Words Unsaid

Chapter 1

"Bolo Mahi, kya hai yeh sab?" (What is all this Mahi) Principal shouted.

Looking at the little girl who was about to cry, principal calmed down and said, "Mahi, what is the matter? You are not listening in class, fighting with friends, not completing your home work.....you were not so. What happened?"

Mahi looked up in tears and said in her sweet voice that cracked, "I don't want to study...."

Picking up her favourite student and placing her on her table, Mrs. Malhotra – principal of Good Shepherd International School, asked softly, "Then what do you want?"

"I want to be with papa and mamma" Mahi cried.

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"Mam, you called me?" he asked in his grown up voice as he stood before Mrs. Malhotra.

"Sit down Manav" Mrs. Malhotra said to the 17 year old head boy of the school.

He hesitated. She insisted and he sat down.

"Manav, I had a talk with Mahi. Her class teacher was complaining that she was not attentive in class and is not completing her works. Her classmate's father came here today morning complaining that Mahi slapped his daughter!"

Manav sat shocked. His sister was not so! She was a bright student and was known for her polite nature towards everyone.

"I'm so sorry mam. I'll talk to her!" Manav said.

"Manav, I would like to talk to your parents!" Mrs. Malhotra said.

"No," he said alarmingly, "Please don't do that. I'll manage her!"

"I asked Mahi what the matter was. She told me that she wants to be with her parents. When I tried to probe in more, she denied. She kept mum afterwards!" Mrs. Malhotra said, "Your parents' divorce is affecting her badly Manav"

Manav closed his eyes and nodded.

"I don't want to interfere in your family matters but Mahi is my favourite student. She is the star of the school, you know that. I can't sit back watching her falling!" Mrs. Malhotra said.

"I'm sorry mam. I'll talk to Mahi. This will never repeat" he said and principal nodded.

The last bell rang and students rushed out the main gate of the school. Manav got hold of his bag and walked to 4th std. He walked into the class. All students have gone and there his 9 year old sister was, sitting near the window with her eyes set out.

"Mahi" he called out.

Mahi looked at her brother and ran to him. She hugged his waist burying her face in his coat. Taking her bag in his hand, he led his sister to the gate of the school.

Getting on his cycle, he looked at her who silently climbed on his back. He rode to his house with his baby sis hugging him from back. He drove into the premises of Raizada mansion and Mahi stepped down. Parking his cycle, he walked inside the house holding her hand.

Hari Prakash opened the door for them and they walked in. Mami, Anjali and Payal were sitting in the living room having tea.

"Manav?" Anjali stood up surprised seeing him at RM. Manav smiled at her hugged her followed by Payal and Mami.

Mahi silently walked upstairs to her room and the family sighed at that. Manav asked to Anjali, "Where is he?"

"Not home" Anjali replied.

Manav sighed and said, "Take care of Mahi" and he stepped out of RM. Turning his cycle, he rode to AR Fashions.

"Sir, it's your son!" Aman said, "He had been waiting for an hour"

"Send him in!" he said in his rough voice.

In a while, the door of his cabin opened and he walked in. Sitting on the chair before his father, Manav said arrogantly, "I want to talk to you"

Getting no reply Manav spoke, "I don't what the problem between you and mom is and I don't want to know. Just remember that your fight is affecting Mahi. She is still small and cannot understand all these. She longs for parents' love and for god sake, can't you do this for her?"

"Some relations are not meant to be Manav" he said in a whisper.

"You should have thought about it before having kids!" Manav said angrily, "I want Mahi to be happy. I want my bubbly, chirpy sister back who is lost somewhere in the midst of her parents' fight."

"I'll look into it!" he said.

"It's not a business deal to look onto it Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada." Manav retorted.

"Mamma...." Mahi cried through phone.

"Kya huva meri bacchii....why are you crying?" she asked in her soothing voice.

"Please come home mamma....I want to be with you!" Mahi cried. "Then come to me!" she said.

"I want to be with both you and papa. You, Papa, bhaiyya and me....Happy Family!" Mahi cried.

"Me and your papa can never be a happy family Mahi!" her mother said.

"Why?" Mahi demanded.

She got no reply for that.

"Mamma...." Mahi cried, "Helloo.....mamma...." the call was hung.

Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada cut the call and whispered, "I'm sorry Mahi....."

uVHt