Two Worlds, One Heart

In a town where glass towers touched the sky and tiny huts leaned against broken roads two boys grew up under the same sun but in different worlds. The town was a place it had everything but it also had nothing.

One was Aryan, the son of a businessman. He lived in a house with shiny floors and lots of toys.. Even with all these things Aryan often felt lonely. He would sit by his bedroom window looking out at the world outside. His parents were always busy they did not have time for him. His father was always thinking about money. His mother was always going to parties. There were people who took care of him. Nobody really listened to him.

The other boy was Raju. He lived with his mother in a hut near the railway tracks. They did not have food and sometimes they only had dry bread and water for dinner.. Every night his mother would smile and say, "As long as we are together we are happy."

One day Aryans school bus broke down near the place where Raju lived. The driver told everyone to wait. Aryan went for a walk he wanted to see the narrow streets and the people who lived there. He heard lots of laughter. He was curious. Then he. Fell into the mud and he hurt his leg.

Raju saw him. Ran to help him. "Are you okay?" he. He helped Aryan stand up. Aryan was surprised nobody had ever taken care of him like that before.

Raju took Aryan to his hut and his mother cleaned Aryans wound. She made him some tea it was the tea they had. Aryan looked around he saw the walls, the roof that was leaking and the stove that was not working well. But he felt something he felt warm.

"Why are you helping me?" Aryan asked.

Raju. Said, "Because you were hurt."

Aryan thought about this it was an answer but it meant a lot to him.

From that day on, Aryan and Raju became friends. Aryan would visit Raju secretly. Raju would visit Aryans house but he was always a little scared. They would talk they would share their dreams. They would eat together. Aryan taught Raju how to speak English and how to do math and Raju taught Aryan how to fly kites and how to laugh.

Not everyone was happy about their friendship. One day Aryans father saw him eating with Raju on the street. He was very angry he took home and shouted at him. "You are the son of a man " he said. "Those people are not like us."

Aryan had never talked back to his father before. This time he did. "They are not beneath us " he said. "Raju and his mother they showed me love in one day than I have gotten in years."

His father was very angry he hit Aryan. After that Aryan was not allowed to see Raju

Days went by. Aryan became quiet again. Raju stopped going near Aryans house he was afraid of causing trouble.

Then winter came it was very cold. One night Rajus mother became very sick. He ran through the streets he was looking for help. Nobody cared. He went to Aryans house. The guards would not let him in.

Aryan saw him from the balcony. He ran downstairs. He learned that Rajus mother was sick and he took some money from his fathers room. He took Rajus mother to the hospital.

The doctors tried to help her. It was too late. Before she died she held Aryans hand. Said, "Take care of Raju."

Raju was very sad he cried a lot. Aryan hugged him. He cried too.

That night changed everything. Aryans father saw his son sitting on the hospital floor he was crying with a boy. He realized that there was more to life than money.

Years later Aryan grew up. He used his money to build schools and homes for children like Raju.. Raju he became a teacher in one of those schools.

People often asked them how they became like brothers. Raju would. Say, "Pain does not care if you are rich or poor and neither does love." Aryan and Raju they were, from worlds but they found a connection they found a friendship that changed their lives.