CRASH!!!

The glass hit the floor and was shattered to pieces.

 "It's your fault that I am leading such an unpleasant life", the woman shouted.

 "My fault!! Hah! Now it's my fault, huh??", the man shouted.

 "Of course it is. If I didn't marry you I would have led a wonderful life with Amar!", the woman retaliated. "He is rich and successful. He would have kept me like a princess on a golden throne!!."

 "Oh! Really?? Did you forget who begged me to marry you??", the man thundered. "YOU DID!!! YOU UNGRATEFUL BITCH!! YOU BEGGED ME TO MARRY YOU", the man grabbed the woman's hair yanking it.

 "HOW DARE YOU TOUCH ME WITH YOUR FILTHY HANDS!!", the woman bellowed kicking the man's crotch.

The man winced in pain and released the woman's hair.

 "If I didn't marry you I would have led a happy life!! I wouldn't have to take care of you and your family!! I wouldn't have to leave my job!! My life wouldn't have been crappy if I didn't marry you!!!"

 "Same here. Do you have any idea what I went through after marriage??? I was a laughing stock to my colleagues. One of their standing jokes. They laughed behind my back for marrying such a stupid woman like you!!"

"How dare you call me stupid!!??"

"A stupid person should be called a stupid you ungrateful bitch!!"

 The bickering continued. Utensils, magazines and other daily stuffs were thrown. No one cared or took notice of the little girl hiding under her study table, hands covering her ears, flinching at the slightest sound, silent tears streaming down her cheeks. The contents of the little girl's table weren't unscathed. Those were scattered throughout the small, two room, apartment. Books, colours, pencils, pens...nothing could survive the wrath of her parents.

 The bickering was like an weekly ritual in this family. The woman would blame the man for living a crappy life and the man would blame the woman for becoming a laughing stock in his office and friend circle. The bickering normally continues till one of their neighbours rings their bell after becoming really annoyed.

Today was no exception.

After almost 2 long hours the door bell rang.

Once...

Twice...

Thrice...

The parents were busy shouting to hear the doorbell.

The little girl slowly crept out from under her small study table; her hideout.

She slowly and carefully started approaching the door. The neighbour had started thumping at the door by now. The little girl moved slowly, sniffling her way through the broken pieces of glass. Suddenly her dad threw a plate at her mom. Her mom avoided it but it hurt the little girl's leg. The little girl grabbed her leg and howled with pain, crying loudly.

Her parents were now conscious of their surroundings. The neighbour increased their thumping with repeated shouts.

"Damn it!!", the man said and went to open the door. He kicked his daughter aside. She was in his way; and opened the door. The girl winced painfully and looked at her dad's big, broad back. He had opened the door by now and was apologizing to the neighbour. The neighbour was disgruntled.

"Keep your fight inside the house", she said exasperated."Stop disturbing the others."

She took a quick glance inside the house. Her eyes moved through the mess and then landed on the child. She was there, wincing in pain, crying her eyes out but no one heard her. She looked up to the neighbour. Her eyes showing unimaginable amount of pain. The woman was filled with sympathy. But her hands were bound. It's not that she couldn't do anything, she chose not to do anything. She had a family of her own, she could not afford to look at other children, not especially the child of two bickering and abusive couples. What if they harm her family next... She shuddered at the thought and lowered her eyes, she shook her head slightly and went back to her apartment.

The girl now looked at her mom. She was on her phone, talking with her friend, complaining about her life. She looked at her daughter and anger burst out of her eyes.

"What are you looking at", she snapped. "If you are hungry just heat something up and eat it. Don't look at me. I am busy as is." She picked up her bag and went out staring daggers at her husband.

The husband glared back at disgust, looked at his daughter and said, "I am going out. The house should be spotless clean when I come back. Is that clear?"

He also went out leaving the little child alone.

The little girl sat at the floor, sniffling and crying. Then she got up. She was wimping. She slowly started gathering all the thrown stuffs. She started gathering her school items first.

"Why don't they like me...??", she thought.

"Is everything my fault...??"

"They will surely like me if I do everything they say... I'll clean up the house and cook something up. They will surely like me if I stay good. And good children don't talk bad about their parents.", she thought brightly.

She washed her face with cold water, and then started cleaning up the house.

She was moving forward dreaming about being loved by her parents.

But suddenly she broke down.

"What did I do wrong...", she sobbed.

"Why should I go through all these..."

"I am only 5..."

I have always wondered what it feels to have loving parents...

My own parents are... well... A disaster ...

I don't know why my mom and dad always looks at me with disgust...as if I shouldn't have been born... As if I was unwanted...

It never really occurred to me why my parents misbehaved with me... their one and only daughter until I heard their conversation one day...

I had always been more matured for my age.

I had started taking care of myself from my childhood days.

I knew I was not fortunate enough like others having loving parents. I learned to read all by myself though my grandparents taught me the alphabets...

My grandparents...

They were the sweetest people I had ever known. They were very kind to me; their only granddaughter. But they were old and they lived quite far away from our house. It was not possible for them to visit regularly. And my parents did not even care for them. They used to visit me when my parents were out. My grandma used to cooked delicious meals for me and my grandpa used to tell me stories... Good days those were...

But one day, my mom came home early. My grandparents were still there. My mom looked at me and then at my grandparents. She was furious. She lunged forward to hit me for not obeying her, for meeting with my grandparents without telling her...

My grandma stopped her...my mom shoved her aside, she was stronger. My grandma hit her head at the table due to my mom's force...

We rushed her to the hospital...me and my grandpa...

