"someone's bright smiles carried the warmth of being someone's beautiful childhood."

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

──•❀A U T H O R' S  P O V

It was 5 am when the sound of the alarm hit Aria's ear, making her wince. Still tangled in sleep, Aria lazily reached for her bedside table to grab her phone and switch off the sound, which she hated because she was just a sleep lover who despised the fact that she had to wake up every morning to face the chaos-filled world that never abided by her.

However, today was different.

She didn't hate the alarm sound; on the contrary, she was excitedly waiting for it to ring for the past few hours now.

Today was the day when she finally began her life anew, a life she had been dreaming about since 7th grade.

Today she was going to move out of her home in Delhi to Gurgaon, from where she's going to pursue her bachelor's degree in management studies at IILM University.

After switching off the alarm, she hurriedly got off the bed and went to take a shower before she stepped out to face the adventures and troubles the day had in store for her.

After a quick shower, she changed into a bright blue coloured kurti and paired it with wide-leg jeans, which were suitable for her upcoming car ride.

After spending 20 minutes on contemplating what accessories to add and the amount of makeup that would be "just enough".

Aria decided to just put some concealer to hide the dark circles that she had now after staying awake late at nights for packing her belongings and discussing several important topics regarding admission, hostels, food, vacations- the list was never ending.

She also added some pink blush on her chubby, round cheeks that had also worked well as tint on her lips and completed the look by adding some half-round hoops as the only accessory to elevate her final look.

After being all dolled up, Aria went down the staircase to the dining room only to find Megha Kaki, their Househelp, setting the dining table for breakfast while her mother busied herself in the kitchen as she prepared multiple dishes because this was going to be her daughter's last breakfast here for a long time.

She knew once Aria settles there and her academic session begins she won't find enough time to come back here frequently, except vacations, and these every morning dining scenes were one of those Little moments she was going to miss the most with her daughter.

As the breakfast came to an end in the midst of the quick banter between Aria and her older brother, Adii, who had an opposite personality from hers, it was time for Aria to leave the house and to say goodbye to her family.

As Aria reached the doorway of the house, she took some slow steps and turned back to bid the final goodbye to her daadi, who was on the verge of letting her tears slip out, while she asked her granddaughter to contact her twice a day.

“Remember to inform us about any inconvenience or problems you face and want our help in solving them, and don't exhaust yourself too much,” it was her father, this time, who spoke, while lacing his concern with gentleness.

Mrs Ahuja, who was standing by her husband's side, nodded in agreement.

"Thank you, my family, for always making me feel so loved and pampered. I will always remember to share all my moments with you guys so you won't feel missing on the *the Aria specific* moments. Aria chuckled, saying, trying to lighten the emotional atmosphere, everyone laughed at her words.

As the car pulled away from the driveway, Aria kept her eyes fixed on the mirror, on the fading silhouette of her house and the clinking laughter of family breakfasts.

Although Today was a new beginning for her, she couldn't suppress the bittersweet feelings of leaving her family behind that lingered.

──•❀R I A A N' S P O V

"Say whatever you want to, but I'm not going to move a foot out of Mumbai!" I exclaimed firmly to my father, who has been forcing me to move to Gurgaon for my further studies.

I was determined not to leave this city, the only city that feels like a safe place to me and I can't give up on this place now because of someone who doesn't even treat me like I'm someone to him.

"What do you even do here except for tarnishing our name every day? You think working as a servant in a cafe is something you should be proud about?" I heard the man questioning me.

"Stop, dad." That's all I had to say because any other answer would lead to nothing less than a fight.

"You're ruining your name like this, your mother's name like this and my name". I couldn't stop myself from scoffing at his words.

"Which name? The one you failed to build for yourself?", I said abruptly.

I lost my control when those words came out of his mouth because what name did he even ever make for himself or for me to say that?

He has always been under the shadow of the Panchals and he still is but doesn't make a difference now.

He gave me a deadpan expression, making clear- he is now fumbling with anger, but that didn't budge me from wearing my own very serious expression and facing him, that's probably the only thing I have inherited from my cowardly father, his anger and temper.

My trance broke when a sharp pain tinged my left cheek, it was because of the slap that landed on me, which I didn't even realise when, I stood there, my hand pressed to my cheeks and my eyes glued to his then he finally broke the silence, "You're being no good but only becoming more arrogant and egoistic day by day, foolish moron".

With that, he left the house behind with a loud thud.

However, it's neither that his slaps affected me anymore nor his words did, it wasn't new and I no longer cared.

I hurriedly stormed off to my room and shut the door behind me.

I could feel the burning sensation on my skin, I wasn't sure if it was left behind by the slap or it was because of the fuel of anger, discontentment and hatred I always keep burying within me that had grown against my father.

Yes, I hated my father, I didn't always do so, but it slowly grew in me, although I tried my best not to, but I couldn't avert it, not after his words and actions.

After a quick shower, I dropped myself on the bed and closed my eyes, though sleep was far from coming, it didn't take long for my mind to travel back to that nightmare, I once survived, it still remembered the last sight of my mother before she went away for forever, it still remembers how he called me "foolish moron" for the first time, that slap I faced it still tings at the thought of it.

I tried to push away my thoughts as I sat up straight and gulped a glass of water, which was already placed on my bedside table. I couldn't help but feel that is what I deserve, and that is why he still calls me "foolish moron." Maybe I am.

Before my overthinker brain could mess my thoughts more and take me into a dive of manipulated thoughts, I squeezed my eyes shut and started taking deep breaths, pushing every negative thought that was trying to make its way to me.

Finally beginning to drift to sleep, my mind reminded me about that warmth, that hope and that bright smile that has been my only beautiful childhood memory, so beautiful that I silently crave to feel it again every day.

Just when the silence began gnawing at me, my phone screen lit up with a name that always brought chaos- and relief.

As soon as I picked it up, "Mar gya kya tu?" My best friend voiced so loudly that it could be heard from two rooms away, although it wasn't on speaker.

[Are you dead?]

"kya kaam hai?" I asked, trying my best to show that I'm already not so interested in whatever he has to say.

[What work do you have?]

"Kaam tujhe aane wala hun mai bete!," he said in his proud sass.

[I'll be of use to you son!]

"Tujh jaisa farigh bekaar aadmi mere konse kaam aa sakta hai?" I said, pressing my temples.

[How can a free, useless person can be of my help?]

He huffed, making me curious about what he had to say.

I asked again to get the answer out of his useless mouth, "bol bhi chup kyu hogya?" and wow, he burst out laughing, for what reasons? I don't know, but whatever it was, hearing him laugh made me laugh too.

[Speak, why have you gone silent?]

"Let's meet at my place in fifteen minutes", he said, his smugness never leaving his lips, is evident from his tone.

I didn't ask anything more and agreed in an instant.

Hanging up on the call, I quickly grabbed my bike keys and went straight out of my house.

I didn't know what awaited me at Aman's place, but whatever it was, I was just glad to get out for once, not to run away, not to escape, but just to let the wind drown out everything else around.

₊‧⁺˖⋆✩

Drop your feedback about the chapter in the comments sunbeams. I would love to know your thoughts on the characters and chapter and they will be of great reassurance to me.

Q- what according to you all Aman wants to tell?

Hope it wasn't boring😽( comment mei bata do if you thought so😔✋🏻). do voties and commenties.

Until next time,

Yours Kitty🐾.