ʚ𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐰𝐨ɞ

KRITI'S POV

Date: 24th May 2024

London

4:30 PM

I arrived home, opened the front door, and prepared myself to face Papa for the second time about my plans for September.

I was terrified he would say no again to the college I wanted to attend because of the distance from home. Even though I had tried to find one closer, he still wasn't happy with my dream of becoming a beautician.

I was nineteen years old, yet I was still treated like a child.

It frustrated me because this had been happening since I was sixteen. Three years ago, Papa insisted that I complete Sixth Form at the same school after secondary school. At the time, I thought it would be the last major decision he would make for me.

I was wrong.

Three years later, here I was again.

If things had gone differently, I would already be studying what I loved and living independently. But thanks to Covid and Brexit, everything had become more expensive. Finding a part-time job, especially nearby, felt almost impossible.

So here I was-jobless-watching my classmates and even my friends earn their own money while I remained stuck in the same place.

It hurt.

But what could I do?

Life doesn't stop moving forward, and neither could I.

Taking a deep breath, I stood outside Papa's bedroom door.

You're probably wondering why I never stood up to my parents.

Well...

That's a long story for another time.

I clenched my hand into a fist and knocked gently.

"Come in."

Papa's voice echoed from the other side.

I slowly pushed the door open and stepped inside. My hands trembled slightly as I took another breath.

Papa looked up from his laptop.

"Papa..." I began.

His eyes met mine.

I swallowed nervously.

"I've applied for September at a college."

"Which college, beti?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

My heart sank.

The answer I gave wasn't the one I wanted.

"I took your advice," I said quietly. "I'll be attending Crown High College this September."

The words tasted bitter.

I hated this decision, but I felt like I had no choice.

A while ago, Papa had made it clear that if I ever disrespected him, there would be consequences. Maybe that's why I never found the courage to stand up for myself.

And honestly...

Who wouldn't be afraid?

Everyone fears at least one parent to some extent, right?

For me, it was Papa.

Sometimes I found it strange because none of my cousins seemed to be scared of their fathers the way I was.

Unfortunately, I wasn't the only one struggling under his expectations.

My younger sister, Diya, had it even harder.

She was sixteen, only three years younger than me, and Papa expected far more from her than he ever did from me.

He wanted her to go to university.

Ironically, he never wanted that for me.

Not because university wasn't an option.

But because he didn't think I was smart enough.

The thought still stung.

I suppose that made me luckier than Diya in some ways, but it didn't make me feel any better.

And helping her wasn't exactly an option.

Not with the kind of father we had.

After speaking with Papa, I returned to my room and collapsed onto my bed.

The moment my head touched the pillow, exhaustion washed over me.

I closed my eyes.

The reason I dreaded Crown High College wasn't because of the course itself.

It was because of what happened during my interview.

The people interviewing me hadn't been kind.

In fact, they had judged me because of my skin condition.

It wasn't fair.

When I tried explaining it to Papa, he brushed it aside as if my feelings didn't matter.

And now my worst nightmare had become reality.

Lately, it felt like everything in my life was falling apart.

Yet when I told Papa about my decision, he had looked pleased.

Happy.

Satisfied.

But what about my happiness?

Didn't that matter too?

At this point, I was exhausted from always being the bigger person.

A notification suddenly pulled me from my thoughts.

I grabbed my phone and unlocked it with my fingerprint.

A message from Maya appeared on my screen.

Maya: You won't believe what I just heard! Guess who's going to Crown High College in September?

I frowned.

Me: Who?

Almost instantly, three dots appeared.

Maya: My cousin Samir! The one from India. Same age as you. Remember all those photos I showed you during family trips?

My eyes widened.

Maya: And remember how I always told you that whenever I mentioned you, he'd ask questions about you?

Me: Oh... him?

Maya: Yes, him 😂

Me: Okay... and why are you telling me this?

A minute later, her reply arrived.

Maya: Because even if we don't study at the same place, you'll have someone there. You're not alone. I'll tell him to keep an eye on you.

My eyes widened.

Me: Please don't. I can look after myself. Besides, I don't want to be a burden to your cousin.

A few seconds later, she replied.

Maya: Don't be ridiculous, Ki. You'd never be a burden. Besides, I'm sure he'll be very happy to see you every day 😉

I groaned.

Me: Mai, enough with your shipping. How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not interested in your cousin?

Her reply came immediately.

Maya: Girl, you haven't even met him yet. I know you hate boys, but just give him a chance. He's my cousin. I promise he's not like the others.

I rolled my eyes.

Me: Fine. But only because you're my best friend.

Maya: Fair enough. See you at prom tomorrow!

A small smile appeared on my face.

Me: Yeah. See you tomorrow.

After putting my phone down, I glanced at the clock.

6:00 PM.

Dragging myself off the bed before laziness could completely take over, I headed to the bathroom and took a quick shower.

Once I finished my night routine, I switched off my lamp and crawled beneath my blanket.

I skipped dinner.

I simply wasn't hungry.

All I could feel was the burning ache in my chest and the crushing disappointment that nothing seemed to be going my way.

As sleep slowly pulled me into darkness, tears slipped silently down my cheeks.

And for the first time that day, I allowed myself to cry.

♡ 𝑬𝑵𝑫 𝑶𝑭 𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑷𝑻𝑬𝑹 ♡

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