THE alarm chimed so violently breaking the still silence of the night and drifting into Rina's ears.
She yawned and tried to stop the noise by covering her ears with the pillow, and it actually helped, the noise from the alarm wasn't as much as it was.
It was a Monday morning, and so she was supposed to be up getting ready for school.
Thirty minutes later, the alarm went dead, and everywhere became as quiet as a graveyard again.
That was when she sluggishly came off bed, and dashed into the bathroom.
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*
*
Rina looked into the large mirror before her and smiled at the beautiful figure portrayed before her.
She's actually beautiful and none could doubt it, none.
Averaged height, slim figure with a long red hair and sea blue eyes.
Now dressed and looking exquisite in a white long sleeve top, black and white patterned skirt, a black socks with white shoes, she picked up her school bag from the bed and sauntered out of the room.
Getting to the living room, the first thing her eyes rested on was her father's huge portrait hung on the right side of the wall.
She slowly walked up to it.
A tear escaped her eyes as she remembered of his death, two years ago. A lot of tragedy had occured after that...a lot.
Not only had she lost her dad, her elder brother had followed suit. He had vanished months after her father's funeral.
Rina's father was..... she couldn't say rich, but at least he was able to keep the family's head above water, cater for their needs till his painful demise.
He was a little well to do, at least to have admitted his children into one of the big schools in town.
After his mysterious death, things became so hard for the family, everything turned turpsy-turvy and they all dropped down in their level of status, into the category of people the town's inmates calls paupers.
Yep, they became paupers.
Since then, humiliations from different corners followed, they were seen as taboos.
In school, she lived an isolated life. She only had a friend, her best friend, who made life worth living and manageable.
So going with all these humiliations and all, her elder brother, an only brother, vanished into thin air, soon after her dad's funeral.
Why not? He couldn't continue living with it.
He's never been seen or heard off. Whether he's alive or dead, no one knew.
Aside her best friend, Mrs Anika, her school principal had also made life worth living for her as well.
After her dad's death, when all hopes were gone, this God sent woman had called her aside and pledged to provide all her school needs till she graduates from high school.
That's the sole reason she's still in school, Mrs Anika has really made it happen.
"Rin?", her mother called jolting her back to reality.
"You okay?", she asked.
Rina slowly turned to the direction of the voice, it was her mother.
She was standing at the entrance, her petty clothes stained with ashes as usual.
Her mother was a local soap dealer, and with the little earnings she made, they used in feeding and kept life going.
"I'm fine mother", Rina nodded as she wiped off the little tears that had formed in her eyes.
Selena looked at the picture hanging on the wall above her daughter and the reason for the tears on her eyes instantly hit her.
She sighed and slowly walked up to her.
"It's okay daughter", she pecked her cheeks, "don't let that bug you and spoil your mood. Come on, cheer up", she stepped back to admire her.
"Mmm, you looking extra fabulous this morning".
Rina smiled, that was her mother for you, she knows how to make her feel elated at her very down moments.
"Thank you mom", she said.
Selena nodded and walked to the door leading into the rooms.
"You not eating? There's food, marshed potatoes....eggs".
She shook her head.
"Nah, I don't feel like, I wanna rush to school".
Selena smiled.
"Well, you can go. Do take care of yourself", she winked and opened the door, then went in.
Rina walked to the dining to pick up the notebooks she had left there the previous night after her usual prepping.
She had piled up the all the notebooks ready to put into her bag when her eyes caught something on the newspaper lying peacefully on the table.
She unzipped her bag and carefully put in the notebooks, then picked up the newspaper.
Removing the leaflet containing the information that had caught her attention, she left the house.
Once outside, she began going through the headline which had captivated her attention carefully.
ROYAL PRINCE HOMECOMING, PRINCE RAGHAV COMING HOME SOON.
She made a face, so it was this? It wasn't new anymore, the news had practically spread round like wild harmattan fire that the Royal Prince, the only son of King Neel of Shimla kingdom, would be finally coming home soon.
Coming back from the states where he had gone to study for eight years.
Well, there was also news that the Royal Prince was also coming home to settle down finally, and to pick a bride.
This particular reason had made all the young girls and true daughters of the town go crazy and agog. Each of them all wanted to be his bride.
Of course who wouldn't? The bride of the prince, the almighty prince!
She looked up from the leaflet and hailed down a cab, then she was off to school.