A lie with a purpose is one of the worst kind, and the most profitable.      
   ~Josh Billings

BREAKING NEWS,

Live from AMG Hospitals with the update on the health condition of Mrs. Sruthi Dhanraj the District Collector, wife of our honorable chief minister and 16-year old Jagati Jagadeesh Dhanraj the only child of the couple.

Sruti and Jagati were abducted by opposers of the SocioEquality Bill passed by our CM last month. According to our intel, When the police officers found them, Sruthi was horribly beaten and Jagati was stabbed twice in her stomach and shot near her chest. They have been admitted at the AMG hospitals and are undergoing surgery and treatment for the past 3 days.

Our CM has been staying with them in the hospital and there are barricades everywhere, the security has been doubled and no media is allowed into the hospital.

As you can see we have the head of the hospital Mr. Abhay Ranawat coming in to give us and update.

"Sir! Sir! Can you give us update." All the news reporters are asking him and jumping on top of each other.

"Mrs. Dhanraj is out of the critical condition and she is being moved to her room." Abhay  Ranawat spoke he dramatically took his glasses off, like in every movie before giving the bad news.

"But, we couldn't save Jagati, she lost so much blood and died due to the blood loss on the table today. I request you all to please give the family some time to mourn. Please stay away from them for a few days." Abhay Ranawat said with tears in his eyes pleading to everyone who's listening and watching.

Every reporter present there gasped at the shocking news given to them. After Abhay Ranawat walked away the news reporter repeated the first lie of my life.

"As you all saw and heard, we the people of Truth Tv say it with so much pain that we all lost a daughter, sister and friend today along with our CM. Convey all your thoughts and prayers to our beloved CM's family using the #RIPJagatiDhanraj, #WeMournwithUCM#TvMour..."

"Why did you turn the TV off Shyam Bhaiyya? Let me watch." I whined at my dad's security head Mr.Shyam.

"Jagati Maa, you can't watch all these trash. This stupid media changes everything into a TRP Marathon." Shyam bhaiyya mumbled under his breath cursing them.

"Can't a girl watch how the world reacts to her death." I huffed and threw my hands in the air not agreeing with his move.

Everything the news reporter said was true, my mother and I were abducted. I was stabbed twice and shot at, technically. My mother was beaten to death right in front of my eyes. The first lie is that I didn't die, the bullet missed, it just grazed my skin, the stab wounds were controlled immediately as no vital organs got hurt.

I sighed all the bad memories. I picked up my phone and opened Twitter

Oh my fiddlesticks!

#RIPJagatiDhanraj is trending on Twitter. 

I'm a famous person

My conscience kicked and went you am not famous, your mother and father are, the Dhanraj last name is.

The story of Dhanraj's starts with my grandparents. My grandfather Rudra Ram Dhanraj wanted to be a Chief Minister and wanted save the world from a young age. After his successful campaigns and efforts he did become one. It was a smooth ship up until one day, someone who didn't like my grandpa killed my grandma when she was on the way from a temple.

My dad was 12 and my aunt was 15 when they lost their mother.

After that grandpa didn't want my dad or my aunt into politics, he wanted to give them a regular life out of the lime light and the fame. He was so against the thought of them being famous, the press or media didn't have dad's pictures until the day he died. As of my aunt, no one out of our family knows how the daughter of Rudra Ram Dhanraj looks till the day.

My parents met during their bachelors at MIM University, where my mom was a rebel in college while dad was a pure geek with thick rimmed glasses and hideous clothes. They met at a protest started by my mother, fell in love and got married as soon as they were done.

They went to Columbia university for masters after their marriage and that's when I was born when they were 22. We were a happy single child family with our  grandfather visiting us once a month, until he died due to heart attack when I was 3. That's when we moved to India from New York.

My parents were so moved with the love people showed, they decided to get into serving the state and the people. So, My dad got into politics and my mother into civil services. After 5 years of struggle, so many hunger strikes, Jagadeesh Dhanraj finally became the chief minister. He become the youngest CM of India at the age of 30.

My mother being the super talented one, she cracked her civil service test in two years, and now is an IAS officer and has been serving people ever since.

And my life changed after Papa became CM, he got life threats and one day when I was 7, someone tried to abduct me for ransom. So, for my safety I've been home schooled ever since.

 No friends to cry for me personally, anyone who comes near me is a security risk according to Shyam bhaiyya, who is my dad's personal security head. My best friends are Netflix, Hulu, Prime, HBO Max, all the OTT's and my cousin Karthik .

After this incident gizmo they decided it would be the best to declare that I'm dead to the world, for my own safety of course.

