FADED PETALS (On Hold)

8.

5th January 2016.
Delhi, India.

Shehnaaz's House

The water drops trickle down her back, shehnaaz huffs breathing the warm smell of soap bubbles. It's raining heavily outside, the winds are howling and lightning is breaking one at a time. It had already been telecasted that there were high chances of bad weather today.

She stood stagnant, poised trying best to ignore the uneasiness of the whole scenario, but the little drop of water traversing its way from the top of the body to down the drain ravaged her.

Wrapping the dry towel pricking against her wet skin she steps out into her room, tiptoeing. Sitaara has been sleeping when she entered and not wanting to wake her up she had sneaked a kiss and let her go.

While combing her thick wet hair, she couldn't help but notice the number of taut hair strands left in her wrinkled palms. Leaving her and falling down.

"Aapi", Sitaara stands on the edge of the bed and cries. Her eyes are teary and lip pale, fluttering a time or two.

"What happened baby?", shehnaaz walks slowly towards her.
Everything had been alright till yesterday. What happened suddenly? Maybe today.

"Why did you leave me and go? I was so scared and alone", sitaara mutters in one breath. Her nose is already pinkish and her face is scrunching.

"Wasn't Navya with you?"

"No, she left me. She doesn't like me. Nobody likes me here. Please let's go back. I don't like it here", she burst in loud wales, her body heaving with every hard breath she took and shehnaaz is left standing stiff, frozen.

I don't like it here, Agastya. Nobody cares. I feel lost. Everybody has a motive. They all are like hyenas here,  prying on each other. I am stuck.

She pulls sitaara to herself, wrapping her long arms around her little body. She is like a small teddy to her, a bit round and loads of fluffiness. She knew the child's distraught. She had always wanted to keep her away from this feeling, but the twists and turns brought her here and now she couldn't help but concede.

Shehnaaz also begins whimpering, maybe because of her own plight or maybe because everything that matters to her has always been in this state. Fragile. She has begun hating the fragility of every situation she lands up in, when she has to walk on her toes afraid of everything that ever laid its way into this world. She didn't cry usually but it was slowly coming down like peels and instances of little notice were breaking her timidly.

Both of their breaths had turned erratic and lightning streaked outside as she ruffled her hair, silently kissing the top of her head trying to pour all her affection into one notion, protection beyond expressions.

"I love you, I will never leave you alone again", shehnaaz huffs while sitaara snuggles more into her.

"We will get you a new school. You can make some good friends there. You won't get bored", she says peering at her from the side.

"But I like Norway", Sitara says scrutinizing her own hands as if a newfound jewel.

"We are going somewhere tomorrow. Rayan is here too.", she knew this would be the final nail on the coffin and seeing Sitaara's eyes light up she gave herself a victory smile.

"Okay, but what is he doing here?"

        ______________________________

It's almost night when Navya enters gaping at the sisters duo snuggled into each other chatting.

"Shehnaaz", she calls. "I thought you might want to see Asif"

Shehnaaz sighs.

Eight years. It's been eight years since she last saw him and how much she loved him didn't change the fact that she dreaded going infront of him. After all that he has been through and is going through, only because a woman who was sadly her mother couldn't help but prey on a kid's life. Somewhere she felt at fault though it wasn't in her hands but how would she look him in the eyes? How would she face his miseries?