Anaya walked down the hallway, her books clutched tightly. Every eye seemed to pass over her, except the occasional smirk from Tanya, who seemed to enjoy her discomfort.
Tanya kapoor ( Fl step sister)
(loudly to a friend, pointing):
“Look at her… she actually thinks she belongs here.”
classmate
“She’s always alone… isn’t it creepy?”
Ananya kapoor ( Fl )
(thinking quietly, biting her lip):
I don’t belong anywhere… maybe they’re right. I’m better off not trying.
.
.
.
At home, the tension didn’t let up. Rajeev was busy with work, Sunita avoided meaningful conversation, and Tanya seemed to take pleasure in Anaya’s discomfort.
Sunita kapoor ( Fl step mother )
(coldly, while serving dinner):
“Eat quietly. Don’t make a scene.”
Tanya kapoor ( Fl step sister)
(whispering to Arjun):
“She’s always in the way. I wish she’d just disappear.”
Ananya kapoor ( Fl )
(thinking, heart heavy):
Even food feels bitter here. Nobody cares if I’m hungry or not… maybe it’s true. I don’t belong.
Meera kapoor ( Fl step sister)
“Don’t listen to them, Anaya. They… they don’t understand you.”
Ananya kapoor ( Fl )
(thinking, faintly nodding):
At least Meera isn’t openly cruel… but even she doesn’t do enough to help me feel safe.
Comments