[15 DAYS LATER]

content warning for potentially triggering themes ahead. please tread carefully.

Arav's POV:

Last night was a whirlwind of emotions—guilt, anguish, and emptiness—but I was also hopeful. Perhaps it was because of Jay and Kan, but I couldn't pinpoint the specific reason. But if I wasn't drowning in my sadness, that must imply something, right?

▶ Flashback

"Mom, please. It's really not how it looks..." I tried to plead but to no avail.

A series of colorful words were thrown in my direction and I could sense my hope crumbling under it all.

'Perhaps, I didn't deserve to have hope. Yes, that's what it's about. This is what it's like to become an outcast in your own family.'

"Someone's finally seeing my point. That yellow handle is far more appealing now that you've used it, right? Might as well have gone with it thoroughly."

My mind wasn't helping at all but it helped to block out the noise from outside.

I didn't want to tell her the truth about that night, but I needed to. She wasn't prepared to attend a parent-teacher meeting otherwise, especially one from a physical education instructor. I should have expected it.

Right at that moment, my dad walked through the doors. One look at the scene in front of him and he understood what was going on. His face crunched up into that of anger and impatience. I just wished for them to accept the truth for what it was and not blame me instead. Was that too much to hope?

Flashback ◀

I didn't notice the person walking in front of me until I collided with them. I suppose I was too preoccupied looking at the floor, hoping that it would swallow me whole.

"S-sorry!" I whispered under my breath, but the individual remained still. Instead, they simply stood there, staring down at me.

'Of course they were looking down on me. My existence must be so pathet—'

My internal monologue was broken by his voice. "Watch where you're going, traitor!"

Even though the words hurt, I swallowed my spit and turned to face the person in front of me who had folded their arms.

"Not today!" I closed my eyes, still gazing at the grey tiles below, and mulled.

The silence between us stretched between us.

I looked up at him when he coughed to attract my attention, but the smile on the side of his lips turned to a frown—or maybe a look of concern.

"Did you not sleep at all last night?!" His voice echoed and I found myself wanting to run away.

However, he stopped me by gripping my hand just as I was about to take a step. He must have sensed the bandage and saw my face flinch because he instantly pulled his hands away, but I didn't flee. I needed to understand his thoughts.

"Please... listen," Rahul spoke, and I didn't believe he had the vulnerability in his voice. "I... I don't know what you're going through but things seem pretty rough for you to look so battered and..." He had trouble finding the right words. "Hurt."

The last word stung. Wasn't he one of the many people who hurt me? Why was he acting so concerned today? Did I look that bad?

"The rats in my basement were singing the rat song, and I ventured too near to their little performance. Are you happy now?

I didn't trust him not to tease me or, worse, to tell everyone. Things were difficult as is.

His lips twitched as if he were about to say something but Kan interrupted our encounter as he ran towards our direction.

"Arav!" He shouted as he caught his breath, "We were searching for you. Are you okay?"

He glared in the direction of Rahul who took it as a cue to get out of there.

"Weird..." Kan commented, "Did he tell you anything?"

I shook my head, not believing myself to really speak.

"You're..." He began but judging from the discomfort that colored my face, he stopped and I was thankful for that.

"Alright," he replied, changing the tone of his voice, "You have to hear Jay's secret. "I can't believe he kept it from us for four years of friendship, Arav!"

My face lighted up briefly as I became captivated by Jay's secret. He was ready to tug on my hands, but when I pulled them back before he could catch it, he just motioned for me to follow him to where Jay was.

Jay's face was one of playful exasperation and joy. "Did he tell you about my sister?"

Karan rolled his eyes, "Yeah, the one you hid from us for ages!"

I just looked between them, confused at the ongoing matter. "Wait... since when do have a sister?"

Jay face palmed himself. "COUSIN!" He couldn't stop his laughter and it was contagious. A small smile played on my lips. "I kept telling Kan since past twenty minutes that she's my cousin sister and he isn't buying it!"

I let out a sigh that I didn't realize I was holding in. "It's almost too bad I am not in the mood to roast you, Jay. But how come you never told us about her?"

Jay steadied himself and explained. "Listen, it's just Hilloni is the closest I have to a real sister. She comes and stays with us from time to time and I suppose that makes us almost-siblings. But I never mentioned her because I never thought too much into it. It really isn't that much of a big deal."

I decided to play along and threw my hands up in the air. "Look, Jay, I get the 'don't ask, don't tell' thing but that's for relationships, not friendships, and definitely not for ACTUAL siblings!!"

"She's only like my half-sibling! What did I walk into today?" Jay said as he shook his head. His playful expression told me that he didn't take our lack of belief seriously. 

The bell rang and students rushed to get inside the classes before the teacher arrived. My class was right besides them.

I pulled out the timetable and muttered a curse under my breath. Physics — a subject I could never wrap my head around even if I tried. Why did I need to remember Newton's law and Ohm's laws anyway? It's not like I was going to solve astronomical equations in my college.

Satish sir explained about alternating and direct current followed by sine wave equations. I tried my best to keep up with making notes but as much as I hated the subject, it was a welcome distraction from the mess I was dealing with. At the end of the day, you could break your head but you could still find the solution to the physics equations. But what about life?

I scribbled some more notes and just as the school bell was about to ring, a senior came to our class and called me and asked to meet Suresh Sir. I immediately knew what it was about and my heart sank at the realization.

I dragged my feet up the corridor, dreading the encounter every step of the way. When I eventually arrived near his office, I stood outside, intending to eavesdrop before gently walking in when it felt safe.

"You're supporting his actions?!" I heard my dad practically scream through the office. I internally shuddered, my fear multiplying by spades.

