Pratiksha was taking a rest at home but her mind swirled around the myriad of unanswered questions. The people who she didn't expect to come to meet suddenly appeared at her house with real pain knitted on their visages. Yes, she was thinking about her family visited her to know her wellness. However only her mother talked to her and asked her why she tried to commit suicide, her father and elder brother stood aside, quietly, their somber expressions conveying how badly they were fighting with their insides. They wanted to hug her and scold her for taking such a drastic step but being a man they both concealed their emotions and remained silent.
"Tum bas abhi aaram karo beta, koi zarurat nahi hai uthne ki," Parvati warned her daughter in a gentle voice.
"Ho aai, and I am fine now," Pratiksha replied to her in a low voice.
"Dikh raha hai, kya zarurat thi yeh sab karne ki...agar kuch ho jata toh?" Parvati's voice almost broke while staring at her fragile daughter with unshed tears in her eyes.
"I am sorry aai," Pratiksha said with guilt in her tone.
Omkar and Gajanan watched the dusky skin girl with an impassive countenance, wishing they could pamper her like they used to do in her childhood.
The doorbell rang and Omkar went to welcome the visitor. He saw Naina and Anjali with calm expressions and allowed them to come inside.
The girls greeted Pratiksha's father and Gajanan passed a small smile.
Pratiksha was quietly staring at the cement wall, wondering from where she got the guts to kill herself. At this moment even the thought of taking those harmful medicines shudders every inch of her body. She mocked her insides for inviting embarrassment for herself, meanwhile, Naina and Anjali entered the room with sheer hesitancy crept on their faces, and They both greeted Parvati, trying to force a soft smile on their lips.
"Tum log baat karo main aati hoon." Parvati left the room with an understanding look, and now only the three long-lost friends were present in the quiet room.
"Kaisi hai ab tu?" Naina asked her schoolmate in a gentle voice.
"Better," Pratiksha replied to her.
"Baitho." She ushered them to sit comfortably as the girls seemed to be finding it awkward to stand at the doorway.
Both Anjali and Naina sat on the vacant chairs, nervously wandering their eyes on the photo frames tucked on the wall to keep the old memories alive. They found a mini frame of their school farewell moment where they all posed for a group picture. A mild smile played on their lips while watching how beautiful those moments were when the trio used to study together, share their tiffins, ate roadside junkies or desserts, and got scolded by teachers for their mischievousness. However, it was always Anjali who messed up with the rowdy students to teach them a lesson but got Naina and Pratiksha punished as well for her chivalry act.
"Is photo ki copy mujhe bhi dena, main bhi frame banaugi," Naina said with a sweet smile.
Pratiksha just hummed, fiddling with her fingers.
"Kya tu batana chahegi tune kyu itna bada step liya? Only if you're comfortable." Anjali asked her friend in an uneasy tone, at first Pratiksha stared at the girls with a glow of unknown fury in her eyes, but later nodded her head for a yes.
"I was in depression," Pratiksha revealed.
Naina and Anjali looked at each other with tensed expressions, and Pratiksha elucidated the stupefied girls in a meek tone - "I have been taking depression medicines for almost a year now."
आप पढ़ रहे हैं
Prem Vivah
FanfictionSameer Raut - A person surrounded by the walls of insecurities, and his temper is truly unbearable. He is a bad boy. But no one has ever met a real Sameer concealed inside him, everyone so far has judged him for his discourteous behavior. His yearni...
