Pranbir Short Story Collection

Deal of heart (Part 1)

Here is the first part of the story I am writing on current track. Tried to make it an OS but it kept on getting lengthier. LOL So, thought to make it a two or three shot. @vaida_pranbirian asked me to write it. So I dedicate this story to her. Hope she and all of you will like it. 

Rhea marched into Prachi's home with the intention to confront her regarding the secret marriage in the temple that Ranbir attempted. As soon as she stepped into the house, in a fit of incandescent rage, she began to screech like a banshee and toss away whatever she could. Hearing the commotion, Prachi rushed out of her room to encounter the living room in a mess.

"What on earth are you doing? Stop it right now!" Prachi yelled.

"What am I doing? What are you doing? Even after promising that you will back out and never try to snatch Ranbir away from me, you are trying every possible thing to snatch him away from me. Let me warn you, Prachi, I won't ever let you do that to me." Rhea screeched like a harpy.

"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP! How dare you come here and threaten me in my own house? If you don't shut up, I will call the cops on you and get you thrown out of my home, Rhea Mehra. Don't expect everyone to handle you with kid gloves. Got it?" Prachi retaliated.

"You...you broke your promise." Rhea whined.

"What on earth are you talking about?" Prachi glowered at the insane girl in front of her in utter irritation.

"You tried to marry Ranbir secretly in the temple." Rhea accused.

"Excuse me! It was Ranbir who tried that, not me. I didn't even know about it." Prachi defended herself.

"I don't want to hear any lame excuse. You broke the promise you made to me. What kind of a sister are you?" Rhea shrieked.

This accusation was the last straw for Prachi and finally the dam of her patience gave away.

"You don't want to hear the truth so that you can go on blaming me because Ranbir loves me and not you. You don't want to see the truth that Ranbir loves only me because you are egoistic enough to not accept defeat even when his rejection of you is crystal clear to everyone around you. You live in a bubble of your own making Rhea Mehra where whatever you do is right and whatever others do is wrong. Don't you dare try to accuse me of not being a good sister when you yourself don't even know the meaning of sisterhood. Let alone sisterhood, you don't even have much humanity in you. You are the worst person I had the misfortune to come across. You, a murderer, a criminal, trying to point finger at me. Don't judge everyone by your standard. You are the desperate one here who is still clinging to a guy who clearly has no interest in you." Prachi glared at Rhea balefully.

"How dare you!" Rhea raised her hand to slap Prachi.

Prachi grasped the hand before it could strike her and twisted it behind Rhea's back making her cry out in pain.

"Don't ever think about it. I will break your hand if you try that stunt again. You see, this is the hand of a hardworking person and not the dainty hand of a spoilt brat. I have never considered you as my sister. I only tolerate you because you are my parent's daughter, especially my mother's daughter. I tolerate you only for my mother. I accepted your deal of backing out from my relationship with Ranbir so that my parents can live together as you promised. And till now I have kept my side of the bargain. But what about you? What exactly have you done? Are they together? No. They are still apart. So, even I don't have any obligation to keep my side of the bargain. Therefore, don't ever try to accuse me again or play the victim card as it won't work with me." Prachi retaliated, still holding Rhea's arm in a death grip.

"And now, get lost from my house." Prachi dragged Rhea to the door and threw her out, making her fall on her knees and shut the door on her face.

Cursing Prachi furiously even as her grazed knees and elbows brought tears of pain to her eyes, Rhea scrambled to her feet and strode away.

None of the girls noticed the guy who was leaning on the wall beside the door and had heard the entire exchange of words between them. 

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Ranbir straightened away from the wall against which he was leaning, staring at the car which was swiftly disappearing in the distance. So, this was the reason of Prachi's sudden aloofness. For the sake of her mother's happiness, she sacrificed her own happiness. And that too, without getting anything in return, even a single credit. Her love for her mother truly is unconditional. His love and respect for her increased tenfold. However, he couldn't let her ruin their lives in the name of sacrifice. He had to think of a way which would bring happiness both in their lives as well as in her parent's lives. Determined, he embarked on a journey to right the wrongs.

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Next morning

Saritaji, Sahana and Pragya had gone to the nearby market. Prachi excused herself on the pretext of a headache. She was sitting listlessly on the couch in the living room and staring unseeingly out of the nearest window when the bell rang, successfully bringing her out of her reverie.

Sighing, Prachi got to her feet and made her way to the door. She plastered a fake smile on her face, thinking it to be her family and pulled the door open. However, the smile faltered as she registered just who the person was. Her smile slowly faded away. For a moment, there was an intense dejection in her eyes before she masked it with indifference. However, she wasn't fast enough and Ranbir noticed the dejection which fortified his resolve.

"What are you doing here?" Prachi inquired

"I need to talk to you." Ranbir replied

"I don't want to talk to you. Please leave." Prachi was about to close the doors on him.

Ranbir simply put a leg in between. Prachi stopped immediately. She knew she was hurting him emotionally but she could never hurt him physically, no matter how much indifference she displayed towards him.

"No matter how much you pretend to hate me, Prachi, you can never hurt me physically. Now move aside and let me in or I will pick you up in my arms and enter your house. Take your pick." Ranbir challenged.

To say that Prachi was stunned was an understatement. She had never seen Ranbir in such a strange mood. As he moved forward, she stepped back and continued to do so till they were inside the house. Ranbir turned around and locked the doors. That gave Prachi a moment of respite which helped her in regaining her composure. The mask fall in place.

"What do you want, Ranbir? Why can't you understand that I don't love you at all? Why can't you get it through that thick skull of yours that I am not interested in you?" Prachi sighed in exasperation.

"I heard everything yesterday. I know about the deal between you and Rhea." Ranbir said quietly.

That shut Prachi up instantly as she gaped at him with wide eyes for a moment and finally shut her eyes. Now that Ranbir knew everything, now that she didn't have to keep up the pretence, Prachi finally collapsed under the emotional pressure that had been building up inside her for days. She fall down on her knees and tears cascaded down her cheeks.

Ranbir instantly got down to his knees and wound his arms around her in a warm and protective embrace. She could no longer hold herself together and went to pieces in the arms of the one person who had always loved him unconditionally. She began to sob bitterly against his chest while Ranbir caressed her hair.