Adi and Ayu, Brothers and Best Friends. [Naam Swati Sandeep]

Bullying was nothing new for Aditya. All his life, he was bullied by society. School was no different. Kids did not understand how deeply some words could cut. He carried his father’s name, but the stigma of being born out of wedlock was unforgivable. He stopped fighting the bullies when he realized that fighting back only led to more taunts and insults, not to mention it got him in trouble with his late father. No matter whose child he was, no matter how powerful the Oberoi name was, he would be the Illegitimate child first. He made peace with it. 

It did not help in any way that Sushant Oberoi did not appreciate wasting his valuable time attending school meetings. Every time a complaint came from school, he faced severe discipline. Sushant's idea of parenting was limited to discipline and complete obedience. Aditya learned very early on that defending himself at school meant punishment, which made things worse for him. So he stopped defending himself and learned to take it all.

His life changed after he came to the Oberoi Mansion, but he was still wary of standing up for himself. His Bhaiya had chosen the best school for him, giving him the best opportunity any child could ask for. Music was his life. The school was a dream come true for him. If it came with a few bullies, he did not mind it. He ignored the taunts and focused on his music and studies. If the students did not wish to sit with him, ostracized him, he did not let it hurt him in any way. He had two good friends; he was happy to count his blessings. But what he did not realize was that bullies never appreciated silence. The taunts worsened, the students gave him a wide berth, treating him like a leper. When he could not take it anymore, he retaliated in anger. Complaints poured in; he was suspended. His bhaiya was upset. Though he did not punish him like his father did, Aditya understood that his behavior was causing distress to his bhaiya and bhabhi.

Once again, he forced himself to keep his mouth shut, but fate was never kind to him. He was framed in a false drug case and expelled from the school. He thought his bhaiya would be upset, but he surprised him by taking a public stand for him. Never in his life had someone offered him such unconditional trust. His head was still reeling with what happened in school. His entire life changed in a day. The students who once ostracized him were now flocking around him to befriend him. His bullies were expelled, the school was implementing strict anti-bullying laws. All thanks to Arnav Oberoi.

But that was not what troubled him. His Big-B, who always stood by him through everything, was upset, and with good reason. They had a code between them. They could not keep secrets from each other. They told each other everything, but Aditya had kept the bullying from his Big-B. He did not know how to share his humiliation. His Big-B was a larger-than-life figure. He tackled every problem head-on. Adi, on the other hand, was too hesitant to fight back. His Big-B had the right to be upset. He understood that, but it still hurt.

Standing outside his Big-B’s room, Aditya debated if he should go in. Ayu was studying. He did not wish to disturb him. He knew if he went inside, they would have to talk. His Big-B would ask questions which he could not answer. He did not know what to do.

He was thinking of going back when Anirudh came there holding two cups of coffee. He spotted Aditya outside Ayu's room and came to a stop.

“Tu bahar kyun khada hai? (Why are you standing outside?)” Anirudh asked as he handed him the coffee. Aditya looked at the cup; there was milk in the coffee. Anirudh clearly got it for himself, but he was too polite to exclude him from anything.

Ayu looked up when he heard Anirudh’s voice. He saw Adi at the door and smiled in greeting.

"Andar aana, Adi. Wahaan kyun khada hai?" (Come inside, Adi. Why are you standing there?)

Adi sighed. Now he couldn't run away. He stepped inside with Anirudh, who handed Ayu his coffee cup and stepped back.

"Don’t stay up all night, Ayu. You have studied the whole day. Take a break." Anirudh patted his back gently and walked away.

Ayu rubbed his tired eyes. He had an exam the next day. He wanted to ace it. That was why he was hooked on his books. Unlike Aditya and Anirudh, he was not gifted with photographic memory. He had to work hard, but he didn't mind the hard work.

"Massage kar doon?" (Shall I give you a massage?) Aditya asked, seeing Ayu rub his forehead. Ayu shook his head; he was fine.

"Tu baith, aaj din bhar dekha nahi. Kaha reh gaye they Nawab Sahab?" (Sit with me. You were nowhere to be seen all day, Nawab Sahab?)

Aditya looked down. He was avoiding Ayu, and now felt guilty about it.

"Kya ho gaya, Adi? Itne pareshan kyun hai?" (What happened, Adi? Why do you look so worried?)

Adi shook his head.

"Abhi bhi us incident ke bare mein soch ke pareshan hai?" (Are you still thinking about the incident at school?)

Adi shook his head again. That never bothered him. He was worried that his Big-B was still upset with him.

