Better Than Bollywood

VI - Sin V/s Cos

Aarav 

I had just walked into my home, desperate for some sleep after such a hell of a day. I placed my bag on the shelf and slumped down on the bed, sighing. I closed my eyes, hoping to drift off when a loud knock echoed through my door.

"Open the goddamn door, Aarav!" A voice screeched from behind the door, laced with frustration.

My mom.

I groaned as I got up slowly, reaching out to open the door while she kept mumbling something I couldn't be bothered to listen to. The door flew open as she stormed into the room. I turned around and walked back to the bed, settling down as she glared at me with fury in her eyes. I stared at her, keeping an uninterested, blank expression.

"Aarav, what is this?" she spat, waving a piece of paper in front of my face. "Your grades are slipping again! Do you even care about your future?"

I sighed, leaning back against the headboard. "It's just one test, Mom. I'll make it up."

"One test? This is not just one test! This is your life, Aarav! You think you can afford to slack off like this? I hope you don't think we're going to let you live through the money we earn."

I looked away, staring at the wall. "I don't think you understand, Mom. I'm trying my best. It's not as easy as you think."

Her eyes narrowed. "Don't you dare talk back to me. You think you have it tough? You have no idea what tough is."

I clenched my fists, trying to keep my composure. "Maybe if you weren't always on my back, I could actually focus and do better."

She scoffed. "Oh, so now it's my fault? You're just like your father. Always blaming others for your own failures."

I felt a pang in my chest at her words, but I refused to let her see how much they hurt. "I'm not my father, Mom. And I'm not you either."

Her face twisted with rage. "You ungrateful little—" 

She paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. "And why did you insist on moving to this city? You could've stayed back in Delhi with your father. At least there, you had everything you needed."

I felt my patience wearing thin. "I moved here because I needed a fresh start. Staying in Delhi would've suffocated me."

She crossed her arms, her eyes burning with anger. "A fresh start? And how's that working out for you, huh? Failing your tests and wasting your time with those so-called friends of yours?"

"They're not just 'so-called' friends, Mom. They're the only ones who actually care about me."

She rolled her eyes. "Care about you? They can't even help you improve your grades. You think they'll be there for you when you fail in life?"

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm brewing inside me. "I don't expect you to understand, Mom. You never have."

"Understand? I've been trying to keep this family together ever since your father left. And what do I get in return? A son who doesn't care about his future and decides to move away, leaving me to deal with everything alone."

I clenched my jaw, feeling the weight of her words. "You know what, Mom? I'm tired of this. I'm tired of being blamed for everything. I moved here to build a life on my own, away from all this negativity. And I will. I'll work hard, earn my way, and prove that I don't need to depend on you or Dad."

Her eyes flashed with a mix of anger and hurt, but she didn't say anything. She just stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. I let out a long breath, feeling the tension slowly drain from my body. This was my life—constant arguments, never-ending blame, and a mother who couldn't see past her own pain to realize how much she was hurting me.