: "Mom! where are you? We are waiting, come soon".

: "Aai! dear, we are just on the way...".

Crash,

: "Mom! DAAD...!.".

Afternoon,

: "Huff huff. ...when did i get here?". She got up and walked out of her room.

: "Oh! Aai, you awake?".

: "Brother! what are you doing here?".He walked close to her and checked her temperature.

: "Good, it seems your fever's down. I'd a call from your work so I camed to pick you but you had already passed out. Well just on time, I've cook something, let's have it together".

The two sat to eat. A few minutes later while eating,

Brother: "Aai... why don't you just..quit your job?".

Aai: "...".

Brother: "It's not that I don't like it. Look I'm still healthy to earn money and even dad have saved enough for your future. And you will be starting school in two days. Studies and work, you will be tired".

Aai: "Brother, I'm...not working to earn just money. I'm learning to be independent. You...too have your own life. You won't be staying with me...forever. Someday you will get married and have your own family to take care of".

Brother: "Aai! I'm never going to leave you again". He interrupted".

Aai: "Everything doesn't always remain the same and doesn't work on our wish brother. Things do change and people...people too change and do leave...you. ...Brother...you don't have to worry about me. I'm fine. You must do what you wish to do for yourself. I... don't want to take anything more away from you.....".

Brother: "Aai!..don't".

Aai: "Brother! I'm full. I'm going to take a walk". Saying she leaves. He sat there clenching his fist, then his phone rings,

Brother: "Yes? I'll be there soon". He dials a number.

: "It's me, I want you to...".

When Aai returns home, she finds no one there. Her dog rubs itself on her. She hunches down,

Aai: "See, just as I said. Will you too leave me?". She pats it. The dog clings to her.

The following days Aai works her shift out and pass her days.

Days of secondary school,

Aai is among the ranked student having a low-key life with no friends or interactions. In class she always choose the last window seat. She either reads a book or puts her head down. She doesn't like making friends nor talk with anyone. Even if someone speaks to her,

: "Wow, your keychain looks cute!". one of her classmate asks her. Suddenly a girl pulls her away,

: "Oii! what do you think you are doing?", she whispered.

: "What happened?".

: "Don't be close to her. You might not know, last year some girls were telling that they had seen her with some delinquents and just the next day she came wearing some bandages on her. It seemed she was involved in some fight. She also didn't come.to school for days".

: "Really? then we better not involve ourselves with her, let's go". Saying the girls walked away. Aai paid them no mind and continued reading.

After the end of classes, a girl came to Aai, "He...hello! I'm Pearl, we were classmates last year too and now we are seatmates let's get to know each other?" Though she seemed afraid, she tried to talk.

Aai: "...You...even if we are seatmates nobody is forcing you to speak here. I'm not interested in getting to know you". she got up and left with her bag.

"See I told you it's no use speaking to her", a girl told Pearl. "I thought since we have been classmates, we can speak with each other, but".

"Come on, don't be sad".

As Aai in thoughts looking down walked out of the school gate, her name was called. She raised her head to see the students gathered. When she was called again she turned to see a young man having a tall figure, fair with pale dark body pigmentation, long legs covered by straight pants and body wearing a t-shirt and a dark hoodie, standing with his glasses on. He was with another young man who looked like a delinquent, sitting on a bike.

: "Hey kid, how have you been?". He puts his hand around her shoulder.

Aai: "Ren!...What are you doing here?".

As she asked the crowd whispered,

: "Waa, they are so good-looking".

: "That man is so handsome".

: "See, she is involved with them".

: "God knows what's her relationship with them. We better stay away from her".

They continued commenting on her. Aai remained silent.

Ren: "Hey kiddos, since the school's over, wanna come with us. We can have a nice time together". He smiled as he spoke.

The crowd soon disappeared. Aai continued walking. Ren and his friend followed.

Aai: "Hey! send your boy away. He's eye-catching".

Ren asked his companion to leave and walked with Aai.

Ren: "So, how was your day? Did you make any friends?".

Aai: "I don't need them".

Ren: "Hmm. You go to the King's high right, my brother also goes there. He's two years younger. Why don't you meet him. You know he's just as good looking as me, you both will get along well..".

Aai: "I'm not interested". She interrupted.

Ren: "Kid seriously, you are already in high school. You must make friends, hang out, fall in love... ".

Aai: "Just what are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to stay away from me". she cut him off.

Ren: "Sigh".

Aai: "I'm leaving". As Aai opens the door, Ren speaks,

Ren: "Today it's Haris's lil brother's bthday. We will be celebrating it. So Idris wanted you to come".

Aai: "I won't come".

Ren: "Ok then see you tonight, bye". He said as he ran away. Aai watched him go. As she entered her house, Thud,

Aai: "You... I told you not to bounce on me".

Her dog welcomed her happily.

