𝟑.| 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒖𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

Sitara stepped off the bus, her body trembling with the weight of everything that had just happened. She stumbled forward, her legs weak, as if they could give out at any moment. Her breath came in shallow gasps, and she felt as though the world was closing in on her.

Each step away from the college felt like an escape, but the sting of humiliation lingered, clinging to her like a heavy fog she couldn’t shake.

Her yellow kurti was wrinkled, and her once neatly braided hair was now undone, falling messily over her shoulders. The kohl around her eyes, which had been perfect that morning, was smudged from the tears she had tried to hold back but couldn’t. Her lips, once subtly pink with balm, were now trembling as she bit down on them, trying to stop the sobs that threatened to break free.

The world around her seemed blurred, as if nothing made sense anymore. How could something she had been so excited about—her first day at college—turn into a nightmare so quickly?

Her father's proud face flashed in her mind. The way he had looked at her when he dropped her off at the college gates, his eyes shining with hope. The memory twisted painfully in her chest. What would he think if he knew what had just happened? How could she face him after this?
Her heart raced as she tried to push away the memory of Kabir’s words, his flirtatious taunts, the way he had looked at her with that disgusting smirk.

The way Anshita and her friends had laughed, feeding off each other’s cruelty.

"Spend a night with me..."

The words felt like they were burned into her mind, echoing relentlessly. How could he say that? How could he demean her so casually, as if she were nothing more than a toy for his amusement?

She couldn’t hold it in any longer. Tears streamed down her face as she walked down the familiar street toward her home, her heart pounding in her chest. She wanted to scream, but no sound came out. Her chest ached with the weight of everything she had held in, and she felt so small, so powerless.

How had it come to this?

★

That morning had felt like the start of something new and exciting. Her father had woken up early, making sure everything was perfect for her first day. He had insisted on dropping her off, even though Sitara had assured him she could handle it on her own. But she had seen the pride in his eyes, the joy of seeing his daughter step into a new chapter of life.

As they had approached the college gates, Sitara had felt her nerves buzzing with excitement and anticipation. She had been nervous but hopeful, her heart full of dreams.

“Don’t worry, Sitara,” her father had said, smiling as he pulled the car to a stop. “You’ll do great. Just be yourself.”

Sitara had smiled back, trying to hide her anxiety. “I know, Papa. I’ll make you proud.”

He had beamed at her, his chest swelling with pride. “You already have, beta. You already have.”

Those words echoed in her head now, cruel and mocking, as she tried to hold back more tears. She didn’t feel proud anymore. She felt broken.
Now, as she walked toward her home, all of it felt like too much. She felt dirty, like she had been violated, even though Kabir hadn’t actually touched her beyond that casual brush of his hand. But his words... they had cut deeper than anything.

She didn’t know how to face tomorrow, how to go back to that place and endure more of their cruelty.

Her father would be home soon, and the thought of seeing him—of having to pretend everything was okay—made her heart sink even further.

As she approached her home, she wiped her face with trembling hands, trying to erase the traces of her tears. She couldn’t let him see her like this. She had to be strong, at least in front of him. But deep down, she wasn’t sure how long she could keep pretending.

The moment she stepped inside, she would have to hide everything again. But for now, as she stood outside her house, the weight of the day finally crushed her, and she broke down completely, the sobs wracking her body as she collapsed onto the front steps.