Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters and places mentioned. All the places are fictional and any resemblance is a mere coincidence.
Ting Tong
The bell rang, Disha opened the door. She looked at the visitor and smiled.
Disha lovingly: Kesy ho Jay beta, kahan thy itny din…
Jay respectfully: Mai theek hun Auntie… bs hum Dehra-dun gaye huye thy, mery cousin ki Shaadi thi… phir wahin pe chutiyan guzari hain, kl hi wapis aya hun to aaj aap logo sy milny aa gaya… (Looking here and there) yeh Daya kahan hai? Mai pehly ground pr gaya tha socha tha Daya wahin milly ga football ki practice krty huye, jb Daya wahan nahi mila to mai yaha aa gaya…
Disha signalled towards the room: Daya apny room mai hai… aj kl bahir km jaata hai… tbiet theek nahi uski…
Jay in worry: kya hua?
Disha sighed: doctor keh rhy thy weakness hai zyada stress body pr dalny ki wajah sy…
Jay nodded his head in yes: theek hai… mai jaata hun usky pass… (Disha just gave a slight nod to him and closed the main door behind his back)
Jay entered inside Daya's room and saw him lying over his bed with a book in his hand: hey buddy… (Jay gave a high-five to him to which he reciprocated) Kesa hai?
Daya replied smilingly: Mai theek hun, mjhe kya hua hai? Tu kesa hai…
Jay: mai bhi theek hun… tu bata… Auntie keh rhi thi k aj kl kuch tbiet kharab hai teri? Tuny mjhe bataya bhi nahi?
Daya waived off his worry: Mai theek hun yaar, bs Mumma or Abhi zyada hi pareshan ho jaaty hain mjhe ly k… Even doctor bhi yahi keh raha tha… lekin tjhy to pata hai Bhai kitni care krta hai meri… wo to doctor sy lar kr bhi aaya hai abhi do din pehly…
Jay also said in worry: Haan to Abhijeet bhaiya ny theek kiya na… agar doctor keh raha hai k koi problem nahi to tu theek kyun nahi ho raha?
Daya irritatingly: ab tum mat shuru ho jana… (excitingly) chal wo sb chor, Abhi ny mjhe naya PlayStation dilaya hai… (leaving bed with) aa ja khelty hain…
Jay followed him: kon kon si games hain… FIFA khelunga mai…
Daya nodded and arranged the PlayStation. It took more than the required time. Disha saw them playing from the kitchen and prepared snacks for them. They were playing and laughing. Disha smiled looking at them as it felt like she saw her baby laughing after a long time.
Jay elbowing Daya: Daya theek sy goal krna warna haar jayein gy hum… (at the same time having snacks)
Daya nodded. But still, they lost the match. It was like Daya's hands were not as flexible as they were. His fingers showed signs of dexterity, his fingers were not able to handle the game console like he used to do.
Jay angrily : sb teri wajah sy hua hai… tu theek sy khail hi nahi raha tha…
Daya argued: mai bilkul theek sy khail raha tha… (resetting the game) chal phir sy khelty hain…
They again started the match but the results were the same. They lost again and again. In the end, Jay frustratingly threw the game console on the sofa.
Jay frustratingly: maine nahi khelna ab… esa lag raha hai tu khailna hi bhool gaya hai…
Daya rubbed his face: chor game hum Movie dekhty hain…
Jay sided with him: chal laga koi achi Movie…
Daya nodded. He prepared for Movie, it was taking him longer than required.
Jay took the Pendrive from him: tu yeh mjhe dy or araam sy beth…
Daya looked at him tiredly and sat down on the sofa. Jay started the movie. Disha gave them popcorns to enjoy the Movie.
The school opened in September. But the summer's rest had not brought any improvements. Now, it was an ordeal for Daya to drag himself out of the bed in the mornings. Going to school had become the most difficult task for Daya. He was going through severe leg cramps during nights unable to support his weight in the mornings. His head had also developed a tremor, a constant nodding head.
Daya was standing with a down head before his teacher: Daya kya hai yeh? Yeh handwriting ko kya kiya hai chutiyon mai? Itna chota likha hai k mjhe nazar hi nahi aa raha… (All the faculty member saw them, it was surprising for every teacher that Daya was standing in the faculty room that too for the snubbing.)
