Chapter 2

*Kanika Pov*

“I just need to join the group? They will pay that much?” Dad asked in an amazed tone towards the person he met on the road.

“Yes! But you have a daughter and they don’t allow kids on the ship.” That person stated and I got scared hearing those words as I know what will happen now so that he can go to this job for easy money.

The next day, he dragged me towards the huge area with a long gate saying, “Now, start crying!”

“Is this what you call crying? Cry more!” he said slapping my back and I closed my eyes to let the tears flow.

“Good! What will you say reaching there?” he asked taking to the corner of the building after a few minutes.

“My Mom left me here with this letter.” I replied still crying and he smiled nodded before walking away to hide so that he can see whether I am walking towards the gate.

I closed my eyes already used to this as this is not the first orphanage where I am going with the same excuse and the same tears but the slaps don’t pain as much as in the past.

He does this every time he gets a job where he need not work much and also where kids are not allowed.

I don’t mind using my Mom’s name as she really left me three years back to leave my Dad but didn’t take me with her as I am a burden.

If I don’t do this then Dad will hit me more and if I do this then I can eat good food for some time and stay away from him.

“When will you come back?” I asked before I reached the gate loudly.

“I may never come back and you need to handle yourself.” Saying that he walked away while I wished his words are true but also wished they are not.

Right now I need to get into this and take some rest before earning some money. With that, I can stay somewhere else instead of going to another orphanage.

With that determination, I reached the gate and the watchman took me inside where I was asked my name and age in a calm tone but a kind one.

“My name is Kanika and I am eleven. My Mom left me here with this letter.” I said passing the letter which my Dad wrote.

“Where is your father, child?” the lady asked and I cried more before shaking my head.

She frowned looking at it before glancing at the other woman in the room. I continued to cry without stopping and they finally calmed me down saying I can stay here and they will take care of me.

I waited until they took me to a room and finally calmed down before lying on the bed feeling my back hurt because of the beatings.

“Hello! Are you okay?” I slowly opened my eyes to find a girl sitting on the bed beside mine.

“Yes!” I replied closing my eyes and suddenly felt my hand holding something which made me open my eyes and look down to find chocolate which she passed.

“Take it! It is my birthday. I am finally eleven today.” She said smiling and she looks happy to be here.

“Don’t worry! It will be fine after some time. I have been living here for five years and you can even get adopted.” She assured me passing another chocolate.

“Why didn’t you get adopted?” I asked and she shook her head before leaning closer.

“Because I have nightmares at night, unlike other children and so I am not perfect.” She whispered and I frowned but slowly sat up.

“My name is Kanika.” I whispered relaxing my expression.

“Kani… Kanika? I will call you Kani then. My name is Anitha but you can call me Ani if you want.” She said holding my hand and I nodded without taking those words to heart as I will be leaving soon anyway.

After a few days, a donation was given and a few toys along with other things were given to each child in the orphanage.

I trembled holding those while Anitha happily took them and arranged them on her bed while talking about how they always get good things during this time of the year as it is festival season.

“Hide them well as a few thieves are there in this place.” She advised smiling before walking away as they called us for lunch while I calmly placed them under the bed before following her.

After a few days, most of them are missing and no one caught that I don’t have the things that were donated earlier.

In every orphanage, I ever stayed, I get such things as toys, clothes, and other things but a few clothes are enough for me and I don’t need to play with these toys. So, I sell them off for a small price by escaping from the orphanage at a proper time where everyone will be in the field and I already saved a good amount from this as it’s been three years since I started visiting orphanages.

No one ever said anything when the things started disappearing as they are mine but this time Anitha asked about it while frowning at me.

“Should I complain about your things?” she asked and I shook my head stopping her but I continued to do it for the next few months as I don’t want to stay in another one next time after he returns.

I asked the head here to let me go to the school where I used to go until now as it is free and I can still go there after leaving this orphanage. She tried to change my mind but I requested her saying my Dad may search for me and can find me there. She accepted my lies and let me go to my old school itself but I skipped it a few times to do wherever work I can get.

I don’t like to stay in these orphanages more than anything. I have parents and I shouldn’t stay here at all. So, I finally finished selling the things that we got recently and I want to leave as soon as I can. Everything was fine but then Anitha stopped me from leaving the room once making me frown.

Anitha suddenly passed half of her things saying, “Sell just a few of yours and also mine. So that we both will have things left to play and also enough clothes.”

“What?” I asked staring at her.

