Aarinya had just woken up for school. She was lying quietly on her bed, staring at the ceiling. As soon as she opened her eyes, a familiar memory rushed back to her—the day she was supposed to give her Class 11 final exam and move on to Class 12. But fate had other plans.

That morning, she had gone downstairs, expecting to see her mother as usual. But the house felt strangely silent. Not seeing her in the kitchen, Aarinya walked towards her parents’ room. She found her mother lying on the bed.

Her mother was a caring and responsible woman who always woke up early to complete all the household work, never wanting to disturb her daughter. Seeing her still in bed was unusual.

“Mumma, it’s getting late… please wake up,” Aarinya said softly, thinking she was just asleep.
But there was no response.
Aarinya moved closer and gently shook her. “Mumma… get up,” she said again, her voice trembling. When her mother still didn’t move, panic took over. She began shaking her harder, her voice rising into desperate cries.
“Mumma, please wake up… Mumma!”

Hearing her screams, the neighbors rushed into the house. They found Aarinya crying uncontrollably, holding onto her mother. One of the neighbor women gently pulled Aarinya aside and checked her mother.

After a moment, she looked at Aarinya with heavy eyes and said softly, “She is no more.”
“No… no… this can’t happen!” Aarinya screamed, refusing to believe it.
The neighbors immediately called her father and informed him about everything.
He arrived the next day.
As he entered the house, he saw two heartbreaking sights—his wife lying lifeless and his daughter broken in tears. Harnam Singh was not a man who expressed emotions easily. He was strict, reserved, and deeply introverted. Silently, he performed all the final rituals.
Days passed, but he noticed something in Aarinya—she was slowly withdrawing into herself, becoming quieter and more distant with each passing day.
Thinking about her future and the need for someone to take care of her, he decided to remarry. Within six months, he married Rashi.
Rashi entered their lives with warmth. She tried to love Aarinya like her own daughter, holding her gently and offering the care she had lost.

Back to the present…
Aarinya opened her eyes, pulled out of the painful memories. She quickly got out of bed and went to the washroom to freshen up. A year had passed since that incident, and now she was in Class 12.
After getting ready in her school uniform, she walked downstairs. She saw Rashi in the kitchen, preparing breakfast. Her father was not there.
The house felt quiet… but not empty anymore.

Aarinya stood near the dining table for a moment, watching Rashi from a distance. The soft clinking of utensils and the smell of fresh breakfast filled the air. Rashi turned around and noticed her.
“You’re awake… come, sit. Breakfast is almost ready,” she said gently.
Aarinya nodded slightly and sat down, her movements calm but distant. Rashi placed a plate in front of her and poured a glass of milk.
“Eat properly. You have school,” Rashi added with a small smile.
Aarinya picked up her spoon but didn’t say much. She wasn’t rude—just quiet. There was always a thin wall between them, made of unspoken emotions and memories that refused to fade.
After a few minutes, Aarinya finally asked, “Where is Papa?”
“He left early for some work,” Rashi replied softly.
Aarinya just nodded again.
She finished her breakfast in silence, picked up her bag, and stood up. As she was about to leave, Rashi called out, “Aarinya…”
She paused but didn’t turn back immediately.
“Take care… and all the best,” Rashi said, her voice full of genuine concern.

Aarinya slightly turned her head, gave a faint nod, and walked out.
On the way to school, Aarinya sat by the window of the bus, looking outside. The world moved as usual—people rushing, children laughing, life going on. But inside her, everything still felt slow and heavy.
When she reached school, the familiar noise of students filled the atmosphere. Some were laughing, some were discussing studies, and some were complaining about exams.

“Aarinya!” a voice called from behind.
She turned and saw her friend running towards her.
“Where were you yesterday? I called you so many times!” her friend asked.
“I was just… busy,” Aarinya replied softly.
Her friend looked at her for a moment, sensing something, but didn’t push further. “Okay, come fast. The teacher is already in the class.”

They both walked in together.
Inside the classroom, Aarinya sat in her seat and took out her books. The teacher started explaining, but her mind kept drifting away. Memories, emotions, and unspoken pain kept pulling her back.

She looked around at her classmates—everyone seemed normal, happy, carefree.
For a moment, she wondered…
Will I ever feel like that again?
She quickly shook her head and focused back on her notebook.
Because no matter how broken she felt inside…
She had learned one thing—
She had to keep going.

Thank you