The girl who lived only for a voice.
In a small village near Jaipur stood a narrow house with faded blue paint and iron gates that screeched when opened.
That house wasn’t a home.
It was just a place where Akriti lived.
After her parents passed away, she had nowhere else to go. So she stayed with her maasi (aunt) and mausa (uncle).
But she was never their daughter.
She was a responsibility.
They give her a room with cracked walls and a tin roof that echoed during rain.
The room was silent most of the time. Too silent...
There were no parents Waiting for her to return, no siblings fighting over the TV remote, no one asking how her day was.
Aunt - “Akriti! Subah ke 6 baj gaye hain! Abhi tak chai nahi bani?”
(Akriti! It’s 6 in the morning! Tea isn’t ready yet?)
Her aunt’s sharp voice echoed through the house.
Akriti quickly got up from the thin mattress on the floor.
Akriti - “Ji maasi, abhi bana rahi hoon.”
(Yes maasi, I’m making it now.)
Her uncle glanced at her while reading the newspaper.
Uncle - “Padhai se kuch nahi hota. Ghar ke kaam pe dhyaan diya kar.”
(Studying won’t get you anywhere. Focus on housework.)
She lowered her eyes.
Akriti - Ji mausa ji.”
(Yes, uncle.)
She did everything — cooking, cleaning, washing clothes —
and then ran to college on her scholarship.
But even there, she felt invisible. There is only two person is her life she can rely on. Second her best friend Ridhima and first her ANSH.
In college
Ridhima - aaj bhi kuch thik nhi lag rhi tu.. khana nhi khaya na Aaj bhi??
(Today also you are not looking fine. You skipped food again??
She asked. Akriti said while clutching her books.
Akriti - Aisa kuch nhi hai..
( There is nothing like this)
Ridhima know she was lying. She know very well her uncle aunt not treat her good. But Ridhima take her to cafeteria and made her to eat something..
After that one evening.. while returning home, akriti felt dizzy.
The road blurred for a second.
She held a nearby wall.
“Shayad neend kam hui hai…” she muttered.
(Maybe I didn’t sleep enough…)
She ignored it..
Because weakness was not new to her.
Pain was not new to her.
That evening, while washing utensils, her aunt spoke again.
Aunt - “Humne tujhe rakha hai, iska matlab yeh nahi ki tu hum par bojh ban jaaye.”
(We are keeping you here; that doesn’t mean you become a burden on us.)
Akriti’s hands froze in the soapy water.
Akriti - “Main bojh nahi banna chahti…” she whispered.
(I don’t want to be a burden…)
Her aunt sighed dramatically.
Akriti - .“Toh phir kuch ban kar dikha. Varna shaadi kar denge jaldi.”
(Then become something. Otherwise we’ll get you married soon.)
Marriage.
Responsibility shifted again.
No dreams asked.
No feelings considered.
Akriti -“Tum kaise itne himmat se gaa lete ho?”
(How do you sing with so much courage?)
His voice cracked slightly in the performance.
And for some reason, that made her love him more.
Because he wasn’t perfect.
He was real.
Days passed.
Her aunt continued taunting.
“Phone chhodo! Us ladke ko dekh ke kya milega?”
(Leave the phone! What will you get by watching that boy?)
Akriti quickly locked her screen.
“Kuch nahi…”
(Nothing…)
But in her heart she answered differently:
“Sab kuch.”
(Everything.)
One night, she felt sharp chest pain while studying.
She pressed her palm against her heart.
“Yeh dard kyun ho raha hai…”
(Why is this pain happening…)
But she didn’t tell anyone.
Because who would care?
Instead, she played Ansh’s audio clip.
His voice echoed:
“Main rukunga nahi.”
(I will not stop.)
She closed her eyes.
“Main bhi nahi rukungi.”
(I won’t stop either.)
She didn’t know yet…
That her body was already struggling.
She thought it was just stress.
She didn’t know fate had already written something darker.
Meanwhile, in Delhi —
Ansh stood backstage at his college fest.
His father’s words still haunted him.
“Ghar ki izzat gaane se nahi chalti.”
(The family’s respect doesn’t run on singing.)
Ansh clenched his fists.
“Ek din aapko galat sabit karunga.”
(One day I will prove you wrong.)
When he stepped onto stage and sang, he felt lighter.
He didn’t know that miles away, in a small village room,
a girl held her chest and smiled through tears just hearing him.Meanwhile, in Delhi…
Ansh stood backstage at his college fest, adjusting the mic stand.
His father’s words still echoed in his mind.
“Ghar ki izzat gaane se nahi chalti.”
(The family’s respect doesn’t run on singing.)
Ansh’s jaw tightened.
“Ek din aapko galat sabit karunga.”
(One day I will prove you wrong.)
The stage lights fell on him.
He began to sing.
His voice trembled at first.
Then something shifted.
As if somewhere… someone believed in him with their whole heart.
His voice grew stronger.
The audience went silent.
He didn’t know that miles away, in a small village room,
a girl was sitting on the floor, holding her chest, listening to a poor-quality live stream with unstable internet.
Every time his voice shook, she whispered,
“Saans lo… Ansh…”
(Breathe, Ansh…)
He closed his eyes on stage — and strangely, he felt steadier.
He didn’t know why.
He only knew that whenever he performed,
it felt like someone unseen was standing beside him.
After the concert, he stood alone near the terrace railing.
Raghav came running.
“Bhai! You were on fire!”
Ansh smiled faintly.
“Pata nahi kyun… jab bhi main stage pe hota hoon… lagta hai koi dekh raha hai mujhe.”
(I don’t know why… whenever I’m on stage… it feels like someone is watching me.)
“Fan hoga koi.”
(Must be a fan.)
Ansh shook his head slowly.
“Nahi… fan nahi. Jaise… jaise koi meri taraf se lad raha ho.”
(No… not a fan. Like… like someone is fighting for me.)
He looked at the dark sky.
“Kaun ho tum…” he murmured.
(Who are you…)
Back in the village, Akriti closed her phone after the live stream ended.
The room was dark again.
Her aunt’s voice echoed from the other room:
“Kal subah jaldi uthna. Bazaar jaana hai.”
(Wake up early tomorrow. We have to go to the market.)
“Ji.”
(Yes.)
She lay down on the thin mattress.
Her chest still felt heavy.
But her lips curved into a small smile.
He sang well.
That was enough.
She didn’t need him to know her.
She didn’t need him to see her.
Bas woh gaa raha ho…
(As long as he keeps singing…)
That was her happiness.
Outside, the village was quiet.
Inside, a silent love was growing.
And far away in the city,
a boy unknowingly began searching for a presence
that didn’t even have a name yet.
Stay tuned...
More twist are coming soon...
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