Hues Of Dusk

Chapter 86. Off we go!

7 years ago

It was my last day at school, and I was feeling both happy and sad. Finally, I would be able to go to a new place and away from my life's biggest problem Ved and make new friends, but my mood was dampened because I wouldn't be able to torture him; moreover, Ayush was still not talking to me.

After his birthday incident, he didn't attend school for whole four months. And he wasn't the only one who had taken such a long leave; Ved was also absent for quite a good amount of time before he returned back for studies.

I queried about both of them with my classroom teacher, but she always told me to have patience and stop mentioning about them all the time. I knew she was hiding something because she did have information but was afraid to reveal it.

So, I let the matter go and doubted if Ayush finally got fed up of me and decided to change schools. But when he returned, I ran to hug him and started asking him where he was all these days. I wouldn't have minded if he would have just yelled at me or something, but he acted like he didn't know me at all.

Even though I didn't want to apologise for something I didn't do, I still said sorry to him countless times; he never bothered to even spare a glance though. At the end of the fifth grade, he got his section transferred and gave me a note telling me to stay away from him.

Ved was always around him and glaring at everyone who came to ask Ayush about why he was absent from school. Ayush would just zone out and start crying without any reason. A few times, I tried to approach my best friend but would drop my plan after seeing Ved sporting an enraged expression. I talked about it with my parents and they told me not to worry and have patience - which I had great difficulty doing.

Thus, on the day of my farewell which was also on the final Parents Teacher meeting of our fifth grade, I gave a small speech in front of my classroom and decided to leave on a good note, but Ved stormed off after hearing that I was leaving and Ayush was just staring at me blankly like a robot.

Ved's stepmom went in search of him and when I felt that something bad might happen, I followed her after greeting some teachers. About five minutes later, I reached my school's senior section and noticed Ved sitting on a corridor wall while his mom tried to take him back to the class.

"How many times do I have to repeat that you are not my mom?!" Ved yelled.

"Please, beta, don't be so angry. I know I will never be able to take your mom's place, but you can give me a chance at least. Please, Ved," his stepmom begged.

"When you already know that, then why do you keep bugging me? My mom is dead, okay? She left me without telling me! Dad has married you, but you will always remain a stranger to me. Remember that!"

"Ved..."

"That dumbo is leaving too... Why does everyone leave me?" Ved mumbled and jumped off the wall.

He ran off after throwing a glare at his mom, who slumped down on the floor with her face in her hands. She kept sobbing incessantly and moved to the pavement. She wiped her eyes and mumbled some incoherent words to herself as I headed towards her.

"Are you okay, Aunty?" I asked.

She looked up at me and gave me a sad smile. "Yes, I am."

"No, you are not. Ved hurt you again, didn't he?"

"It isn't his fault; I am the one who arrived in his life unannounced. I don't know why everything I do turns out bad - I have been trying so hard, but nothing is working out."

"Maybe you are trying too hard," I stated.

"What?" She furrowed her eyebrows.

"Um... I don't know if it will make sense or not, but I feel it might help you. Ved is not my friend, but he lost his mother and it would be really bad of me if I didn't help when I could. If I was in his place, I don't know what I would have done. We are always fighting, but since it is my last day, I want to leave on a good note.