Lakshmi’s POV
I returned to my quiet and lonely home once again, at least that was what I expected the atmosphere to be like. My parents would have gone to work and I won’t see them for another week or even a month.
I rolled my eyes in disappointment and threw my school bag to God knows where, I was so sure a maid will come pick it up.
“You are not going to bring that boy to this house. I will never allow you to insult our marriage in such a disgusting way” my mum was running after my dad who was quickly making his way down the stairs.
“Veer! Veer!” My mum called out to him but he didn’t reply.
“Veer I said stop there right now or else you will be signing divorce papers very soon” my mum threatened and finally she got my dad’s attention.
“Really?” My dad was more than shocked as he turned around to look at my mum who had successfully made her way downstairs.
My mum was about to say something when she noticed me standing at the entrance of the house still with my school uniform on, she signaled for my dad to turn around which he did and he nearly had a heart attack.
“Lakshmi.. darling.. you are back so early ?” My mum was trying to pretend as if nothing happened.
“Don’t even try that nonsense with me right now. I should be asking the both of you why you are still at home and not at work,” I was losing my mind and I walked closer to them.
“What is happening dad? Why are you and mum arguing? And why does she claim that you want to insult your marriage?” I was about to have an emotional breakdown.
“No dear, your mum and I aren’t having serious issues, we were just talking” my dad held my shoulders but I forcely freed myself from him.
“She just clearly threatened to divorce you. I want to know the truth right now and it would be better if you don’t lie to me” I pointed my fingers at them.
“You cannot talk to us like this, we are your parents” my mum tried to shun me but I was too angry to listen to anything she had to say, just so she could avoid the topic.
“Mum if you don’t tell me the truth right now I am going to go in there and pack my things so I can leave this house and sustain my peace of mind” I threatened my parents even though I didn’t know what I was saying and where I would go to, I still stood my ground.
“Darling, you have to calm down,” my dad said calmly.
“Don’t tell me to calm down. I will count down from ten and if you don’t start talking by the time I get to one then…” I couldn’t finish my statement when my mum blurted out.
“Your father has a child with another woman” my mum said quickly before she covered her mouth as tears escaped from her eyes.
“What?” My mood changed completely and I could see the anger my dad had towards her. He turned towards her direction, fuming with anger. I was so confused I didn’t know what to do. I just ran into my bedroom and locked the door.
“Lakshmi, Lakshmi please open the door. We can talk about this” my dad tried to beg me but my mind was too clouded with thoughts. I didn’t know what to think or how I was supposed to react. I was just confused.
“Lakshmi please listen to your father” my mum was supporting my dad but I wasn’t willing to listen to any of them.
“Why are you asking her to come out? Didn’t you think of the repercussions when you blurted out the truth” I could hear my dad scolding my mum.
“Both of you should just go away! I don’t want to see you or hear anything from you!” I screamed as I sat on the bed and folded my knees in such a way that it was touching my chin and I wrapped my hand around my legs, crying my eyes out. I just couldn’t take any of this much longer.
I was already frustrated. I didn’t step out of my room throughout the rest of the day.
I made sure to set my alarm at exactly 4am so I could prepare myself for school and exactly at 6:30 I made the driver take me to schooI. I was trying to avoid my parents as much as I could.
At school
I arrived at school very early, too early in fact but Mia was already there before me. No wonder she wasn’t waiting for me at the orphanage gate when I went to get her.
“Mia?” I called out to her, she was so focused on her textbook that she didn’t even notice my presence.
“You are here early” she stood up from the stairs where she was seated.
“Yes” she gave me a faint smile.
“Why did you come to school so early?” I was very curious.
“I have problems, I am trying to run away from my fear” Mia looked at me and smiled which made me burst into laughter.
“Mia you can never run away from your fear because it will always return to you.
“Isn’t that the same thing you are doing right now?” Mia closed her textbook.
“What?” I got confused.
“You came to school this early just so you can stop thinking about why your parents are fighting” Mia nodded her head slowly as she tried to guess what my own problem was.
“That’s not really the case though. I just found out a secret my parents have been hiding from me, I just don’t know how to react to it so I left home. I’m trying to clear my head.” I explained things to her.
“Ok” she shrugged.
“Mia what problems do you have?” I folded my eyes as I tried to concentrate on her.
“I’m bad luck, you should start staying away from me if not you might get hurt” Mia shrugged and for a moment I felt like my ears weren’t hearing the right thing.
“Mia, are you sure you didn’t take anything that messed with your reason? When did you start believing in luck, not just any luck but bad luck”. I was trying to wrap my head around what she just told me.
“Luck exists, this book here talks about it” she handed me a book and here I thought that she was reading a textbook. I didn’t know she was reading something else titled
“Existence of luck”.
“This is complete nonsense even if the title doesn’t make any sense. Mia, not everything you read in books or on the internet are true and besides where did you get this book?” I looked at the book once again.
“From the city library” she looked at her feet.
“Then you better return it, in fact I will stop at the city library on our way home after school today just so you can return this book. It is of no use to you and you should get rid of it okay?” I caressed her face.
“Okay” she agreed and nodded her head as if she was just a year old. I found it really cute.