“I saw you last week at the back gate. How can you sell everything like that? You should keep some to enjoy. So, let’s share the things that you sell and I don’t want money.” She explained smiling and I continued to stare at her before the tears started rolling down but this time not because I got hit but because I felt ashamed and also touched by her words.

“I am sorry!” I whispered passing her things back and she frowned.

“Don’t worry! Anyway, I don’t like these things so that they will not get ruined. So, you can use them.” She assured me smiling and I frowned in confusion.

“If I get close to things then they get destroyed or I just lose them. So, it is safe for you to earn than to let them get destroyed near me.” She explained and I couldn’t help but close my eyes hearing those words.

“I am really sorry!” saying that I laid down on the bed and closed my eyes to not see her right now.

“Don’t worry, Kani! You are just a kid like me.” She whispered and my tears fell faster than before.

“But there are kids here for whom these things are very important. And I am…” I stopped talking and she calmly patted my shoulder while I continued to cry.

That night I felt I got a friend and stopped selling the things while adapting to stay here and even started going to school with seriousness and started studying properly.

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” she asked after the day’s classes.

“Designer!” I whispered and she stared at me in shock before asking why but I just shrugged before asking her that question.

“Anything which will help me to earn money. Then both of us can live together and buy so many things.” She replied and I smiled genuinely hearing that answer.

“Let’s work hard together!” I whispered and she nodded holding my hand while I promised myself to work really hard for this.

****

“Kanika! Your father is here to take you with him. He finally found you.” One of the staff reached the room where we all are staying to say those words while I froze on my bed.

It’s been two years since he left me here and I thought he will not come back as he said. But… I don’t want to go… I don’t want to go back to him.

“Don’t go, Kani! You are my best friend and you said you will not leave me. Don’t go, Kani!” Anitha started crying while holding my hands and I held her hands back feeling terrified to go back.

If I don’t go then he will not leave me alone here and I have to go. I calmly brushed her tears away and took hold of her shoulders.

“I will come back, Ani. I will come back to meet you and in the future, we will live together.” I assured her but she shook her head crying.

“No! Don’t go! He is not a good man and… and I will get nightmares after you go.” She pleaded crying but I brushed them away while stopping my tears.

“I will be fine and you take care of yourself. I will… I will definitely come back.” I promised before following the staff Aunty to the main office and found him standing with the head.

“Don’t go, Mom! Mom! Don’t go!” I shouted with tears rolling down without control while holding her leg to stop her but she continued to walk towards the door.

“I will come back to take you, Kanika.” She promised but I didn’t let go of her by crying out loud and she continued to promise me that she will come back.

But she never returned and broke her promise. However, I will keep my promise to come back and visit Anitha.

“Kanika! I finally found you. I searched everywhere after your Mom took you away.” He said repeating the same line.

“Is he your Dad?” they asked and I nodded after which they finished the proceedings so that I can leave with him.

When we reached the room where we stay, he asked me to pass on the money and the things I have. I calmly passed the things but he continued to ask about the money for which I said I don’t have any and he started beating me but I kept quiet not making a sound and he finally left me alone to leave for drinking.

He never lifted his hand when my Mom was here as he had hit only her. After she left, he didn’t hit me for a year but for the past two years he started hitting me whenever he loses money or needs to send me to the orphanage or just when he wants to and I am already used to it.

I stayed at the same place before taking out my books to study as I will be writing exams soon to pass to the next year.

I ignored the burning sensation on my hands and continued to study without pausing before drifting off into sleep not waiting for him.

I need to study well and get a good life and even meet Anitha. We need to live together and never part again from my friend. With those thoughts running in my mind, I slept off not feeling any pain.

I didn’t forget to visit Anitha the next day after leaving the school and she cried the moment she saw me and I calmly told her I will be here frequently but she didn’t believe those words.

I checked the shops around and got a job at the small tea shop for the evening near the school which could be an excuse to give if my Dad asks why am I going to school every day. I felt happy seeing everything is according to my plan and finally started working hard both at studying and tried to earn money.

“You are really going to come frequently? But your school is far away.” Anitha commented after a few months as I am visiting her every month.

“But you are my friend.” I mumbled and she smiled holding my hand.

“Here!” she said passing half of her things and I shook my head by pushing them away.

“You said I am your friend, right? Take them! Later, you can make them for me.” She said gesturing to the clothes.

“Promise!” I whispered holding the clothes tightly and she started talking about her school and I calmly listened to her chatter.