"Phir?" (Then?)

"Naraz ho aap?" (Are you upset with me?) Adi chewed his lip and looked down. He was too scared to look at his Big-B and face the anger or the disappointment.

Ayu frowned. "Beach chale?" (Shall we go to the beach?) Ayu suggested, knowing that the beach was his younger brother's go-to place. He wanted to see the smile on his baby brother's face.

Adi looked surprised. "Is waqt? Bhaiya jaane denge?" (At this time? Will Bhaiya give us permission?)

"Bhaiya ke chinta tu maat kar, bata jana hai ya nahi?" (Don't worry about Bhaiya, just tell me if you are interested or not?)

"Kal aap ka exam hai, Big-B." (You have an exam tomorrow, Big-B.)

"I finished studying, Adi. Let’s go. Why don’t you get your jacket? I will talk to Bhaiya and come get you."

Aditya bobbed his head immediately. He trusted his Big-B to convince their Bhaiya. Ayu was Arnav’s favorite. Their Bhaiya rarely denied Ayu anything.

Ayu closed the books and made his way to Arnav’s study. He still had two chapters to revise and could do that in the morning. At that moment, what mattered more was Aditya. Dr. Sanjana had told him that Aditya needed to voice out his fears to someone. She suggested that Aditya would find it easier to share his problems with him because they were closer in age. The boy was keeping a lot of things bottled. Ayu hoped Adi would talk. And the best way to make Adi talk was to take him to the beach. Adi could never keep things from him. This time Adi had kept a very big secret, he needed to make sure  the boy didn't do anything like that ever again.

Once he reached Arnav's study, he burst inside without knocking. He knew he would always be welcome in his Bhiaya’s study, and he knew for a fact that his bhaiya was not busy. Arnav saw the door open and looked up. He was pleasantly surprised to see Ayu come inside.

“Revision kar liya, bacha?” (Done with revision, bacha?)

Ayu nodded his head and approached Arnav.

“Dawai le li aapne?” (Did you take your medicines?)

Arnav looked away. Ayu glared at him and reached for the BP medication that was kept in the desk drawer. His bhaiya always forgot his medication.

“Har din aapko yaad dilana padega, Bhaiya?” (Do I have to remind you every day, bhaiya?) Ayu scolded as he poured a glass of water for him.

Arnav smiled. He often forgot his pills because he enjoyed the attention that his child showered over him. Ayu’s love was the one thing that he would treasure for life.

“Tu mujhe daatne aya hai, ya kuch aur bhi kaam tha?” (Did you come to scold me, or did you have another agenda?)

Ayu smiled. Nothing escaped his Bhaiya’s eye.

“Main aaya tha dawai dena, lekin mujhe aapse kuch puchna bhi tha.” (I came to give you your medicines, but I also wanted to ask you something.)

Arnav looked behind him, hoping to see Aditya hiding somewhere. The boy always used Ayu as a medium when he wanted to ask him something.

“Kise dhoond rahe ho aap?” (Who are you searching for?)

“Tere partner in crime ko. (I was looking for your partner in crime.) What does he want now?” Arnav teased. He was very sure that Aditya wanted something. Ayu would never ditch his books before exams, unless he needed to step in for Aditya. The boy had his Big-B wrapped around his little fingers, and Ayu was completely clueless about it.

“Adi ko kuch nahi chahiye. (Adi does not want anything) I needed a break. I was wondering if I could go to the beach.”

“Alone?” Arnav frowned. Ayu never took a break before his exams. Anirudh had to drag him down for meals. The sudden request took Arnav by surprise.

“No, with Adi. We will hang out for an hour or so. You can send the security with us. We will be very careful.”

Arnav hesitated.

“Please bhaiya. Yesterday I yelled at Adi. I need to make it up to him….”

“Adi was wrong in his place, Ayu,” Arnav’s tone turned grim. “You don’t have to make it up to him for scolding him. Adi needs to understand that he has brothers who care for him, who will get upset if he hides things, if he gets into trouble. The boy could have told you everything, and yet he chose not to…..”

“He is troubled, Bhaiya….”

“I know that, bacha. But he needs to trust us with the truth,” Arnav sighed. He wished they could reach Aditya in some way. He was tired of seeing the haunted look in the boy's eyes. He could do anything to see Aditya behave like a normal hot-headed teenager.

“He trusts us, bhaiya. More than anyone else, he trusts you. The problem is, he does not know how to voice his fears and problems. No one taught him how to. Dad was not…..” Ayu trailed off. Aditya had told him about how their dad treated him, and it was nothing pleasant. He knew how much Arnav admired their dad and did not wish to hurt his feelings.

