The Ruined Rainbow

CHAPTER 10

Choices... To choose between right and wrong is simple. But what defines one's life is the decision between the greater of the two goods and lesser of two evils. That's what that defines our life.
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Sahil.

Flashback.

I entered my house. I had waited for hours. I try to calm myself. My heart is beating like crazy: A mixture of emotions. Happiness, nervousness, excitement, sadness.

I clutched the contract closer to my heart. I entered my house and there is an unusual silence...

"I can do this." I whispered, "Come on Sahil Malhotra ".

I took a deep breath and call out,

" Papa? Mamma??"

My dad answered from the other room.

"In here."

I entered the bedroom. My dad is sitting on an armchair reading a newspaper.

"Papa?"

No answer.

My mum came in bringing dinner. He waved his hand to show he wasn't interested. He turned the page of his newspaper. My mum left the room.

"Dad??"

He didn't speak a word. He never does when he is angry. He is reading the newspaper to hide his anger.
I realized that too late.

"I'm listening."

That brought me back to my senses.

Come on Sahil.

"I quit my job."

He looked above with a dangerous glint in his eyes. He adjusted his glasses and looked at me.

"You did what?"

"I quit my job. I resigned"

He closed the newspaper and came and stood near me and looked at my eyes.
I tried not to back away.

"Why? "

"Papa..."

"Sahil Malhotra, why did you quit your job??"

" I --"

I couldn't say. I just kept quiet. His eyes looked fixedly at my eyes and I tried not to flinch.

A few minutes later,

"Sahil Malhotra, can you tell me why you quit your job??" My dad said, an edge in his voice. It was scary.

" I got a career in the movies. I got my first movie." I said.

A few minutes of silence...
Complete silence...

"I really want to do this papa, I really think I can--"

THUD.

My dad had just slapped me.

I kept my palm on my cheek and looked down blinking tears.

" 10 years, 10 years I struggled long and made you study. 10 years Malhotra. I did that just to make you earn a living. You got a job as well. "