I zipped up my pants, my eyes fixed on her naked form.She was crying, her legs cramped against her chest as if trying to protect herself from me.Her body shook with sobs, her skin pale and vulnerable.
"Get dressed," I said, my voice low and husky as...
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Many weeks passed, but the wound remained raw. Swarnalekha slowly emerged from the darkness, her eyes still sunken, her smile lost.
Surima watched her sister warily, concern etched on her face. She coaxed her to eat, but the smell of food turned her stomach.
Swarnalekha pushed the plate away, her hands shaking. "I'm not hungry."
But Surima persisted. "You need to eat, Didi. You're getting weaker."
She relented, taking a bite. But her body betrayed her. She rushed to the bathroom, vomiting uncontrollably.
Surima followed, her voice laced with worry. "Swarna di,are you okay? Should we call the doctor?"
Her eyes darted wildly, her face pale. "No, no...it's just food poisoning. I'll be fine."
"Didi, you've been hiding in this apartment since.....Maybe we should-"
Swarnalekha's urgency surprised Surima. "Go to school.I'll be fine. Really."
When she hesitantly left, Swarnalekha collapsed onto the couch, her grandmother's gentle hands guiding her head onto her lap.
"Dadiji,"she sobbed, tears streaming down her face.
Her grandmother's soft voice soothed her. "Cry, child. Let it out. You've been strong for too long."
Her body shook with sobs, her grandmother's warmth enveloping her.
But amidst the comfort, a nagging fear crept in. A secret she dared not speak, not even to her family.
A secret that could change everything.
When her tears subsided, her grandmother's words echoed in her mind: "Life goes on, child. You must find strength."
But strength was hard to find when the heart was shattered.
And when the truth about her condition finally dawned on her, her world would shatter once more.
She retreated to her room, the silence enveloping her like a shroud. She stood before the mirror, her gaze tracing the contours of her face.The reflection staring back was a stranger's - pale, gaunt, with eyes sunken from lack of sleep.
She turned sideways, her hands drifting to her waist. The loose-fitting clothes concealed the subtle changes, but her eyes detected the faint swell of her belly.
Her gaze lingered on the flesh around her waist, once slender and delicate. Now, it seemed softer, rounder, like she had suddenly blossomed into a mature woman.
Her breasts seemed fuller, her nipples slightly darker. Her hips appeared curvier, as if preparing for the weight of motherhood.
A mix of emotions swirled within her - fear, anxiety, shame, and a hint of wonder.
