BLACK AND WHITE #BOOK 1 - SWORD OF SILVER
SMILE ...JUST SMILE

Aarav's birthday was tomorrow, that is on 28th of September.The other two worlds celebrate it, as the day when Lord Silver was immortalised.

From his childhood itself he had hated his birthday, so he would usually skip the whole day and would just help his mother out in her home delivery service.

And he would just do the same thing tomorrow.

He woke up, got dressed and went to the kitchen for breakfast. Aarohi(his mother) who was busy doing his lunch box for the day said,

"So, Aarav what are your plans for tomorrow?"

"Why would I celebrate the day when my father and grandmother died?"

She came to him the table where he was sitting and placed a hand on his cheek. And said,

"You have only a few years left to enjoy your life as a teenager Aarav. And birthdays don't come everyday!"

"I know, but I just don't want to hear another bad news just like I've heard for the past 16 birthdays!"

"This year will be different. I promise"

"How do you know?"

"I'm your mother, I can feel it" But deep down she knew she never was his mother in the first place.

At college things were bad. Because neither Pranay nor Disha had come. So Aarav had to bear the bullying again. He was about to enter the building when, someone he had hated all his life entered through the gate.

Aarav wasn't scared, but he just knew that even if he tried his best, he would get himself racked by the bullies, so he just didn't want to make an issue.

The bully looked at him , and looked around . He grinned an evil smile and said,

"If it's not the Freak! Its going to be a bad day since I saw you're face now. Oh! By the way ,where are your girlfriend and protector? Did they leave you alone and went somewhere together ? Oh wait! That's impossible ! " He laughed.

"Mayank , just mind you're business and let me mind mine. And also , Pranay is not my protector and neither is Disha my girlfriend, they're my friends. They're absent!"

"Oh, so that's why you look scared as a pussycat! "

"Mayank , what the hell is you're problem? Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"I just can't , because you're pathetic! And what exactly will you do ? Call your mother?"

"Just shut up !"

He came face close to Aarav and held his collar and glared at him,

"Mayank, what have I ....even done to you....and.... put me down ....I can't breathe...."

He didn't let go and in the mean time almost all the students had surrounded the two.

Mayank said,

"It wouldn't even make a difference even if u would die. I'm seeing you from childhood, freak ! I've never seen you doing anything else other than drawing and singing. "

"Put..me..down.." Aarav said struggling for breath. He was helpless . Finally Mayank put him down on the ground and said,

"Be a man! And atleast try to free yourself!"

Aarav couldn't hold it. Mayank would bully him in every chance he would replace and this was going on from his school days. Aarav got up , took short breaths, and jumped to launch a punch straight in Mayank's face.

He could feel the impact, it was really strong.

But, the giant didn't move an inch. Mayanak just turned his face and spat on the mud. In return he gave an evil smirk and punched straight into Aarav's face.

And the next moment he was sprawled on the ground .

Mayank kicked Aarav in the stomach. And following their leader, the boys of his gang joined in.

He was lying there on the ground and the students were recording all of this but none dared to help Aarav. He tried getting up but nothing. After all the students were slowly going to their classes, Aarav finally got up.

He went to the boys bathroom and stood in front of the mirror and looked at his face.

His face was a mess. His nose was bleeding, lip was cut, his shirt was torn at some places. Behind the bloody face , he had quite a face. Dark drown eyes , long face , sandalwood coloured skin and a not-so-handsome-but-passable face.

He looked at his reflection and smiled, and said to himself

"Whatever happens , good or bad ,SMILE ...JUST SMILE. "

He washed his face and put on some ointment. He went to the sports room and put on a spare shirt and went back to class.

All the eyes in the classroom were bouncing from Aarav to Mayank. Aarav simply took his usual seat in the back of the row and sat there whole day, controlling the pain and grudge.

And finally the day ended and he was back home. His mother was sitting in the hall doing some bills and paperwork.

"Mom , rough day?"

"Yeah" she said without looking at him.

"Get fresh, the tea is ready. And have some snacks later, they're in the fridge."

"Okay mom"

Aarohi still hadn't looked at him. As he was about to go up to his room, a paper fell from her hand and while picking it up she saw Aarav limping.

"Aarav, are u limping? !"

He didn't turn to her and said,

"No, not at all"

"Turn to me, NOW!" She ordered.

He finally turned. And she saw his face. His eye blue and swollen , bandages at his forehead and cheek.

"What On the earth happened to you?!"

She threw all the papers and ran to look at her son.

"I slipped on the steps and also I ..uh fell during my sports period."

" I'm pretty sure that you are the worst liar I have ever known. Tell me the truth, what happened?!" She pulled him to sit beside her , and started putting ointment on the wounds.

"Ouch!Mom that hurts!"

"Answer me first! You can at the least talk you're mother Aarav! You never tell me a thing ! "

"I'm not a kid mom! I can do things by my self now." He got up and stroked her hand away and went back up to his room.

He was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling and thinking the words what Mayank had said.

What really was he good ? He had even lost his voice. He was the worst at sports.

He had no friends and the ones he had, despised each other. No girl or boy talked to him. Even when he was beaten up so bad, nobody even thought of coming to help! Had Mayank really said the truth?

'Would it really make a difference to anyone if he lived or died?'