes were fixated on the door while my mind wandered in different directions. I grabbed the handle to steady myself when the bus hit potholes, and with my other hand, I took out my phone from my pocket and dialed a number.

"Did you get your salary?" I asked.

"Nah, man. Same old account balance," Nishit, my workmate, replied from the other side.

"When are they planning to pay us? It's been three months since we last received our salaries," I blurted out.

"I don't know, man."

"I'm even struggling to pay my rent these days."

"What are you saying? C'mon, man, you have savings," Nishit laughed out loud. He knew I was disciplined, always investing and saving for the future.

"You know I got married recently," I said in a low voice.

"Why the hell would you spend that much? The wedding was lavish, not gonna lie. I guess it was your parents' dream to host a grand feast for the relatives, a king-size wedding, right?"

"Let's forget about the wedding, OKAY? Ah! Just remembered, I have to send some money to my parents as well."

"I can lend you some if you want," Nishit offered. He was well off, with his parents being rich.

"I can't. You know I don't like to borrow money from others. I'll have to speak to the manager, for real."

"Go ahead, let me know if you still need any," he said, and we ended the conversation.

I stood there until the bus reached near the office. Throughout the ride, I imagined myself talking with the manager in ten different ways. Finally, during the lunch break, I gathered the courage to speak to him. He said I would get my salary in a few days, which sounded like a cold lie to me.

I finished work in the evening and reached home. Just as I was about to knock, I remembered I had forgotten to do the tasks I wrote yesterday, like greeting her good morning. I closed my eyes tightly, regret washing over me. I knocked on the door, but there was no response. I knocked twice, but still nothing. I started to worry until I realized that she had joined a company, so she hadn't come home yet.

I should have kept the spare key with me, I blamed myself. Just then, I heard someone from behind, "Here's your key!" It was the woman from the flat in front of us. I had seen her many times but never talked to her. "Sorry, I was making dinner, so I didn't hear the knocking earlier."

"It's okay! Thanks," I said, grabbing the key. She smiled and went back inside.

I unlocked the door and took a long shower, almost half an hour. When I came out, I saw Kavya in the kitchen. She hadn't even bothered to change her clothes. She must be so hungry already.

"It sucks!" she said in a light, playful manner while stirring the subji.

I rubbed the towel on my head, and our eyes met, making us both smile. "What sucks?" I asked. "Cooking after such a long day at work," she said. I was right; she must be starving. I patted myself on the back, proud that I was starting to understand situations better. But I knew there was a long way to go. "Can we hire a maid? It has become daunting in the morning," she asked.

I froze. The playful smile on my face disappeared. With our current financial situation, there was no way we could afford it. Guilt crept in as I realized how overworked she was, now that she had a full-time job.

"Right now it's difficult..." I said softly, shaking my head. It came as a surprise to her, and I could see it on her face, but she didn't say anything. The whole room went silent.

Thank you for reading, Do add star it encourages me