Broken Hearts, hima [books for 10th graders txt] 📗

her room. She tucked me in as I fell asleep on the sofa.

The door bell startled me to wake up, I stretched myself and my neck felt soar from sleeping on the sofa. The wall clock said its 9, where is mama? I collected the milk can and newspaper from the door, I freshened up, still there is no noise from kitchen that is weird, mama usually wakes up early. May be she is sick and staying in bed. With that thought I finished off quickly and ran to her room with a cup of coffee. Coffee always seems to help her get started.

“Mama…Look what I got for you…” I said setting the coffee down on her bed side table. I opened the windows to let the sun rays filter in. She didn’t even flinch at the light… she lay so still in her bed that worried me.

“Mama… Get up…” I jerked her to wake up. She was so still, my heart began to race and I started to take deep breaths trying to calm down before checking on her pulse. Her skin was cold, I checked her pulse. Tears welled up in my eyes, I shouted at her to wake up, cursed her for leaving me…

Three days had gone since mama left me alone in this world…she took away a piece of my heart along with her. That small piece made all the difference, memories of her haunted my living days… Doesn’t she love me? If she did why would she leave me to fend myself? It’s not just her heart that stopped that day … I found nothing that I should live for… I locked myself away from the world hoping that I would disappear just as papa and mama did.

“Nina…Open the door.” Ria pounded on our door. She has been constantly trying to make me talk. I appreciate her concern but I wanted to be left alone, I don’t want to get closer to anyone. I was closer to papa when I was a kid, then I lost him. Later it was the same with my brother and now I lost mama. Every time I get close to someone, they are brutally ripped off from my life.

“Nina…Will you open it or shall I break in?” Ria was shouting. I gathered myself and slowly staggered to the door, I unlocked the door slumping on to the floor, I had not eaten anything for three days, I don’t even want to, whom should I live for? I heard Ria gasping seeing the state I’m in. She walked me to the sofa and sat me.

“You look like hell…”She said eying me.

“I’m in hell…” my voice was croaked from all the crying. Not even a second passed by when I didn’t see mom in my life and now all of a sudden… I trailed off as fresh tears began to make their way. Ria held on to me as I sobbed, everything I did was to make her happy now nothing seemed important. It was like she dreamed for me and I worked it to make it true, after papa passed away, we had a closely knitted relation, not one day passed without us fighting, mom was so selfless when it comes to me so was I, this always made us argue but deep down our heart our love was so great.

“Drink this…” I heard a familiar voice but couldn’t say who it was. I sealed my lips complaining like a child that I won’t but they thrust it into my mouth and the warm contents slowly slipped through my mouth and I could feel my numb body starting to feel the ache.

My eye lids were as heavy as lead, I blinked them twice to make sure that they are still there. Ria opened all the doors to let in the fresh air, the sudden light stung my eyes, “Don’t…” I screamed but my voice was barely above whisper.

“Oh my god! Nina. What have you done to yourself?” She said scooting over to my side.

“Nothing…I just want to be left alone…” My voice was raw and my throat just hurt me more, drinking that warm milk made my stomach remember that it had been starving. It didn’t help much with ache in the heart.

“We have been there… Look at what you have done when you were left alone…” She chided.

I shrugged. It doesn’t matter anymore to me even If I die…

“Your mother will be devastated if she sees you like this…” the words slipped too fast out of her mouth, she bit her tongue for reminding the one thing that she shouldn’t.

“The problem is; she isn’t here and will never be…” I mumbled.

She hugged me hard. “She is always by your side watching you all the time…”She said.

Vicky brought breakfast for me and Ria tried to make me eat, I couldn’t live after all this but she forced the breakfast down my throat.

“She always wanted you to be happy, her happiness lies in yours, and you should be strong and fulfill her dreams just like you thought you would do. She has sacrificed so much in her life; all her struggles would be in vain if you waste away.”

She was right; I’m tainting her dreams by doing exactly opposite of what she would like me to do. I nodded meekly.

“You need to start a new life… and joining in a job is the best way to do that. You’ve always dreamed for this job and now you’re not giving up on it.” She said pushing the offer letter into my hand.

