THE HIDDEN SCARS

PROLOGUE

Anushka

Open your wings. I tell myself.
Let it go. I tell myself.
Be YOU. I tell myself.
Sab kuck thik hojaye ga. I tell myself.

And one more whip on my back.
I don't flinch anymore.
I don't resist anymore.
I don't fight back anymore.
I let it go.
I let my wings break, little by little as I watch my very own distraction.

The little girl might be crying right now. But I don't have courage anymore to look at her and tell her everything, literally everything would be okay. Again.
So I let her cry.
I let her scream and I watch.
I don't shed tears anymore.
They are dry now.
I am weak now.
Or too strong to hold up.

Another whip.

"Kuch bolegi bhi? You dumb cow?" My very own Matashree shouts at me.

Another whip.

To make her point.

I touch my lips with my index and middle finger. Thinking where am I? How did I lost?

So I wait for my wings to open.

Another whip.

Vivaan

"Aree ma! Bass na!" I say grabbing my mom's wrist as she holds the roti with bhindi ki sabji. I don't like it. A laughter echoed in the room as my mom laughs at me. I pout. Frowning.

"Kha le."

"My eyes flies open, my breathing hard as I try to catch my breathe. The oxygen from my lungs pulling out and into the atmosphere. When finally I catch my breath, I look around realizing I slept on the floor, my head near the door.

"Kha le." Her voice echoed again.

"Maa..." I whispered to nobody. Nobody actually. While I lay my head on the floor. My whole body flat against the cold tiles. A tear dropped down my dry cheeks. I wiped it off quickly. I shouldn't cry. Why should I cry?
It was just a dream.
Just a dream. In reality, I hate bhindi ki sabji still. I scoff. Bhindi ki sabji.

My mom's favorite.

"Tujhe koye kaam nahi aata kya thik se?" I sigh, rolling my head to look at the door. It's amusing how the CEO of the Mehra's can lay on the floor and hear family drama. It's amusing. I roll my eyes. Welcome to my world.

Author.

Life is hard. Mine too. I realized. But the day I forget to write, shall be my last.