He showed Daya the notebook. His writing had shrunk to the pinhead size. It was no longer eligible: agar tumny apni writing theek na ki to tum exams nahi dogy…
Daya nodded and silently from there with the notebook in his hands.
The month of November started, the monthly tests were going in the school. In tests, he was failing miserably. It was shocking for everyone; the family, the teachers and even his class fellows were astonished to see his deterioration in the school. His fellow members had started to tease him regarding his condition.
Boy to his friend: Oye wo dekh… (pointing to Daya) pendulum aa raha hai class mai… (and he laughed while holding his stomach) hahahahaha…
His friends also laughed. Daya saw them making fun of him so he approached them and threw his back-pack on him. The boy was able to handle the pressure and his back touched the blackboard. Daya angrily picked the sharped pencil from the front desk and pushed the boy hardly to the blackboard. An unknown strength empowered his muscles and he put the pencils just a centimetre away from the boy's right eye. Daya's eyes were red due to anger; the hand in which the pencil was held was trembling uncontrollably. It was like the pencil will pierce his eye anytime. Jay came beside him, he tried to stop Daya by pulling his arm but Daya was adamant. The boy looked Daya in fear.
The boy begged: Daya yeh kya kr rhy ho? Please chor do mjhe… lag jaye gi pencil mjhe…
Daya growled: kya bola tuny mjhe? Pendulum dikhta hun mai tjhe… (he spoke in slurred tone)
Jay forcefully pulled him off. The boy ran from there and bumped into the teacher who was coming inside the class. The boy looked at the teacher in fear and told him everything while crying.
The teacher glared Daya but it did not have any effect on him. The teacher grabbed Daya's arm and took him to the principal's office. He presented the whole situation in front of him. The principal called Disha.
A girl knocked on the door of Disha's classroom. Disha looked at her questionably: Ma'am aapko principal sir ny office mai bulaya hai…
Disha looked at her and nodded.
Disha knocked on the principal's door and entered with his permission. The principal told her all the happenings and stated his decision.
Principal: Daya ko do hafton k liye suspend kiya jaata hai school sy…
Disha was shocked on his harsh decision: lekin Sir aap esy kesy suspend kr skty hain Daya ko… (in apologetical tone) mai janti hun Daya sy ghalti hui lekin itna bara decision…
Principal to Disha: yeh Daya ki iss month ki paanchvi larai thi… or iss baar to Daya k karan Harsh ki aankh zaya ho skti thi… (to Daya) Daya jao or ja k apna bag ly k ao… (Daya obediently left the room) Mrs Shrivastava aap please bethain mjhe aapsy baat krni hai…
Daya entered his classroom. Everyone started to stare at him. He quietly started to pack his back. Jay approached him in hurry: kya hua Daya…
Daya looked at him and then continued his task. Jay again asked him: tu bata na k kya hua? Principle sir ny kya kaha?
Daya silently in slurred voice: unhony mjhe suspend kr diya hai school sy…
Everybody looked at him in shock.
Jay shockingly: esy kesy suspend kr diya? Tuny unhy bataya kyun nahi k Harsh ny pehly badtameezi ki thi?
Daya said in plain slurred voice: kya fark padta hai… leave it, please… mjhe is bary mai baat nahi krni Mumma mera wait kr rhi hain…
Saying so he took his bag and left the classroom.