“I can teach him,” Ayu changed the subject. “He will learn slowly. Don’t worry. Let us go now. I promise I will take care of Adi.”

Arnav caressed his face gently. The boy he raised had grown up suddenly on him. Ayu had changed a lot after Aditya came into their lives. He mellowed down, stopped making demands, and learned to put Aditya before his needs. He was still the cheerful boy he had raised, but he showed a remarkable amount of maturity with Aditya. Ayu might be his younger brother, but he was Aditya’s Big-B first. Arnav could see it clearly, and that filled him with happiness. Not everyone was capable of such selfless love. Arnav knew it better than anyone else.

“Aise kya dekh rahe ho, Bhaiya?” (Why are you looking at me that way, Bhaiya?)

Arnav shook his head. He was too emotional to voice what he was feeling. It was a father’s pride, not easy to express in words.

“Hum jaa sakte hain?” (Can we go to the beach?)

Arnav nodded his head in agreement. Ayu sighed in relief. He thought he would have to work hard to convince his Bhaiya. Arnav readily agreed, and he couldn't have been happier. He rushed out before his Bhaiya changed his mind. An hour at the beach was all they needed to unwind and talk. He wanted to make the best use of the opportunity.

Aditya was waiting for him in the living room. Ayu could see that he was prepared for a refusal. Arnav never let them go out after 10, and definitely not on their own. Aditya’s fear was not unjustified. He walked to him and dragged him up.

“Chale?” (Shall we go?)

“Bhaiya maan gaye?” (Did Bhaiya give permission?)

Aditya could not hide his surprise.

“He said we can take his car. The one with the sunroof.”

Aditya was thrilled. That was the best car in the Mansion. His Bhaiya had got it at his Bhabhi’s request. She loved open-top rides, and so did they. Though their Bhaiyu’s car had the same features, it did not have the same comfort as their Bhaiya’s car. The boys made their way to the Mercedes enthusiastically. The driver approached Ayu and handed him the keys.

Aditya hopped into the car. It was his first night drive with his Big-B. He wanted to enjoy every second. Ayu hit the gas, and the car zoomed ahead. When Ayu opened the roof, it was one of the best moments of Adi’s life. The breeze made him come alive. For a few brief seconds, he let go and had fun.

Ayu saw him relaxing and knew he had made the right decision. He took a detour so that Aditya could enjoy the drive for as long as he wanted. Once Aditya got tired and sat back down, Ayu made his way to the beach. The security trailed behind close by but at a respectable distance. Arnav always made sure that they had their privacy, something Ayu appreciated very much. He did not want anyone overhearing their conversation.

It was a full moon night. The sky was illuminated with stars. The beach looked magical as it reflected the moonlight, creating a silvery illusion.

“Beautiful, isn’t it, Adi?” Ayu held Adi’s hand gently.

Adi bobbed his head. It was beyond magical. Every artist's inspiration. He wished he had brought the guitar with him.

“You want to play, don’t you?”

Aditya bobbed his head again.

“You know what I want?”

Aditya shook his head. Ayu wrapped his arm around Adi’s shoulder and pulled him closer. “I want you to be happy, Adi.”

Aditya looked away. The sincerity in his Big-B’s voice overwhelmed him. 

“And from where I see, you are not happy. Are you?”

“I am happy, Big-B…”

“The one thing I cannot tolerate is lies. It’s okay if you cannot trust me, but don’t lie to my face.” Ayu could not keep the anger from his voice. He was 19, too young to control his emotions, but when he saw Adi flinch, he realized his mistake immediately.

“Sorry.” He ran his fingers through his thick curls. “I did not mean to yell.”

“I know, Big-B.” Aditya squeezed his hand gently. “And you were not yelling at me, galti mujhse hi hue hai (It was my mistake). I should have told you everything. You have the right to be mad.”

“Phir kyun nahi bataya tune mujhe, Adi? Woh log tujhe itna pareshaan kartey rahe, tujhse itni battameze kartey rahe aur tu chup raha? Kyun?” (Then why did you not tell me, Adi? Those students misbehaved with you, bullied you, why did you remain silent?)

Aditya looked down, ashamed to talk about his fears.

“Don’t you trust me?”

“I trust you with my life, Big-B.” Aditya looked up with eyes shimmering with tears. The pain in his Big-B’s voice got to him more than his anger.

“But you cannot trust me with your pain?”

