Sophia's Freedom

Chapter 26: Standing up to the Bully

*** Reading about Abhinu's journal made me realize, it is more tragic than all of the Shakespearan novels combined together. First, he lost his dad, then he lost all his team members in the car crash, and finally losing his best friend. Sorry correction, his Sister. I am beginning to feel as if destiny is playing a cruel trick on Abhinu. I wonder what was Monika's condition when she learned about the death of Aarohi. ***

                                                          18th July 1993

Today is Sunday. Doctors at the hospital allowed me to come home. The house fell silent today. Normally on Sunday's Aarohi lightens up everyone's mood and keeps the house lively. She was the shining light of the family, but with her demise, everything felt so different. Aamaya didi is in her room, Uncle is also looking sad and Aunty is trying to cope with her loss by trying to be busy in the kitchen. Suddenly uncle called me and said that during the last match, someone approached him and informed him that both Aarohi and me were selected for the national team. However, he told me that he doesn't want me to go. I was shocked to hear it from him and asked him the reason. He got angry and shouted at me. If he is saying no that means no, I am not going. Further, he asked me not to oppose his decision. I kept insisting and out of anger he caught hold of my arms and said that he had lost his favorite daughter and he cannot bear to lose me. No more basketball for me from tomorrow, he is going to drop me at school and pick me up as well. It felt like uncle is unable to endure Aarohi's loss. He misses her more than me. He is probably in much more pain than me. Even though my arms ached when he pulled it, I felt better enduring the pain than telling him about it.

                                                         19th July 1993

I was back to school after 10 months. Principal sir has allowed my promotion to the next class without sitting in the exams. Amongst all, I was unable to digest the absence of Aarohi and Sunaina in the class. Things felt lonely. Monika came and sat next to me and said that she will always be with me in every step of my life. She told me that she cannot fill the void created by Aarohi in my life, but we can join hands to make the class believe that Aarohi's loss has not gone in vain. I told her that I had promised uncle never to play basketball again. She told me that it's ok, she will teach me karate and that will help me control my mind and help me cope with Arohi’s loss. It felt like a great idea and I agreed to learn. The new academic session started just 2 weeks back, therefore, I have not missed much. Monika volunteered to help me with whatever I had missed academically. During the second period, Surya came and sat beside me. She too offered her help to support my studies and cope with my loss. Amidst all this, there was one person, Harsh, who had not changed a bit. He continued to taunt me and kept telling me that I was cursed. He even told Surya that she should not sit next to me otherwise it may be her turn to leave all of us. 

But it appeared like he was afraid of Monika because when she stood up to confront him, he stepped back and ran away.

*** Wow, this boy has not learned his lesson. Why can't he be good towards a classmate? I hope Monika has not done anything harsh, to punish him. I continued reading. 

Abhinu writes that the school continued as usual.  Everyone in the school has started calling Monika, Abhinu, and Surya, the new musketeers. Abhinu has been learning Karate from Monika extensively and within 4 months he has qualified for the yellow belt and working hard for an orange belt. The level of dedication this guy is showing is extraordinary. He writes that Monika's Sensei was pleased with his performance but when asked about his intention to turn pro, Abhinu replied negatively. He just wanted to learn martial arts to control emotions, Abhinu added. He also writes that he took part in interschool Karate competition that year and won a bronze. A month later in December, they had their half-yearly exams. ***

                                                                      3rd December 1993

Two more days left before the half-yearly exams. We have been spending most of our time preparing. It was a special day for me, it was my birthday today. Normally a child feels happy on his birthday but in my case, I am not sure whether I should be happy or feel sorry. It was Aarohi’s birthday too and I really miss her. On top of it I miss dad. Every year on my birthday he used to take me to Dehradun. It never mattered, where he was posted, but he and I used to take a long drive in one of his gypsies and would take a road trip towards Dehradun. There he used to book a table for the 2 of us and we would go and cut the cake together.