Meanwhile in the principal's office…
Disha quietly sat down: Aap meri baat many to Daya ko kisi achy psychiatrist ko dikhaye… (serious tone) your son is not okay and he needs medical attention…
Disha looked at him with rage in her eyes: Sir yeh aap kya bol rahy hain? Daya ekdum theek hai… or aap to ussy bachpan sy janty hain na… kitna shaant bacha hai mera…
Principal in the same tone: G mai janta hun… lekin mai yeh bhi janta hun k Daya ab wo shant sa bacha nahi raha… Daya aik intahai aggressive bacha ban chukka hai jo k apny sathi students k liye khatra bn chukka hai… (Disha looked at him with teary-angered eyes) dekhain hum bhi Daya ki bhalai hi chahty hain… Daya was a brilliant boy but right now he is not even Daya anymore… Mr Shekhar… please explain her…
Mr Shekhar: Ma'am aap soch nahi skti k Daya us waqt kitny gussy mai tha wo to Jay beech mai aaya or kesy bhi kr k ussy door kia Harsha sy warna Daya aaj wo pencil Harsh ki aankh mai maa deta… he was just a centimetre away from Harsh's eye… (showing her Daya's report card) or yeh result dekhain… yeh, result Daya ka hai mjhe yakeen nahi aa raha… (telling her) he failed all the subjects this month… usny aik subject bhi pass nahi kiya… or uski handwriting parhny k like nahi hai… aap iss mamly ki sangeeni ko samjhain or please ussy kisi achy doctor ko deikhayein… (Disha looked at him in pain) hum Daya jesa honhaar student hum khona nahi chahty…
The principal sighed: dekhain Mrs Shrivastava, maine Daya ko suspend iss liye kiya hai k we have to answer the Harsh's parents as well… aap samjh rahi hain na? (Disha nodded in yes) aap in dinon mai Daya ka treatment karwaein he needs it…
Disha took a deep breath to control the tears that were threatening to come out of her eyes: G sir… I can understand… lekin mai itna zaroor kehna chahun gi k mera beta mentally ill nahi… bs aaj kl thori tbiet theek nahi hai uski jesa k maine aapko pehly bhi bataya tha… bs issi kiye ussy gussa aa jata hai…
The principal took out his glasses: Hum bs itna chahty hain k aap Daya ko kisi achy doctor ko dikhaye jo uska acha treatment k sky or hummy aik brilliant student ko khona nahi chahty… (advising her) aap abhi ghar jayein Daya ko lekar… mai aapko half leave dy raha hun…
Disha took the result card from the teacher's hand and left the room.
Daya was standing outside the room with a down-head. He looked at her with teary eyes and hug her; he spoke in slurred voice: Sorry Mumma… I am sorry… meri wajah sy aapko daant pari… (sniffing) par mai kya krta wo Harsh mera Mazak ura raha tha… (crying) class mai sb mera Mazak uraty hain… I hate them…
Disha just caressed his head while controlling her outburst of tears: bs mera Gudda… Mumma hain na… kisi ko mazak nahi urany daingi tera… (separating her; she prompted him to move) chal hum ghar chalain… mai apny bety k favourite aaloo k parathy bna k dungi apny bety ko…
Daya separated from her, she wiped his tears. Jay saw all of this from far, he also wiped the wetness that had formed in his eyes. He came forward with: Auntie yeh Daya apni book bhool gaya tha… (Disha took it with a nod)
Jay hugged Daya with a whisper: khayal rakhna apna and come back soon…
Daya just smiled at him.
At night, when Abhijeet arrived Daya was sleeping as Disha had given him the medicines with a mild sedative prescribed by his doctor as nowadays it was getting difficult for Daya to sleep. She told everything to Abhijeet.
Abhijeet in rage: esy kesy keh skty hai wo sb mere bhai k bary mai… pagal nahi hua hai mera bhai… theek hai wo… mai kl hi jaa k sir sy baat karun ga… esy kesy koi kuch bhi keh skta hai mere bhai ko… unki himat kesy hui mery bhai ko hurt krny ki...
Disha tried to calm him down: Nahi Jeet, aap kisi ko kuch nahi kaho gy… (asking him) mai chahti hun aik dafa Daya ka hum full checkup krayein… (took a sharp breath) CT scan k sath…
Abhijeet lookd at him with a jerk: Maa… aap…
Disha cut him: Jeet mai sirf apny guddy ko theek dekhna chahti hun or usky liye mjhe jo theek lagy ga mai karungi…
Abhijeet in pain hugged her: mai Rahul sy baat krta hun… (Disha nodded while a tear fell from her eye)
"They laugh at me because I am different
I laugh at them because they are all the same"
A/N:
Hi everyone...
This time I am not late... Thank you for your amazing reviews in the last chapter... Keep them coming... Here is your update...
Hopefully, you liked the chapter.
Next chapter after 40 reviews.
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