CHAPTER 7: Sweeping Under Rugs
An Underprivileged Teen’s Perspective ──────────────────────────────────────────── Naina sighed as she finished grinding up the chai masala. Her palms were sweaty today. She wasn’t the best at making chai, and the voices of her employers arguing outside on the verandah, like the sounds of clanging pots, did nothing to help; she HATED loud noises. They turned off her thoughts and put her on edge. She looked down and added two spoons of sugar. The crystal structure of sugar always fascinated her. It was so white… except for some reason, it looked…pinkish? Sugar isn’t pink! Unless it was… she licked the spoon… ROCK SALT! Oh no…. She frantically tried to undo her mistake by heaping sugar into the pestle. It was still salty, but it was bearable. Bhaiya* , being very absent-minded, would hopefully not notice. Didi* , however, might. And if she did…? She ruled with an iron fist. *Didi means elder sister in Hindi. It’s used in somewhat the same way as Ma’am. Similarly, Bhaiya means bro...