Ishita and Mihika stepped down the car as they reached and walked inside hand in hand. They saw that the class had already started and settled on the floor. ‘Akka, I think she’s going to select someone for singing competition today,’ Mihika said to Ishita. ‘Don’t worry, I m sure we will be selected,’ she assured and Mihika smiled. ‘Haaye, aapke munh mein ghee shakkar,’ Mihika replied and hugged her. ‘Good evening my students,’ said their singing teacher, Avni. Everyone chipped her back. ‘I will select any four of you and the four that will be selected will sing on stage on 30th Jan,’ Avni announced.
Everyone came and performed individually. In the end, came Mihika’s chance. She stood up along with her guitar and played it.
Everyone gave her a big round of applause and she smiled and sat down. ‘All the best akka,’ Mihika whispered to Ishita as her turn came. She played her veena and started singing.
Ishita was also given a big round of applause and she too smiled and thanked them. ‘So the results are out, the people I have chosen are Ishita, Mihika, Shagun and Mukti,’ Avni announced and the audience clapped and congratulated them giving each of them a hug. ‘Congratulations Mihika, but don’t think you will win,’ Shagun said. ‘I know how you feel as no one clapped so much for you, but don’t worry, picture abhi baaki hai,’ she replied and hugged her.
‘What are you doing?’ Shagun asked pushing her away. ‘I m just hugging you as Dadi Maa says that even our enemies should be hugged by us,’ Mihika replied sarcastically. ‘Oh, cool, but what about your blind sister?’ Shagun said and Mihika suppressed her anger. ‘She’s blind but she can do anything by her talent, don’t underestimate the power of Iyer sisters,’ Mihika said and was going with Ishita but was pulled in a hug by Mukti. ‘Congratulations, sorry by her side, all the best,’ she said and Mihika hugged her back.
‘Thank you,’ she replied hugging her back and went along with Ishita. They sat in the car and drove off. ‘You sang very nice,’ Ishita said to Mihika. ‘You too akka,’ she replied. They reached their house in half an hour and stepped down the car and went inside their house, Mihika saw that Vishwa and Madhavi were waiting for them. ‘Amma, appa, there’s a good news, we both got selected in singing competition,’ Mihika said and Vishwa came to them. ‘Arey wah, I m so proud of you,’ he said and hugged her. Madhavi stood up.
‘Congratulations Ishu and Shona,’ she said and hugged both of them. Ishita smiled as she caressed her face. Mihika went to Vishwa. ‘Appa, you should congratulate her as well,’ Mihika said and Vishwa nodded in negative. ‘No beta, I can’t even if I want to because I have neglected her all my life,’ he replied. ‘But appa, she’s also your daughter, she wasn’t born like this by her own wish, no one wants to be born like this, no one wants to live like this,’ she said trying to explain him. He remained quiet. ‘Close your eyes appa,’ she said and he did.
‘What do you see?’ she asked with tears in her eyes. ‘Darkness,’ he replied. ‘Now walk like this,’ she said and he did, Madhavi and Ishita looked on. ‘Stop, now play this veena,’ she said and he did and messed up in the beginning itself. ‘Now open your eyes,’ she said and he did. ‘Now do you see how much difference is there in your world and in her world? You had so much difficulty in everything, then think about her, I have seen from my childhood that no one cares about her, why? Isn’t she a human?’ Mihika said and he felt ashamed of himself and walked towards Ishita.