TOMBOY FALLS FOR FLIRT

Ch-9-Thank you Aarav

Keya took a deep breath and started.

"My life is not as simple as it looks Aarav.", she said looking down at her lap with more tears threatening to come up.
He squeezed her hand to show support and to make her continue.
"My family, The Mittals, are one of the most respected families of Mohali and half of the Punjab. The respect doesn't come straight way though. My family has a import and export transport business of ships and trucks, it is not as simple as it looks. My family is into weapons and ammunition smuggling coupled with few illegal medicines and drugs. The local police and political parties are an ally to them, so nobody stops them.", she said looking away.
"That means you...?", He started to ask something.
"Yes. I am from a Mafia or Don family as you can call up. The respect everyone has of us is from fear.", she said sighing.
"And that is what is hurting you so much?", he asked.
"No. The consequences of it are hurting me Aarav. My mom and my dad had an arranged marriage when my mom was married off because my dad's family was paying a sum to my mom's family. My mom had me and after that things started shaping up badly, I don't know why. My dad used to get drunk with all my uncles and his servants and used to beat up my mom too bad. He used to beat me sometimes too! One day, he somehow started loving mom more again, mom conceived and we had my little sister, Maahi. Everyone was disappointed for having a girl child again. This led to too much issues, beating and violence at home. I used to get epileptic attacks due to this and my mom fought with everyone and sent me to Vee's place in Delhi for sometime so that I didn't have to bear any of it. Vee had a love marriage and that is why most of my mom's family hated her but Vee and her husband were really sweet with me. They couldn't bear children so I became like their child. Everything was going well for a few years but I missed Maa and my little sister. So I told Vee I wanted to go back home in summer vacations and she sent me home. When I came back, what I saw shocked me to no end.", she let all of it out and paused for a deep breath.

"I am here. I am listening. Pour it out.", Aarav reassured his support.

"My dad, just a week prior to my visit had remarried a woman younger than him, just so that he could conceive a son. Maahi was being treated okay as long as she behaved the way everyone wanted her too but mom was being treated as a slave. That whole night went by with me and Maahi, hugging maa and crying ourselves to sleep. The next morning I woke up and saw mom was gone. Papa was reading a letter, it said she wouldn't be back and he had to take care of us girls. She just left. I was 11 at that time, for a year or two, I cursed her so much! She left us! She left me and Maahi amidst of people we didn't even have slightest of love for. My step mom is a nightmare, her daughter and son used to bully Maahi and I used to protect her. I learnt Karate from the teacher who used to teach my stepbrother by standing at a distance and learning, I self-taught myself. I eventually understood that we had to have a proper education and stability to run away from that place that's why Maa left us with them. Vee and her husband shifted here, in Australia, so I couldn't ask her for help. I started studying hard and getting good grades even when the only person happy with that was Maahi. I fought with my family who thought my education wasn't important, and I made them take my admission in grade 10 at a good school in Mohali. I used to stay alone and my family's influence probably taken as scary to other people so no one talked to me, I was an outcast but a topper. One day, this idiot comes out of nowhere and sat beside my seat.", Keya said as the last line brought in a sweet memory and she smiled a little.

*Flashback*
Keya passed a look to this person who took a seat beside her.
"Hey! I am Akash Khurrana.", he said flashing a smile.
He was tall, dusky and had chocolate brown eyes and a gorgeous smile.
"Hi! Keya Mittal.", she said smiling.
Maybe Akash was new in Mohali, he didn't know her family and their influence.
"I am new in the town, so no one to talk to and I saw that you were also alone. Mind if I be friends with you?", he asked extending his hand for a handshake.
Keya gladly accepted it.
She had to admit to herself that she already had a little crush on him.
They started sitting together for break time, in classes, used to take notes together and studied together. Both got great marks for boards and they even joined the 11th grade in Arts section. She wanted to go for Mass Communication and he wanted to do BA with economics and then MBA from a premier institution so that he could continue his business. Akash was a hardworking boy. He did part time job, worked on his dream business and helped his uncle in his business. His dad had passed away and that was the reason he and his mom had shifted to Mohali with his maternal uncle.