I guess it true that all good things come to an end. As I woke up, Uncle and Aunty came early in the morning to my room and wished me a happy birthday. Aamaya didi, Garima and Darika also came and wished me. I asked Uncle if we can go and visit Aarohi's grave and light a candle there since it was her birthday too. Uncle agreed to it and we went to visit her. As we approached the grave, we found Monika and Surya already standing there wearing a black dress and carrying a bunch of roses. Monika told me that it is her best friend’s birthday, how could she forget that. I hugged both of them and as we bow down to put the roses on her tombstone I got a glimpse of aunty drying her moist eyes. 

The rose sapling planted in our last visit has grown up and started to blossom. However, I found that it was a mistake because it was yellow in color, not red as I presumed at that time. I remember Dad once telling me a long time ago that the yellow rose symbolizes friendship made in heaven. But even in my mistake, certain beliefs stand good. After all, I and Aarohi were the truest of friends. Finally, I bid adieu to Aarohi and left home. GOD SPEED AAROHI… I REALLY MISS YOU A LOT…

*** Abhinu writes that over the next 1 week they had their exams and were mostly busy in their studies. He wrote his exam satisfactorily and he feels that he is going to top the class and make Aarohi proud. After the exams, the results were declared on the 21st of December and he topped the class followed by Surya and Monika. However, during this time, an incident took place which ruined Abhinu's life forever. ***

                                                       21st December 1993

Recently Harsh has started to tease and taunt me more. He has started telling everyone in school that I cast a black spell on anyone who tries to be my good friend. I keep ignoring him every day however today he took a step further by telling a few of my friends that they should stay away from me because whoever close to me ends up dead. Initially, I tried to ignore him and refrained from any protest. Even though I was good at self-defense, I promised Monika never to use it on anyone. As I tried to control my anger Monica came and consoled me and said that they are bullies.  It was Aarohi and Sunaina’s s destiny to leave before their time. I reached home and asked aunty what should I do if someone tries to bully me and she told me that bullies are always cowards from the heart, all you have to show is your courage to face them and they will stop. I should stand up to them.

*** Yes, Aunty said it right, if someone bullies you, we should stand up to them and let them know we are not afraid of them ***

                                              22nd December 1993

In another 2 days, it is Christmas. Monika had come and invited me and Surya to their home for Christmas. However, what happened today ruined my life forever. It was the worst day of my life. As usual, Harsh was mocking me. He told me that I am a ragamuffin.

Even I had cast a dark spell on my parents and that's the reason they ended up dead. I lost control of my temper and felt helpless and despair at losing my family which was my primary support base and dearest sister Aarohi. I lost my calm and started punching him to release my frustration. 

I did not remember anything about the severity of my action. I don't recall who pulled me off. It seemed I was in a fugue state at that moment and in my blind rage everything appeared hazy. But the consequences were pretty severe. Soham had to be admitted to the hospital.

I was called by our principal while he was having a word with Soham's parents. After some time a few policemen came and told me that there has been a complaint against me and I will be taken to the Juvenile Detention Centre until my parents come with a lawyer and release me. I didn't know how the matter escalated so bad.

I was crying and the policemen didn't care that I was just a child. He told me that crying is a common practice used by young children to fool the police and attract their sympathy. I kept praying to God that somehow my father would come and take me away from this place. I was very scared. At around 8:00 p.m. I saw aunty at the police station, with another man wearing a black coat.

As they were discussing something with a police official, a nice and kind policeman came and took me to aunty. We were walking towards the room when the policeman who escorted me said that it is a shame for a state-level athlete to see the 4 walls of a detention center. He made me promise that I should never meet him in this room ever again which I did. I was so ashamed of myself that I was unable to look at auntie’s face.

*** O my God!!! Damn, this is bad. having your name on the police records is a bad thing. Hope they don't make a criminal out of him. 

I am feeling sad about this Abhinu if all his troubles were not enough, now Harsh comes to ruin his life. Is he ever going to get some happiness in life? Can someone really be born with such a destiny? 

All things considered, I could not shake this feeling that even though things are happening to him, someone is rewriting his destiny. ***

Wait-A-Minute did Miss Sengupta talk about Abhinu that day.

Was this the child she helped? Abhinu Banerjee?

TO BE CONTINUED…