Today, I should definitely figure out what this Vishal is doing. I just don't wanna feel alone. Being the only one with a magical scar and not knowing how to even use it properly?
'Avanti-' Padma started calling me for today's breakfast, as always.
'It's getting late' she shouted again. Arghh!
I wish Sravanti was here- I would get an excuse to skip school and live peacefully. But I'll try to talk to Vishal today- what if another twist- nope. I should see if he has a scar like mine! My scar started glowing faintly- is it really responding to my thoughts? I'll take it as a yes! Let's go-
'AVANTI!!!' Padma shouted again aggressively.
I left the room and ate my breakfast- which was boring. Vishal was eating slowly. I should wait to walk with him. So, I started acting like I'm fixing my hair. Bindu glanced at me.
I smiled and waved, 'Hey'
But she chose to me give me the silence treatment. She rolled her eyes and left. My smile faded as soon as she reacted like that. This is embarrassing. 'Hey, Avanti- will you come to school or not?' Harini asked me, while I was looking at Bindu just- leave me…
'Ayyyy,' Harini shrugged me. 'How long will it take for you to fix your hair?'. I still didn't reply. Bindu was happily talking to Ravi and Sreya and is even walking with them. Bindu left me…
'Go wash your plate Vishal' Padma told him as he was trying to escape with his bag. His face turned into a mashed potato. With a disappointed face, he took his plate to kitchen. Harini sighed and left as I wasn't responding. Bindu was still there near the door, talking with others while smiling. Why didn't she leave already? To hurt me? Should I join them too?
I slowly walked towards them as none of them noticed. 'And he literally thinks he's the school crush!' Bindu said and everyone burst into laughter.
'I can't even imagine a girl not rejecting him!' Ravi said.
Bindu saw me. As I stepped forward, she rolled her eyes again. She started stepping forward and others started walking with her. Is she intentionally trying to leave me? What was the freaking mistake I did? She's reacting as if I killed her brother! 'Bindu-' Padma called her.
She turned back to come in. On the other hand, Vishal- who's giving me weird looks was looking like he's trying to escape from me. 'Coming…' She said. I joined her to see what Padma would tell her. Bindu glared at me sharply- so sharp, her looks could slice a rock easily.
'Where's that Vishal?' Padma asked us, looking over the door.
'He's over there' I pointed out. He completely freaked out. Padma signed him to come. He came, walking slowly like a shy bride. 'Hehe, I just wanna be early…' He spoke awkwardly.
'Early to where? Heaven or what? For god's sake if I leave you and Avanti alone, I wouldn't be surprised even if an alien kidnapped you both. You came to eighth grade. But your brains are stuck at eight years old only!'
Bindu was literally dying- DYING to stop her laughter. Vishal was glaring at me. His looks are screaming- "I called you when you were taking the wrong turn!" I have no choice other than accepting my fate. 'I don't know, if I leave you two alone, you would go to Himalayas by being immersed in your "theoretical discussions" or you might even walk straight up to hell or heaven. Calling you both dummies would be an insult for innocent dummies. I have adopted you two right? Wouldn't you both adopt some brain and senses?'
Bindu closed her mouth, but a snort escaped her. Padma looked at her seriously. Bindu closed her mouth tightly, holding her laugh. Padma turned to us. 'I shouldn't even hear these things happening again. You're straightly going to school, and coming back. THAT'S IT. No other direction. I don't know if you would try to memorize the address or remember the landmarks- but for now,' She looked at Bindu.
'Dear Bindu, Today onwards you take these two little brats with you to school and from school. Without someone who actually has a brain, these two would act like donkeys- sorry, donkeys at least do their work, but these two won't! Oh my god… With god's grace, see how I told you about English homework and saved you?'
I looked down… She's saying a little too much at this point. 'Anyways, I might've said too much. Go. Bindu, take them dear.' She said.
I and Vishal looked at Bindu. Her eyebrows are raised, eyes wide and jaw is dropped. Her hands are shaking but she looked stiff. 'Go' Padma said. Bindu turned around and we started following her with our bags. She's walking straight- silently. As soon as we came out of our orphanage, both Bindu and Vishal distanced themselves from me intentionally.
'You can talk to her Vishal; just remember to follow me without getting lost.' Bindu said.
Vishal, laughing awkwardly said, 'No thanks- um, you can talk to her, she looks like she's lonely.' And he whispered something to her which I couldn't here.
Bindu looked at me and turned back. 'No Vishal, You talk to her-'
'Bindu, you don't understand-'
'I mean, she didn't even ask- what's your problem?'
'But look at her! She wants to talk to you-'
'If you can't see her being lonely, then you can-'
'STOP.' I interrupted them. Bindu rolled her eyes and Vishal was avoiding eye contact. Bindu sniffed. We looked at her.
'It's just cold- I'm not crying.' She said, wiping a tear from her red eyes. This is enough. I can't stay here with these two. Even if I have people around me, this loneliness is unsettling. I stormed off, running away from them.
