InklingsInsight

"We will stay in touch forever, protect each other from red flags, and share secrets. Promise? Promised!" Arzoo and Tara vowed. Five years of friendship saw ups and downs and each other's miserable moments. Arzoo was slightly introverted yet badass, and Tara was extroverted but naive — a perfect blend of strong female friendships uplifting each other. The year they graduated, the Covid 19 took over the world. Everyone was locked in their houses. Arzoo was stuck in NCR for a few months as when the flights shut down she was pursuing her internship with one of the major MNCs in the city. The tension enhanced in the atmosphere, and Arzoo's fear took over her. Tara would call her twice a day to check on her and would ask to try checking for ways to return her home and stay safe. There was no sign of any good news, but all the uncertainties kept coming her way. One morning, Arzoo woke up with an ambulance siren from the outside. She removed the curtains to check the matter....

Book Name: A Little Life Author: Hanya Yanagihara Publisher: Picador Genre: Contemporary Fiction Format: Paperback Print length: 752 pages  Rating: 4/5 A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara is a contemporary fiction novel that explores serious themes like mental trauma, abuse, unimaginable suffering along with love and friendship. Blurb It is an immensely powerful and heartbreaking novel of brotherly love and the limits of human endurance. When four graduates from a small Massachusetts college move to New York to make their way, they’re broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition. There is kind, handsome Willem, an aspiring actor; JB, a quick-witted, sometimes cruel Brooklyn-born painter seeking entry to the art world; Malcolm, a frustrated architect at a prominent firm; and withdrawn, brilliant, enigmatic Jude, who serves as their centre of gravity. Over the decades, their relationships deepen and darken, tinged by addiction, success, and pride. Yet their gre...

With the cool breeze and the warmth of love in the air, the weather turned cozy with the onset of Valentine's week. The teenagers in the school were bustling with the curriculum and sharing treats. Some noob couples seem unaware of what love is about and what Valentine's week thingy signify, yet dressed up differently, even in school dresses, with boys putting gel on their hair and girls with kohl in their eyes and fingers coated with nail art. Tapasya and Saransh were childhood darlings, and they grew up, getting inklings towards each other with time. From sharing lunch, assignments, problems, and chocolates to sharing secrets, they used to do everything together. While everyone was celebrating Valentine's week around, they were preparing for a contest scheduled at the end of February. Tapasya, Saranash, Rajat, Priyank, and Prisha (Panch Ratan) were working together on multiple projects for the same contest. The best part about that contest was to come up with a collection...

"I wish everything reverts to the happy, good old days when our family used to live together, sharing love and problems. I feel tired of fighting for every little thing and the pressure to manage my finances, which I never thought of since childhood." Renu said, looking in the sky as if she was talking to someone directly. There were tears in her eyes, and no one by her side, except for the monkeys on the tree near the rock she was sitting on while trying to convince the Almighty. Three years ago, Renu started working in one of the MNCs with a decent package, hoping to take care of her expenses on her own and lift off the weights from her dad's shoulder. When she came to the big city, she started liking her new life such that she did not like to return to her home. No festival could tempt her to visit home. But with time, things got worse at her home. Her father's business faced a downfall when he suffered a serious ailment and was in bed for a month. One of her uncle...

Sapna, born and brought up in a middle-class family, always dreamed of building an empire for her family someday. Her mother, Sakshi, would find her lost in thoughts with a pen in one hand, the other used to rest her chin, and a notebook on her lap, looking in one direction for hours. When she wanted something from her daughter, she would call out for her, but Sapna did not give heed until Sakshi went to her and tapped on her shoulder. And it was that time again. Coming out of her reverie, Sapna threw tantrums before her mother for disturbing her. "Ohfoo, Maa. Why do you always jolt me at the wrong time? I was about to sign the papers to book the flat in that high-rise building." Sapna yapped. Sakshi got confused and told her to stop daydreaming. "You wait. One day, I will make you feel proud," Sapna declared. Sakshi caressed her hair and told her, "My dear daughter, for now, come to the kitchen and help me clean the dishes, and close your wrong dreams in your ...

"See, the teacher's pet is coming," Vicky announced to his group as he saw Raghu entering the school gate. He laughed, and others joined him.  As Raghu crossed them, Bunty jumped before him, blocking his way. Raghu tried to get away trying to move from Bunty's left and then right, but he did not find the way, and they hurled him. Amidst the circle, they called him names, "Teacher's pet, chamcha, padhaku, rattu, and many more. Raghu covered his ears with his hands and pleaded with them to let him go, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. The morning bell rang, and Raghu assumed the torture would end. But, to his surprise, Bunty  Vicky saw their class teacher, Suresh coming in their direction, so he fled before the teacher could see and catch him, leaving behind his henchmen to face the teacher. Bunty was laughing when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He shrugged it off saying, "Boss, let me enjoy my time. See, his face, the drawing looked so funny." Hearin...