India My Home

• Courtney Albertini, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2013

The jet engine rumbles deeply. Soon, we are escalating through the air. I make a mental image of Sydney as we fly above the clouds and the concrete jungle has disappeared. I have been living in Australia for the past thirteen years since I was five, and now I will finally return to my hometown, Jaipur in India.
When we arrived we realized that society was typically uncivilised. There is a storm of noise and colour everywhere you go. There are people rushing everywhere. Initially, we are overcome by the commotion and racket of noise.
The house of my father was situated on the outskirts of the city. The building was cream and covered with extensive vines. The three of us walk through the gate entrance into an open courtyard and find ourselves overlooking lofty terraces, domes and balconies.
My given bedroom is tucked away from the main area of the house. It has light blue, peeling paint on the walls. There are four large windows from floor to ceiling with lavender curtains. The windows were open, a slight breeze gently rustles the curtains and I step out onto my very own balcony to overlook the field of sun-dried grass and the intense orange sun of the early afternoon.
Below I see a young man, running down the dirt driveway. “Ranita!” I hear my name being called. As the figure approached I knew it was Javed. I head outside and I run out through the front gate. We meet on the dirt road together and embrace each other with both arms and a few tears.
I haven’t seen Javed in thirteen years. As I look up at him, I could see the little boy I knew so well and all the memories of our adventures.
We release each other and slowly walk down the dirt road. We exchange the stories throughout the thirteen years until we stop to sit down in the dry grass. Now the sun was setting and as the shadows on his face darken, we knew we would have to say goodbye once more. I look at him, as we sit together, hidden in the grass and I say goodbye. Then he leans in to kiss me. I always knew he was in love with me, ever since we were little. I break away, smile softly and get back up to walk back to the house.
As I enter into the house, an unfamiliar man with thick black hair, a slight beard and dark eyes breaks away from conversation with my parents and they all look at me. My mother comes over to me and she whispers softly in a concerned voice, “My daughter Ranita, I have brought you back to India so you can meet your husband. It is an arranged marriage. It is my responsibility with your father to place you in a secure family. Do you understand?”
I just look at her blankly, and I could feel my whole soul destroyed in one moment.