After that day, I stayed at home.
I didn't go to school the next morning.
Or the day after that.
One day slowly turned into a week.
Days felt empty. Nights felt endless.
I stayed in my room most of the time, lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling. Sleep came for a few minutes and then disappeared again. My mind never rested.
Every morning, Dad made breakfast quietly. He never asked me why I wasn't going to school. He just looked at me, tired but gentle, and left for work.
Adhi asked me every day, "Sis, are you coming to school today?"
"Later," I said every time.
But later never came.
At night, the house felt heavier. Silence pressed against my chest. One night, I woke up feeling thirsty and walked toward the kitchen.
That's when I heard it.
Crying.
I stopped walking.
It was Dad.
He was sitting near the sofa, his head buried in his hands, crying quietly like he didn't want anyone to hear him.
"I tried… I really tried," he whispered.
My heart broke into pieces.
I stood there, hidden, listening to the sound of a man who had lost everything but was still trying to stay strong for his children.
That night, I cried silently in my room, holding my pillow so Adhi wouldn't hear me.
After one week, I finally went back to school.
My legs felt weak as I stepped into the classroom.
The room became quiet.
Too quiet.
Everyone looked at me. Some whispered. Some avoided my eyes. I felt like I didn't belong there anymore.
I sat down and kept my head low.
Then I heard her voice.
"She didn't come because her mom ran away with another man."
Hema.
My hands started shaking.
"She's just like her mother," she added, laughing.
My chest tightened. I couldn't breathe properly.
Suddenly, a chair moved loudly.
Maira stood up.
"You don't have the right to talk about her family," she said, her voice cold and sharp.
Hema tried to laugh it off, but before she could say more, a teacher entered the class. The room went silent again.
I didn't look up. I couldn't.
At lunch, Inisha came to me and gently pulled my hand.
"Come with me," she said.
She took me to a quiet place where no one else was around.
The moment we sat down, everything inside me broke.
"My mom left us," I cried. "She chose someone else. My dad cries at night when he thinks we're asleep. Adhi keeps asking when she'll come back, and I don't know what to say anymore."
Inisha didn't interrupt me.
She just listened.
Then she hugged me tightly.
"This isn't your fault," she whispered. "You're not alone."
For the first time in days, my chest felt a little lighter.
After school, I stayed back, packing my bag slowly.
That's when I noticed someone standing near the wall.
Rivan.
"You weren't here for a week," he said softly.
"I wasn't feeling well," I replied.
He looked at me carefully. "I can see that."
His words surprised me.
"I'm sorry for what people are saying," he added. "You don't deserve that."
I didn't know what to say.
When we walked out of the school gate, he stopped and asked, "Do you want to go home together?"
I hesitated but then nodded.
We walked side by side, not talking much.
I could feel eyes on us.
Hema stood near the gate, pretending to laugh, but her smile slowly disappeared as she watched us. Jealousy was clear in her eyes.
A little away from us, Maira stood still.
She had seen everything.
Her face didn't change, but her eyes dropped to the ground. She turned away quickly, like she didn't want anyone to see her pain.
That hurt more than I expected.
As we reached the turn where our paths separated, Rivan stopped.
"See you tomorrow, Aruna," he said.
"See you," I replied.
He walked away, disappearing into the crowd.
I turned to leave and that's when I noticed her.
Maira was still standing there.
She hadn't moved.
She stood a little away from everyone, her bag hanging loosely on her shoulder, her eyes fixed on the ground. It was like she was waiting… or maybe she was trying to gather the courage to say something.
Our eyes met.
She took a step toward me.
Then another.
My heart started beating faster.