A lone tear slipped from Adi’s eyes. Ayu wiped it away gently.

“Don’t, Adi. It is not healthy to keep emotions bottled up. It’s okay to cry. It’s okay to yell, it’s okay to even fight, but keeping secrets is not okay. It not only hurts you, it hurts your family as well. Bhaiya may not say it, but he is very upset. He makes it a point to keep us happy and safe. When we keep secrets that endanger our safety or happiness, he becomes upset. Rightfully so. If you told us about those bullies, Bhaiya would have set them right on day one. How dare they say those things to you…”

“Kuch galat to nahi kaha na, Big-B? (They did not say anything wrong, Big-B.)”

Ayu looked shocked. “What?”

Aditya looked away to hide the tears that rushed to his eyes. “Sach hi kaha na unhone (They spoke the truth), Big-B. I am a bas…”

“Don’t you dare say it, ADITYA OBEROI.” Ayu’s voice boomed.

Adi flinched. Ayu forced him to look at him. “You are Aditya Sushant Oberoi. No one can deny your identity, not even yourself.”

“Is that what I am Big-B? Aditya Sushant Oberoi? Dad gave him his name, then why do I feel like…” Ayu’s glare silenced him. Adi looked away. He knew his Big-B would not understand. No one could. His life was messed up.

Ayu saw the dejected look and reined in his temper. He wanted the boy to talk, and he realized that if he lost his cool, Adi would retreat into his shell. He did not want that.

“Okay, you do not feel like Dad’s son. Does that also mean that you do not think of us as your family?” His tone was gentle and coaxing.

“Aap jante ho aap sab mere liye kya ho. (You know what you guys mean to me.) Why are you asking me this?”

“Because I want to understand, Adi. You are supposed to share your pain with your family, but you don’t. Where are we going wrong? Where am I going wrong? I thought we were good friends…”

“You are my best friend, Big-B.” The first friend I ever made. Aditya could not voice the last part.

“And yet you could not tell me what was happening?”

Adi did not answer. He did not know what to say.

“It’s okay. If you cannot trust me, at least trust your counselor. Talk to Dr. Sanjana…”

“You think I trust that woman more than you, Big-B? If I did not tell you anything, why would I talk to that woman?”

“That woman is your doctor, Aditya. What is wrong with you? You don’t talk to us, you don’t talk to your doctor. Then who will you talk to? What will it take for you to gain your trust? At least tell me that. Am I being overbearing? Are you scared that I will not understand you? Make fun of you? Did I make you feel…”

“You did nothing wrong, Big-B. There is nothing wrong with you. It’s me. Everything is wrong with me.” Aditya’s voice was filled with agitation.

Ayu looked at him. The tears glistening in Adi’s eyes troubled him the most. He cupped his face gently, “There is nothing wrong with you, Adi. You are perfect…”

“I am not.” Aditya pulled back, “I am not perfect in any way, Big-B. I am flawed. I have trust issues. Bhaiya loves me so much, and yet I fear that one day he will realize that I am not worth the trouble and toss me away. You are my friend, but I fear that one day you will get tired of my dumbness and step back. Bhabhi… if she ever stops loving me…” Aditya could not finish. If that ever happened, he would break. She was the only mother he had ever known. His worst fear was becoming an orphan again. All his life he felt like an orphan. His father was uninterested in him. He was an unwanted child. The child who broke a happy family. The Oberoi name was nothing more than a burden.

His siblings gave him a family. He was starting to believe he wasn't an orphan, but the fear of losing everyone he loved paralyzed him. Ayu was shocked. Aditya’s fears brought tears to his eyes. He wanted to hold his little brother and cry, but he forced himself not to fall apart. Aditya needed assurances much more than his empathy.

“Why will we stop loving you, Adi?”

“Because I am flawed,” Adi blurted out. He was too emotional to put up barriers. He had bottled up too many things; he could not take anymore. With Ayu, it was easy to talk.

“Everyone is flawed…”

“Not you. Look at you, Big-B. You are smart, the topper of your college, the captain of the football team. You make Bhaiya proud. Bhaiyu is a world-renowned sculptor. Bhabhi, a respected advocate. And Bhaiya… he is like this superhero that I used to read about in storybooks. I am the only flawed person… I am the only loser in the family.” He winced when he felt a hard rap on his head.

“Mara kyun? (Why did you hit me?)” He rubbed his head. Ayu never held back on anything. His head was throbbing.

