CAGE BIRD EPISODE -1

The New Beginning
I was in a pristine, remote village at an orphanage called “Amma.” Clutching my bag, I said goodbye to the children, my eyes welling up with tears. I hugged the orphanage warden, Lakshmi Ma’am, and sobbed. “Ma’am, I won’t go! Please don’t send me away,” I pleaded through my tears.
“Don’t be sad, Sree,” she said softly. “Look at me, Sree. I don’t want to send you away either, dear. But according to the orphanage rules, once a child turns 20, they must leave to stand on their own feet. Only then can other children take your place. You’re my brave girl, aren’t you? Whenever you have college holidays, come back here happily.” She patted my head, walked me to the bus stand, and saw me off on the bus to Hyderabad. Sitting in my seat, I let my tears flow in silence for a while. As the bus started moving, my tears turned into a quiet resolve.
An Unexpected Encounter
The bus reached Hyderabad at 5:00 PM. I got down and was checking my college hostel address sheet when someone bumped into my back. I almost fell forward but managed to steady myself.
“Oh god, I’m so, so sorry! I didn’t mean to push you. Look, that puppy behind me… I got scared and ran, and I accidentally crashed into you. Sorry!” a girl said, cutely holding her ears in apology. She was beautiful, about my height, and wearing a churidar just like mine. I looked at her angrily for a moment but immediately flashed a small smile.
“It’s okay. You didn’t do it on purpose, so why say sorry so many times? No problem, I accept your apology,” I said with a laugh.
“Phew, thanks a lot! You know, I’m terrified of puppies. That’s why I ran. Anyway, are you looking for someone?” she asked.
“Oh no, I was just looking for someone to ask about this address,” I said, showing her my hostel address sheet. She looked at it and her face froze in shock. Confused, I asked, “What happened? Is something wrong?”
“Did you get an MBA seat in this college?” she asked doubtfully.
“Yes, why? Is the college not good? Do you know about it?” I asked, getting a bit scared by her reaction. Suddenly, she laughed and hugged me tight. “I’m so happy!” she exclaimed. I just stared at her in total confusion. Seeing my expression, she said, “Oh sorry! I’m happy because I’ve joined the same college! Not just that—it’s the same hostel too!”
“Oh, really? Then could you please take me there?” I asked.
She folded her arms and said mockingly, “I won’t!”
“Huh? But you just said you’re in the same hostel!” I replied, puzzled.
“If I’m going to take you there, you have to do one thing for me. Will you?”
“Yes, tell me,” I said.
“First, stop calling me ‘Andi’ (Ma’am/Miss) and call me Janhvi. My name is Janhvi,” she said, offering a handshake with a smile.
“Ugh, you scared me! I thought you’d ask for something big. I’m sorry, Janhvi. Is it okay now? My name is Sreeja,” I said, smiling as I shook her hand.
The Confrontation
“Shall we go then?” Janhvi asked. We hopped into an auto, finished some shopping she had to do, and were walking toward the hostel while eating peanuts. It was around 8:00 PM. As we were chatting, a bike sped past Janhvi’s side. I quickly pulled her back just in time. The bike lost control and crashed straight into a tree.
“Janhvi, are you okay?” I asked anxiously.
“I’m fine, Sree. Nothing happened,” she replied.
Furious, I marched up to the biker. He was standing there with his hands folded. “Hello, Mister! Do you have any common sense? Do you think this road belongs to your father? What was that rash driving?” I demanded. I couldn’t see his face because of the helmet. Other bikers passing by mocked him, shouting, “Loser! You lost the race!” and giving him a thumbs-down.
That’s when I realized they were racing. “Hey Mister! Are you out of your mind? Who races on a public road? Who would be responsible if something happened? Take out your license and Aadhaar card right now!” I yelled.
Janhvi tried to pull me away. “Sree, leave it. I’m fine, let’s go.”
“Stay back, Janhvi! You’re fine now, but would he have taken responsibility if something had happened to you?” I turned back to him. “Hey Mister! Can’t you hear me? Show me your license!”
Finally, he took off his helmet.
He was wearing a white shirt with black jeans, the top two buttons open. He had curly hair, a muscular build, and sharp eyes—eyes that were slightly red. He was so handsome it could make anyone jealous. I stood there staring at him involuntarily. But then, fear gripped me. He was clenching his fists and staring at me with pure rage. My heart skipped a beat. I quickly ran and hid behind Janhvi, silently praying for her to save me from this “monster.”