HER TRUE SOULMATE

Past

Ch-10
"The literal thing. I asked you to cancel the engagement, not the marriage," he said with a sigh making Rahul frown.

"What do you mean, Arjun?" he asked.

"She is not in the position to wake up and attend the ceremony now," Arjun said.

"I thought of talking to her today," Rahul said. 

"You can talk to her now too. But don't expect her to hear you or reply you," Arjun said. 

"This is a bad joke." Rahul said with a frown. For some reason, everything in this house feels odd today. He felt like this was not a happy house. Everyone seemed to be tensed. Yes, for obvious reasons. Laya was ill and unconscious. But it felt like there was something more than to what it seems.  It's as if everyone were trying to be cheery as much as they could. 

"Sorry. But we really can't let her attend in this state," Arjun said feeling frustrated. 

"We will announce that we are engaged," Rahul said. 

"Will your family agree for it?" Arjun asked. 

"You know my mom," Rahul replied.

"Can you handle her?" Arjun said.

"Heh," Arjun smirked at him.

"If I can, I would have convinced my family. I wouldn't have approached you. And honestly...  My sister doesn't want any internal strife because of her," he continued.

"I will handle my family while you do yours," Rahul said.

"Sure," Arjun agreed. 

With a heavy heart, Rahul stepped back, glancing at Laya one last time. He didn't want to leave her. Seeing her like this was both sad and hard to resist. Even though she was sick and her face was pale, she still looked beautiful. 

Laya's sweaty body made her clothes stick to her, highlighting her curves. Her innocence added charm to her unconscious self. Her long, dark hair that cascaded over her shoulders, framing her delicate features perfectly. Even in her unconscious state, there was a serene beauty about her. Her lips, though dry, had a natural rosy tint that contrasted with her pallor.  Her slender fingers were motionless, resting gently on the blanket. 

"Why are you still here?" Arjun asked looking at tranced Rahul. Coming out of the trance, Rahul shook his head and started walking away from there. 

Arjun looked at his sister. He walked near her bed before bending down and kissing her forehead.

He left the room before giving a last look to her not noticing the trail of tears that cascaded down her eyes. Unknown to them, Laya could hear their voices but it's as if someone glued her eyelids that made her unable to open them. She wanted to open her eyes and shout at everyone, but she couldn't do it. She has no energy to open her eyes. Before she could think further, she drifted into her sleep again.

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"Dad... Do you know what mom looked like?" Laya asked.

"She is just like you, beautiful, smart, and naughty," her father pinched her little button nose.

"Hehe... Daddy! You forgot to bring my chocolate again!" The little five-year-old Laya screamed when she suddenly remembered her little wish.

"Oh! My baby doll! Daddy... is growing old. He forgot to bring you," her father Devraj Pasupuleti apologized sincerely.

"Dadda doesn't love me. Me will go to Peddananna. I will complain to him and ask him to whip you!" The little Laya left as she puffed her chest in anger taking big strides but still small compared to Devraj. The little fighter inside Laya was taking over her for every step she took.

"Peddananna!" she screamed, attracting everyone's attention in the house.

"What did you do to piss her off this time?" Sharada asked Devraj as she came out of the kitchen holding Laya's Horlicks cup.

"Vadina [Sister-in-law], I didn't get the chocolate she asked me for. Now she was making a fuss over it. She said she would get me whipped by my brother," Devraj said with a chuckle.

"Then what was it that is peeking out of your pocket?" Sharada asked raising her brows at him. He smiled sheepishly at her while she threw a look that said I-know-everything-look.

Devraj smiled sheepishly at her, agreeing to her words. "You keep bullying your daughter! I don't understand you," Sharada said with a roll of her eyes.

"Laya, here is your Chota bheem drink! Come and drink!" Sharada shouted for Laya who was already at the other corner of the house.

"Coming Amma," the little voice which was filled with anger filled with slight excitement when she heard the words 'Chota-Bheem-Drink'.

"Amma... If I drink this. I will become as strong as Chota-bheem, Right?" Laya asked with her wide eyes as she walked towards Sharada.

"Yes, Beta," Sharada said with a smile.

Laya started drinking her milk and again went to find her peddananna to complain about the injustice she received from her father.

"What happened?"  Raghuram asked with a gentle smile on his face.

"Peddananna... Hug," she asked with her watery eyes her face was filled with sadness, making Raghuram feel worried.

"Who bullied you, beta?" he asked.

"Dad~~," she said with a sad expression.

"What did he do this time?" Raghuram asked.

"He forgot my chocolate," she said as if the world was going to end.

"I will punish him. Shall I whip him?" Raghuram said.

"Do you want me to get beaten, Baby? Dad will bleed. He is afraid of pain and blood," Devraj said with a sad face, making the little Laya Feel bad.

"Forget it, Peddananna." She said with a worried face.

"Dad, next time you have to get it," she said.

"Do you want to see magic?" Devraj asked.

"How about I show you a better magic than your dadda, princess?" she heard her uncle's voice. 

"Babai!" she yelled and ran towards him abandoning her father and peddananna. This girl really have no sense of loyalty, they thought. They both threw an angry glare at the newly entered attention stealer. 

"Show!" Laya yelled clapping her hands at him. 

"Want to see it?" Rama Krishna asked. Laya nodded her head with excitement.

"Abraka dhabra abraka dhabra Gili Gili choo! Boom! See the chocolate in my hand!" he said with a surprised expression.

"Uncle is the best!" she said as she kissed him.

"What about me then?" Devraj asked. 

"You bad bad. You didn't get my chocolate," Laya said sticking her tongue out. 

Devraj sighed and gave her the chocolate he got for her. "Yay! Dadda is best!" she said jumping from Rama Krishna's arms to Devraj. 

"Her loyalty stays with chocolate not people," Rama Krishna grumbled sulking.   Others laughed hearing him. 

"Laya... Dad has some work. He will come at night. Take care of yourself, okay?" he said and left ignoring her cries.

She waited for her dad the whole day, but he never returned. The next morning when she woke up, she saw her father's dead body.

"Your dad is dead and will never wake up,"