(PS - Words or sentences in "italics" represents Kavya's thoughts and feelings at that moment.)

It wasn't a newly-built college for sure still the exterior was fine, eye-catching though. The building might be old but the design was worth praising.

Impressive...the interior was quite new. The floor, the classrooms, the hall etc... were well designed. It was obvious, the first place to visit was 'that administration' department for collecting my stuffs and fulfilling some formalities. When I was just trying to find my way, suddenly an almost normal-looking guy bumped into me.

"Hey, beautiful..." He tried to flirt.

And the torture begins!

"What did you just say?"

"No nothing? Are you a newbie?"

"Yes." I hesitated.

"You seem worried. Can I help you?"

Ok, Semi formal outfit, no hair gel, no spikes and there is a handkerchief in his hand. Only responsible people can develop a habit of keeping handkerchief, which is impossible for me to look after, ha!

He seems to be a common man and according to his saggy eyes I think he might be in love with someone but somewhere is running away from her.

Overall he seems safe to talk to.

"Actually I was looking for the admin-department."

"Oh! Just that, follow this corridor straight then take the last right. The first one is the admin-office."

"Oh! Thank you so much."

"Ooh! Please. Don't be." He replied in a strange manner.

But, can I trust him?

Do you have any other option?

I felt a little weird still moved ahead obeying his stated-directions. He was still standing there, watching, smiling awkwardly. I reached there and totally understood why he was smiling. I was just outside the 'men's loo'. The situation got even worse with those silly bunch of boys' belly laughter, standing in the corner. What do I do now? I squeezed the handle of my bag looking down embarrassingly. The only way to escape the moment was to run, so I did that.

Soon, I found myself in the cafeteria. I almost fainted to see the chattering-crowd. I'm really not good among people especially if they're trolling their eyes on me. Everyone literally stopped what they were doing and got busy in exploring my looks. I felt like the brand-new-animal in their zoo. Ignoring their stupid comments on me and my 100-year-old look, I succeeded reaching at the counter. I'm used to it. I love what I am, just because this world can't accept the real me, why would I care. F**k them! Their words were more irritating than embarrassing.

Suddenly a white chick with long revealing-legs short dress, was coming towards me. I wondered this city might me small but the fashion was still at its peak. Her bob-cut margin-ed one-third to the right-side, made her over-all look more appealing. I'm dead-sure she can kill anyone to be a model or win a beauty contest or something, as she's more than comfortable in those palm-length pencil-heels. Perfect hair, perfect makeup, perfect style and I pin the fact, she must be the diva of this college.

"So, she's the girl without a surname." And her arrogant mouth proved I was correct. They all were already out limits but now they surely boarded the wrong train. Calm down, don't mind them, they won't talk about him. Though I tried my best to hide my inward panting but, it was still noticeable.

"What?" They asked.

"Yes, Miss Jones mentioned her. There's no surname in any of her documents." She added arrogantly.
You are a brave girl, you will not cry, you can face this. I gritted my teeth, not in anger but to control the tears brawling inside me to fall out.

Soon this news spread like a wildfire in forest and I became their newest-gossip-topic.

"Is she an orphan?" They asked.

"No, no, she can't be, as there is a name in the father's column." She replied suspiciously. I squeezed my bag again, standing still, pressing my lips and attempting best not to cry. I quickly took my bottle out and drank some water. But someone pulled it and threw it away saying, "First tell us where is your father, huh?"

Don't you dare talk anything wrong about him!

"He must be dead who cares, but her father's name was also without surname..." She added.

He died, he is dead, he is gone, he left me alone, he is not coming back to me, he is not coming home again, I'm alone, I have to live alone. Now, I have no one to call mine. He will never return. I can not see him again.

And there slipped my control over myself and tears flooded down one by one. I kept looking down bearing their continued torture.

"What's she doing in the middle of the year?" "Can she afford a college like this?" "She doesn't appear to be rich." They cackled.

"You're right guys, absolutely right. She's actually on a charity." She supported their thoughts.

I had no intentions of tolerating more but as soon as they realized I was intending to run they blocked my ways.

Let me Go!

"But the dressing seems quite expensive, doesn't it?"

"Maybe they're donated as well." She replied harshly and they all cackled together.

Their pointed words hit me in the exact spot which could injure me the most. I can do it! I ran again and jostled out, eventually ended up in ladies room, which I luckily found on the way. I locked myself inside and fulfilled my wounded-heart's screeching desire. I'm always comfortable sobbing in loneliness without any sympathetic support from anyone.

I've lived my life almost alone, but never felt as lonely as I'm feeling at this moment. I miss him, I miss him through the second he left me waiting at the door, I miss him with every breath I take. But I can't give up, I can't hurt him like that. I'm his brave tigress. The only thing which my dad afforded, was his unconditional love throughout his whole life. We are poor, that is neither his fault nor mine. I always manage in what I have, never demanded more, not even intentionally. Because my dad has taught me one thing, its way more relieving to survive on less, than to beg for other's leftovers, just for a comfortable living. This is the main reason, I usually avoid the option of taking anyone's help. That's why I....

