Chapter 6: chapter 6

Aarohi sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the faint cracks on the ceiling. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, each one louder than the last. Tanya’s suggestion to pursue an MBA lingered in her mind. It seemed like the only way out—the only chance to buy herself more time. But she also knew her parents wouldn’t make it easy.

Gathering her courage, Aarohi stood up, smoothed her kurta, and made her way to the living room. Her parents were seated there, as usual—her father, Rajesh, engrossed in his newspaper, and her mother, Neelam, humming softly as she knitted. Aarohi’s heart pounded in her chest, but she reminded herself that she had to try.

“Papa, Ma,” she began hesitantly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Rajesh looked up from his paper, his brow furrowing. “What is it, Aarohi? Is something wrong?”

“No... nothing’s wrong,” she said quickly, forcing a small smile. “I just wanted to talk to you about something important.”

Her mother set her knitting down, her gaze curious but wary. “What is it, beta?”

Aarohi took a deep breath, her palms sweating. “I’ve been thinking a lot about my future, and I’ve decided... I want to pursue an MBA after I graduate.”

Her words hung in the air, and for a moment, neither of her parents said anything. Then Rajesh let out a heavy sigh, folding his newspaper and setting it aside.

“Aarohi,” he said, his tone measured, “why this sudden decision? You’ve never shown any interest in studies before. Why now?”

“I know I haven’t been the best student, Papa,” Aarohi admitted, her voice trembling. “But I want to change that. I want to prove to myself—and to you—that I can do this. I’m ready to take my studies seriously.”

Neelam exchanged a glance with Rajesh, her expression skeptical. “Beta, an MBA isn’t something you can just decide to do on a whim. It’s expensive, and it requires dedication. You’ve never shown any interest in academics before. Are you sure this is what you want?”

“It is what I want,” Aarohi insisted, her desperation creeping into her voice. “I’ve realized how important it is to have a career, to stand on my own two feet. Please, just give me a chance.”

Rajesh leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed. “Aarohi, I understand that you’re feeling uncertain about your future. But you’ve never taken your studies seriously before. What makes you think you’ll suddenly thrive in such a demanding program?”

“I’ll work hard this time. I promise I will,” Aarohi said, her voice trembling.

Neelam sighed, her gaze soft but firm. “Beta, this isn’t just about whether or not you’ll work hard. It’s also about the expense. An MBA is a big investment. If you were truly passionate about studying further, we’d be the first to support you. But this... this feels sudden.”

Aarohi’s chest tightened. “I know it’s sudden, Ma, but I’ve been thinking about this for a while. I need this. I need to do something for myself.”

Rajesh shook his head, his expression a mix of frustration and sadness. “We’ve always supported you, Aarohi, but this doesn’t feel right. You’ve never shown any interest in academics, and now, out of nowhere, you want to pursue such a major degree? It’s hard to believe this is truly what you want and not just a way to... avoid something else.”

“I’m not avoiding anything!” Aarohi exclaimed, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “I just want to have control over my own life, Papa. Is that so wrong?”

Neelam reached out and placed a hand on Aarohi’s arm. “It’s not wrong to want control, beta. But we have to be practical. We’ve always done what’s best for you, and we need you to trust us. Right now, it feels like you’re grasping at straws, trying to delay the future instead of facing it.”

Aarohi felt the tears spill over, but she quickly wiped them away, unwilling to let her parents see how deeply their words cut.

“Fine,” she said quietly, her voice trembling. “If that’s how you feel, then there’s nothing more to say.”

Without waiting for a response, Aarohi turned and walked back to her room, shutting the door behind her. She sank onto her bed, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath.

The tears came then, hot and angry, spilling down her cheeks as she buried her face in her hands. Her parents’ refusal felt like a door slamming shut, trapping her in a life she didn’t want. She had tried to fight, to assert her own desires, but it felt like she was screaming into the void.

She pulled out her phone and sent a message to Tanya: They said no. They think I’m not serious about it.

Tanya’s reply came almost immediately: I’m so sorry, Aarohi. What are you going to do now?

Aarohi stared at the screen, her vision blurred by tears. I don’t know, she typed back. I feel like I’m losing control of everything. I don’t know how to stop this.

Tanya’s response was quick but firm: You can’t give up. We’ll figure something out. Just don’t lose hope, okay?

Aarohi let out a shaky breath, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. Hope felt like a distant memory, but she didn’t have the strength to argue.

Okay, she replied simply, setting her phone aside.

As she lay back on her bed, staring up at the ceiling, a single thought repeated in her mind: There has to be a way out of this. There has to be.