Eklavya

Chapter I

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Sounds of laughter and giggles filled the house that remained barren almost every day, except the three peoples that lived there.

Their house was still the same as they had left, thought Anamika as she stepped into it, she had spent her whole childhood in.

Her elder sister had taken good care of both, the house and their grandparents.

These two years of living away from here had made her even more aware just how much she missed these four walls and this roof, that always flowed a sense of comfort and safety in her.

The feeling of coming home.

The peace and tranquillity of coming back to the people, whom she called her family.

Due to her father's transfer in Varanasi, she along with her parents and younger brother Aarav had to shift there.

The whole family was expected to move there but due to Shivangi di's studies, her grandparents had to stay back.

Anamika chuckled as she thought just how much her grandmother had had to tolerate her elder sister. Like a cranky teenager her sister too had different phases. Sometimes she became all too devoted to her studies while other times she acted like studying and graduating is not the only key to success.

Sometimes she thinks about working in big companies and the very next moment would think about being a job giver.

So, complicated her life was.

But these two years had been a cruel reminder to her just how much she missed her home, her people, her friends, this town.

She had literally missed this serene environment. Such beauty of nature.

Though they had visited at every occasion and festival. But this year she couldn't come because she had a huge classical dance competition to prepare for and then came her matriculation demanding all her attention solely on them.

And because her mother couldn't leave her alone either she along with her brother stayed with her, while her father visited their family in here.

Aarav protested as grandfather pulled on to his cheeks. While grandma, her mother and she chatted for a long time.

Soon after that Aarav zoomed out of the door to meet his gang. Her father and grandpa started talking.

Radha watched with a smile of content. She too like everyone else had missed this home dearly.

Her father-in-law said something at which her mother-in-law snorted and everyone laughed.

"I've always known that one day you all will come back home." Pradeep said as his eyes started to tear up.

"You make it sound like we had left this home for good grandpa." Anamika said as she chuckled at her grandpa's antics.

Leave the dramatics to her ever so emotional grandpa.

They all were sitting in the living room. Her grandpa and father on the couch while she sat by her grandma right, on the armrest of the sofa. Her mother was in the kitchen preparing lemonade as summer was at it's prime.

Anamika's elder sister Shivangi had apparently gone to college as she didn't know that they were coming two days prior to their schedule. She would be in for a pleasant surprise once she comes home.

Fortunately, they will have enough time to prepare for an early birthday surprise. Smiling Anamika tuned back herself in the living room, chuckling and laughing with her family.