for someone else. My mother is a housewife.”
“You have a little brother,” he continued, ignoring my denial. “He’s very sick.”
I turned away just in time to fall to my knees and vomit in a patch of grass. I was surrounded immediately by solicitous friends. I was fortunate that they liked nothing better than a bit of drama, and I was certainly giving it to them. Hands reached for me and practically lifted me off the ground. I was relieved to see Sapna’s father had stepped back. He watched through narrowed eyes as I was hustled away. We were almost at the school building before I realized it was not just Gajra but Sapna supporting me.
“Thanks.” She smiled. “That was a tad dramatic. Still, if you’re ever in a jam, I promise I’ll do my best to fake an emergency to get you out of it.”
I gave her a weak grin. “Anything for a friend.”
The next hour was a blur. I was taken to the nurse’s office. She tried to make me lie down but I was more jittery than I’d ever been on exam day. I knew who he was and he knew me. The only question was what he would do about it. I tried to calm myself with the idea that he was a doctor. Surely, he wouldn’t be so unkind as to get me expelled. But Sapna had made no secret of her father’s ambitions. He’d clawed his way out of the muck and demanded only the best for his children and from them. The last thing he’d want was to have his daughter associating with the low-caste daughter of a sex worker. The fact that I also surpassed her academically only added to my peril.
I walked home on shaky legs. As soon as I reached my street I went looking for Parvati. It never occurred to me to talk to Ma. I knew that somehow she’d blame me, and there was always the chance she’d pull me out of school. My fear that my school days were numbered had intensified since Parvati had fallen under Suresh’s control. So many of my neighborhood friends were already doing sex work; how could I be far behind?
I didn’t even bother to change out of my uniform. I searched for close to an hour. Other than hearing multiple reports that she’d last been seen heading for Bhatti Road, no one had a clue where she was.
Tired and grimy, I finally went home. I wasn’t looking forward to the fight I was bound to have. I was late for my chores and Ma would be furious I hadn’t at least come home to change out of my school clothes. Her pride in my uniform, visible proof of which school I attended, was almost as great as her pride in my medals. I reluctantly clambered up the ladder to our room, only to find Ma wasn’t there. Deepa-Auntie was sitting on her bed braiding Aamaal’s hair. Prita-Auntie was asleep on her own bed, an open movie magazine draped over her face. The small black-and-white TV, perched on a high shelf in one corner of the room, was on as usual, though no one was watching it. Shami played in the corner with Deepa-Auntie’s basket of hair clips.
“Where’s Ma?” I whispered, after greeting Deepa-Auntie and giving my siblings a hug. Prita-Auntie could get riled up almost as fast as Ma if you disturbed her “beauty rest,” as she called it, though she was about as beautiful as a plucked chicken, even on her best day.
“She got called to your school,” said Deepa-Auntie. A worried frown creased her unlined face. “Did something happen today? Weren’t you getting your exam results?”
My heart plummeted as I sank down on Ma’s bed. I didn’t know what to say. I wanted to tell her the whole story so she could reassure me there was nothing to worry about but I knew that wasn’t true. The coincidence was too great. What other possible reason could Ma have for going to the school if it wasn’t provoked by Sapna’s horrible father? Ma never went to my school, not when I won medals, not when there were parent meetings, not ever.
“Did she say why she was going to school?” I asked.
Deepa-Auntie shook her head. “Do you know why?”
I nodded and told her the whole story.
“We can’t be certain. Maybe your ma went to school for another reason,” said Deep-Auntie.
Prita-Auntie rolled over. Her dupatta slid to the floor as she fastened me