"I used to close my eyes and pray for a whole 'nother family
Where everything was fine, one that felt like mine,"
•••••
Avni had never thought, she will ever take help from her father, her father who after her mother died pushed her into a boarding school, never saw her again after that and proceeded to marry another woman, she was just eight when she heard about it and in bitterness, she ran away from the boarding school.
It was pathetic that her eight-year-old self thought if she would run away her father will care for her, he will search for her and take her home with him but nothing like that happened nobody searched for her, nobody cared. She spent her weeks on road before being taken in by a kind lady.
Nano, Ali. . . .
She thought and clenched her hands, they were going to hate her but she doing this for them for their benefit. She blinked back the tears which came with the memory.
Avni tiptoed silently to the kitchen for a midnight snack, making sure she avoided a creaking board of the floor near Nano's room door, she stopped slightly when she heard someone talking.
"But Nano—" it was Ali she would recognise his voice anywhere.
"Nahi Ali, you won't go to that college me, we don't have enough money to send you there and Avni to another college," Nano said sternly, Ali nodded. Avni caught the look of paper he had in his hand.
She gasped silently when she saw the acceptance letter in the name of the university Ali wanted to go to. She hid herself in shadow as Ali started exiting the room, her breathing severe.
She kept her hand on her mouth, as tears leaked from her eyes. She never realized over the years that she was taking advantage of Nano and Ali's kindness.
The next day swallowing her pride, she called her father's assistant.
And now here she stood in front of a magnificent mansion in boring off white colour accompanied by golden finishing. She clutched her bag tightly, as the chauffeur tried to take it from her.
"No Dada, I will take it. Thank you." She firmly told the middle-aged man, she noticed the surprise on his face. She shook her head she didn't expect any better from her father. Being polite was not something rich men did.
The ride from her colony to this posh area where her 'family' lived was a long one, it was minimally six-hour-long rides, Avni's butt was sore from sitting that long in her father's Mercedes. Where she could not even relax.
She dragged herself and her black medium-sized trolley bag in, she didn't expect anyone to greet her but was taken aback when she saw three figures sitting on the fancy sofa in the huge living room.
Avni almost scoffed when she realised the mansion had polished porcelain tiles with, luxury flowers in between above which the sofa laid. Just as the women from the trio saw her, she rushed towards her.
She wore a celestial blue saree, her heels clinked as she rushed towards her, she was almost 5'5 which made her easily almost a foot taller than her. Behind her other two people, one of whom she recognised as Aashish Mehta, her father and she knew the boy around her age behind him was Aman Mehta, her stepbrother.
Which made the woman who now stood in front of her, her eyes teary, raised her hand to pull her in a hug. Avni stepped back immediately bringing her suitcase between her and the lady.
She felt her stomach boil from years of hate and bitterness for the family. The nerve of women to want to hug her when because of her she stayed on the road for almost a week.
"Avni. . ." the women— her 'stepmother' muttered, still with those stupid teary eyes.
"Mrs Mehta," She acknowledged the women curtly and then looked towards the man she hated most.
Who stood beside his wife in the matching suit, his face had stubble now and hairs had silver in it now.
"Avni this is no way to greet an elder. How can you forget your manner?" He sternly said, Avni gave dry laugh making his glare hardened.
"Ah. . . .the manners, I guess the one you thought me?" She asked, "They exist the same way you existed in my life last thirteen-year."
She watched in satisfaction as he clenched his jaw and eyes hardened.
"Avni!" He warned, she didn't faze by it.
"Ashish Nahi," Mrs Mehta said, keeping her hand on his arm, Avni mentally gagged. "Avni why don't you come with me to your room," she said and turned towards her son-Aman "Take her bag from her and take it to the room beside yours." She instructed, Aman looked agitated but he nodded and took her bag from her strolling ahead.
Clutching the strap of the bag on her back, she followed her in, not understanding why she was being kind to her. She had not expected she was ready to fight with anyone but what was she supposed to do when she was being kind to her.
They walked through the grand white porcelain staircase, lined with golden strips, Avni noticed few photos lined up on the wall of the staircase. It all consisted of Aman with trophies or Mrs Mehta, Mr Mehta together with Aman. Her eyes caught a familiar photo— her photo of when she was six, she was laughing in the photo on a beach a huge sandcastle stood in front of her baby figure, her black hairs were curly, the strip of her swimming costume was falling from her shoulder.
"That is Ashish's favourite photo." Mrs Mehta said, Avni blinked back she had not even realised she had stopped in the way to examine the pic.
She didn't respond and started walking again, she heard Mrs Mehta sigh and follow her.
The Mansion was three storeys, Mrs Mehta made her way through the second floor. Where all the rooms had white doors with golden designing and golden handle, her bag was kept in front of the room it was the third room from the left.
Mrs Mehta pulled that door open and pushed her bag in, Avni followed keeping a scowl when she noticed the room was large and in a lighter shade of lilac colour while the king-size bed had a comforter which was in lilac colour, the bed had fairy lights with white satin drapes at all four sides.
Lilac faux fur was laid on the floor, there was a balcony in front of which a light lilac chair with more faux fur was laid. There was a small book shelf beside the balcony, a study table with a laptop was lined beside it.
On the wall in front of the bed had two doors, which she assumed was a bathroom and a walk-in closet because she used to have it when she lived here when she was little.
Her eyes narrowed at a framed photo, it was of her Mother and Aashish Mehta, her anger flared, she walked towards it and pulled it off the wall and slammed in on the desk.
"I thought you will want that. . . ." Mrs Mehta said her voice soft low.
"No, I don't." She curtly answered and pulled her bag in front and pulled out a framed photo from it, it consisted of her, Nano and Ali's photo in Nano's cafe and hanged it there in its place.
"I. . .I. . .will leave. . if you want something you can call me." Mrs Mehta said before closing the door behind her.
Leaving her both bags on the faux fur on the floor Avni plopped down on the soft bed.
. . . . . . .
Here is the edited chapter!
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Invisible String
Fanfiction[ completed ] Returning to the place which ruined her mother's life was not on Avni's to-do-list but when she started struggling with money, she had no other choice than taking help from her father and his wife- her stepmom. Secrets would be unravel...
