HOUSE OF CARDS

I was always alone in my school, someone that people never called to have lunch with because I was dull and boring.

- by V. M. Amudha Yazhini

I thought I was okay being alone until he came along. He had joined my school recently. From what I have seen, he would sit alone at lunch, silent much like me munching away while he observed the other students. One day, he started joining me during my solitary lunches. He never talked much. As time passed by we grew close, we talked and spent more time together. I admired him a lot. He always had a smile on his face despite his mouth that was ever so wordless. Even so, conversations with him were something that I always awaited.

His smile was not the only thing I observed as the bruises on his face and the scars on his hands not only caught my eye but also worried me. Once in a while his balance toppled almost like he was hiding his wounds. Every time, I asked him what was wrong, he would brush it off saying he was fine. “I fell off from my bicycle, it's nothing, don'tworry” which was the constant deceptive line that I received. Although I worried, I wanted to pretend that everything was actually fine. I never knew pretending was a mistake and I had stayed quiet for far too long until it was too late. “When are you going to invite me to your house?” I asked him expectant to which all he replied was “I can't. Things at home aren't good.” He had an excuse every time. My suspicions grew and I voiced my concerns, I exclaimed my disapproval and kept pestering him until he gave in.