love until eternity

chapter 6

ishita got out of the store, as she kept the money safely in her bag, only for her to look up to start walking to the road ahead, only to be shocked by finding her mother in front of her sight, who had her arms crossed with a look of dismay in her eyes. 

ishita sighed in defeat, realising she was caught, she didn't know what to say now, the repent in her eyes very apparent, knowing all too well this wasn't the first time she was caught this way. This story was one her mother knew all too well, sadly, it made her more disappointed each time. 

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ishita and her mother sat adjacent to each other at a local coffee shop, as ishita rubbed her thumb across the top ring of the coffee cup, looking down, her mother only withheld her anger in response. 

"toh, kabse shuru kia tumne yeh sab, phirse?" questioned her mother, as she was just cold and detached in her tone, while ishita finally managed to look upto her. 

"jabse pata chala....purvi ki shaadi ka...toh pichla mahina..." stated ishita, her tone was low, clearly her self-loathing seeped through into it, making her mother slap her forehead. 

"ishita, tumhe pata hai tumhari kya haalat hogayi thi tumhari shaadi ke end tak, aur divorce ke baad toh..." her mother paused in between her words, ishita looked down again, knowing all too well of her own self sabotage induced by none other than herself. 

"mom i know yeh meri buri aadat hai, par hai toh aadat na...chodna asaan thodi hai isse..." stated ishita, her moroseness came out loud through her tone. 

"asaan toh hoga nahi sabko phirse dekhna iss tarah..." said her mother, showing a glimmer of sympathy, genuine concern in her voice. 

"usse khush dekhna mushkil hai maa, mere bina...." confessed ishita, a moment of vulnerability taking place in between the conversation filled with antagonizing tension. 

"tum bhi khush ho sakti ho uske bina, koshish karo toh...tumne hi toh choda tha usse..." suggested her mother, placing her hand onto ishita's. 

"maa, main, kabhi-kabhi na, mujhe aisa lagta hai jaise...main koi aur hi hoon, main ab woh ishita nahi hoon joh main hoti thi...aur ab mujhe pata bhi nahi hai main kaun hoon...maine kho diya hai khudh ko, aur ab, mujhe pata nahi kaise dhoondo main...khudh ko..." revealed ishita, breaking down, as her mother only sighed in hopelessness, not having the answers to help her daughter. 

"wapas chalte hain, thoda araam karlo tum, tumhe zaroorat hai..." directed her mother, thinking of it as best to put the problem away as of now, and not actively look for a solution, and maybe that's not what even she needed as of now. ishita nodded in agreement, as a forced and tight lipped smile appeared on her face, she had been deflecting too much, clearly. 

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ishita lied on her side all curled up on her bed, hugging her knees tight to her chest, she closed her eyes and fell asleep with her head resting on her hand. 

it was a busy street with cars running ahead swiftly on the road, with no time to even stop for the red light and amidst all this, she had picked up the skirt to her bright red, bridal gown in both of her hands, as she ran away from seemed like a banquet hall that was situated ten blocks away.  she was a runaway bride. 

she stopped in the middle of the road, holding her thumb out to signal for a lift, but no car seemed to be stopping, clearly her attire made her situation far from favourable for anyone to even want to get into.