At night, I eat dinner with my mom, dad, brother.

While eating, I am completely silent. My brother knows everything about what happened during the parent's meeting because my parents told him everything when he got home.

He stares me but doesn't ask anything. He just keeps eating.

After few minutes, I get up after finishing my food. My mom notices how little I have eaten and asks me,

"Because we scolded you, don't eat little. Eat properly."

I simply reply,

"I am full, Mom"

Then I go to the kitchen, wash my plate, place it aside, and go to my room silently.

My parents notice how I am acting. They think because they scolded me I become to silent.

I simply turn off the light in my room, and get into bed to sleep.

I never sleep this early. Every night after dinner, I usually draw something because my brother studies in his room while my mom and dad stays in their room. So, I can draw happily whatever i like.

But now, no matter how hard I try I cannot fall asleep, I keep thinking about my drawings, and still not a single tear fall from my eyes.

After thinking about all for a long time, I fall asleep.

The next day morning, I wake up, take a bath and put on my school uniform. My brother does the same.

Then we sit at the dining table and eat breakfast. Today I am quite again. Always I have been an energetic person at home, but now it is the complete opposite.

After finished breakfast, my brother and I take our school bag, telling bye to our parents, walk towards the bus stop.

My brother walks with his friends, meanwhile I walk with my friends in silence.

At home, mom and dad are getting ready to leave for work, my dad notices a plastic cover near the trash can and asks my mom.

"What is this?"

My mom looks at it and replies,

"I don't know either."

My dad picks up the plastic cover, open it and looks what is inside. He looks confused and shows it to my mom. It is the plastic cover that I placed near the trash can yesterday which I put all the things connected to my drawings, inside that plastic cover.

My dad asks my mom

"Did you do this?"

My mom says,

"Why, would I do this?"

Both of them starts thinking, if neither of them did it, then who did?

Then it suddenly strikes them.

"Ragu?"

My dad looks at my mom after she says my name, for a second they looking at each other .

My mom says,

"Why did he go this? We didn't tell him to throw of this away. I said only him to throw away the drawing that you tore yesterday."

Then my dad says,

"That is what I am thinking. What should we do? Should we talk it back inside?"

Neither of them says a word.

They think about it for a moment and looking at each other, without saying a word both of them agreed not a interfere it.

Because I am the one who placed it near the trash can.

My mom take the trash can, and my dad take the plastic cover and place it outside of the house because trash is full. The worker who collet the trash will come with their vehicle and take it away

Then both of them leave for work.

Meanwhile, at school, I listen carefully in every class and writ everything down perfectly.

Right now it is Tamil period.

Even my friends notice how different I am acting today, so one of my friend name Akash, asks,

"Hey, why are you acting like those guys who sits in the front now"

While he asking, another one of my friend name Pandian, says,

"Like a topper?"

I continue writing the notes from the black board. The teacher wants us to copy everything into our notebooks.

Continue writing and answer them ut looking at them,

"I wanted to give more focus on studies."

They both shocked and ask

"What? you are not like this, Did something happened at home?

When Pandian ask this to me I just stop writing for a second and think about everything that happened yesterday.

Then I continue writing and say,

"My parents told me to focus on studies, that's all. So I am going to spend less time on drawing.

 And both of you should write down too. If the teacher checks your notebooks, you know how angry he gets."

"You are right, Let's finish writing first."

Akash and Pandian start writing in their notebooks.

I didn't tell them what happened at home. If I tell them everything, my parents looks like villains.

I don't want it.

During break time, Akash wants to go to the canteen, so Pandian and I walk with him.

As we walk, I see James sir. I didn't go near him or talk with him.

I simple walk past him with my friends.

James Sir notices how I am avoiding him. He stands there for a moment, looking at me. Then he walks away.

Both my friends notice this and ask,

"That is James sir, Why didn't go talk to him like you always do? And he also didn't call your name even after seeing you"

I simply reply,

"Nothing, He may be busy or something".

And I continue walking with them.

But they keep insisting and asking question.

Akash says,

"Come on Ragu, what is it about?.

Yesterday Praveen said he saw James sir talking with your parents. Did something happen?

I wanted to ask you in class, but I forgot. After seeing the James sir now, I remembered.

I stand there and look at them and say,

"Don't ask why I am not talking to him or why I am not drawing in the classroom. I know you both will notice and ask why I am not drawing in the classroom during break time. So, Please don't"

After saying this I simple walk away. Then they both become quite and don't ask any more questions.

My sixth period is Games. I go to ground with my classmates. All of them notice me and ask why I didn't go see my James sir. Even my Games teacher asks,

"Why didn't you go to see James"?

I reply,

"Today, I just wanted to play during games period. That's all."

After I says this, nobody ask any further questions. I play with them.

After school is over, I get on the school bus and get off at my stop. Then I walk home.

Outside the gate of my house, I see the trash can. I understood that Mom placed it there because it is full, and I notice that the plastic cover is gone.

I stare it for a second then.

Then I take the trash can, go inside, place it outside the house.

Using my keys I open the door go inside and lock it.

then I change my clothes, put my school uniform in the laundry basket, take out my books and notebook and start doing my homework without eating any snacks.

At 6:25P.M, I hear the doorbell ring. I get out of my room and open the door. My mom and dad have come home.

After they both come inside, my Dad asks,

"Did you finished your homework"

I reply,

"yes, I finished it."

After saying this, I simple go to my room, close the door, and start solve some Mathematics problem.

Whenever I take a break, immediately my thoughts goes to drawing.

I have to stop thinking about it.

I am only an average student, so I have to study harder.

I know I am only in 7th standard, but I still need to focus more on studies.

Then only I can get good marks in all upcoming exams.

This is how I start to living my life.

I can feel how much I am changing.

It hurts.

I really hate living like this.

But I don't have a choice.

Suddenly I remember something.

Last year, someone came to our school to give a motivational speech, my school do this every year.

He said, in this whole world, less than 2 percent of parents truly listen to what their children want.

He also said that he is still not sure about the exact percentage count he mentioned.

In his whole life, he only seen a single parent who listens to what their kids want.

He said he is 40 years old.

And he said he is a parent who listens to what his children wants teaching them what is right and wrong and how to decide which is best for themselves.

Because of his parents never listened him, he didn't wanted to make the same mistakes that they did.

After remembering everything he said, I start to think,

I wish my parents were like him.

But they are not.

They never will be.