Chapter 2

Chapter 1

Sania was at the dining table for breakfast along with her younger sister Lana. Lana nudges her elbow and signals to her the disappointed face of their father. Sania raises her eyebrows and asks Lana the reason and just then their mother places the pancakes along with strawberry syrup on the table with a cold face. Lana shrugs, unable to understand the reason behind the irk of their parents. 

"Sania, Rickey called this morning and informed your mother that you are selected at the NYU on scholarship program to do the fashion designing course at Manhattan. Why would you go all the way to Manhattan when you can study the course in the same university here in New York?" Sania gulps a curse for Rickey. The scoundrel is an expert hacker. No matter how many times she changes the password of her email address, he manages to extract it.

Sania knew one day she had to tell her parents the truth but she would have time to convince them as the college was opening after two months. Rickey had seized away that opportunity from her.

She hates her cousin for going behind her and supplying all the information to her parents. Rickey is one year younger to Sania and studies in the same school. He is her mother's sister's son. Though he wouldn't ever admit it, Sania knew Rickey was often jealous of her for getting the best grades. Rickey got scolding from his parents many times taking the example of Sania whenever he obtained low marks. 

"Daddy I am not always going to be your little princess staying in your home. I want to enjoy freedom. Moreover I do not like this city at all. It is over populated with too much urbanization and there is a lot of pollution too." Sania reaches the hand of her father across the table in order to comfort him. "On the other hand Manhattan is much a calmer place. Do not worry daddy. I'm now a big girl. I can take care of myself and you know what?" She cheers, clapping her hands. "Nina also joins me in the same college." 

With the last sentence Richard's eyes turn bright. "I believe her parents stay in the same city." Sania puts a strawberry in the mouth of her father to sweeten his temper. "Yes daddy. Nina presently stays with her grandparents but she wishes to complete her graduation at Manhattan. Her dad is a cop working in the same city and he insists on her to stay with them least for the last couple of years before she gets married to her boyfriend Jonas.``

'Thank heavens! Daddy takes the news positively.' - Sania thought but Alas! It was only a half win.

"Manhattan's crime rate is the highest among all cities in the United States and I heard the hostel rooms are hardly available because of many students applying to the university." Margaret, Sania's mother said seriously hinting indignance. 

Sania grunts inside her throat and rubs the knuckles of Margaret to ease her anger. "Mom, do you trust me?"

Margaret only nodded. "Mama, I will be renting an apartment very near to my college which will be safe. Secondly I got a seat in NYU based on my grades. I have to keep up with my grades so that I continue to study on scholarship. Mom, I am not one of those spoiled brats who goes to clubs looting her daddy's hard earned money. I have no such choices. Please do not be so strict with me. NYU is one of the best Universities in fashion technology." Sania urges her mother. 

"So you already decided to leave us and go but that's okay. At least I'm somewhere eased. Nina goes to the same college and her parents are in the same city." Margaret lightens up."

A few days ago…

"So you are still peeping into the same magazine Joseph brought two months ago. I should kill my friend for encouraging you to choose the field." Richard spoke irritated seeing his daughter Sania gazing at pictures of models once again. "Hey daddy, Good morning!" Sania kisses the cheek of her father after getting up from the bed. "Daddy I've wanted to be a fashion designer since the age of ten. One day you will feel proud of me when my models walk the stage with party outfits designed by me. I want to start a boutique which hosts trending dresses in the market, daddy." Sania says dreamily pointing to the pictures of models from the book resting on her bed.

Richard couldn't provide the dream career to his daughter. That is why he tried his best to distract her from her destination but the more he pulled her away the greater was Sania's attraction towards the fashion career. She will be graduating from school in the next six months. Throughout her academics Sania had been a top ranker and always obtained the best grades. She has only one ambition in her life, that is to be a student of NYU and complete her favorite course of fashion designing there.

When she was about to complete her schooling, Sania had applied to all the top universities including NYU that would help her with a degree on a scholarship. Her dad couldn't afford to educate her. Thus Sania put extra effort to achieve top grades so that no university could disqualify her but offer a scholarship.

Two months later, it was the time for results. Keeping her fingers crossed Sania opened her laptop everyday with a dream of a bright future. A month passed by with no fruitful result. She pep talked boosting her morale that any one of those top universities would offer her a free seat. But with passing days only negativity grew in her.

A soft sob left out of her and she decided if she doesn't read any positive news in the day's mails, she is going to accept whatever her parents decide for her. Sania's father is a carpenter and her mother is a nurse working in the city hospital nearby. Her parents couldn't afford higher education for her though they wished their daughter to study more but...

As luck would have it, finally it seems like Sania's stars have found a better way.

God had already tested her enough and it was time to reward her for her patience. When she read the mail in her laptop that she earns a scholarship at NYU, her happiness reached no bounds. It was a dream come true for her. She thought she had to stop her education after graduating from school. Nevertheless diligence is the mother of good luck. Sania was over the moon receiving the exhilarating news.

****

A week later Sania was alone in the house as she was not feeling well. She was running at a high temperature. Her mom offered to stay home to attend to her but Sania refused. Her parents had made enough sacrifices for her by saving money and not going anywhere even to watch a movie.

It is high time they enjoy themselves. Her dad had gone shopping and bought a dress for her mom on a loan to attend the wedding of his best friend, Joseph's son. She would not allow her mother to ruin her dad's plans.

Ten minutes later, she heard the twisting of the door knob and thought her friend Nina arrived. But unfortunately she was

wrong. 

It was Rickey.