The Moon to my night

27

∞Inevitables∞

Aradhaya Singh Rajvansh

Every time you think life may go according to plan, it shoves it right in your face that plans are just a delusion of the mind until actions align with them. After a day of overthinking and sinking into the fact that I have to work with him, see his handsome face every day, acknowledge his presence every day, and bear his cocky, self-absorbed self every single day for a month, I was still rotting in bed on the morning of the project's start.

I had been up since 5 AM, and it was now near 8 AM, an hour past the threshold of the time this house allows. Growing up, anything was acceptable in this house except disrespectful behavior and indiscipline. The latter included being up by max to max 7 AM; you had to greet the sun before it greeted the world. I would be expected at the breakfast table in an hour, and I was still in bed, cursing my fate.

I had this feeling churning in my stomach. I didn't know if it was the nervousness of meeting him, the excitement of working on my first project in my country, or the fact that the project was with him. Or perhaps it was the reality of facing the man I once loved so casually, pretending as if there was nothing between us and nothing had happened.

Dragging myself out of bed, I tried to gather my thoughts. The mixture of emotions was overwhelming, but I had to put on a brave face. I went through my morning routine mechanically, my mind a whirlpool of memories and what-ifs. Standing in front of the mirror, I took a deep breath. Today was just another day, I told myself, another step in my professional journey.

But deep down, I knew it was more than that. It was a confrontation with my past, a test of my resilience, and a challenge to my emotions. I was about to step into a new chapter, one that intertwined my professional aspirations with the remnants of a broken heart.

I made my way to the breakfast table, where my family was already seated. "Aru, what time is it?" I shut my eyes, biting my tongue. Busted.

"9:15, Badi maa," Yug bhai checked his watch, announcing the time to my mother, who had just caught me off guard.

"It's alright, Ankita. She might be nervous about her first day," my father, my savior, interjected.

"Is it so?" She straightened in her chair, crossing her arms against her chest.

"Bhabhi, did you check the poha? It's tasting better than usual," Chote papa tried his best to divert the attention, but that lady and her eyes were digging holes into me. I looked at the head chairs, first at my brother, who just shrugged at me, showing me his watch. I was just fifteen minutes late, people!

"Ankita, what happened with the orphanage inauguration?" Dadu cleared his throat, catching Maa's attention.

"Papa, we need to have a press conference before that. It was requested by the press house," she responded, crossing her hands on the table, giving Dadu her attention. I took it as a chance to slide into my chair next to Bhai, and on my way, I smacked Yug bhai's head for being his Badi maa's pet.

"Aradhaya Singh Rajvansh," I stilled in my position, drifting my eyes toward my mother. "All the men in this house can try to save you, but you broke a rule." Yug bhai snickered at Maa's words while I just looked at her with pleading eyes.

"Badi maa, it's just one day," Yagya bhai tried to cover up for me, but one stare from my mother was enough to make him shut up.

"I am sorry, Mumma," I spoke in a soft voice, merely a whisper, with my eyes hanging low.

"What is this, Ankita?" My father was the one to be followed by Chote papa and Dadu, who left their chairs to walk toward mine.

"Bhabhi, she is just 15 minutes late."