"Growth begins the moment you find the courage to walk away from places that poison your peace. Leaving an environment that threatens your emotional safety isn't a defeat-it is the first step toward a healthier, better life."

The sky is getting dark , and the streetlights just turned on.

A 10-year-old girl is walking alone on the road. Her school uniform is messy, and her heavy school bag is on her shoulders.

Tears are rolling down her cheeks. She wipes them angrily with her sleeve, breathing fast.

In her mind, she can still hear her mother shouting:

"Look at these marks! Is this why I am working so hard? You have to study! You cannot be so careless!"

She covers her ears, but then she hears her aunt's sweet, whispering voice while she was sobbing in the hall alone later:

"Jail jaisa nahi lagta Ishu tuje yeh mahol? Kaise reh leti ho? Mein chahti hoon tumhari ma ko samjaana lekin tume to pata hai na wo kisi ki nahi sunti.Lekin muje sach mein boora lagta hai tereliye. Pata nahi kaise seh rahi ho apni maa ke sitam."

(Doesn't this environment feel like a jail to you, Ishu? How do you even live here? I want to make your mother understand, but you know how she is-she listens to no one. But I am really feeling bad for you. I don't know how you tolerate your mother's torture.)

The girl gets more angry. She kicks a small stone on the road.

"Everyone loves me... except my mother. She hates me," she whispers to herself.

She quickly walks into a nearby park to hide.

The park is quiet. Far away, some boys little are playing football. The girl finds an isolated wooden bench under a big tree.

She sits down, pulls her knees up to her chest, puts her head down inside her knees, and starts sobbing loudly. She feels completely alone.

Suddenly, a shadow falls over her.

The football stops right in front of her feet. A boy, a little older than her, is standing there holding the ball. He came over for football and but stopped as he saw the girl weeping curled up with head to knees.

He gently puts his hand on her shoulder and said-

"Are you fine, Are you alone here?"

The girl does not lift her head. She speaks in a loud, tearful voice-

"Yes! I left my house. Because it's not a house, it's a jail!"

"Marks, marks, marks... mein koi machine nahi hoon and nahi ho raha hai mujhse padayi!"

(Marks, marks, marks... I am not a machine, and I just can't study anymore!)

The boy listens to all her anger very quietly. He doesn't react quickly. He patiently waits for her to finish, and then he sits down next to her on the bench.

He puts his football away and speaks in a calm voice-

"Dekho, padayi ke liye maa-baap ka daatna... ye har ghar mein hota hai. Wo hamari ache ke liye hi hota hai. Mujhe bhi daat padti hai."

(Look, parents scolding you for studies... this happens in every household. It's only for our own good. I get scolded too.)

The girl gets angry at him. She lifts her head, showing her red, puffy eyes.

"No! You don't know anything!"

"Chachi-chachu ko bhi samajh mein aa gaya hai par meri maa ko nahi aa raha hai. Aur aaj to chachi ne bol bhi diya I am in a jail and hell. Sahi kehti hai chachi, meri maa jailer hi hai!"

(My aunt and uncle understand it too, but my mother just doesn't get it. And today, my aunt even explicitly said that I am in a jail and a hell. She is right, my mother really is a jailer!)

The boy looks into her eyes. He shakes his head and smiles sadly.

BOY

"Hmm.. Zaroori nahi jo dikhta hai wo waise hi ho. Baaton ke bohot pehlu hote hain aur hum abhi bache hain na... isliye samajh mein nahi aata kabhi."

(It's not necessary that things are always as they appear. There are multiple facets to things and since we are still kids... we just don't understand it at times.)

The girl stops crying. She stares at him, completely shocked. Her anger begins to disappear, and she feels confused and asked-

"Matlab, mein samji nahi", (Means, I didn't understand)

The boy continues kindly.

"Matlab ye ki ighar se maa se aise naaraz ho kar nahi aana chahiye, ye galat baat hai. Tumhari Ma kitni pareshan hoti hogi. Ma ko farak padta hai agar tum padti nahi ho to , chacha chachi ko nahi padega"

(But running away from your mother in anger like this is wrong.How much your mother would be worried? Your mother would get affected with your marks but not your aunt and uncle).

The girl sits silently. The boy's words make her realize the truth. She looks down at her hands and signs feeling bad for running away.

Suddenly, a panicked, crying voice shouts from the park entrance.

"Ishu! Meri bachi kahan ho tum?!"

(Ishu! Where are you, my child?!)

The girl looks up quickly. Her mother is running toward them. Her mother's hair is messy, her face is covered in sweat and tears, and she looks terrified.

The moment the mother sees her daughter, she cries out loud and falls to her knees in front of the bench. She holds the girl's arms tightly, checking if she is hurt. Her hands are shaking badly.

"Tum theek ho na? Kahan chali gayi thi? Tumhe pata hai meri jaan nikal gayi thi?!"

(Are you okay? Where did you go? Do you have any idea how terrified I was?!)

Seeing her mother crying so much out of her concern, the girl's heart melts completely. She hugs her mother's neck tightly and cries loudly.

"Mamma... mujhe maaf kar do."

(Mamma... please forgive me.)

"I realized my mistake. I am sorry, mein aage se aisa nahi karungi."

(I am sorry, I won't do this ever again.)

The mother holds her tightly, resting her face in the girl's hair, feeling a huge relief.

As the mother wipes her daughter's tears, she notices the young boy standing near the bench. He is watching them with a warm, happy smile.

The boy steps forward politely and bows his head slightly to the mother.

"Tension mat lijiye, aunty. Maine samjha diya hai isko, aage se aisa nahi hoga."

(Don't worry, aunty. I have made her understand, she won't do this again.)