“I don’t know if I could do that…”I said in low voice.

“I know that you can face anything… You are a strong girl…”she said all mother like, I crushed her in a bear like hug.

Vicky is Ria’s boy friend, they stayed with me the whole day, Vicky left in the evening and Ria stayed with me the night. She took my mind off things helping to cope up with the situation, she was helpful.


Life had taken many unexpected turns that had thrown me off the hook for a while but here I am feeling really nervous about the first day in office after all I had gone through. Ria had been instilling my lost confidence these past few days preparing me for this very day but my confidence is gone the very day, I lost my mother.

I sent a silent prayer to mama and papa before I walked in to the confines of the office. I showed my offer letter to a sleek woman sitting behind the desk; she is a friendly woman, dressed in typical Indian style. She shook my hands congratulating me. She led me through a couple of turns there are many cubicles and filled with different people all busy with their systems and sparing a few glances at the new girl in the office.

“Veeru, sir.” She curtsied to a person standing by one of the cubicles and instructing the girl about the corrections to be made.

He is about 5’9, lean and polished looks of a gentleman. I handed him my appointment letter, his face lit up.
“Welcome…”His voice was calm and cool. “Sir, is on a meeting so you wouldn’t be meeting him until tomorrow but he assigned you some work before he left.” He said and showed me to my desk in an isolated room.

“Thanks…” I said as he explained what my work was. I nodded and even raised a few questions about his schedule. My boss schedule was very packed; he just gave adequate time for lunch, rest of the day busy with all the meetings and working hours. The first impression I got after re-reading his schedule is he is a workaholic.

The rest of the day passed as I began to understand the deals that company dealt with and the type of customers we have, crucial assignments we are working with.

“Nina…Aren’t you hungry?” Veeru sir walked in, he is the one who held my interview process, he is the deputy of our boss.

I logged off the system and scurried after him into the cafeteria, it’s not like I wanted to eat but it gave me a chance to get to know the other members working here. A good secretary must have good relations with the staff.

He introduced most of the people, I lost track of their names, It would definitely take time before I get used to all their names. He passed by the last table where a girl was eying us with mean looks, She wore fashionable outfits and is surrounded by two more girls that gave dirty looks.

“Who are they?” I asked pointing to the mean looking girls.

“She is the last year best employee awardee…” A plump girl said joining us at our table. I didn’t remember her name but during the conversation I understood that she is Pooja. “What’s her name?” I asked pointing to the awardees.

“Tina…”I nodded.

Work wasn’t bad at all, I enjoyed doing it. It took my mind out of things and I was happy for that, I signed up the bond for a year before I left the office.

Ria is waiting at my house, she was all ears to hear about my first day, Vicky joined us later. We chatted for a while and they left me all alone in this house. Ria made sure that I ate something before she left.

I was up early the next morning and took extra care with my dressing since I’m going to meet my boss, I wanted to make a good impression on him, I made sure that I wasn’t showing off. Elder people like it when the younger generation is traditional. My straight jet black hair was made into a single plait few strands falling off here and there, I wore tiny ear tops that go with pink pajama suit, light pink was smeared on my lush lips, my long nose and high cheek bones are colored because of the cold, my olive skin stood out in pink.

I waited for my bus at the stop earlier than the usual time, hoping that I would make it first to the office and get some things done. I watched the people around me while I waited for the bus to pass the time, there is an old man covered from top to down and rubbing his hands to create heat, and younger boy waiting by his bike, probably here to pick up someone. A group of middle aged people nervously peeking at their watches. My eyes darted over to two little children all dressed up in their uniform holding hands and trying to pass the road. The boy was about 8 and the girl was about 5, siblings, I guessed. I glanced over the horizon and made my way to the kids. They took a few steps ahead and froze in the middle when a black car went straight at them; I ran towards them and pulled them away while the little girl started crying in fear. The driver alighted, panicked and made sure that he didn’t make an accident.

People gathered around us making a scene; scolding the driver about his driving sense, he tried to apologize but some of them were really using bad words, I helped the kids over to the other side and let them go after making sure there