PAINFUL YET BEAUTIFUL

Chapter 16

He stood on the balcony, his knuckles turning white due to his aggressive hold on the railing. His mind revolving around whatever happened. A certain tear struck face revolved in front of his eyes, her sobs resonating in his ears, the agony and disappointment in her eyes were making his insides churn harshly.

"Stop hurting me please, I am tired"

He knew she was referring to something else, something that she wanted to scream, something she could not utter and he knew that something was related to him. He hurt her, he knew that but it felt her words just not reflected the anguish of today, it seemed deep-seated like something buried from years. Something which was showing its effect till now.

There was a time when they would read each other's eyes and know what was wrong with the other person, they never needed words their emotions were everything. Their friendship gives them the power to easily see through each other's facade and fight all the darkness for the other one. He missed that.

However he knew one thing, her tears hurt him, her anguish pained him, not finding her caused never-ending chaos in his mind, her burn injured him, her words sliced him like a merciless dragger.

She was beginning to mean everything to him in just sheer duration. And he was frightened, love snatched his everything once, it brought him down to his knees, it made him defenceless and it shattered his heart into zillions of pieces. And even though he knew she was not like her but he also knew love brings pain. And he could swear on anything, pain in love was unthinkable. And he didn't want to go through it. Again.

A clearing of the throat brought him back to reality. His father stood on the threshold with two mugs of coffee in his hands. Parents are precious, they know what struggles their children go through, they easily read your mind because they know what you are and what you would do. His father knew he was tormented, hurt and angry. And he knew he has to be there for him.

"You know when I first saw your mother, I was awestruck, she carried herself with so much grace and perfection, her confidence was her tool. Ours was an arranged marriage ammi saw her in her friend's wedding and all the typical arrange marriage followed. She was very innocent yet intelligent when I first saw her clad in the red bridal attire I was instantly drawn towards her. I was not in love with her but I was attracted to her. Whole life I worked hard to fulfil my dream. Love seemed a joke, I even got married on my mother's insistence."

And his father lightly chuckled, while Pratham just passed him a small smile. Growing up he had always admired his parents bond, they would fight together and the next moment would pass each other compliments. They were what you call, couple goals.

"Sometimes just a mere person is enough to break our own set of rules, our perception and our choices. Just a person jiske ke saath aap bas aap hote ho koi pretences nahi koi jhoot nahi, you are your self with all your flaws all your shortcomings, just you."

He smiled remembering that time while gazing into the endless darkness of the extremely cold night.

"And then slowly gradually with time  I realized I was in love with her.she was an extremely beautiful person inside and out even when she would make me do the house chores forcefully, even when she made me run for her chaat at 3 am in the night and even when she made me dress up as a clown because she was getting bored."

And they laughed. His mother was amazing.

When his father turned around towards him patting his hand on his shoulder, lovingly.

"You would be thinking why I am telling you this. I am telling you this because marriage is a very strong relationship but as well as delicate too and it can be weakened by misunderstanding, miscommunication and ego"