'She'll get lost!'- I didn't care.
Now I understand what Sravanti told me…I really wanna talk to her- once again please! If I forget the route again? No- Padma would fry me until my soul vaporizes. I looked at my scar. Sravanti already knew how to control her scar right- she learnt it herself by experimenting. What if I experiment with mine? I gently brushed my scar. Its color intensity increased. Will it respond to me?
'Hello?' I said, not knowing what else to say.
The Scar's light started moving in a wavy motion, as if a jelly is smoothly, slowly breathing. My mind cleared as I closed my eyes. There's something in front of me- I opened my eyes. There's nothing. I dared to close my eyes again. I felt it. There's definitely something around me. Something solid- no. It's juicy and cold and warm- is it air? I opened my eyes again. There's nothing around me again. I closed my eyes…
Jelly and fuzzy feel- this is solid, but it's not. I can pick it up- but it's a fluid. What's around me? I swept my hands in air- and I feel every single particle of that fuzzy kinda thing. I picked it up like sand and it dragged down like slime. This feels like child's play. Relaxing… As I picked up as much as I could, something started sucking all of that from my hands. Is it my… Scar? I opened my eyes. There's nothing in front of me. Nothing happened. Just silence. What happened till now? What did I pick up? And why did my scar suck it up?
I brushed my scar again. The glow bounced and danced like a baby who just ate food. Did I just "feed" my scar? Did I activate it? Maybe should I use it? Wait- I am supposed to go to school right! I looked at my watch- it's 8:25AM! If I don't reach my school by 8:30, I would die! My scar wiggled. At this time? I looked around. If I start now, it would take more than 40 minutes reach school. I'm done. My scar wiggled again. Is the scar trying to help me?
'Help please, scar' I whispered awkwardly to my scar. Would that help? Oh- maybe should I do that picking up thing again? What should I do? I closed my eyes and moved my hands desperately- maybe this would work- this one should. But I can't find anything else to collect. What's happening? When I did it at first, it was successful, why not now??? I closed eyes again, shoving hands into the air- hold on. Something is coming out of my scar. Is this scar spitting out all of the- whatever I fed it? I opened my eyes.
Neon pink colored strings are coming out of my half heart shaped scar. These strings reached my legs and started covering my legs. And before I could do or say anything, these strings covered my eyes too. 'What's happening?' I whispered in rage. No response. But the strings slowly started leaving my legs and then, my face. As I opened my eyes, I was met with extreme shock- I am just before the school gate- everyone is going in… My scar did this!? I looked around with excitement. Vishal and Bindu who are just a few steps away are coming.
Vishal saw me first. He rubbed his eyes and pinched himself and poked Bindu's shoulder. Bindu looked at me. I smirked and entered into the school. Vishal didn't stop staring me in shock even after we came to our classes. 'Why is Vishal staring at you like that?' My bench mate, Pranathi asked me. I dropped my bag down and sat on my place. 'He's just shocked.' I said, smirking.
'Why is he shocked?'
I looked at her, 'Because I came to school before him.'
'So?'
'Just leave, you won't get it…' I said.
School was till now really great because of my scar- and yes, that English teacher almost fainted, looking at my homework. Well, I and Vishal are the only ones who did the homework in the entire class… Because, who the freak would do that much homework in just a day??? 23 essays, each 5 freaking times? The most someone did was writing 23 essays, only once.
Now it is lunch break. But there's a problem. Bindu would also be in cafeteria where we all should eat. Can my scar do something about it? And I should see what Vishal has on his Wrist too. I came to the cafeteria with Pranathi. 'Will you sit with Bindu today too? Then I'll go eat with my friends- bye!' She said left before I could even speak. What should I do? Bindu was over there talking with her friends. Should I talk to her?
'Hey, Bindu- I'm sorry' I said after I reached her. She raised her brows.
'I mean, you're still my best friend right- don't look at me as if I destroyed you!'
'I don't care you anymore. Because, you've got another friend- sorry, sister'
'But,'
'Don't annoy me-' she stopped me. Her friends were holding their laughs- for what? How in the world this is a funny scene for her freaky friends?
'Who's annoying you? I am you're bestie,'
'Stop talking to-'
'All I did was talk to another gir-'
'But you wanted to leave me!' She said louder.
I stopped. I didn't want to leave her at all… Why does she think like that? Just because I made another friend doesn't mean I left this friend! I opened my mouth to speak-
'You decided to be her sister like a gold digger!' She said out loud. Everyone looked at us. Bindu was panting as if she just came out of a marathon. 'Gold digger- you can leave now!' Bindu said again.
Gold digger? Everyone was staring at me as if I am a criminal… I walked towards a clean corner, embarrassed. Everyone started doing their own businesses. Even Pranathi was looking at me- is this why Bindu didn't like me? A rush of sadness filled my heart. I looked at my scar- which isn't glowing. I brushed it. Still; nothing. Is this all because my parents left me in the first place? Why do they want to make my life more complicated? Bindu isn't just angry- she's also disgusted by me.
