Not big amounts. Small enough to never notice.
They worked double shifts some weeks.
I spent every rupee on things I didn't need.
Did it for two years straight. Never once got caught.
They raised me to be honest. I wasn't.
That's the part I can't shake.
It wasn't about the cartoons.
Volume on 2. Blanket up to my chin. Bowl of cereal I made myself feel proud about.
Everyone asleep. No one asking anything of me.
I was 8 years old and I was already craving silence.
My parents thought I just loved TV. I never corrected them.
Truth is that one quiet hour felt like the whole world was mine.
Some mornings I still chase that feeling and can't find it anywhere.
Every long family trip, the moment we hit our street I'd close my eyes.
Slow my breathing down. Go full method actor.
He'd unbuckle my seatbelt, pick me up, and carry me inside.
I was in middle school. I knew exactly what I was doing.
Some nights I still think about how safe that felt.