Anu's p.o.v:
The next morning I woke up to the voice of Trisha from our living room. I couldn’t make out her words but I knew it was her. I slowly came out of my room and walked towards the living room.
When I neared the room I heard Trisha.
“I’m hurt because you choose Anu over me. How could you choose your adopted daughter over your own daughter.”
My head started spinning after hearing those words. ‘I am adopted. I am adopted.’
The last thing I remember is my head hitting hard on the floor.
***
Trisha's p.o.v:
I felt happy seeing Anu broken. For the first time in my life I was surrounded by people who choose me over Anu. I felt important for the first time. I looked into Dev’s eyes and I felt how much he loved me. When I turned towards Meena she was smiling at me as she knows how much this moment meant for me. I’m so lucky to have met her.
“Are you happy now? Whole college will know about her humiliation and she won’t be able to get over this.”
“Yeah Meena. She deserves it for what I have gone through.” With that I got emotional and my eyes became watery with tears.
Meena pulled me into a hug. “Come on baby. Everything’s fine. Now your parents will understand how much you were hurt.”
She is really a sweet soul. She always knows the right things to say.
Suddenly the door opened with a big thud and Karan entered the garage. He was so furious and even before we could understand what’s happening, he pounced onto Dev and started to beat the hell out of him. Even though Dev tried to block Karan's punches, most of them successfully reached their destination.
Meena and I rushed towards them and pushed Karan off Dev. Karan looked at Dev for a moment and left the garage. Dev’s face was badly bruised.
“Meena, hurry up! Get me the first aid kit from your car.” I ordered her holding Dev in my hands.
We cleaned the blood and he looked better. Karan did a good job for a nerd. Dev had a black eye and a bruise visible on his left cheek.
“I’m fine Trisha. I think you should stay at Meena's house tonight.”
I hugged him once again and got into Meena’s car. Meena drove us to her house. I laid thinking about Dev and I fell asleep in her room.
***
I woke up to the blaring of my phone’s ringtone. It’s dad. I answered sleepily.
“Hello, Dad.”
“Come home, NOW.” He sounded so angry and I knew that my plan worked.
“I will be home in 10minutes.” I replied and the line went dead.
Meena drove me to my house. Throughout the drive I can see how much she was worried about me.
“Are you sure you want to go inside alone?” Worry was evident in her eyes.
“It’s fine Meena. Really. It’s my battle. Let me face it.”
She let out a sigh, “ If you need me just give me a call. I will be at the coffee shop in the corner of your street.”
“It’s not necessary Meena. I will be fine.” I tried to tell her to leave but she never listens.
“I’m not asking your permission Trisha. Now go and get the weight off your chest.”
With that she drove off. I slowly opened the front door and entered my house. Both mom and dad are sitting in the living room. Mom is silently weeping and dad is looking seriously at the phone.
“Mom!”. Both looked at me with their eyes red. Mom’s from crying and dad’s with anger.
“How could you hurt her like this?” Dad was about to slap me when mom stopped him.
“Vishal, she is also our daughter and not a kid anymore. I won’t let you beat her. Let me talk to her first.” Mom held dad’s hand and pressed softly cooling him down.
Both mom and dad sat on the couch and I sat facing them.
“Why did you do this Trisha? Why did you hurt your sister like this?” Mom’s voice was filled with pain.
“I had to. I needed to do it so that I will get the chance to talk.”
“What do you mean? How hurting your own sister will give you a chance to talk? Whatever the matter you are always free to talk to us. What’s the need to hurt her?”
“ Stop calling her my sister, mom. I know she is not my sister. I know you adopted her.”
Both my parents’ eyes went wide in shock. They both sat there silently.
“It hurt me so much mom. Every time you treated her like a princess it hurt me. I’m hurt because you choose Anu over me. How could you choose your adopted daughter over your own daughter?”
I wiped my eyes and stood there for mom to talk but she was silent. So I continued.
“You both always treated her as if she was so special. I always wanted to be with you mom. But you were always busy with Anu. I tried to win you back mom. I used to study well so that you will be happy and spend some time with me. But you stayed with Anu saying she needs your help in studies. I always wanted to be Dad's girl but you were never home dad. In the only time you used to be home, Anu used to be with you. I felt neglected by my own family. So I started hanging out with my friends more and I thought you would miss me but you both actually forgot me.”
There was a thud near the stairs but none of us were in the mood to think of it.
“I couldn’t stay at home watching some other girl getting so much important to my parents. I wouldn’t be so much broken if she was my own sister dad. I’m hurt because she isn’t my sister. By the time Swetha was born I got used to staying away from our family, so I lost even her. I am not jealous mom. I hate that you love some other child more than your own daughters.”
I couldn’t continue anymore and I started crying. Mom came near me and hugged me. She was about to say something but Swetha started running down the stairs.
“Anu is lying on the floor above the steps. Her head seems hurt.” She told dad in between her sobs.
Dad rushed to Anu and mom stood up to comfort Swetha. Soon dad was carrying Anu down the steps in his hands.
“Swetha go and get Jay. We need to go to hospital. Trisha stay in your room till we return. It’s far from over dear. There are things you need to know.”
I nodded and went to my room. They all went to hospital. I informed Meena about everything and soon slept in my room.
I thought once I confront my parents about Anu, I will be fine but I feel hollow. I saw something in my mom’s eyes that made me feel bad about what I did.
‘There’s one thing I never understood. Why did my parents adopt Anu?’
YOU ARE READING
Lone Girl
Teen FictionAnu had so many hopes and expectations on her college life. All her dreams shattered when her family had to shifted to her uncle's house. Her life changed from being a popular girl in school to a loner in the college. How does Anu going to deal with...