'Avanti,' I felt a hand on my shoulder.
'Vishal?' I was surprised- immediately my gaze flickered to his wrist.
'Bindu is doing too much right' He said.
His wrist has something like a rectangle shaped thing- he has a SCAR too? But a different shape?
'You're not a gold digger though- she's just acting out of control' Vishal said.
I looked at my scar and his- even if the shapes are different, the way they are structured in depth on skin was literally the same! Yes, my theory is proven right now- he could do magic too- but, is he my brother? Like twin brother or what? 'I swear no one cares about what Bindu said to you. She's just weird sometimes-'
I looked at his face. Hmm- no similarities though- he's definitely not related to me… 'Hello? Avanti? Are you alive?' He moved his hand in front of my face.
'Yeah, just wondering why I am abandoned by my parents.'
'What?' he said- his jaw dropped.
I nodded, 'If I and Sravanti are biological twins, then why did our parents separate us at our birth? They intentionally wanted to abandon us.'
'I mean, she could be your dopple ganger right?' Vishal said.
'No. She isn't. She's my biological twin.'
'How are you confidently sure about it?' He asked, hiding his arm- well, I don't care now.
'Because we both have sca-' I stopped. Should I tell him? For sure, he's definitely an alien like me and Sravanti- I mean, we're just too different though, but if I tell him, what will he do? I can trust him right? Because as he was also hiding his scar, he can understand I mean and maybe he would open up too?
'You both?' Vishal asked me.
'Um, I should tell you a huge secret. I just hope you won't share it to anyone.' I whispered.
He blinked, and quickly took a glance at his hand. 'What?'
'I have this scar since childhood right?'
'You call it a scar?' Vishal asked me. What? Doesn't he know what a scar is? While having one?
'I just call these things as scratches.' He said. Oh… He has his own naming.
'Whatever, this scar I have- I can do magic with it. That's how I came to school before you.'
He widened his eyes. 'Oh… So that's how you even wrote English homework in few minutes?' I nodded.
My scar started burning. And it is hurting. What is this out of nowhere??? 'What else you could do with it?'
'I- um, I and Srav- Sravanti also has the same scar- and if we put our wrists together, our scars form a heart shape.'
Vishal dropped his jaw. 'Wow… So, you both could do magic together?'
My scar is continuously eating the life of my hand- What should I do?
'So, that means, you two are definitely related! And- that means your parents-'
I pressed my scar tightly as it started feeling like the scar is eating my hand alive.
'Separated you intentionally. That's sad.' I slapped my hand- the scar stopped burning.
'What did you-'
'Uh- nothing. Just for fun, you know.' He looked at me with concerned eyes.
'You're masking your sadness right? I feel like your parents must be searching you. Maybe you could find your family? You found Sravanti right?'
'Stop telling me that Sravanti coming to my life is a good thing for me. It only took Bindu away from me, and now I am left with no one. If I ever see my parents, I wanna ask them loudly-' a tear filled my eye. I looked down and lowered my voice.
'Why did they just- leave me like that? And now? I can't have Bindu or leave her. I wanna be with Sravanti- but she reminds me of parents, and I have this scar which I haven't figured out how to use? Or how to even control it- I was right at start- I am meaningless. I used live for Bindu for meaning but now? But n- n- now B- Bindu just…' I closed my face with hands, lowering my head onto my laps. I don't even have a cloth to wipe my wet hands too. I sniffed.
'I- I just- no one cares for me- I'm just- what if I have to leave Bindu forever? My only f- f- r- friend- d?' I cried with my broken voice. My heart is pounding harder and is heavier now- I am lifting a ton now.
'I hate m- m- m- p- parents! I HATE THEM' I said louder and closed my face again.
Vishal was just patting me gently.
'I h- ate my l- life- e. I don't-'
'You are going through a lot. As always, reality is a disaster bruh…' he said.
I wiped my eyes with my uniform and sat straight, coughing. 'It's okay… I swear, someday, you'll sure ask your parents- you'll definitely get the answers you need- be strong and patient. But for right now, just experiment with your scar and enjoy it-' He said. I simply nodded.
I brushed my scar gently- it vibrated in neon green. I don't know why, but the green vibe was cool and comforting…
'Gotta go- bye, take care' he said and left.
Some green feely air surrounded me as if it was comforting me. Maybe my scar burned before because I was sad too. Another tear plunged out of my eyes. I smiled even if it's bitter sweet. I might have no one. But I have my scar… I kissed my wrist gently. Bindu was looking at me as if I am an idiot. I saw her.
'Let's go guys,' Bindu said and left with her friends. I am not an idiot. I just love my scar. My heart is still crying in spicy anger and cold sadness. Now onwards, I live for my scar- but the fact that I have no other human who listens to me is breaking me…