TISHNAGI

CHAPTER1: NAINA

I woke up my hearing the sound of shower.

I opened my eyes to feel a striking pain in my head. I held my head and a groan escaped my lips.

"Are you ok?" I looked up to see Mahir ji. He was in his pajamas and a t-shirt, with a towel wrapped around his neck. His hair wet and still tangled. The water droplets falling from his forehead to his chin.

I gulped at the sight and removed my gaze from him.

"No." I deadpanned.

"I could never be fine seeing you-" I looked him in the eyes.

"Seeing you as my husband." I was harsh with my words because they were the truth.

A truth that could never be changed.

He sighed and walked closer to me, I immediately scooted backwards. Noticing me he stopped on his tracks. He looked into my eyes and gave me a look. A look I couldn't decipher.

He took some steps backwards and turned towards the cupboard, he took out some of his clothes from inside and kept them into a smaller cupboard below it, eventually making some space.

"I have asked maa to bring your suitcases here and arrange your clothes in the cupboard." He said in a small voice.

"There is no need for that. I'll stay in a different room." To be honest I didn't want to live in the same room with him.

He shook his head immediately scared or whatever expression he had. He was just too difficult to understand.

"No Naina, why would you go into a different room? If you don't want to stay here with me, I can move out of this room." I hated this about him. He was just to sweet.

Sweet as a candy which eventually made you die of thirst.

"No."

The back and forth continued until I got sick of it and said," Okay. We both stay here but I would sleep on the couch."
I asserted.

He took a deep breath and gave me a pleading look. "No Naina. You know I would never let you sleep on the couch."

I face palmed myself and sighed.

"Ok. You sleep on the couch."

He smiled and went outside the room.

I too got up to go to the washroom. While making my way I stopped to look at myself in the mirror.

I jumped getting scared because of my horrifying look. Mascara smudged, kohl stained tear marks on my cheeks and lips dried.

I wonder how he looked at me for so long.

Not wasting any single second, I went inside the washroom.

-

I was making my way downstairs when I heard the sound of T.V. I saw uncle in his office attire, drinking chai while watching the news.

I went up to him and greeted him a good morning. He immediately got up and I bent down to touch his feet, just to get pulled up by him. "Nahin beta, aisa mat karo. Tum toh beti ho." He softly denied.

(No child, don't touch my feet. You are like my daughter.)

I gave him a small smile and nodded. As we were talking aunty came in with a tray in her hand. She kept the tray on the table and walked towards me engulfing me in a hug.

"Sorry my princess." She cried.

I quickly broke the hug and wiped her tears. "Nahin aunty aap kyu sorry bol rahi hai? Jisne galti ki woh toh yahan pe nahin hai, toh aap kyu uske hisse ki mafiyan maang rahi hai?" I consoled her.