Adhiti's point of view
Life in a small town is simple and it become more simple if you are living in a Saharanpur. This is the small city in Uttar Pradesh. People in here leads a very simple life, they go to their work in morning and at night, they sit in front of T.V after their dinner. There is no club or any big shopping mall, cinema complex and absolutely not a tourist place where you can go and spend your weekends.
If a boy and girl walks together, people watch them like they saw an alien, no matter if they are siblings or friends. Here love marriage is not allowed, especially not in other casts. In middle class orthodox family, girls are not allowed to make any male friends or even talk to them. People will judge you faster than they changed their clothes.
Inspite, of all of this, I love my hometown. I born here, and grow up in our small home. Saharanpur might not be a metro city but here you can find peace. Here nature will give you the peace and you will fall in love with it instantly if you try to know the city closely.
I belongs to a orthodox middle class family. Ofcourse I am also not allowed to talk much to boys or make any male friends but you can't ignore someone because of their gender.
"Adhiti, where are you?" I was in the kitchen making macaroni for my friend Divya when mummy called my name.
"I am here in kitchen." I said while chopping the vegetables for macaroni.
She lives in front of our house family. They shifted here two years ago and lives in a rental house. Her father is a government teacher and being transferred here. Divya and I met in school. We both are in same school and we both become good friends at the very same day at Divya's first day on school. I really help her to adjust in school and helped her in studies.
Divya is a eye candy of her parents and spoiled by her two elder brothers. She is youngest one and a only sister of her two very protective brothers.
Mummy walked inside the kitchen and asked me, "What are you doing here?"
"I was making macaroni for Divya." I said while taking the onion from the basket but as I about to chop it in a slice, mummy snatched it from my hand and switched off the stove under the pan in which I put macaroni to boil.
"First go and buy some groceries from market, after that make pasta for Atul then you can do whatever you want to do." Mummy said
"But mummy.."
"I don't want any argument. My son is hungry and here you are cooking for your friend. First do as I say and then you can cook for your friend. After that clean the kitchen. I don't want any mess here." Mummy ordered me like, I am her servant not her only daughter.
It was always like this, mummy scolds me without my mistakes so I am habitual of mummy's behavior towards me so as time passed I know how to ignore it.
"Okey.." I whispered and clean my hand with kitchen towel.
"Adhiti when you came back from Diya's house, made dinner for everyone." After saying this she walked out from the kitchen without hearing my answer.
Today also, I have to do my computer class homework at night, before sleeping.
I took the money and the list from the kitchen slab where mummy put it. After changing into simple creamy white Anarkali suit I went to market for grocery shopping.
After changing into simple creamy white Anarkali suit I went to market for grocery shopping
.....
After buying everything from market I walked towards my home with plastic bags in my both hands. Today was the rush in the market and it took more time that it usually required and it will going to take more time to walk to home.
It was always like this. I do almost everything in my house, from grocery shopping to moping my house and after doing all the chores, I studied at night. I am not an toper in school like Atul bhaiya or him but I wasn't a failure either. I am just an average student like every other average student.
My father has a shoes shop in main market and he came late at home. So he barely get a time to spend with us. My brother, Atul bhiya, he passed intermediate school this year and now preparing for the competition exam. I and Atul bhaiya studies in same school along with Divya and him. So Atul bhaiya always keep eyes on me, so that I can not talk to any boy.
He is always mummy's favorite. Mummy love him more than I, she even confessed it in front of me. Papa don't talk much and always busy un his work but he is the best father anyone could ask for. Though he also adore Atul bhaiya more than me.
Mummy and Papa never wants me. He wants another boy instead of girl. Mummy once told me that she cried and Papa were very disappointed when I was born. Mummy-Papa belongs to very conservative families so their thinking is also like them.
I grow up with lots of restrictions. I am not allowed to wear jeans and dresses or even laugh loudly. I suppose to know every little house chores and cooked different type of meals. When I requested to get me admitted in computer course, Mummy-Papa didn't allow me but some how Atul bhaiya make them understand that it will be very beneficial for my marriage, as no one wants to marry a illiterate or dumb girl. I know it was really a lame excuse but because of that they allowed me to do the computer class.
Sometimes I afraid, that they will marry me off after I complete my school. I am just 15 years old and I will be 18 when I passed out from school. Who get marry at 18 now days? I don't want to get marry that soon. I want to study further and want to become something in my life.
