Ring *Ring *Ring

Arvi’s eyes flew open at the shrill sound of her phone. Groggy and confused, she blinked against the harsh morning light pouring through the window. Rubbing her eyes, she reached blindly for her phone, finally answering the call with a croaky voice.

"Arvi! You're late! It's your first day of college, for God's sake!"

A familiar voice sharp and panicked  burst through the speaker.

Her heart sank.

"Oh no!" she gasped, bolting upright. Panic rushed through her veins like cold water. She scrambled to her wardrobe, pulling on a black kurti and a pair of worn blue jeans. There was no time for makeup or elaborate accessories just a simple watch and tiny earrings. She slung her bag over her shoulder, locked her tiny room, and dashed out onto the bustling street.

She hailed an auto-rickshaw with frantic waves, her heart hammering against her ribs.

The journey to college blurred past. The city's noise honking cars, shouting vendors, barking dogs all melted into the background as her mind raced ahead of her.

As she stepped out of the rickshaw and was about to rush through the college gates, a voice called out.

"Arviii!"

She turned immediately.

There she was  Nia. Her sunshine. Her anchor.

Without thinking, Arvi sprinted towards her, wrapping her best friend in a tight hug.

"I missed you so much, Nia," she whispered, blinking back sudden tears.

"If that was true, you'd have visited me, haina?" Nia teased, mock pouting.

"You know my situation, Nia... you can't be mad at me," Arvi said, nudging her shoulder playfully.

"Mad? Never. You're my baby girl," Nia smiled, squeezing her tighter.

They giggled like old times, linking arms as they walked inside, the weight of loneliness lifting from Arvi’s chest for the first time in a long time.

The day passed in a whirl of introductions, lectures, and hurried note-taking.

When college ended, Arvi sat alone on a bench, staring blankly at the falling leaves, her mind wandering into dark corners she wished she could avoid  life, survival, loneliness.

The auto driver’s rough voice snapped her back.

"Madam, paise?"

Blushing in embarrassment, she quickly paid the fare and stumbled into her little room.

The four walls that were supposed to be her shelter sometimes felt like a prison, closing in when the memories grew too heavy.

She freshened up with a quick, cold shower and changed into her restaurant uniform a plain black shirt and trousers.

This was her second life: working evenings to pay for her tiny existence.

Arvi’s story wasn't ordinary.

She was an orphan.

Her parents  once wealthy and well loved  had perished in a tragic car crash when she was only two. She had survived, yes but merely breathing wasn’t the same as living.

No warm bedtime stories. No packed lunches. No comforting hugs after a bad dream.

Her world had been an endless string of "what-ifs" and "why-me’s."

At eighteen, she had refused the arranged marriage the orphanage had planned for her. She had packed her bags, her courage, and her dreams, and walked into a world that barely noticed her.

Homeless nights. Hunger pangs. Cold floors. Still, she fought.

Nia sweet, stubborn Nia had found her, given her a place to sleep, and a hand to hold.

It was Nia who helped her land a job at Lily Restaurant.

It was Nia who reminded her that she was not born to be invisible.

But still...

At night, when the world slept, Arvi lay awake, staring at the ceiling, aching for a family that only lived in her memories.

Her birthdays were the cruelest reminders.

The day she was supposed to be celebrated... was the day she became an orphan.

She hated that day.

Hated it with the fierce, wild rage only grief could sharpen.

Once, when the girls at the orphanage had tried to throw her a small surprise, she had screamed at them, shattered plates, slammed doors.

Because how do you celebrate the day everything you loved was taken away?

Snapping back to the present, Arvi fixed her hair, put on a brave face, and left for work.

The restaurant buzzed with energy. Afreen her lively colleague waved at her.

"Hello, cutie pie! Why so late today?" she teased, elbowing Arvi.

"I started college today," Arvi smiled shyly.

Afreen beamed. "That's amazing, Arvi! But... are you sure you can manage both college and this job? It’s a lot."

"I don’t have a choice," Arvi said simply, her voice soft but steady.

"Come, come. Before boss sees us chatting," Afreen said, tugging her inside.

Just as they fell into their usual rhythm  cleaning tables, taking orders  a sharp voice rang out across the restaurant.

"Everyone, gather around!"

The staff huddled quickly, sensing urgency.

The boss stood stiffly, his arms crossed.

"We have a very special guest arriving. He has booked the entire restaurant for the next hour. I want perfection. Hospitality, service, everything. No mistakes, or you’re done. Understood?"

Nods all around.

After an hour her boss came and said,

"Arvi, you  serve drinks to Table 2. Two guests," the boss barked.

"M-me, sir?" she stammered.

"Yes, you. And remember: NO mistakes."

Nerves wrapped themselves around Arvi like chains. She picked up a tray, placed two glasses of juice carefully, and began walking.

Each step felt heavier than the last.

The clinking of glasses seemed louder than her heartbeat.

She could feel dozens of eyes watching her, willing her to fail.

And then.

Their eyes met.

Piercing. Icy blue, Commanding. Sharp.

For a moment, Arvi forgot how to breathe.

Something about him  the way he carried power like a second skin  shook her to the core.

But hidden somewhere deep in those harsh eyes was a strange kind of sadness, too.

Her grip faltered.

The tray slipped. The glass tipped. Juice splashed.

Straight onto the man's tailored suit.

Time stopped.

"WHAT THE FUCK. ARE YOU FUCKING BLIND?? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE, YOU FOOL?"

His roar ripped through the restaurant.

Arvi’s heart plummeted. Her body froze, her face pale with horror.

The boss came running, bowing and scraping, mortified. Staff rushed to clean the mess.

"You IDIOT!" the boss yelled at her. "One guest! You had ONE job! Half your salary gone this month. GET OUT!"

Arvi stood there, mute, paralyzed by shame, tears burning her eyes. The humiliation soaked deeper than the spilled juice ever could.

Afreen quickly hugged her.

"Please don’t cry, Arvi... It was just an accident..."

But the words couldn't reach her.

"I am useless. I shouldn’t have been born," Arvi choked out, her voice breaking.

And before anyone could stop her, she tore away from Afreen’s arms and ran  past the tables, past the stares, out into the dark, gasping for air.

Authors pov:

And that’s where we leave her heart pounding, knees weak, and a thousand silent screams trapped inside her.

Maybe to some, it’s just a spilled drink.

Maybe to some, it's just a bad day.

But for Arvi, it’s yet another reminder that no matter how hard she tries the world seems determined to break her.

Thank you for reading.

If you felt her fear, her loneliness, and the tiny flicker of strength she still hides under all that hurt then you’ve seen her the way I see her.

This is just the beginning of her story.

See you in Chapter 2.

With love,

bwkaes