The mother looks at the boy. She is amazed by how mature, sensible, and helpful this young kid is. She smiles through her tears and places her hand on his head to bless him.

"Jeete raho, beta. Aapki maa ne ek bohut achhi parvarish di hai aapko."

(Bless you, my child. Your mother has given you a wonderful upbringing.)

The boy smiles happily, nods, and picks up his football. He runs back to his friends on the field.

The mother stands up and wraps her arm around her daughter's shoulder. They start walking back home together.

The girl looks back one last time at the boy playing in the distance, feeling peaceful inside.

The boy arrived home, his heart filled with a quiet contentment knowing that the young girl and her mother had reconciled. He kicked off his shoes and immediately went to his mother, eagerly explaining everything that had happened at the park.

His mother listened intently, a deep frown settling on her face.

"What sort of aunt she is to give such advice to her niece!"

"I hope the girl is saved from all the bad eyes and bad words like this."

She gently patted her son's head, her expression softening into a proud smile.

"Shiv, I am really proud of you , go and fresh up. We need to go outside today for papa promotion success party."

Back at Isha's house, the evening shifted into a heavy, quiet privacy.

Neha took her daughter isha into her bedroom, away from the rest of the family. Tears welled up in her eyes again as she placed a gentle, trembling hand on the little girl's cheek, looking at her emotionally.

"Maine to pehle bhi daata tha naa, lekin itna bada kadam... apni maa ko chhod kar jaana chahti ho? Kaise utha liya itna bada kadam?"

(I have scolded you before as well, but such a big step... you wanted to leave your own mother? How could you do this?)

Then isha looked down, her lower lip trembling with fresh regret.

"I am sorry, Mamma..."

"I was really sad, and on top of it, Chachi also came and said that I am in a jail and all."

Neha froze. Her hand dropped from her daughter's cheek in sheer disbelief.

She had always known that all they do is fake show of love, a mere dikhava. But she never imagined that Shilpa(Chachi) could stoop so low as to start filling venom into her little daughter's innocent heart and soul.

Hiding her shock, Neha sat close to her daughter. She began to explain beautifully, how a plant needs both sunlight and heavy rain to grow strong, making the little girl understand why a mother's scolding is sometimes necessary, and making her promise never to repeat this mistake again.

Later that night, after her daughter fell asleep, Neha picked up her phone with a heavy heart and dialed her best friend, Deepali

(Answering the call)

"Haan Neha, bolo."

(Yes Neha, speak.)

Neha broke down and explained every single thing that had happened since the afternoon. Deepali listened, her voice rising in anger and concern.

"Main to pehle se hi bolti thi, bachhi ko aise mahaul mein rehne mat do na!"

(I have been telling you from the very beginning, do not keep the child in such an environment!)

(Sobbing quietly)

"Mein bhi akeli hoon na... mera pati guzar chuka hai, aur akeli beti ko lekar kaha kahan bhatku?"

(I am also all alone... I am a widow whose husband has passed away, where all should I wander with a lonely daughter?)

Neha responded-

"You are not alone. Mein hoon na! Aur you are not just a widow, ye bhoolo mat ki tum ek successful lecturer bhi ho and a caring, loving mother too."

(You are not alone. I am here for you! And you are not just a widow, don't forget that you are a successful lecturer too.)

"Aur waise bhi, wo ghar kahan safe hai tum logon ke liye? Aaj teri beti ko sirf ye bola ki tu jailer hai, kal ko seedha bolegi teri maa chudail hai!"

(And anyway, how are you guys even safe in that house? Today she only told your daughter that you are a jailer, tomorrow she will straight away say that her mother is a witch!)

"Aise mahaul se bachhon ko door rakhna chahiye. Abhi bhi tune kuch nahi kiya to bohot der ho jayegi."

(Children must be kept away from such an environment. If you don't do something right now, it will be too late.)

"Aur pados mein hi ek flat hai, abhi khaali huyi hai. Aur mein bhi paas mein hi rahungi. Der mat karo . Ye action lene ka time hai"

(And right in my neighborhood there is a flat, it just got vacant. And I will also be living nearby. Don't delay anymore.This is time for taking action)

After hanging up, Neha sat in the dark, giving a deep thought to her friend's words.

A stark realization washed over her. She absolutely needed to get her daughter out of this environment..

At dinner time, the entire family gathered at the table. Neha looked up at her in-laws, and then straight toward her brother-in-law, Pradyuman, and his wife, Shilpa. She cleared her throat, her voice steady and resolute.

NEHA

"I have decided to move from here."

Pradyuman and Shilpa exchanged a quick, indifferent glance and shrugged.

PRADYUMAN

"Okay, if that is what you want."

They answered so casually, as if they had simply been waiting for her to leave the house all along.

Isha's paternal grandparents, Gopal and Kamala, looked up, a trace of concern appearing on their aging faces. Seeing their hesitation, Neha spoke up clearly, leaving no room for argument.

"My daughter's brain is getting affected because of the words getting heard here. Today, I might have lost my daughter as well."

Hearing the truth laid bare, Gopal and Kamala remained completely silent, as they always did whenever Shilpa and Pradyuman played their games.

Neha announced her firm, final decision to leave. Without wasting any time, she packed her and her daughter's belongings into suitcases.

Holding her daughter's hand firmly, Neha finally walked out of the main door-leaving behind the place she felt was no longer safe, determined to give her daughter a better life and a beautiful environment free from manipulation.

A Note to my beautiful Readers:

Welcome to the journey of 'Shayad Yahi Hai Pyar' .I cannot wait to share this beautiful world of love, strength, resilience, and hope with you all.

If this opening chapter touches your heart, please don't forget to Vote⭐ and leave your beautiful Comments on how you felt about the chapter.. Your support keeps me motivated to write!

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