That was the last time I saw my sweet grandma... She started on her journey to the afterlife that day... I was young. My grandpa said that grandma became a star in the sky. The brightest star...

I was 2 and 1/2 at that time...

My parents did not even bother going to her funeral. My mom did not show remorse. I went there...

Alone...

That was the day I realised my life won't be easy. My grandpa stopped visiting me from that day onwards. I knew I was all alone.

I started reading books. I borrowed books from the library. I also started cooking. The first step was to light the oven. I was scared of the fire at first, but then I got the hang of it. I could now cook small things like tea. With more practice I started getting better and one day I even cooked a meal.

One day, I heard that my grandpa had passed away. Again I went to the funeral...

I was 3 at that time...

Alone...again...

That day when I returned home, my parents were already there. They were in the middle of their usual ranting. By now I had trained my ears to not to listen to their ranting. But one thing caught my ears.

"I never wanted a child!", my mom was saying.

"I had always wanted to abort!! It was your parents who honeyed me with their sweet words!! You also did not care about me giving birth!! Now your parents are gone but the child remains!! A burden!!"

I was horrified.

Only one word was ringing in my ears...

A burden...

A burden...

BURDEN...

I was unwanted...

.

.

.

And now I am 5. My parents did me a favour by taking me to school. Otherwise I would have rotten... I know that...

I love my school. I love that place. I love learning newer things.

By now I have also mastered cooking meals. I don't need to sleep hungry now.

My parents bickering continues...

My life continues...

I wonder when everything will end...

Will it even end...??

Or...

Should I just run away from home...??

"Alright students!!! Happy learning!!! And as I said this weekend is a home visit weekend!!! I'll be visiting all of your houses and have a nice little chat with your parents. Don't worry I won't complain to them!!! So have a look at the roaster and look at the day and time for your home visit!!! And don't forget to tell your parents!!!", Miss Leila said.

"Ok ma'am!!", chattered the 20 students present in the class.

"Home visit... I wonder what my parents would say...", the little girl thought.

After getting out of the classroom the little girl took a look at the roaster.

Saturday - 4 p.m.

It was written beside her name.

"Saturday it is then", the little girl thought. "Got to inform mom and dad."

She started walking home alone.

Here also she was alone. But this was mostly because she didn't talk a lot. Her classmates were typical cry babies. She was not. She was mature. She could cook. Others could not.

The little girl reached home within 20 minutes. Her school was not far from her home. She got up the stairs. Their apartment was in the 3rd floor. Near the end of the 2nd floor she heard shouts; pretty loud ones. It was coming from their apartment. She shuddered. She was horrified.

The little girl slowly crept inside. Her parents had started throwing stuffs now. She hid under her table. Her eyes were filled with silent tears.

After 2 hours the bell rang.

"Must be a neighbour", she thought.

Her parents didn't even hear the doorbell. She crept out and headed towards the door. A hit from a sudden plate put her off guard. She fell, hitting the floor with a loud bang.

Her dad answered the door. He apologized for the commotion.

"Same ritual as always", she thought.

Her mom was busy in her phone. She grabbed her bag and went out glaring at her husband. Her dad also went out. She had to clean the apartment now. She didn't have a chance to tell about the home visit to her parents...

She started cleaning the apartment. She picked up her books and pens which were scattered throughout the apartment. Those were her life. Her first priority. She wouldn't exchange them for her whole world.

Hours passed.

The apartment became cleaner.

Her parents did not return.

Finally, after struggling for 4 long hours with her injured leg, the apartment was clean; spotless clean. Just like her dad had said.

She remembered her mom's words.

"What are you looking at, If you are hungry just heat something up and eat it. Don't look at me. I am busy as is."

"She's always busy", the child sighed.

She opened the fridge. It was messy. Really messy.

"I should just clean and arrange the fridge when I am at it", She thought.

Cleaning the fridge took another 30 minutes.

"I am hungry now", She said to herself.

She looked around and found a packet of noodles. She turned on the oven, put some water in a pot and put the pot on flame. Then after a few moments she broke the cake of noodles into small pieces and put it in the water.

"A little bit of vegetables should do the trick", She thought.

She cut onions, tomatoes, and capsicums. She put those in the boiling pot; put the spices and closed the lid. Then she waited.

After about 5 minutes, the noodles was done. She took a bowl, put the noodles and took a spoon and carefully carried the bowl to the table. She put it down to cool. Then she cleaned up the kitchen and washed the pot.

After cleaning, she sat down to eat. She ate slowly, slurping the hot noodles, enjoying the flavours. She washed the bowl after eating.

Now she started doing her homework. It was quite late when she finished.

Her parents were not back...

Not yet...

.

.

.

The next morning she woke up and found her mom in the kitchen. It was the weekend. Her dad was nowhere to be seen. She brushed her teeth and took a bathe. And then she started studying.

Not a word was uttered throughout the day.

Not mother not daughter.

Her dad returned during lunch. They had an almost quiet lunch. At almost the end of their lunch the child spoke up.

"Our class teacher will be coming for home visit today", She said quietly.

Her parents didn't have any reaction.

She repeated a bit loudly now.

Still no reaction.

"Mom! Dad! I am saying something!"

"What were you saying??", her dad snapped.

"I was saying that our class teacher will be coming for a home visit today..."

The doorbell rang.

"And that must be her...my class teacher...", she sighed.

She glanced at her parents.

"They are annoyed", She thought.

Her dad opened the door. Her mom cleaned the table and smiled at her class teacher.

"Welcome, Miss", her mom said, smiling softly...

Smiling dangerously...