All my thoughts were broken by the gargled radio of Shyam bhaiyya

"Rogue and Raven passing through door 3. Get ready team Delta." Said the radio.

Funny right, Rogue and Raven are the code names for mom and dad. I wonder what my name is?

"You are not living in this country anymore." Yelled my dad coming into my room pushing mom's wheelchair from behind.

My father is the handsomest of all. He has one of those smiling faces, so he looks like he smiling even though he is crazy mad. But My mother is the prettiest and loveliest of all, she has bandage on her face and some cuts but she stills looks like an angel, Ive seen her in pain.

I love them so much, they are my favorite, even though we fight like crazy.

"What do you mean by that?"  I asked him with tears in my eyes.

I'm just 16 and he wants to get rid of me already. Don't they have marriage as concept to get rid of your daughters?

"They hurt you once, but I can't let them do the same thing again. I can't see you in pain. You are my world, my life, my precious." My dad came near me reminding the one day I life I don't ever wanna remember.

"So you decided to stay with your first daughter and push me far away." I asked him with are-you-kidding me look on my face and pushed him away.

This country, state and its people are always my parents first priority, so I call it his first daughter. He came and sat beside me on the hospital bed.

"You do know the situation right! I can't lose you, my precious. This is all because of me, I put all your lives in danger." He said with a sad face.

"They can't hurt me anymore papa. You and Mama will always be there for me. And you never put our lives in danger, you are so handsome that everything just follows you even danger." I said winking at him and he chuckled along with my mom and Shyam bhaiyya.

"I want to stay here where I can see you and mom anytime I want. I want us to be together papa. Your precious can't live without you." I said throwing my arms around him even though it hurt a little to lift my hands up.

"We can send her to mom and dad, they can take care of her." Mom said supporting me holding my hand. 

Me and my mom have been through so much together in those few hours. I think my near death experience bought us more closer to each other.

"I have this really crazy idea, are you guys ready?" I asked them and they nodded.

"How about I stay with grandpa and grandma till the end of 12th grade and then I can go to MIM University for m......."

"NOOOO" my dad yelled before I could complete.

"What do you mean no? Listen to me Papa, i want to experience college as a regular child, not in between 4 walls like I've been doing my last 8 years. I want to see things in life. I've never been out without security since we came to India. I hate this, I feel like a prisoner." I yelled at them for the first time in my life.

"No, we are not doing this right now. They kidnapped you with security, what's going to happen when you don't have one? Think from my shoes Janu, we are NOT doing this." He slammed the table making me jump.

"They did all that because I'm Jagati Jagadeesh Dhanraj, but I'm dead to the world now  and no one knows my face which means freedom for me papa. I never asked you this before, but now I have a chance at a regular life." I pleaded him

"I can't risk your life Janu, you and your mom are the only people left in my life. I can't compromise when it comes to you guys." He said controlling his anger and pain.

"You know what our favorite singer Mariah Carey once said." I asked him and he looked at me with a puzzled face.

So I sang the song which we live by and my dad used to say to me whenever I was hurt

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone
What doesn't kill you makes a fighter
Footsteps even lighter
Doesn't mean I'm over 'cause you're gone

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger
Just me, myself and I
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone"

"Don't quote Mariah Carey on me young lady, we will talk about it later. I have something to take care of." He said and left not before kissing me and my mother.

"Please Mama! Help me. I want a Normal life. Didn't you say you feel bad for doing this to me?" I asked her.

"Oh Janu, I know how much you crave for normal, to have friends. Give him some time, we will talk to him together." She said giving me confidence.

It's been 5 months since that discussion, I had a funeral and the news died down after a week. That incident did a good thing to me, except for the scars it left me in life. But I'm free now, free as caged bird.

I've been living with my grandparents since then. Mom and dad come here every month to visit me. My grade 12 exams are done and today I'm determined to get an yes from dad I repeated the speech I prepared putting on my favorite Stranger Things shirt on myself and walked into the kitchen.

"Grandma, Are mama and papa here? Did grandpa pick them up?" I question my sweet little one in the kitchen who's making food for her daughter and son in law.

"They started, will be here in 5." She said looking away from her curry scrutinizing my outfit.

She is like that old fashioned I shrugged and walked away from the kitchen.

Soon Mama and Papa came in, and then we had some lunch together. My grandparents place is in Mumbai, completely far away from everyone and everything in a guesthouse. My parents sneak in here avoiding the paparazzi every month for me.

My grandparents retired to their room for an afternoon nap, and I am fidgeting with myself if I should go into their room and ask.

Fudge it, I'm going in.

