Chapter 8 (Enjoyment)

On the other hand, Priya made her way back to the orphanage, her footsteps heavy with the weight of the night's events. The journey took her 30 minutes, and as she approached the familiar gates, a sense of relief washed over her. Mary, the caring caretaker, rushed to Priya's side, enveloping her in a warm and comforting embrace. Concern etched across her face, Mary exclaimed, "Where were you all night, Priya? You have no idea how worried I was." Priya clung tightly to Mary, tears welling up in her eyes. The turmoil inside her was overwhelming, and she struggled to find the words to explain. Gently guiding Priya to the sofa, Mary urged her to lie down with her head resting on her lap. Tenderly stroking Priya's cheeks, Mary encouraged her to share what had happened. With a trembling voice, Priya recounted the entire ordeal, leaving Mary in disbelief. "He killed Lucky?" Mary gasped, shocked by the revelation. Priya, still crying, explained the whole situation, "A guy whose house I was in the whole night." Priya continued to weep, and Mary offered her comfort, assuring her, "Don't worry, dear. God will make him pay for his sins. You need not fear." "Mother, he killed Lucky, and I saw it happen," Priya whispered, her voice filled with sorrow. Mary, her heart breaking for Priya, reassured her, "But your dress is stained with his blood. Why be kind to someone who treats you this way?" "Mother, you taught me to show kindness, no matter how others treat me. We mustn't descend to their level," Priya replied, her voice filled with determination. Mary kissed Priya's forehead, her love for the young girl evident in her actions. "Now, go change your clothes and rest. You won't be going to college today." "I must, mother," Priya persisted, her desire to carry on with her routine unwavering. Mary sighed, realising Priya's determination, and relented, "Alright, go get ready. I'll prepare something for you to eat. You haven't had a proper meal yet." Priya nodded gratefully and made her way to her room. As she entered the bathroom, a wave of frustration washed over her. "God, because of that man, I have to bathe twice a day, first at his house and now here," she thought to herself. Completing her morning routine and changing into fresh clothes, Priya returned to Mary, who had prepared her favourite pancakes. Priya devoured them hungrily, a playful glint in her eyes as she made funny faces while eating. Unable to contain her laughter, Mary remarked, "No one's going to steal your food, Priya." "I'm just really hungry, mother. By the way, where are the other children?" Priya asked, her mouth still full. "They're on an annual outing with our orphanage team," Mary explained. "Why didn't they take me, mother?" Priya questioned, a hint of disappointment in her voice. "Because you're not a child anymore, Priya," Mary clarified. "You called me a child, and now you're saying I'm not?" Priya playfully argued, a smile tugging at her lips. Mary chuckled, appreciating Priya's playful spirit, and said, "Alright, you're going to be late for college, my dear. Go now." Priya took the last bite of her pancake, stood up, and left for college. As she walked away, Mother Mary silently prayed, "God, please protect my child. She is too pure for this world. That man is dangerous for her. He is the poison that will taint her purity and rob her of her innocence." In college, Priya attended her classes diligently. After some time, she decided to take a break and headed to the canteen to grab a burger. Sitting down to eat, she savoured each bite, thinking to herself, "God, this food is amazing. I never want to eat anything other than burgers in my life." Suddenly, a boy named Shan approached her and introduced himself, saying, "Hi, my name is Shan." Priya looked at him, slightly taken aback, and asked, "Did I ask you your name? Why are you telling me? It's not the right way to introduce yourself to a stranger." Shan widened his eyes, realising Priya's innocence. He thought to himself, "Oh God, she's so innocent. I came to propose to her, and she's incredibly innocent." Deciding not to push further, Shan replied, "Hey, Miss talkative, I'm going." Priya retorted, "Hey, stop it. Why do you say 'stop your train'? I'm not driving a train; I'm eating a burger." Shan didn't reply and left, leaving Priya to continue her meal. She thought to herself, "Such manly people can't even behave maturely. How can they directly say their name to a stranger? So naive. But I helped him; he won't do that again. I'm smart." After finishing her burger, Priya returned to her classes. When she finally arrived back at the orphanage, she was shocked to see the children who had gone on the trip without her. Exclaiming surprise, she said, "Oh God, you all went without me on the trip!" All the children from the orphanage rushed toward her, hugging her tightly and saying, "We missed you, Priya." Priya hugged them back, feeling a sense of warmth and belonging. She replied, "Oh, I really missed you all too. And now, I'm going to make waffles for you. How do you like that idea?" Mother Mary interrupted, concerned about Priya's well-being, "No, Priya, you need rest." Priya insisted, her love for the children evident, "Mother Mary, you all are more important than anything, and making something for you all gives me energy." The children chimed in, their excitement palpable, "Priya, we want food fast!" Mother Mary sighed, realising she couldn't deny Priya's determination, and thought to herself, "This orphanage may be small, but it's our heaven." Priya made her way to the kitchen, and the children gathered around her, playfully tickling her. Laughter filled the air as they began throwing flour at each other, singing, "Yeah, yeah, we want food. We don't want anything else, just food." Priya joined in the playful chaos, singing along, "Oh, oh, this is our home. You all want waffles, but what can I do now? Mother is going to scold us all." Mother Mary entered the kitchen, witnessing the mess, and exclaimed, "What on earth have you all done?" The children and Priya surrounded Mother Mary, dancing in a circle and singing, "Oh, oh, we're sorry, rum Pam po. You're the Hitler of this home, rum Pam po. Don't worry, rum Pam po, we'll run before you make us read and do chores, rum Pam po." Then they all ran outside, their laughter echoing through the orphanage. Mother Mary sighed, a mix of exasperation and affection, and thought to herself, "They're all a handful. How can they just run like that? They even call me Hitler." Priya and the children gathered outside, the night sky enveloping them. They shouted in unison, "Let's eat ice cream!" Covered in flour and filled with joy, they left to enjoy their ice cream treat. After finishing their ice cream, they returned to the orphanage. Mary, still slightly exasperated, said, "Rum Pam pooh, now the cat has caught the mouse. Rum Pam po, who's going to save them? Oh, rum Pam po." All the children and Priya knelt before Mother Mary, their voices filled with remorse, "Mother Mary, we're sorry." "Okay, now go and bathe and sleep,"Mary replied, her love for them shining through her words. "Going", And they all left for their respective rooms to sleep .