Suddenly someone knocked at the door and asked affectionately. "Kavya, are you in there?"

Who is she?

No more torture, please Shiva.

I squinted and unlocked the gate to find out the person, who already knew my name. It was a fine-lady, neatly-dressed, wearing a welcoming-smile and looking at me carrying sympathy in her middle-aged eyes.

"Dear, I'm Kamya Seth, the Principal of this college." She sounded polite yet graceful.

"Good Afternoon, Ma'am."

She smiled kindly at me. "Wash your face and freshen-up dear. I'll be waiting outside."

She is humble. I nodded. "Okay, Ma'am."

"Don't take too much time or else we'll be late. I'll introduce you to your classmates." She added in a caring tone, carrying a trust-worthy-smile on her face.

I nodded; she smiled then waited outside. She might have noticed my swollen eyes and dried-tears on the cheeks. I washed my face clearly.

But how did she know I was here?

I took a deep-breath and walked out.

Where is she looking at?

"I'm ready." I said to drag her attention. As she was talking to someone using hands but, when I peeped I found no one. Weird!

"Come dear." She noticed me.

"But I haven't collected my ids yet." 

"It's okay dear. You don't have to I've already told the admin-officer to bring everything directly in the classroom." She threw her gentle smile again. I responded with a genuine smile as she was the first person I met today who was actually trying to help me out. Still, something remained unanswered. How she found me?

My excitement levels were at their peak as I followed her to my classroom. The students stood up to see her entering the room, ok...so they know the meaning of respect, wow that's news to me, probably a good one.
Shit. 

I peeped inside and decided to stay at the door, for forever...as I was too happy to see my classmates. They all were the same who were bulling me earlier, including that arrogant girl. The way they all were eyeballing at me confirmed that I was their new-toy. I want to run back. Please!

"What happened, dear? Come on in." She said generously. I nodded hesitatingly.

Kavya!

When will you learn to say 'no'?

Though I never wanted to, but I walked in, escaping my eyes and stood beside her, looking down. They are still looking at me with predator's eyes.

"Attention everyone, meet your new fellow-mate, Kavya. She has come from the heart of our country, Madhya Pradesh, basically from Indore. So, it'd be totally unfair to behave heartless with her, okay. She's the girl who has won this year's yearly short-story-writing-competition held by Rajwadi Publications." She said proudly.

Shiva, this is embarrassing. Now they will surely comment something sarcastic about this.

"She's a student like us, right?" They asked as if they wanted confirmation. Red flag!

"Yes, of course." She nodded.

"And still she won that famous contest for talented writers." They showed surprise but I still didn't look up. Dark red flag!

"Yes, absolutely, she's the winner of all these. The college seat, the admission, the stay and everything she has. So, I think now it's clear that she's surely not on charity. She's capable that's why she's here." She replied in a taunting way. She already knows what happened in the cafeteria!
But how?

"But Ma'am one question's still remained." They asked together. Oh no, I was having that horrific feeling again.

"Which one...?" She asked thoughtfully.

"Why doesn't she have a surname?" They asked curiously.

And there they hit again!

Hearing that question, her confidence vanished in-a-second. I knew she couldn't answer that. Only my closed-ones could have a rejoinder to that one. She looked at me, I understood she was expecting me to step forward. But it was unexplainable that I was too hurt to talk.

"Say something, Kavya." She said hopefully. I stood still, with mouth shut. Their taunting gazes were stuck at me, but I kept my eyes down. It was a directionless situation. Neither I was able to say anything nor could I have avoided and run. Tears found their way again. I'm fed-up of this life, handling everything alone, solving everything on my own. I give up! 
You can't give up!

"Say something, dear." She requested again.

"She doesn't have any answer, Ma'am. Am I right, Kavya? Why don't you have a surname? Where the hell is your father?" The cafeteria queen opened her arrogant-mouth and insulted me again.

Tears picked-up speed and I shrunk at my place.

"Her father passed away a few months back." A strong voice came from the side, spreading a graveyard-silence. I moved my lachrymose-gaze at the door. HIM! My pupils spread as wide as possible to see Mr. Advik Rajput Agnivanshi coming inside, without looking at me he stood beside me.

"He was an orphan. He found a lost child and named her Kavya. He never got married and sacrificed his whole-life to raise her. Even though she got a father still never got a surname as he himself was living without one. Few months back, he died in an accident. Though he's no more but she's still following his principles. Instead of staying with his father's best friend and enjoy all the comforts without any efforts, she has chosen to come here and struggle to stand on her feet. She's courageous enough to come here alone, faithful enough to put his father's principles over her own comfort, capable enough to be on her own. So, think twice before saying another wrong word about her (looks at me) because Agnivanshis' have got her back. Not because she needs us but because we need her even more. I mean it, okay..." With fire in his eyes, he ended the speech, rolling one-end of his curvy mustache.

I was in coma. This man is definitely a spy! How does he know all this about me?

To be continued.......