Page 55 of Born in Sin

Maria’s face turned red. “I am going to send you to live with your father. Maybe you’ll listen to him.”

Celina ignored her, the threat making no difference to her. Maria had been threatening the same for years now, but Celina knew it would never happen. Not because her mother wasn’t serious about shipping her off but because Celina knew her father didn’t want her living with him. Hurt stabbed her heart but she didn’t waste too much time on it. She was lucky her father didn’t want her. It meant she got to stay here, with Virat.

“Is there anything else, or can I leave?” she asked, forcing bored indifference into her voice, knowing it would drive her mother crazy.

Before her mother could go nuclear in her rage, the door opened and Dhrithi poked her timid head in.

“Excuse me, Maria Ma’am. I had a question about the assignment on Shakespeare’s iconic works.”

“Not now, Ms. Sahay.” Maria’s voice was coated with frost. “See me during teacher’s hours.”

Surprisingly, Dhrithi didn’t run for her life. Instead, she firmed her chin and stepped further into the room.

“But ma’am you’ve cancelled the last two teacher’s hours and the assignment is due tomorrow.”

It was? Celina should probably get cracking on it then. Her mother cut her no slack when it came to stuff like this. Being the teacher’s kid had zero advantages and a million disadvantages, she mused.

“Dhrithi Sahay – “

The door opened again and Majid sauntered in. “Ms. Fernandez, I was wondering if you could help me with an assignment I was working on.”

Everyone in the room stared at him.

“What assignment?” Maria asked, looking completely flummoxed. “I don’t teach your language class.”

“Yes, umm,” Majid floundered a little. “It’s not for a school assignment. It’s something personal I’m working on.”

Maria gaped at him. “Personal?”

“He’s writing a book,” Celina interjected, tossing him a lifeline. Her friends had come in to save her from her mom, the least she could do was save them when they were drowning.

“A book?” Maria looked interested. “What’s it about?”

Majid looked desperately round the room like inspiration was hiding in the beakers lining the chemistry lab.

“It’s a romance,” Celina blurted out.

Majid turned puce red.

“A romance?” Maria’s eyebrows shot up.

“Ye-ye-yes,” Majid stammered.

Celina stifled a giggle, not meeting Majid’s furious gaze. Across the room, Dhrithi slapped her hands to her mouth, trying to hold her own laughter back.

“Well,” Maria said now. “I don’t know how much help I’ll be with a romance novel but sure, we can talk about it.”

“Okay.” Majid nodded enthusiastically.

“Let’s go.”

“Now?” Majid threw them a wide eyed look.

“No time like the present, eh?” Maria pointed to the door and waited for him to precede her from the room. With one last panicked look at Celina and Dhrithi, he left.

Laughter exploded out of both Dhrithi and her the minute Maria and Majid left the room.

“Oh my God,” Celina gasped. “That was epic.”