11 A Flop Trip

"Practice well children," The house leaders and the teacher in charge said and left.

Derek was back to high spirits with the help of Fred, Taaliyah and her girl gang. He overcame the situation at home and handle well. Living an obedient life at home as per his mother's wishes to keep her under control and living his dreams at school doing every thing he loves in arts and sport apart from just being a topper.

Derek and Taaliyah did not participate in anything event for onam celebrations, the harvest festival in their state.

Instead they were given in charge of looking at the pookalam competition. (Pookalam means the large circle of design made with various colours of flowers and types of flowers, circle drawn in various radius. Here it was 2 meter radius, a large circle with tiny details of design inside). It is put for the whole ten days in front of the houses during onam: the harvest festival to welcome a pious King who believed to have been sent to underground, sacrificing himself for the goodness of people. In the belief of welcoming him back as per the mythology of the place, people decorate, and celebrate with friends and families. Like Thanksgiving, chinese newyear and christmas, onam also has 10 holidays given to people, were four days are celebrated by the people, each day special with something. Hence this festival gets celebrated in all educational institutions and offices before it closes for vacations.

And after the exam, the school on one afternoon decided to hold the celebration. The four houses in school had great competitions held and students actively participated. Students were happy and excited. And Taaliyah and Derek inside a classroom with their house members busy completing the flower arrangement.

It was fun and they were getting tired sitting too long in a single stretch.

An hour later, the celebration began with prayer, choir, orchestra, traditional dances such as classical dances of the state. speech and addresses, message by the principal, and announcement of results of various competitions. Unfortunately Derek and Taaliyah won in nothing. And their house banged the 2nd place on over all championship.

By 5 in the evening, everyone left the school for a great holiday shooting happy onam to each other in excitement. Derek looked a little upset but Taaliyah could do nothing. "I will text you," she said and left with the girls while Derek walked to the bus stop to take the bus home.

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"Let's go on a trip," Nihala suggested her husband. "Let's go visit Nara, she said she is busy and can't come home, she..." Nihala stopped in the middle to not reveal the truth about her daughter working part time. Zahir would hate it.

"Trip?" Zahir asked.

"Let's go see Nara," Taaliyah was eavesdropping the conversation to see what her father would say and it appeared that he agreed to it.

"Okay," he agreed straight. Taaliyah was shocked. Usually he never agrees to anything the first time. Nihala smiled and left their bedroom walking out. And Taaliyah ran back to her room. She took out her phone and texted her big sister.

"We are coming," She sent.

"What?" Nara replied an hour later.

"Umma asked Uppa whether we can go on a trip and visit you during this holidays and Uppa agreed to it," Taaliyah was excited.

"Oh great," Nara replied. "That's a surprise,"

"Umma will contact you anytime, attend the call, and act surprised, don't say I told you this" Taaliyah sent and kept the phone aside deleting the whole message thread.

Nara had a lot going on inside her head then. Her anxiety, part time, daily classes and home works. Because of all this she skipped going home during the holidays but it appeared home is coming to her. But she looked forward to it anyway.

And as Taaliyah said, her mother called her. "Nara, we are planning to come visit you," she informed.

"Really?" Nara acted surprised to not give away her little sister "When?"

"Day after tomorrow and stay over for 3 days maybe,"

"Great," she pretended to be excited.

"Give me the list of things you want, I will bring them," Well that got Nara really excited.

"What kind of things?" she asked just to confirm.

"Food or clothes or anything you want,"

"Fooooood," Nara happily replied. She asked for bags of chips, some ghee sweets, a giant bottle of nutella, sponge cakes, noodles to cook in the kettle and variety drink to stick in the room. Since all these are available in her father's bakery it never was a problem to get them whenever.

And as promised, Niahal, Zahir and Taaliyah visited Nara inside her campus first. Nara took them to the cafeteria first to get them tea, plan the rest of the trip. Nara suggested them a hotel near her campus for them to stay and in the walkable distance for her to go visit them.

Nara made plans to take her family to the nearby museum and a park the first day. And as decided she walked to the hotel the next day morning.

"What are you wearing?" Zahir questioned her.

"What?" Nara asked back. She looked at Nihala who stood shaking her head asking her to keep her mouth shut. Nara hated it.

"What is wrong with wearing a dress?" Nara was wearing a knee length floar white dress with a blue denim, matching white sneakers and sling to keep her phone. She looked pretty but it way out of the league for her father. Zahir fumed with anger.

"When have you ever been an obedient daughter?" and looked at Taaliyah who also was wearing Jeans and a crop top but hid it wearing a cardigan over the top. He tried to control his temper and walked away first. Nihala was caught between the monster and sea. Unable to say anything being the true scape goat and a prey of patriarchy.

"Very well, come here and disturb my schedule in the name of visiting me. I left home so that I can finally be at ease and you still won't let me,' Nara told her mother who tried to console her.

"Sis, no, relax," Taaliyah got hurt.

"What did you say?" Zahir asked suddenly. Every thing turned serious all of a sudden. "Zahir, wait," Nihala said.