I don't know when I reached in front on my home but I saw a very angry mother standing in main gate, and glaring at me.
"Where were you? I was waiting for you from half an hour?" Mummy asked me through her greeted teeth while shooting daggers through her eyes.
"Today was the rush in the market." I said looking at her.
"How do I belive you, you were in market and not gossiping with your friend." I looked at her unbelievably.
Didn't she have a enough faith on me. Well it's nothing new which I am not hearing.
"You don't have any other options but to trust me." I said while tightening my grip on poly bags.
"How many times I told you not to talk back to me. Girls in our home don't roam around the city for long." Mom said while glaring at me.
My hands are hurting due to carrying the two plastic heavy bags and mummy is not helping me to stand at the main gate, not giving me enough space to enter the house. Atul bhaiya never goes for grocery shopping or any other work. He is allowed to live outside the house at late hours and roam around the city with his friends. He can go on movies and can talk to with girls. He even have girlfriend from his school. Mummy papa knows about her but he didn't say anything to him.
Why all the restrictions are only for girls.
"Sorry mummy..." I apologized to her to stop the argument with her because it won't lead is to anywhere and mummy will shut me down by threatening me for my marriage after finishing my school or even worse, she will complain to Papa, then no one can save me from his scolding not even Atul bhiya.
"I am your mother Adhiti beta. I will never think anything bad for you. Girls should be live in her limits." She said in extra sugar coated words and I rolled my eyes inside my head.
She was the one who sent me to the market and there is not my fault that I got late because of the rush. Anyways I love my mummy so much. It's not her fault that she is conservative, society make her think like that.
I nodded my head and gave her a half smile.
"Now, go and cook pasta for your bhaiya. He must be tired of studying for so long. Then you can make macaroni for Divya and go to her home." Mummy said while moving aside and let me walk inside the house with two heavy plastic bags.
.....
I served the pasta in a plate and went to upstairs to Atul bhaiya, room. When I opened the door of his room, he was sitting on the bed and was busy with his laptop. Online lecture is going on and he was all focused. His eyes met with mine and then again in laptop.
"Bhiya your pasta." I said while putting the pasta beside him.
Atula bhiya took his earbuds out, pause the lecture and look at the pasta plate.
"I told mummy two hours ago." He said while picking up the plate.
"Mummy sent me to the market." I said in low voice while lowering my eyelids. Bhiya and Papa don't like if I talk to them in a louder voice or even looked into their eyes more than a second. They both are very strictly strict.
"Hmm..Okay. Will you go at Diya's place today." Bhiya asked me while eating his pasta.
"Yes, bhiya." I said while looking at him.
"Bring these books with you. I borrowed them from Nikhil bhiya and thank him from my side." He said while pushing some books towards me.
Nikhil bhaiya was the elder brother of Divya and him. He studying engineering in CSE from Mumbai and came home in his summer holidays.
"Okay bhiya." I said while picking up books from the bed and closed the door of his room on my way out of his room.
I came downstairs and served the macaroni for Divya in a tiffin box when mummy walked inside the kitchen.
"Going at Diya's place?" Mummy asked me and I nodded my head while closing the tiffin box.
"Okay...come before your father come home. You know he doesn't like when you stay outside for long and you have to cook dinner also." Mummy said while taking out the water bottle from the fridge.
"Don't worry mummy. I will come back home before papa and will cook dinner on time." I said while looking at her.
She nodded her head while drinking the water and I went to Divya's place. She just live in front of our house so I don't have to worry much of being late.
*****
I rang the door bell of Divya's house and soon she came out with a smile on her face. She opened the door and took me in a warm hug.
"God Damn girl you look so beautiful in Indian outfits." She said while pulling off from the hug.
"..and you look hot in your shorts." I said she giggled and look at the tiffin box in my hand.
"Macaroni..?" She asked me with her shining eyes and I nodded my head as yes.
"Girl, I love you so much." She took the tiffin from my hand and smelled the aroma of her favorite dish. Huge grin appeared on her face when she let the aroma fill her senses.
"Come inside." She took my hand and drag me inside.
My heart beat was at normal pace and I am not feeling nervous because I know he is not at home. He never be at home in summer holidays and went to Delhi to take one step closer to his dream. But in these past days, I craved for his one look and missed him so much.