Aai: "...Sigh You must be hungry, let's have something".

They both ate their meal. Then Aai sat doing her school work.

10:00, at night,

Knock, the doorbell rang. Aai asked about the person but there was no response. As she opened the door,

: "AAII!".

Aai: "Hey!".

Ren: "Oii Idris! get away from her". Ren pulled him away from Aai. It was Ren and his friends. They came to celebrate the boy birthday.

Aai: "What are you all doing here?".

Ren: "We waited for you, but you didn't come".

Idris: "I missed you a lot, so we came here".

Aai: "I'm having school tomorrow".

Haris: "Sorry Aai, but my brother wanted to see you. Sam say hii to sis".

The boy ran towards Aai.

Sam: "You know sis, Idris was talking a lot about you so I got curious to see you. It's my birthday, can you celebrate it with me, please".

Aai: "...o..k". helpless she agreed.

They all became very happy. Haris thanked Aai.

The boys enjoyed themselves. They cut the cake, played games and ate a lot. Later Aai was also made to join them. She played with the kid. Ren smiled seeing her.

It was midnight already,

Haris: "It's quite late, let's end here".

Sam: "No brother, let's stay here, I wanna be with sis".

Haris: "You too have school tomorrow and sister has to rest, get up". Haris argued.

Sam refused and ran behind Aai.

Haris: "Sam!". He voiced.

As Sam ran around, he banged at the table, Aai supported him and both fell.

Crash, The ketchup bottle broke down.

Ren: "AAI!".

Haris! "HEY!".

They both ran towards them,

Ren: "Aai! are you ok?".

Aai sat up. She had hurt her head.

Haris: "You got hurt!".

Aai's forehead got red. When she saw Sam, she freezes. Sam was unconscious with blood near his mouth.

Aai: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I'm sorry... ". She repeated.

Ren: "Hey! what's wrong?" he sees her shivering.

Aai: "I'm... I'm sorry I shouldn't have been close to him, I'm sorry". She was in a shock.

Ren: "...Hey it's okay... ". He tried comforting her but she faints.

At dawn,

Aai wakes up frightened in her room. Ren comes in,

Ren: "Thank God you're finally awake". As Ren walks near Aai, she shouts,

Aai: "STAY AWAY FROM ME!".

Ren: "Aai?".

Aai: "I keep telling you, if you stay close to me you will get hurt and I... I just don't want that".

Ren: "Aai that's not true. It's nothing like that".

Aai: "Why don't you just understand. When you were with me, you...had an accident and now... Sam..." she starts crying. Ren goes close to her and hugs here. Aai struggles but Ren comforts her,

Ren: "Aai stop blaming yourself. Look I'm here and Sam is also completely fine, look".

Veil and Sam stood near the door.

Veil: "Aai, Sam didn't even get a single scratch. You didn't hurt him but actually saved him. Sam, got to say something?".

As Sam ran away from Veil, he banged his leg to the table. There was a ketchup bottle on the table and when Sam banged, it was about to fall on him but Aai ran and held him from which she hit her head on the floor. The bottle fell on the floor beside them and when everyone's attention was on Aai, Sam took a bit ketchup and applied on him and acted unconscious.

Sam: "Sniff sniff...I'm sorry sister. I'd applied ketchup just for fun. I didn't mean to scare you". he cried.

Aai calmed herself and patted the boy's head,

Aai: "It's Ok".

Sam hugged Aai. She had an headache from the hurt, so she went to rest.

She went to school and the talks about the previous day spread.

Aai was undisturbed with it. She looked at them and the others shut their mouth.

During breaks, she would walk behind the school and sit under the tree behind the bushes.

One day, during break as Aai was walking, suddenly a boy bumped onto her,

: "Are you ok? Sorry, I didn't see you coming", he offered her help but she refused. Aai got up and walked away.

: "Max!" the boys called him. They came near him.

: What's wrong?"

Max: "...Nothing". He kept looking at Aai.

: "..."

After few days,

Aai was taking a nap under the tree. After some time as she got up to return to class, she heard some noise. Infront of her a girl was confessing to a boy.

: "Will you go out with me?" the girl said looking downwards.

: " ...ok". He agreed. The girl looked content and then went away. Just as she went, two boys came near him. One of them said,

: "Max, are you for real? You say OK to every confession then after few days you break up with them. Have you ever taken any girl seriously?". the boy laughs.

Max: "It's not me who breaks up but they. By the way all girls are the same, they have never taken me seriously".

As they sat on the bench and kept talking, a person came out and walked away.

The three boys looked at her, stunt.

: "Wow, from where did she pop out?"

: "...".

: "...".

The next day,

During break as Aai was walking behind the school, she saw some girls ganging.

"Wow, I've seen boys ganging but girls too", she murmured at herself.

She thought that it must be girls meeting up so she tried avoiding the issue.