When asked if he was happy, Michael promptly answered yes. And that wasn't a lie at all. He was happy to be doing what he was born to do. Sing, dance, make people happy. His dreams were finally coming true. Who wouldn't be happy about that?
But M...
Dhriti was in the kitchen finishing up lunch when she heard the front door open. Turning her head towards the living room, she smiled at the sight of her son who had just returned from another day at school. It had been two long months since they moved to West Hollywood, many changes and adaptations happening simultaneously, and with such changes it was inevitable that some problems would also arise. She and her husband were still struggling to get used to the new neighborhood. Reactions from neighbors were mixed, some were more welcoming than others, but to the misfortune of her son Ravi, none of the friendlier neighbors had children that Ravi could befriend.
For the first few days Ravi handled the new home well. He was excited about the new house, the school, the neighbors. It was all new, and like any kid his age, he was more than excited to explore this new environment. It was at this point that the first problems began to appear. Although some neighbors didn't care about the arrival of their family, others made their opinions about them clear. And even though Ravi was just a kid, he wasn't blind. Ravi could clearly see some neighbors' contempt for him and his family.
As if that wasn't enough, as the days passed, Dhriti could see her son becoming more and more reclusive. When she broached the subject to her husband, Aadav replied that it was a normal reaction, even more so for a child like Ravi who was very close to his friends. Dhriti didn't press the subject anymore. Not because she wasn't worried about Ravi, but because she didn't want to upset her husband who has been very busy at his new job. And since Ravi himself didn't talk about it, she thought that eventually things would be okay.
"Welcome back Ravi. How was your day?" Dhriti asked her son.
But Ravi didn't respond right away. Walking with his head bowed toward his mother, almost as if he was reluctant to do whatever he was about to do, Ravi let his backpack fall off his shoulders and hit the floor at his feet before finally deciding to look at her.
"Mom..." He struggled with the words, as if he wasn't sure how to say it. "Is there something wrong with me?"
Immediately Dhriti turned off the stove and approached her son at the entrance to the kitchen, crouching down to his level so she could get a better look at him.
"Of course not, my love." She placed her hand on his cheek to make him look at her when Ravi tried to look away. "Ravi, what's wrong?"
Ravi gripped the hem of his shirt tightly, as if it was too difficult for him to express what he was feeling. "I don't like here. I don't like going to school. The kids there don't talk to me. They keep staring at me and laughing at me. Teachers don't care either, they don't do anything when they see someone doing it."
Her heart clenched in her chest as she let out a weary sigh. She should have known this was going to happen, she should have pressed the matter further when she noticed her son starting to act strange. "Son, there's nothing wrong with you. You're a wonderful kid, and I couldn't be more proud to be your mother."
"Then why do they hate me?" He asked, his voice breaking.
Dhriti's eyes filled with tears as she brought her son closer to her so she could hug him, resting his head just below her chin.
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