"Sir, I need you to realize that sometimes we're so used to perceiving reality in one way that we can't truly grasp the other side of the coin. I wish I was lying, that the scenario had never occurred. But... it happened, and it's not his fault. I..." Suresh Sir's voice trembled on the final note. "I knew someone in my friend circle who had been through it as well. Disbelief is the first thought that comes to mind. It crossed my mind as well, but being unable to provide him with the justice he deserved still bothers me."

There was a moment of silence. The carefree chatter of the students around me brought me back to reality. I had to go talk to him but how could I? Maybe I could convince him not to go ahead with the process... he didn't have to fight for me but somewhere, deep down, I wanted it. 

Despite how much I deny it. I wanted to see the other end of this fight and too many people held hopes for me. Perhaps, I could go through with things for them. Maybe, just maybe, it wasn't just about me but it was about raising the voice for the voiceless.

I shifted my feet from one to another, struggling to keep my anxiety in check. Suresh Sir must've seen me outside because he called me in his cabin where my parents were seated from across the table, their faces wearing a mask of stoic nature. I felt like my knees were giving out and I was about to fall on the floor but I managed to walk towards his table despite myself.

My ears were ringing but I tried my best to focus on Suresh Sir who intended to speak something. "Sir?" I said but my voice barely came above a whisper.

"Arav, I am sorry that things are so tough for you. Are you okay?" My heart was thudding loud in my chest but his voice comforted me. Tears welled up in my eyes but I breathed out to hold them in. I couldn't cry, not now. 

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak.

He continued, his soothing voice like a balm over my wounded soul. "I talked to your parents and I know they're against the decision but you know better and I want to stand by you. If, at this moment, if you asked for everything to be dropped and the matter never be spoken of, I'll respect that. But if you wished for us to go ahead, regardless of the battles that are on the way... I'll make sure to fulfill my word with every last drop of my soul. The choice is yours."

I already knew my decision, however, I couldn't help but glance at my parents. Beneath their stoic masks was a pain they couldn't wrap their heads around. A reality they couldn't still accept. I wondered, in that moment, what would have been my reaction if my kid was ever in this situation and I had never known such a reality. Would I still support him like Suresh Sir supported me? Or would I yell at everyone who tried to explain the truth that it was all a lie like my own parents?

A buzz briefly interrupted my thought process. Suresh Sir glanced at the name of the caller and got up from his seat, intending to attend the call outside. But before he did, he turned to me and said, "Remember your choices matter, kid. Don't let anyone make you feel otherwise."

With that, he walked out, his phone still in his hand and the speaker on the other end patiently waiting for him to answer the phone. And also waiting for me to make the decision for that matter.

The air in the room thickened with a tension so tight, it could practically be cut with a knife. The awkward glances at each other and the walls that we shared was getting suffocating and it seemed like no one wanted to speak until mom broke the silence.

"Beta, I don't know what to say. This is all..." She connected her fingers and rested it under her chin. "I don't know if I have the strength or the authority to help you here." She said the last part with such heaviness it broke a part of me. I was putting her through a lot and I hadn't realized how much I was leaning on her for support until I saw her break and shatter. I wanted to fix it. I wanted to fix us, my family... But for now, it all felt too much. I wanted to escape but knew I needed to stay. I felt like a doctor in a hospital who had been asked to make a life altering decision and regardless of the choice made, it was going to leave permanent scars.

"And you're with him too, Jyothi?" My dad muttered impatiently under his breath, his sharp words laced with several emotions. "I don't understand how you could stand in the presence of a potential—"

I visibly shudderered at the implication of his unsaid words but it also explained why he didn't want to see the truth. Is that who I was? Maybe he was right but somehow, I failed to see so.

"I'd rather never hear that word towards our son, Ankit." Her voice was stern and firm but the way the color drained from my dad's face, it was almost as if she had slapped him in the face. 

I shifted uncomfortably on my feet, almost hoping the ground beneath swallowed me. I was hoping that too often lately. But maybe that would be the best solution out of it, wouldn't it?

He didn't answer for a long moment and I thought he wouldn't ever speak until he did. "Arav, I don't know what you are hallucinating about, if or whether any of this is even true or even possible to be true but your teacher seems to be on your side. I cannot understand why but just as a sake for his respect, I'll go through with this. With one condition: The matter will never be spoken of again once it's solved. Let the past be the past, son. Not everything needs a solution."

I felt like breaking apart. His words stung but there was a part of him that was willing to go with the flow, even if it was out of respect for Suresh Sir. I let out a long sigh. The journey ahead was long.

When Suresh Sir finally returned to the cabin, no one spoke a word. Sensing the unease, he initiated the conversation. "So, Arav... did you decide something?"

I responded with a voice that was both hopeful and scared. "Yes sir, we are ready to proceed with this decision. Thank you. Thank you for everything."

Suresh Sir dismissed it with a wave. "Thank me when we have reached to the bottom of this, Arav, not now. You saw first hand how things are and I have to be just to both. I hope I am able to fulfill it. But know that you'll always have me, okay?"

I nodded, a smile gracing my lips. My parents took their leave and I was allowed to go back to  the class. But before I left, I turned to Suresh Sir and called him. "Sir?"

He was typing something but when I called he looked in my direction and stood up. "Yes?"

In another scenario, I might have hesitated before doing this, thinking about the judgmental society we lived in, but none of it mattered as I put my arms around him. He was puzzled but he embraced me as the tears I had frantically attempted to hold back finally poured.

❛You are stronger than the shadows of your past and
braver than the foreshadowing plots of your future.❜

A/N: Ignore the fact that there are comments under this chapter. I unpublished one of the chapters, merged it with others while editing and instead of deleting this part, I decided to just write the next chapter here.

It was a difficult chapter to write, but, regardless important. I hope you are enjoying the story so far and thanks for all the support <3