“Well, I was trying to beat some sense into you, ‘dumbo’.” Aditya looked away. He knew he was dumb. So he did not contradict it. Ayu sighed when he saw the look of resigned acceptance. He wanted to hit him again but stopped himself. He remembered his conversation with Dr. Sanjana. Her words rang in his ears.

"It will take patience to make the boy talk, Ayushmaan. Love is the only magical solution. Only love can make Aditya feel confident again. Only love can break the boy. If you show anger, he will retreat into a shell. If you show kindness, he will mistake it for pity. Be his Big-B. Exert your right on him and tell him that you are upset with him. Don’t make him feel guilty; make him realize his mistake. I know it won't be easy, but love will make way for you."

He decided to heed her suggestion. "Do you like the moon?" Ayu changed the topic.

Adi bobbed his head. He was confused with the sudden change in subject, but he was glad they were no longer talking about his dumbness.

“Why?”

“What is there not to like in it, Big-B? It's larger than life. Bright. Beautiful. Spreads joy and hope. It’s magical.”

“And flawed.”

Adi frowned. “What?”

“Look at the moon, Adi. It shines bright, but it has flaws so wide and so deep that we can spot it 200 thousand miles away.”

“Who cares, Big-B. It outshines every star in the galaxy.”

“My point, Adi. Flaws don’t matter at all. Those stars that surround the moon always shine bright, but it is the moon that steals the show always. It’s flaws that enhance beauty. Perfection is way too overrated. Can you name a single star in the sky?”

Aditya was taken aback.

“Well, some of them have really popular names, but can we identify them? Do they stand out on their own?”

“North star?”

“And you call yourself dumb?” Ayu rolled his eyes. He had completely forgotten about the star. Obviously, nothing escaped his younger brother's attention, but the obvious truth.

“It’s common knowledge, Big-B.”

“Right, the ever-logical Aditya only loses logic when it comes to him.”

“I got it, Big-B! Flaws make a person beautiful. But what if a person only has flaws? How much patience can anyone have with him…”

“Well, for one, I am yet to meet a person without flaws. Bhaiya is all cool and composed, but when he loses his calm he is like this erupting volcano. Not a pleasant sight to see. His anger is his biggest flaw, but he knows it, even embraces it. That is what made him into the man he is today. Acceptance of his flaws. Let’s look at Bhaiyu now, the man you see now, and the boy I knew a few years ago.  Let's say they are not the same. You see the fame, Adi. I see the pain that shaped him into the man he is today. Do you know what Bhaiyu says about art?”

Aditya shook his head. He did not know, but he wanted to know.

“That no one can create a perfect art piece. If they did, the art would lose its charm. Faults are what add beauty to art. It makes it seem real.”

Aditya sighed. “And Bhabhi? You are going to say she is flawed?”

“Angels don’t have flaws, Aditya. I don’t care if she is flawed; she is our angel. Let’s not dig deep.”

Aditya agreed wholeheartedly.

“And now, coming to me…”

“You are not flawed in any way,” Aditya insisted. Ayu was his role model. His savior. Just like he could not see faults in his Bhabhi, he could never see faults in his Big-B.

“Tell that to Bhaiya. I caused so much trouble in school that he threatened to have me homeschooled. I got into fights. Used fists to solve my problems. I locked you in that room.” Ayu’s tone was heavy with guilt. Adi held his hand immediately.

“I asked for it, Big-B…”

“No one asks for abuse, Adi,” Ayu shook his head. “No one asks to be bullied. No one asks to be humiliated or taunted or shamed. What I did to you in a moment of heat was wrong. What those students did to you was wrong. What your uncle did to you was WRONG. And what our father did to you was UNACCEPTABLE.”

Aditya looked taken aback.

“It is not your mistake, Adi. You never asked for any of it. The mistake lies with them. If you continue to shoulder the blame, they would win and we would lose. Bhaiya would lose. Do you want that?”

Aditya shook his head. That was the last thing he wanted.

“Then you need to talk. You need to tell us what is happening. You need to let us help you. If you break, we break, Adi. Remember what Bhaiya told you. We are a unit. All for one and one for all. You cannot break, Adi. You cannot let us break. Talk, please.”

And Adi did. How could he hold back against such pure love? Anger he could handle, abuse was not new to him, but it was love that rendered him defenseless. Under the moonlit sky, in the protection of the stars, Adi poured his troubles to his Big-B. Once he started, he could not hold back. The brothers held onto each other and cried. Adi needed to talk and Ayu needed to know the depth of his brother's pain. That day marked the beginning of a healing process that would change Aditya’s life forever. And the boy was completely unaware.