When I Met Him | fin.

Fourteen

Read chapter 13 first in case you didn't receive the update notification.

•••

A few weeks passed peacefully. Well, not exactly peacefully. Tension was at it's peak. But then there was also a sense of excitement in the air as Rishika and Devansh's wedding functions neared. His fracture was healed. The wedding shopping had began. On a Sunday afternoon, he was sitting at home and pouting while Rishika was busy shopping for her attires. Much to her displeasure, Shreya was present there too. Shreya and Arjun got into an argument. Because Shreya wanted the wedding theme to be pastel while Arjun supported Rishika's wish to go for traditional red color. In the end of the argument Shreya mumbled, “Bloody middle class,” and walked away.

If eyes could kill, Shreya would be lying dead on the floor. Nonetheless, wedding shopping continued. Just looking at the wedding attires made Rishika feel dizzy. And the thought that she'll have to wear sarees everyday after marriage just made it worse.

But the sadness didn't last long as the next day there was Puja at her house. Since the morning she was really excited. She just hoped that Goddess comes to bless her.

Rishika was helping with the preparations when she saw Hiya entering the house.

“Hiya, what are you doing here? You don't believe in spiritual possession or Mata Ka Aana.” She asked Hiya suspiciously. Though it wasn't like Goddess will definitely come. But everyone hoped she comes.

“Yeah, I don't. I'm just here because I was free.”  Hiya just shrugged. She was way too tired to create any trouble.

“I'm warning you, Hiya. Don't say anything that may hurt anyone's religious sentiments.” Rishika warned Hiya. They maybe good friends but spiritual possession was a topic where there opinions were polar opposite. For Rishika, it was Goddess's medium to bless her devotees. While, for Hiya, it was a mental illness misunderstood all around the world. But both of them were sensible enough to not argue over it. They knew they can't change each other's thinking because they were brought up in different cultures so they just let it be.

“Don't worry, I won't.” Hiya reassured her.

Soon the Puja began. Devansh and Rishika sat down together. Everything was going fine. The room was chaotic yet spiritual. Ladies were singing praises of their Goddess. Though Hiya felt a little scared as she had never seen something like this before. That's the main reason she wanted to attend the Puja.

But then Rishika mumbled something in Marwadi. Devansh was alarmed. She never spoke Marwadi. And maybe he knew what was about to happen.

Goddess's spirit had entered the bride itself.

Rishika stood up and kept speaking in Marwadi. Her family got worried. This was the first time it happened to Rishika so they had no idea how to handle her. The other women were excited to take Goddess's blessings. But her family members were naturally more worried than happy. Over the top, the Goddess inside Rishika did not seem happy either. 

Arjun tried to talk to his sister Rishika, forgetting that she was not herself at that moment. Rishika slapped him angrily. That was the most powerful slap he ever received from her.

Now everyone was sure that Goddess is angry for some reason. The ladies present in the room did what they thought could calm down the Goddess. They began applying Kumkum on her forehead. All of them. Because they wanted to get Goddess's blessings. Not caring that they were suffocating Rishika in the process. Devansh, Arjun and other family members were on the verge of getting panic attack seeing the ladies being so inconsiderate. Devansh and Arjun somehow managed to pull Rishika away from the overzealous women and began taking her to her bedroom.

Hiya was standing in a corner. She was horrified by the way women behaved. She felt so angry that she wanted to get them arrested. They could have hurt a young girl on the name of getting blessings.

But then something happened. Something that always embarrassed her. Rishika, no, the Goddess inside Rishika looked at her and mumbled, “Harjinder...” But she couldn't complete her sentence.

Hiya was surprised that Rishika said her real name without breaking into fits of laughter. Devansh and Arjun, though worried, could not help the confusion clouding their minds hearing Rishika call Hiya by the name Harjinder. But they could care less about a mere name at that moment. They took Rishika to her bedroom. Her face was filled with Kumkum and she was holding onto the last string of consciousness.

The doctor was called immediately. Gradually, the guests began leaving. Hiya was standing outside the bedroom and staring at the scene in shock and worry. Everyone was worried about Rishika. The doctor told that excessive Kumkum on Rishika's forehead caused skin infection. Everyone present in the room, especially Devansh, felt angry over those ladies for doing this.

Devansh didn't leave Rishika's side. He decided to stay there in her room for the night. Hiya too put a chair in one corner and sat down quietly. Arjun too decided to join them.

Three of them were sitting quietly for a long time. Hiya noticed the curious looks she was getting from both guys. After long moments, Arjun finally asked her, “Why did Rishika call you Harjinder?”

Hiya sighed, “My full name is Harjinder Kaur Bedi.”

The look on Hiya's face made Arjun and Devansh chuckle. It was pretty clear she disliked her real name.

“Why do you go by Hiya and not your real name?” Arjun asked her.

Hiya sighed again, “Because the story behind my real name makes me sad. I was born so weak that my family thought I'll die in a few days. So they didn't give me a name and began waiting when I'll die. Well, I didn't die. One day my grandfather took me for medical check up. There the nurse asked for my name. So he just randomly told her the name Harjinder.”

“So the name Harjinder reminds you of the fact that instead of celebrating your birth, your family was actually waiting for your death.” Devansh concluded.

“Yeah, just because I smile all the time, it doesn't mean I don't carry a baggage.” She told them with a sad smile.

“Sorry, I thought you act stupid because you have an easy life,” said Arjun.

“Hmm, not your fault.” Hiya smiled.

The rest of the night was spent in a calming silence.

•••

The story behind the name Harjinder has happened in reality. A bus mate in school had once told me that it happened at her maternal cousin sister's birth. And that person developed a bad temper just because of what happened on her birth.