The Caged Bird – Chapter 1

A girl is seen standing with her back in front of a large window.

“……. No, there’s no way I’m coming back before finishing this course”
……..
“I’m not using a single penny of yours for this course and it is the most important thing for me”
………
“You can’t just dictate me with what should I do and what not. I’m not a kid anymore, I’m an adult and am capable enough to live my life my way”
……..
“Fine! Do whatever you want, I don’t want your apartment or money or anything, I’ll work extra for a living, find a few more jobs to fulfill my needs. You can’t do everything blackmailing me with money and expenses.”
……….
“You can’t force me this way.”
…………
“Yes!”
……………
“No, I won’t come back. I still need to stay here for another year. I’ll do whatever you ask me to do, just let me complete this course. I’m begging you.”

She leans against the wall and covers her face with her hands.

“Sayi!!! Sayi!!! Sayi open the door”

She raises her head, tucking her hair strands behind her ears, she stands and takes a tissue from the nearby table to wipe the tears, and moves forward to open the door.

“Sa……Sayi, what happened”

“Nothing.”

“Look at your eyes, all swollen. How long have you been crying?”

“I didn’t cry”

“Says the worst liar to be born in this century”

“Nothing, just same old arguments with Mr.Joshi”

“Sayi he’s your dad!”

“No Anwesha, if he was my dad, he would have let me do what I want to and not force me or blackmail me to get things done his way. He threatened me that if I don’t go back tomorrow, he’ll send his man to kidnap me. Which father would destroy his daughter’s dreams and threaten every time she opposes him??  Anyways I’ll have to head back to India tomorrow, and probably won’t ever return.”

“What about the course and your dreams?”

“Did they ever matter to him??Or did I ever matter? I’m just a mistake for him, a mistake he can neither correct nor forget, he can just live and manipulate.”

“What if he agrees?? Have you tried talking to him??”

“Firstly, me and him never had a conversation in the 25 years of my life, we only argue and secondly, no one’s gonna cast a spell that will make him change his decision overnight! Once Mr. Joshi decides something, even the angels ascended from the heaven won’t be able to change it.” She said while keeping her bag on the bed to pack her stuff.

Next day

Sayi hugged her only friend and roommate for 5 years, before bidding a final goodbye.

She then sat in the black limousine to head towards the airport where her dad had sent her a private jet.

She went inside the craft to find a man already sitting…..probably sleeping, he was wearing an orange jacket over a white shirt, ripped jeans and a pair of white shoes.

“Errrrr…excuse me!!”

He took off his headphones “Yes??”

“What are you doing here, and most importantly who let you in?”

“Well…as you can see, I’m sitting here to go back to India and those guards let me in. Can you please ask one question at a time, I get confused as to which one to answer first.”

“Who the hell are you?”

“I’m Ayyan Verma”

“What are you doing here?”

“As I said earlier, I’m going back to India”

“Can’t you see it’s a private jet?”

“I know”

“Then would you mind getting off and boarding the right one?”

He turns to go and returns on reaching the door

“Actually…I’m on the right plane”

“Do you have some problem with your eyes?”

“No, thanks to god, I have a perfect vision”

“Then, didn’t you read Sayi Joshi written in bold and caps on the plane?”

“I did and I must say, your dad spent quite a lot customizing this aircraft for you, the seats are very comfortable and with shades of blue and white, this cabin literally looks like a 7 star suite.”

“Are you done with your nonsense?” Sayi said crossing her arms.

“Firstly, it is you who is bombarding me with questions and secondly…I guess there isn’t any secondly”

“Jesus Christ!! Now can you please get down?? I swear to God, if you don’t leave from here within a minute I’ll call the cops and send you to jail for troubling me”

“Unfortunately no. You’ll have to travel to India with me. The thing is Kamal uncle is my mentor, he is my guide, guru and everything, whatever I learnt in business is all because of him.”

“Okay, so??”

“So, coming to the point, I’ve been appointed as your personal assistant and was asked by him to accompany you. Now, if you are done enquiring can you please sit down, we’re already an hour late and my back literally hurts after travelling all the way from India to here, but, I’m not complaining that I’ll have to torture myself for over another 13 hours and that too with you being with me this time.”

“In short you’re his ally who came here to keep an eye on me for him. Fine, whatever”

“Ummm…..I guess you didn’t get what I just said, I’m not Kamal sir’s ally, but your PA, my job is to report to you. I was the PA to the assitant general manager, but since, you’ll be taking up the company now, I’m appointed by your side”

“Taking over the company??”

“Yes! After 10 days from today, Kamal sir is going to conduct the ancestry ritual of transferring the position. You’ll be announced as the new chairman and he will announce his retirement.”

Sayi felt dejected, she could feel the ground shifting beneath her feet. She had mustered courage to talk to her dad and let her finish the course, she could see all the dreams of her becoming a pilot shatter into pieces. She wanted to not cry, but couldn’t even control her tears.

To divert her mind she took out a book, wore her glasses and began to read.

“Which book”

“What does it have to do with you?”

“Nothing, just curious”

“Keep your curiosity to yourself and stop disturbing me”

“Can you ever talk straight?”

“Which part of stop disturbing me did you not get?”

“Do you normally speak in this tone or this shouting is exclusively for me?”

“Listen, I really don’t care about what relation you share with Mr. Joshi, or the PA-chairman bs, but, for heaven’s sake please keep that mouth of yours shut, else I’ll put a tape on it.”

“Woah!!Woah calm down lady don, Kamal sir should have told me that you’re this fierce, I would have come prepared”

Sayi rolled her eyes and continued reading.

After flying for over 12 hours, the aircraft finally touched the ground to the city of dreams!

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Some may find Sayi’s behavior rude, but it’s just her hate for her father. She vented it out on Ayyan, because he is a close acquaintance to her father. As for Ayyan, he saw her crying silently, he knew she would react if he pesters her, so he poked her so that she could vent out her anger on him.
Thank you for your response to this fanfic 🥺

Ayyan Verma
Sayi’s PA
Kamal’s 2nd best student
(Can anyone please suggest an actor to play this role)