Page 14 of Born in Sin (Phoenix #3)

Celina ran through the halls, her shoes slipping on the tiled flooring. Fear and panic propelled her forward as she raced two floors down to the teacher’s den. The door to the den was open and she could see that most of the faculty were gathered for tea and snacks.

Her mother was standing by the window with Mohan Sir and turned, alarmed, when Celina burst into the room, out of breath and disheveled.

“Celina?” She strode over immediately, grabbing Celina by both arms. “What’s wrong? Are you sick?”

“Mama, you have to come.” Celina caught her mother’s hand and pulled. “Now!”

Her mother allowed her to tow her out of the room and into the corridor, stopping by the open doors. “What’s going on? Tell me.”

“There’s a boy in my class who is very hurt. He needs help.”

Irritation flared in her mother’s eyes. “Then you need to tell him to go to the infirmary, Celina,” she said impatiently. “Why are you running around like this, like a crazy person.”

“Because Ma, Virat’s really sick and –“

“Wait.” Her mother’s eyes sharpened. “Who is sick again?”

“Virat, my classmate.”

Her mother stared at her, frozen. “Virat Jha?”

Celina nodded, tugging at her mother’s hand again. “Come no!”

“What’s wrong with him? With Virat?” For some reason her mother’s gaze darted towards the teacher’s staff room. Towards Mohan Sir who was staring at them, a frown etched into his forehead.

“He has this really bad hurt on his back.” Celina tried to show where he was hurt by twisting around and patting at her shoulder. “And it’s oozing pus ma. I think it’s infected and-“

“Keep your voice down,” her mother hissed, digging her fingers into Celina’s arm and dragging her away from the open door. “Now, I want you to head to the study hall and get on with your homework. Stop wasting time with all this nonsense. Do you hear me?”

“But Virat-“

“You are not to have anything to do with that boy, Celina.” The tips of her mother’s fingers turned white as she tightened her grip on Celina’s arm. “Do you hear me?”

Celina’s eyes grew wide, pain shooting up her arm where her mother’s nails were digging into the soft flesh.

“Ma-“

“I don’t want to ever hear you mention that boy again. Ever!” The last word was a hissed order. “You will not speak to him. You will not look at him. You will not have anything to do with him. Anything!”

Celina pulled her arm out of her mother’s grip. “Ma! What is wrong with you?”

“That boy is nothing but bad news, Celina,” her mother said grimly. “His own father wants nothing to do with him. Trust me. You don’t want to get involved with the likes of him.”

“The likes of him?” Celina’s feminist, liberal streak came roaring to the forefront. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“You will do what I said,” her mother snapped. “Or I’ll send you to live with your father in Dubai.”

Mother and daughter stared at each other, a standoff that lasted far longer than it should have.

“I am your mother,” Maria said finally. “He is nobody. Now go to study hall before I lose my temper with you.”

Celina turned on her heel without another word. But when she stormed down the corridor, it wasn’t in the direction of study hall.