The Lines of Fate

4: Not a fairy-tale!

Radhika and Rishav drove to Salt Lake City which was about twelve kilometers away from New Alipore. They stopped in front of the Front Liners Resort, decorated on the occasion of her brother's birthday. It was glowing in lights with people dressed in expensive suits and gowns entering one by one.

It was really surprising how the city of Kolkata maintained two different looks; an ancient soothing Indian culture of Calcutta on one hand and a modern 21st-century busy lifestyle on another.

"It's grander than the last time I came," Rishav commented from beside Radhika.

"And," Radhika trailed off, "I don't want to be here. The only reason to come is only my brother."

Rishav nodded, "Let's go in."

Radhika slowly walked in and looked around to find her brother but rather her eyes fell on her mother Mrs. Lily Sen, dressed in a beautiful light orange colored gown that reached up to her ankles. She was standing at the reception area talking with the other guests along with her second husband, Mr. Aditya Sen.

"Rai!!" Mrs. Lily's shrill voice almost damaged Radhika's ears as she made her way toward her daughter after noticing. She was about to hug her but stopped in the middle. "Again, these filthy clothes!!" she scrunched up her nose looking at her attire from top to bottom.

Radhika rolled her eyes in response. She never gave damn care to all of these. She hated showing off.

"You need to get dressed." Her mother gestured to her before calling someone. "And you too. You guys can't come in front of the camera in those." She said after taking a look at Rishav who was wearing grey jeans and a checked shirt.

And the next thing Radhika knew was being pulled by two girls into the elevator. She was taken to a room on the sixth floor, pushed into the washroom for a shower, and then was dressed up for the party. After the complete one-hour torture she was made to stand in front of the mirror.

She saw her reflection in the gorgeous navy-blue colored off-shoulder gown; her hair was neatly combed, curled at the end, and made to fall on her back. Her eyes were highlighted with eyeliner and mascara. A bright red lipstick was applied to her lips.

She didn't like to make up very much but it was true that she looked beautiful when she did, like a gorgeous princess..... 

But what was the use of all this? Her father to whom she was truly a princess was not there to look and praise her.

The more she thought about her father the more she didn't want to stay there...among the people who belonged to the Arc... 'The Arc of Magic', people called it. Her mother was the daughter of one of the greatest magicians, Mr. Chandra Shekhar Roy.

She never got to meet him as he passed away before her birth. People said his death was mysterious. No one knew anything about that. Her parents and other students of her grandfather continued the legacy of magic after his death.

'Magic!'

It is a very funny word. Whatever people couldn't do or understand turned into the concept of magic...something that is impossible to happen in real life. It is used to make people happy, to remove them from their stressed life.... but it was not the case in Radhika's life.

What did it bring to her life? Nothing other than sadness!!

Her parents got divorced. Her mother left and married another person. She started seeing strange dreams and was left alone when she needed her mother, the most. The next time she saw her mother was when she was in the hospital with a baby boy whom she called Radhika's brother....as in stepbrother! She ran away from the hospital that day.

She tried her best to stay away but she couldn't and the only reason was the baby boy. He was like a magnet who pulled her no matter how far she wanted to run away from him. She wanted to hate every one of them but couldn't. She fell in love with the baby boy.

Years passed and both of them grew up. Though the relationship between her and her mother worsened, she, Rishav, and her baby brother became inseparable. She was slowly getting acquainted with her new lifestyle but then again something bad had to happen. Someone killed her father when she was fifteen.

She warned him that morning by saying about a dream she had where he died but he didn't listen and the dream came true. Her every inch of happiness was taken from her. She was so broken that she had to go for regular consultations. Slowly as she recovered, she made up her mind to catch her father's killer, by any means!!

That was the day she lost her faith in magic....... faith in happily ever after!!! Those were only meant for fairy tales.

And life.... is not a fairy-tale!

"Now you are looking like my daughter!" her mother said as she came in through the door. She went closer and turned Radhika towards herself.

"I still can't understand why you still stay with your uncle. You know you are always welcomed to my house." Her mother said while checking whether the makeup artists forgot something in her daughter's makeup.

"I know, your only concern is the media. Don't bother. I will not let your image fall in front of them." Radhika said in a sharp tone before coming out of the room. She heard her mother saying something but ignored it.

She went straight to the 12th floor where the party was going to take place.

Her eyes fell on her younger brother Ishaan at one of the entrances of the banquet hall. She and her brother had to enter from there and the guests would be using the other one on the opposite side.

Ishaan was pacing around, mumbling something while looking at his feet. He looked nervous.

His actions always made Radhika laugh and also reminded her of her father. She couldn't understand, why was her brother so like her father, or was it she, who was trying to find her father in him?

"Mr. Birthday boy!!" Radhika called shaking out those thoughts from her mind.

Hearing her voice Ishaan turned and the very next second she was engulfed in a bone-crushing hug followed by complaints.

"Where were you? Do you know how much I missed you? Do you know from when I was waiting for you? I wanted to go and pick you up at the airport but mom didn't allow me." Ishaan asked in one breath.

"Calm down! I missed you too but I had work in the morning so I couldn't come. See, I am here now." Radhika said patting him on the back. "Now leave me or do you want to kill me? I can't breathe properly."

"Oh! Sorry sorry..." Ishaan backed away. "And thank you so much for the piano. I was so shocked to see that. My wish came true."

Radhika smiled. About five months ago she dreamed of his brother playing the piano. She knew at once that he was craving one. So, she bought it for his birthday.

"You have grown taller," Radhika said, taking a proper look at him. He was looking good in the light blue suit he was wearing. "But it was better when you were shorter than me.... looking like a baby."

"Didi!!! I am seventeen. Don't call me baby." Ishaan protested.

"You should tell that to yourself. Why were you nervous? It's your birthday. You should enjoy."

"I know. I am not nervous because of the journalists." Ishaan said.

"Then what it is?" Radhika asked. "Wait! Are you going to confess to some girl? Where is she? She came here?"

She was about to open the curtains and take a look inside but Ishaan's words made her stop dead at her spot.

"They are going to choose their leader today!!"