I knocked their door, so I won't catch them doing anything gross, trust me seeing your parents kiss is not something you would want. My mom and dad are on the bed looking at a laptop, mom her head on my dads arms. I can't believe people think of him as a CM. He looks like a regular man enjoying time with his wife.

"Someone got manners!" Mom said to me looking up from her laptop.

I rolled my eyes at her.

"I know you are gonna say we can talk later, but papa, colleges start in a month. I don't want a long distance education from some Zoom University. Please I wanna got to MIM, I wanna study where you did. If grandpa didn't send you to college, you wouldn't have met mom, made the awesome me. Your life would've been boring. You would be some rock scientist in a lab..."

"You can go to college." He said breaking my chain of pleading.

I went numb for a second, I had this whole speech planned to persuade him and I don't have to do anything.

"Really! I can go. You are the best parents in the world. I LOVE YOU GUYS." I jumped up and down yelling the last part.

"How did you do that Mama?" I asked joining them on the bed between them.

"She seduced me into this." My dad said smirking at mom, who's blushing and looks red like a strawberry and tomato.

"Nope! I don't have any interest in your sex life. Stop, ignore my question." I interrupted and closed my ears before he could complete.

"My cute little daughter, Are you happy now?" Mama asked me after they I sensed that my dad's talking anymore.

"Really happy Mama, You are the best. Thank you so much." I said I laid there in her arms while she kissed me on my head.

"I have some rules for you if you want to go there.
1. You can't tell anyone you are our daughter
2. You can't ever grab people's attention towards you, always keep your head low.
3. No boys period, I don't want any boy near you.
4. You do whatever Karthik says, and he is gonna update me your every move.
5. Have as much fun as you can." He stated his stupid rules for me.

I can do that, not telling I'm the daughter of them is like a bonus.

Boys, let's think about that later, for now I'm going to a real college and meet people outside my family after 8 years.

Who's going to be stupid enough to like me anyway?

And as of Karthik, he is my first and only cousin. He is my dads sister's son, who's doing his bachelors at MIM. He is the best, we are going to have a blast. I squealed with happiness inside.

YEET!

"Going to college is the highest ideals of my earthily bliss. I Jagati Jagadeesh Dhanraj solemnly swear to stand by all the rules, My Lord and Queen." I said and did a plea on the bed.

My parents laughed at me, I hugged them both and kissed them.

"Shyam is working on a new identity for you.  College starts next month on the 17th. And behave accordingly, the Dean is a hard nut to crack but he loves your father. And don't you dare use his name if you get caught."  My mom started giving me all the lectures and I understand her worry.

"I will never say fathers or your  name, I will be a good child and don't start the lecture now. We still have a month." I retorted making my mother and father chuckle at my moves, I ran outside to inform everyone in the house.

"Shyam Bhaiyya, guess who's going to college next month." I asked him in a singy voice.

"Me, Me, Me, Me" I continued singing the same thing the whole day like the Taylor swift's Me!

This is the happiest day ever, and every one is happy for me. I've been dancing the whole day like a lunatic who's high on drugs.

I've been so full with excitement that I couldn't sleep imagining myself at a college talking to real people instead of myself. So, I walked into my parents room  to check in on them and my dad woke up at doors creak, he is a light sleeper but my mom is sleeping like a bear hibernating.

"Can't sleep Janu?" He asked lying on his bed. I said no and got into the bed between them.

A 16 year old can sleep with her parents, it's not a bad thing. So, don't judge me.

"Thank you so much papa. Can I name myself, i want a shipping name like Srudeesha or Jagruthi." I said holding his hand playing with his fingers.

"Wow! You are planning so much huh! I am scared of leaving you alone? What if something happens to you? You are the only hope of our life." He confided in me.

"Don't worry papa! And nothing will happen to me. I'll always come back when ever I feel like seeing you. We can go on vacations, I can tell you all the gossip from school. Let me see how many girlfriends does karthik has?" I tried to comfort him by rambling stuff.

"Jagruthi sounds nice, I'll talk to Shyam about that. Be careful Janu!" He said and I placed my head on his chest, hugging him.

"I might fight for the welfare of people but this heart beats for you and that crazy lady beside you." He said brushing the tears of his face while I cried at his words.

It's like my mother knew we are talking she scooted closer and hugged us both making us smile.

This was supposed to be my first book, poor thing, it was sitting in my drafts for so long. So, I thought let's give it some audience and find it's worth.

Is the book interesting enough? Or is the plot line weird?

Do you like Jagati?

Let me know your thoughts on this.

Don't forget to Vote and Comment and Thank you for coming this far with me.

Love,

Sneha