Here's a Short story I wrote ages ago... its called RUSHALI .

RUSHALI

(Location: St. Hilda’s Residential School, Hostel dormitory)

“Rushi, Rushi!!! Open the door!! What is taking you so long inside the bathroom? Sister Lisa will come in to check any moment now. Come out,” said Titi, Rushali’s friend. While Titi was banging on the door, Rushali was busy reading this article about lesbians and homosexuals in the weekly newspaper, Tehelka, which she picked up from the school library. Ever since she came to know that Rochelle is a lesbian, Rushali has been trying to find out if she herself was a lesbian too?

Rushali opened the door and before she could say anything, Titi fired,” What the hell is wrong with you? Do you know how long have I been waiting for you to open this damn door. If sister Lisa finds us awake after 10, we’ll be in deep trouble. Oh so you were reading this, but how did you manage to pick this from the library?” and before Titi could finish, another friend (who is also their classmate), bala came running, “Lisa is on her way up, quick get in your beds, we’ll talk soon after she leaves. I’ve got the torch repaired.”

Soon they all run to their beds. In a moment, Sister Lisa enters the dormitory, walks past all the beds, switches off all the lights and soon leaves for her room, just outside the dormitory. Rushali, titi and bala have their beds next to each other. After waiting for about fifteen mins, the girls crawl out of their beds and rush to the bathroom side. There they, sit by the window for their girl talks. Titi asked Rushali, “Rushi, what were you reading in there? What has happened to you lately? “nothing,” says Rushali. “Is it about the thing we told you about Rochelle?” asked bala. “well yeah. I was kinda wondering if I was also , you know?” , replied rushali.

Both Titi and Bala look at each other and gasp in wonder. Titi says, “do you realize what you are saying?” Rushali replies, “Well, I don’t seem to consider that as a problem. I mean what’s wrong in being a lesbian? Look at this article here which talks about their rights and it also says that they are perfectly normal people.” Immediately Bala replies, “You’ve gone crazy because of that Rochelle!! When’ll you realize that she’s just using you? And…” before she could finish, they hear some noise at the other end of the dorm, so they rush back to their beds.

All night she thought about it and felt guilty and ashamed. Next day, they didn’t speak to each other. Within a month it was the final exams (of their 9th grade), so they put all those discussions behind them and concentrated on their studies. They pretended as though they never had such a talk. Meanwhile, Rushali, also managed to keep away from Rochelle. Soon, life seemed to have become normal and fun as the exams got over. All the girls were busy packing their bags for the holidays that were about to start in a weeks time.

They were all at the breakfast table when Mother Olive, the head of the institution, sent for Rushali. Not knowing, what was awaiting her; very casually she walked into Mother Olive’s office room. There she got the shock of her life. She saw her father and mother seated with Mother Olive. She was seeing her parents after a gap of two years. She ran to her mother and hugged her tight. “Wow!! What a surprise mom? Why didn’t you tell me that you were coming for the vacations this time?” exclaimed Rushali. Her father said, “Rush my dear, the surprise isn’t over yet.” Her mother added, “beta, we’ve come to take you from here! We’ve come back to India forever. Now that Papa is going to work in India hereafter, we are all going to stay together.

All of a sudden rushali realized the reason of her parent’s arrival. The thought of leaving her dear old school and all her friends terrified her. She ran out of the room. Rushali heard her father call out, “come back here rushali, don’t be rude and childish like this.” She ran to the garden. After a brief while, she felt her mothers hand over her shoulder. She sat by her side and said to her,” my dear, I know its difficult for you to leave this school after all these years, but we thought that our daughter has grownup and become mature enough to understand us. Didn’t you want all of us to live together? Papa has grown old and his health is failing, so he wants all of us to live together hereafter. And there is one more surprise for you.”

