THE CASTLE

CHAPTER SIXTEEN- AADARSHINI

DHRUV

I looked at the girl beside me. Her entire focus was on the bike she is driving. "So Sandy what's your real name ?" Her hands gripped the handle clumsily. I am nothing but observant. "What do you mean by that. Of course my name is Sandhya. Sandy for short."

She said nervously as she sped up in the racing lane trying to leave me behind. I followed her. "No it's not. If it was why did you told Anand you name is Adarshini. Radha is worried. While at library I called you but you didn't reply. But when Anand called you Andy you replied. It's a little strange isn't it."

I questioned as she began to rub her fingers together. I sign she is nervous. She stopped her bike and rushed out of the racing zone,  "Andy wait." I shouted as I rushed behind her. Man the girl is short yet she ran like hounds are on feet. I came outside and saw her sitting on a bench. The place was quite with no traffic.

I walked and sat beside her. Their is indeed something problematic with her as mom predicted. "How can I trust you. That you will not tell what I told you today to others ?" She gushed out as I sat beside her. I looked at her. She was nervous and pale. Yesterday's incident must have broken her resolve or else she is not the one to open up this quick.

"You won't know till you tell me ?" I replied a bit unsure. She grew silent and leaned back in her place looking at the small snowflakes decending softly on land and of course us.

"I was an orphan." This perked my interest. My and Radha's mother are childhood friend while Sandy's mother is her cousin who recently returned from abroad. How can see be orphan. Sensing more upcoming drama I kept my silence and let her continue.

"It started a year and half ago. My parents where NRI. They died in a robbery. I was eight and got deposited in foster care. Of course they are not that good compared to real homes but not bad. I used to give free tution to the children in my foster home. The parents they were happy. They kept me happy.

Later I got admission later from a very good high quality school with scholarship so I changed foster homes. I was twelve at that time. One day I was helping in a help center where I met Mrs.Tiwari. My current guardian. She was nice and all. Use to bring me things. Expensive and totally out of my taste but I wasn't picky.

Six months later they adopted me. Suprise they are my parents friends. I still doubt that. I was suprise that I just got international adopted into India. Next day we moved from Connecticut to Florida. They asked me to change my name to Sandhya. I didn't doubt at first. It wasn't an excessive request.

I did. They changed my school. From a nice scholarship school I changed into a high-end rich second generation school with students three years my senior while I clearly only skipped two. I began to struggle. I was twelve and they all were fifteen and some reason gave me odd looks.

I should have gotten the red flags then but I didn't. Maybe I was too lost in idea of getting a new family or got lost in vanity. I didn't noticed that most of my cloths are two size bigger for me or most of my things have name scribbled over them.

It started slowly that I didn't noticed. After three months of my adoption I noticed that things are not looking good. Especially Mrs. Tiwari. I noticed at she is asking me to write with a gel pen in cursive while I was accousted to write in print. Or how she is feeding me very specific food. Mainly salad and non oily one.

She had begun to insist that I speak in a specific accent and even changed the subjects I am interested in. From History and Social to Languages. She hoped that I be the head cheerleader for school. She always insisted that she purchase things for me. Even when I told her that I hate pink and vibrant colour and feel more comfortable with gray or pastel tones. But they all fell on deaf ears.