||Hope||

                                    

                                          
Panchali 
"Maa, did you call me?" My voice barely audible as I played with the edge of my sari. 
"Where have you been?" She bellowed as soon as her eyes landed on me. 
I flinched a little, although this was nothing new for me. I would never understand why my mother always stayed so furious with me, lashing at anything and everything I did or did not, in some cases. 
"Maa, I was-" Before I could complete my sentence her palm slammed against my cheek. 
She slapped me hard and because it was so sudden I lost my balance and fell on the mud floor. Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked up at her and looked into her eyes, I tried to find anything other than disgust and hatred in them but failed miserably. 
"Maa, what did I do?"  I asked more like demanded "I mean, If you just tell me what my fault was I would not do it again" I asked standing on my feet. 
"Oh! Now you are playing innocent" She cackled 
"Why would I act innocent? I seriously have no idea what you're talking about" My frustration was growing with each passing second. 
"Are you trying to tell me, you don't know that Dwarkanaresh Krishna has offered you to sing at Dwarka's Ramnavami function?"  She spat at me as if I disgusted her but all I hear was Vasudev Krishna liked my singing and offered me to sing at Dwarka's Ramnavami function. 
I literally jumped in joy and hugged the person next to me forgetting it's my mother who was super angry at me. 
"Really?" I gushed "Maa, are you being serious? I can't believe it!" I removed myself from her "Oh my, Narayan, Vasudev Krishna himself liked my-my singing?" I pointed at myself. 
"Don't be so happy my dear daughter, you aren't going anywhere!" She stated while undoing her braided hair. 
And my smiled dropped I stared at her in confusion, she was kidding, right? I mean which mother would stop her daughter from singing at a Royal function? 
"What?" 
"Are you deaf?" She rolled her eyes "You aren't going any-" Before she could complete I rushed into my small room before slamming the door shut. 
I gasped for air, as my lips curved into a small smile before I threw myself on bed grabbing Rajkumar Arjun's portrait. 
I had never seen him but heard a lot, a lot, a lot and A LOT about him and before I knew my obsession turned into something more stronger, something divine.
"You know... Krishna Vasudev, I mean THE KRISHNA VASUDEV liked my signing, can you believe it? Well, I can't... I mean when did he hear me?" I let out a small chortle. 
"I am so happy, I think I am going to cry" I tried blinking the tears away as I continued "Arjun thank you so much, it's all because of you and my love for you what makes them soulful, at least soulful enough for Shri Krishna to like it" I exhaled. 
"Though mata said she won't let me go, of course, I will, no one can stop me. Ramnavami is the day after tomorrow and I need to start my journey toni-" 
Just then  I heard knock on my door 
"Who? " 
"Arjun, I came to take you. Could you please open the door, my love" I heard Charu's voice, she was trying to speak like a man. 
I rolled my eyes "The door is open" 
They entered and before I could understand anything Pramila hugged me tight