Voices

By Jaibala M Rao

"I like him,” I declared. The buzzing stopped and it suddenly got quiet. I was not used to this. Just when I was getting uncomfortable with the silence, Trisha said, “He is okay that way, likeable, but way below your standards.”

Vani interrupted her, “Who are you to decide her standards, she is capable of setting her own standards.”

“We know nothing about him except his name. What was his name...” came Trisha’s retort

“Arjun”, I replied, “Arjun Rana, studies in first year B.Com, shares his economics class with me.”

“Shares his economics class”, laughed out Trisha, “it is not your class to share.”

“The point is, Shikha likes him, we should find out more about him.” Vani's calm voice brought the discussion back to the point.

Vani was always my biggest supporter, and Trisha was always opposed. I knew this discussion was pointless, it would just end up being a screaming match between both of them.

“Well it will just be more of the old, she tries something new, she will be wrong and we will have to fix it.” Trisha was saying.

“So what; she does not try at all, well that is just so lame”, Vani argued.

The voices in my head are getting louder. I am so scared; I think that I will stop hearing myself someday, and the voices are all that will remain. I can’t hear myself scream, it is only the voices and the voices I will not be able to escape.

“Stop it,” came the firm Motherly voice, “let her do what she wishes to, and then we do what we have to. At least give her the freedom of choice.” We never knew who this voice belonged to. We just knew she was God Mother, and all of us obeyed her in one voice.

By Jaibala M Rao