“Now what?” reacted Rushali. “Soon Rithika is going to get married.” Rushali could not believe it, as her sister was very adamant that she wouldn’t get married ever, at least that’s what she believed her sister used to say. “What? Didi is getting married? When? To whom?” burst rushali. “I’ll tell you everything, on our way back nani’s house but first lets pack all your stuff, ok?”, said her mother.

Thus, quite reluctantly Rushali agreed to accompany her parents to Chennai, where her new home and new school was awaiting her. Her parents had already got her admission in one of the best schools in town but the problem was that it was a co-ed school. When she was told about the school, she was terrified. She called up her friends and spoke to them about the fact that she was going to study in a school where there will be not just girls but also boys!! Titi told Rushali that studying in a school with boys would be a complete new experience. They are not like having a brother.

Rushali has two months time before she goes to the school for the first time. This sudden change in her life, has affected her very much. She missed her friends, the school and Rochelle. Soon her sister also reached Chennai from Bangalore for her marriage. Ever since Rithika reached home, Rushali wanted to talk to her about Rochelle, her feelings and a million other things but she never got her sister free because Rithika was either busy catching up with her friends or shopping with their mother.

One day, Rushali was told that her father’s family friends were coming home for dinner. She didn’t want to meet the guest but then she had to greet the guests as her father had insisted her to do so. The guests were Mrs. And Mr. Sadanandan and their 16-year-old son, Kabir. After dinner, as they were talking about Kabir’s school, it turned out that rushali was joining his school, i.e. The Chennai International School. As the parents kept chatting, Rithika was asked to accompany both Kabir and rushali to the TV room or the balcony where they could talk over dessert. Kabir spoke only to Rithika, as they had met before. Rithika, went to kitchen to get water, meanwhile, rushali sat there watching the stars in the sky.

Kabir somehow managed to start the conversation about the school to her. She seemed quite reluctant to talk but she wasn’t rude. It was just about the school that night, a very brief talk. (Well that night was the first meeting between friends to be for a lifetime.) Soon the preparation for the marriage started. Rushali hadn’t changed much. One day Kabir accompanied his mom to rushali’s house. As rushali’s mother noticed the sad and lazy daughter, she asked Kabir to take her to visit the school before it reopens. The immediate answer by rushali was no, but Rithika managed to convince her to visit the school before it reopens.

Kabir tried talking to her but she didn’t show any interest. They reached the school. It was empty, may be that’s why it seemed to be huge and beautiful. It reminded her of her school. Kabir noticed that and said, “look, rushali, I understand it would be very difficult for you to adjust to a new school and that too to a co-ed one, after studying all these years in a girls school.” She turned back and looked at him. She couldn’t believe that somebody here seemed to have understood her problem, well at least one of her problems. Kabir took that look for an approval and so he continued, “rushali, are you scared to face the boys? Don’t be, at all!! Not all boys are the same. See if you have a problem talking to me, let’s communicate through letters.” Kabir read an expression of ridicule from her face so he corrected himself, “ah that’s a bad idea, isn’t it? Just forget it. Let’s go back”

That one-day out with Kabir had changed rushali because that day she had discovered something and that was her love for writing. Of course it wasn’t writing letters but, a journal, a personal diary. She seemed to be very happy keeping a diary. One day she managed to gather enough courage to mail Kabir. Then they started chatting on net. Soon Kabir seemed to have become very close to rushali; so much so that on the day of her sister’s engagement she could talk to him about her deepest fears about her sexuality. Kabir had a great laugh but then he explained her that either way it was absolutely fine. That’s a human nature; nobody can do anything about it. He also told her that she wasn’t old enough to realize her sexuality so “stop bothering about all that and enjoy life”. Well by the end of her sister’s marriage, she concluded that there is a whole lifetime to discover oneself. She was glad that she had discovered her flair for writing. Now she aims to study literature and hopes to become a writer.

Well the vacations got over and Rushali was ready to embark upon a new experience and she didn't have to worry any longer because now she has a friend for a lifetime.