The falling seasons

Part 4

A month of the wait was finally at an end and Haruni was looking at the name that topped every exam that had been conducted in that particular term. The corridor was buzzing with children trying to see their results and some discussing how they got so fewer marks and some laughing at the way they had scored. But Haruni stood silent, she just watched the marks list and her name that had no other name on top of it. She felt herself flying in the ninth cloud just imagining her mother's happiness for the results she had produced. Some people started to pat her back, but Haruni was lost in the moment. No pat would make her happy except her mother congratulating her for the results that she had achieved and worked hard for.

Maya held Haruni's hand as she was about to enter the classroom.

"Great Haru! You really did beat those arrogant rats, of our class. How did you even do it?"

Haruni smiled and held Maya's hand tightly

"I studied hard for someone!"

"Isn't it too early to have an attraction? Aren't you a girl of only eleven years?"

Maya's voice made Haruni gasp.

"You have got it completely wrong! I did this for my mother!"

Maya's brows were raised in confusion

"Your mother forced you into this?"

"You are such a dumb girl." Haruni snuggled her elbow into Maya's arm "I did this to make her happy and she is the person, I said I would make you meet!"

"I would love to meet your mama! I want to see how much more lovely your mother is than my lovely Haru!" Maya's face gleamed with genuine happiness. And that genuineness was what that attracted Haruni towards her. Her round face with thick black hair that was braided and an appalling smile that was always present on her face always made Haruni feel comfortable around Maya. She smiled back and sat upon her bench

"Yes, she is lovely and..." Haruni opened the window half open and gazed back at Maya "You will love her!"

The window panes were still wet with the rain that had showered over the city early in the morning. The little droplets raced with each other to reach the bottom first, and Haruni was watching them slide over as parent's of her friends came and met the teacher. She waited patiently for her mother to come and there was a light tap on her shoulder. When she turned around she saw Maya standing with a woman who was so tall that she nearly missed the ceiling.

"Haru! This is my mama!"

"Hello..." Before Haruni could complete, she saw a familiar umbrella approaching her classroom. She felt as if a wave of shock passed through her spine. She gazed back at Maya

"A moment Maya, Mama has come!"

Maya saw the smile that was widespread on Haruni's face. She sprung off her seat and ran past Maya's mother

"A moment aunty!"

Said Haruni before running towards the doors of the classroom. Maya's mother nodded with a smile.

As Haruni reached the door, a clap of thunder banged and the lightning em-blazed the entire place. The drizzle now turned back to heavy rainfall as Sunanda lowered her Umbrella. Haruni smiled at Sunanda as she closed the umbrella.

"Well then!" Said Haruni looking past Sunanda "Why does mama walk so slow? How could you leave her alone in this kind of weather?"

Sunanda's face instantaneously lost all the charm that it held within. She forced a smile and kneeled down in front of Haruni, backing up her blue long skirt. She stared deep into Haruni's eyes. A moment of silence and then she said

"Haru! Mama has gotten more work than usual. So..."

Sunanda couldn't continue as she saw the frozen state of Haruni with mouth half wide open with complete disbelief and trauma. Haruni slowly clenched her fist and she almost gave out a whisper with a teardrop rolling out of her eyes. "Then why did you come?"

Sunanda Shook her head and both of them felt the agonizing silence that their souls suffered even in the middle of completely buzzing class.

"So I am really nothing to mama? And I don't matter to her?" This time Haruni's tone was stern. Sunanda came closer to Haruni

"That's not it, my darling..."

"That's not it aunty" Haruni cut Sunanda short "It's just that..." Haruni felt the next words pressing hard against her heart

"...She hates me."