Author's POV

The Rao mansion was calm, each family member busy with their usual routines. Upstairs, Roohani sat in her room was anything but calm.

She had been staring at her laptop for the last ten minutes without blinking. Her heart was beating fast. She took a deep breath and clicked 'Refresh' one more time. As the page loaded, the numbers appeared. Her eyes widened she couldn't believe what she was seeing and she looked again. Carefully. Holding her breath.

And then —

One second of silence.

And then the room heard a happy little scream.

She didn't even think before jumping off the bed — it just happened. The happiness that had been sitting inside her for so long came rushing out in one single second her face glowing with the sweetest smile. Hugging her laptop tightly, she rushed out of her room. She ran down the hallway and flew down the stairs. She was so excited that she almost tripped while running down the stairs but she didn't care right now. Her heart only wanted to go one place.

To her Dadu.

When Roohani pushed open the door, she saw her grandfather, Amar Rao, seated in his wheelchair, , an old photo album in his hands, his eyes lost somewhere in an old memory. He looked up at her and smiled softly as she walked in.

“Dadu, Her voice was so full of happiness that even words felt less. Mera MAH MBA CET ka result aa gaya!”("Dadu, my MAH MBA CET results are out!") Roohani said, her voice shaking with excitement.

Dadu looked at her for a moment — that glowing face, those sparkling eyes, those breaths still a little fast from all the running — and a slow, proud smile spread across his weathered features. “I’m so proud of you, beta,” he said softly.

Roohani paused, a look of cute confusion crossing her face. "But Dada-ji... I haven't even told you my percentile yet! How do you know?"

He chuckled."Tumhare apne room se yahaan tak bhaag ke aane ki jo speed thi, aur is chehre pe jo roshni hai — vo khud bata rahi hai ke tum bohot accha laai ho. Mujhe aur kuch sunne ki zaroorat nahi thi,beta."("The speed at which you ran all the way from your room to here, and the light on this face — it already told me everything. I didn't need to hear anything else, beta.")

Roohani realized in that moment that she hadn't even paid attention to the stairs. That she had just run without thinking —

She smiled a little shyly and came closer to Dadu, sitting down on the floor in front of his wheelchair — just the way she used to sit as a little girl. Dadu — naturally, the way he had been doing for years — placed his hand gently on Roohani's head.

"Dadu," she said softly, "you always understand everything just by looking at me... how do you do that?"

Dadu was quiet for a moment. Then he said —

"Because I have been watching you since the day you were born. I know your heart better than anyone. And your heart, my child, never lies. When you are happy your eyes shine like stars. And beta, right now, your eyes are shining so bright that they are making this whole room glow."

Rohani's eyes were filled with happy tears.Then she took one deep breath and said with the biggest smile —"Dadu... I got 99.96 percentile! This means I can finally go to my dream college!"

Her grandfather saw the special shine in her eyes. His heart was full of happiness too but deep inside, his heart felt a small pain. He was the happiest person in the world right now… yet he knew the truth. In this house, except for him, no one else would be truly happy about her success. Not her parents. Not her siblings. They would find some reason to compare her again, or say something small that would hurt her big dream. He looked at Roohani’s shining face and quietly promised himself – he would protect this happiness for as long as he could.

"Beta, I always knew you could do it. You are my star."Amar Rao said

Roohani smiled. But then she looked at the door. Her smile slowly faded.

"Dada jii... should I go and tell Mumma-Papa too?"

Her grandfather's face changed. He looked at the door. Then he looked at Roohani. His eyes were full of love, but also something sad.

"Beta... go and tell them. They are your parents. They should know."

Roohani nodded. She stood up and walked towards the door. But before she could open it, her grandfather called her.

"Roohani..."

She turned back. Her grandfather was looking at her with soft eyes.

"No matter what happens, beta... you know that I am always proud of you. Always. No matter what anyone else says."

Roohani didn't fully understand. But she smiled and nodded. Then she walked out of the room.

Her grandfather sat alone in his wheelchair. He looked at the old photo album on his lap. There was a photo of a young girl he sighed deeply.

"I hope this time is different," he whispered. "I hope they see her value this time."He closed his eyes.

Roohani stepped out of Dadu’s room, her heart still beating fast from the happiness. She took a deep breath and walked towards the big hall. As she walked towards the hall, she could hear voices coming from the living room.

Roohani stood outside the living room door. Her mother, Prerna Rao, was sitting on the sofa, talking to her father, Chandrashekhar Rao. Her father had just returned from the office and looked tired and serious.

Roohani hesitated for a moment. She took a deep breath, trying to keep her smile alive, and walked toward them.

As soon as they saw her, her parents stopped talking. Their faces became strict that Roohani had grown up reading. There was no warmth in their eyes.

"Kya baat hai,Roohani?"Prerna asked, looking at her. ("What is it, Roohani?")

Roohani looked at them with her innocent, hopeful eyes. "Mumma... Papa...aaj mera entrance exam ka result aa gaya."("Mumma... Papa... my entrance exam results came today.")

Her father looked at her too now. Roohani glanced at both of them and gave a small, beautiful smile, hoping that today would finally be the day they looked at her with pride.

"I got 99.96 percentile," she said softly, her heart beating fast. She waited. Her eyes were fixed on their faces. She was hoping…they would say something nice. Maybe “Well done” or “We are proud of you.” Even one small word would be enough.

Finally, her father spoke. "It’s just an entrance exam, Roohani. Why are you so excited?"

His voice was cold. "Do you remember your elder sister? When she gave her entrance exam, she was the topper of the entire town. Her exam was much harder than yours, and she still performed better. You are celebrating for such a small thing."

Roohani’s smile froze. The light in her eyes began to fade.

"Exactly," Prerna added, standing up. "I thought something important happened. Don't waste our time with these small things. Go and finish your work."

Without another word, her mother walked toward the kitchen, and her father turned back to his files. They didn't even look at the marksheet on her laptop. To them, her hard work was invisible.

Roohani didn't say anything she quietly turned around and walked back upstairs.

As soon as she entered her room, she locked the door and sank to the floor. The tears she had been holding back finally fell. She leaned her head against the door, feeling a heavy weight in her chest.

She had worked so hard. She remembered staying up all night, studying for her final semester exams and this entrance test at the same time. Her entrance exam was the very next day after her final college exam. She had managed everything perfectly. She had sacrificed her sleep, her rest, and her peace—all for this one moment.

But now, her 99.96 percentile felt like a failure.

"I couldn't make them proud," she whispered to the empty room. "Again."

She looked at her laptop screen through her tears. The numbers that made her jump with joy ten minutes ago now looked small and meaningless.