Chapter 1
Sakhi
The life of Sakhi was well… interesting , to say the least.
My life felt like a never ending marathon with loads of obstacles that I had to figure out how to dodge or pass through. Except for the fact that I didn’t get to decide which track I ran on, because those rights belonged in my father’s strict hands.
And it’s the universe’ rule to give the most chalant, rebellious, pretty, and impossibly interesting kids to the most strict of the parents. And I was that all but I was also wise. Which meant my parents and most of the older people in my family had zero idea of my not-so-acceptable personality.
The sharp raps of knuckles against my door startles me, and I am reminded that I wasn’t in the safe space to get lost in the thoughts of my life.
“Miss. Thakre if it’s you then step out immediately!” the helper maushi yells as she rasps her knuckles. Okay think Sakhi, you’ve got to dodge this bullet otherwise you are as good as dead. Idea!
After a quick fumbling of my phone, a voice answers from within the bathroom stall I have been hiding in for past half hour unbothered until this maushi came rasping at the door. “Uhmm, Maushi I am not Thakre.” The just AI generated voice answers. A pause and I can basically see the gears turning in maushi’s head as she tries to decode if or not the voice belongs to me. I quickly open youtube and play the farting sound; and just like that I can hear the Maushi step back. I hold my giggle in with a lot of effort.
“Okay okay. Make sure you flush!” she retorts before leaving the bathroom. I finally exhale. Snickering at my own brilliance. I open my group chat and see a message from Kitty, ‘the corridors r flooded with enemies, soldiers stay wherever you are for more fifteen minutes. Except for Thakre and Jui u guys have got a clear coast - if you run now, you’ll get out of the left gate undetected. That watchman still doesn’t know he has to look for us.”
I exhale deeply ignoring the buzzing family group chat and my sister’s dozens of messages. Later, sister, I have an escape to make. I take light steps as I watch out for the maushi I had just misled. I look out of the door, just like Kitty had promised they were clear. I can hear my heartbeat in my throat. One thing about me: I am not the fastest runner in my class. Ignoring the haunting thought I make a run for it, not looking back as if it would somehow save me.
I don’t slow down for a single second, not even when I make a dangerously sharp turn and nearly trip over my own feet, which happens more often than I would like to admit, I can finally see the left gate, hope makes an appearance in my heart as I steady my pace near the ending.
I school my face into indifference, and I barely see a pink blur through the periphery of my vision before Jui finally collides with me.
“Gods! Sakhi.” she says, hugging me tightly. It always makes me grin and my chest swells with pride whenever I see Jui breaking rules and being a little rebel because of us. Afterall, she’d just been a sweet little missy who hadn’t known the adrenaline surge before we happened. I hug her just as fiercely before releasing her.
“We need to get out of here Jui-Bui! Otherwise someone will catch us!” I say in whispers. She nods and we walk out of the left gate of our huge college, building looking all bits poised. I smiled at the watchman who would receive a call from the principal really soon but by then we would’ve fled the building.
He smiles back and I walk ahead skipping. We really made it.
“WAIT! Thakre!” I stop dead in my tracks. I exhale and look at Jui.
“Run and don’t look back.” I whisper. Jui looks scared out of her skin before I turn to look back at the watchman.
“Yes?” I say as sweetly as possible.
He walks ahead and I just can’t miss the stick he is carrying. Gods, is he going to beat me with it?
“You dropped this kid.” he says. My smile is instantaneous as I take the handkerchief from his hand.
“Thank you uncle, have a great day.” I say before storming off, breaking into run as I run after a very fast Jui. I catch her near the hostel. She is standing there out of breath hell, I can barely breathe.
I look up at her and she smiles. And in a fraction of a second we break into hysterical laughter. We are still shaking from laughter too close to falling right there on hard tar road and roll with our stomachs clutched, when my phone starts buzzing insistently. I think it’d be Kitty, congratulating us on our escape and reporting on developments from others.
But I am wrong, it’s Mahi di. I answer the phone bringing it to my ear and she’s already calling me an idiot.
“Hello to you to di” I answer dryly.
“You big dumbo! Where the hell have you been! You absolute bitch.” she nearly yells into her phone’s speaker. Jui takes one look at my face and asks who it is I mouth Di and she nods knowingly as she starts walking, I trail behind her.
“Did hell break loose?” I question with my signature sarcasm.
“Nearly you idiot,” okay now I am officially intrigued, I am the dramatic sister. “My potential husband is visiting!”
-
