DQ#1 Thousand Reasons Why

Strange Behaviour

Aradhya's POV

" Maa, main nokri apko support kerne k liye nahi ker rahi hoon." (Mom, I am not working to support you financially) I said to Mom. She looked at me calmly. " Haan, pehle to meri wohi intention thi kyun ki apki nokri ja chuki thi. Main apki madad karna chahti thi. Lekin abhi to iske jaroorat nahi Hain. Abhi to humare expenses aap khud hi utha sakte hain na?" (Yes, I had that intention at first when you lost your job. I wanted to help you then. But now it is not necessary, right? You can provide our expenses yourself) I said to Mom.

" To kyun ker rahi ho job woha? It's your time to concentrate on your studies." (Then why are you doing that job yet?) Mom asked me.

" Maa, there is something called mental satisfaction. I want to have some experience too. Working there gives me a huge opportunity to communicate with people. I can have a chance to know human behavior too. It's a great opportunity for me. I want to take that as a golden opportunity for me. I don't wanna lose that." I said to her.

" But Ari-" she was saying and I sat on the floor before her holding her hands.

" Maa, aap hi bolte ho na ki agar koyi kisi ka madad ker rahi hai ya phir koyi nek Kam ker rahe hai to uske saath dena chahiye. Nek Kam main hamesha hissa lena chahiye. Kya paata shayad God humhe bhi uss neki main shamil ker lain?! Apko yaad hain jaab hum Dubai rehte thay? Ekbar Rukhsar ki ammi bohot bimar thi. Taab aapne unke family ko kaise support kia tha?!" I asked Mom and she nodded. (Mom, don't you keep saying that if someone is doing something good then we should help him or her. We should take part in good deed. Who knows may be God accept us through as well. You remember when we used to live in Dubai. Rukhsar's Mom got sick and how you helped her family that time?!! You remember that right?) I asked her.

" What is the relation between these things?" She asked me.

" You know Sejal was an orphan and she established herself now with her own hard-works. She helps people around who are in need. She has an orphanage which she has founded without any help from anyone." I said to her. " You know in her restaurant there is a board called the 'wall of humanity'. When people comes to the restaurant they donate there with which Sejal's teams feed people who are starving around. The day there is not enough aid Sejal herself pays for that. We the employees of the restaurant do donate a fixed percentage from our salary as well. I want to stay in touch with Sejal. She is an inspiration." I said to Mom and she sighed deeply.

" Can't it be done in some other way?" She asked me.

" I am facing no problem, Mom." I said to her.

" It's not about your comfort zone, Ari. There are people who will keep saying that I am letting you work and not taking your responsibilities." Mom said coldly.

" Who?!! My so called father?" I asked my Mom and she sighed.

" Ok, listen, Mom. It's you who told me that we should not even care about those people. There are people who will have problems with everything all the time that doesn't mean that we have to be worried about their stupid thinking. Just don't worry Mom. I know what is right and what is wrong and you know what Mom? I don't care what the people are thinking about me. And I know who is the right choice for me. I will definitely not be with someone who doesn't even recognize me when I am before his eyes." I said to Mom.

" I didn't know." Mom said. " Wait, have you met your dad recently?" Mom asked me. I looked at her shocked as I realized what I just have said.

" Me?!!" I said. " No. Where would I meet him? Is he in London?" I asked her and she kept looking at me calmly. May be she is not trusting me. " Anyways. I am hungry. Will I get some food?" I asked her. She chuckled shaking her head.

" Go get freshen up have food." She said and I smiled kissing her cheeks. She chuckled.

Thanks God that mom got convinced. Ari, you stupid!!! Be careful about this from next time. I got freshen up and had dinner with Mom. Then she went to sleep. I made a coffee for myself and took a sigh of relief as the assignment submission date has been postponed a week. The girls decided not to come to my place today. I sat on the egg swing which my mom has just gifted me last month. I loved it. I sipped on the coffee and I found Mr. Bradley sitting on the balcony doing something in his laptop. I thought to say hi but then I realized that he is busy. I shouldn't disturb him. I took my phone and checked the group texts. Suddenly I got a text from Asher.

" Haven't you slept yet?" He asked me. I called him instead answering his text. He picked up the call after 3 rings.

" Hello!!!" His voice was as calm as always.

" Hi!!" I said. I heard chuckling.

" Why haven't you slept yet?" He asked me.

" I was just going to sleep." I said which was half lie.

" Oh, ok. We have classes at 7:30 tomorrow and it's already 11:47 now. You should go to bed now." He said.

" You are also wake." I said to him.

" We are sleeping already, Ari." I heard Ardeyn's voice and chuckled.

" If you are sleeping then who is talking to me?" I asked him.

" I am sleeping. How can I tell you?" He said.

" Is he drunk?" I asked Asher who just chuckled.

We talked for awhile then he hung up the call. I was going back to the room when I found Mr. Bradley was arranging his stuffs. May be he is free now.

" Hello, Mr. Bradley!!" I said waving at him. He looked at me and raised his eyebrows. "How are you doing?" I asked him but he didn't answer my question. He just left without saying anything.

I kept standing there completely shocked. What's wrong with him!!! I was taken aback by his strange behavior.