When the Rain Brought You

Shanaya Oberoi, the only daughter of her parents-Vikrant and Meera Oberoi.

In the eyes of most people, she was spoiled-a girl who had never heard the word no and never had to fight for what she wanted.

And perhaps they weren't entirely wrong.

For twenty-three years, life had handed her everything on a silver platter.

The best schools.

The best opportunities.

The unwavering support of parents who loved her more than anything.

Yet somehow, despite having everything, Shanaya felt lost.

Still finding direction, still looking for herself.

Her parents wanted her to get married-to settle in life.

She denied-not ready for it yet.

They urged her to work, or at least study further.

She didn't want that either.

They talked over it, had arguments and even fought sometimes.

Till one night, till one fight that made her leave her parents house.

She walked away from her house, from her mother's tears, from her father's expectations, their love.

Not because it didn't hurt-but because it hurt too much to stay.

It had been a week since she walked away from everything.

Everything she called her own, her house, her people.

She roamed the city endlessly-trying to reach somewhere it didn't hurt.

Somewhere she didn't have to carry everything.

Until she reached an empty alley.

No one in sight-or so it seemed.

She walked till the end of the alley, meeting a dead end.

She turned around-to walk away, to leave.

But-but she heard a sound that stopped her dead in her track.

A small whimper.

She turned around and to her shock-two boys.

Young, shivering, cold-abandoned in heavy rain inside a cardboard box.

She reached over to them.

And in that moment, Shanaya had no idea that the two boys staring back at her were about to change her life forever.