Jhanak: The Story of Us

Bad Fate

Bose Mansion

"Integrity is saying what you mean and meaning what you say."

Jhanak let the words roll on her tongue before placing the book beside her to write in a diary open on her lap. She was sitting cross-legged on her bed, a new habit formed to Appu di's influence, where she read the self-help book that the doctor gave her last night.

It really felt nice, whether it was Dadubhai blessing her or the doctor gifting her the books. Jhanak couldn't remember the last time that someone had been nice to her. Of course, there was Choton, Appu di, Bodo ma, and Bade papa, but there was a limit to their actions in this house. Don't even mention her so-called family. Shristi Maasi and Arshi didi hated her and her guts. Then, there was Sirji but things weren't the same anymore....

"Jhanak! Jhanak!"

At the sound of her name coming from downstairs, Jhanak placed the books on her side and hurried off the bed and out the door. If Bipasha di didn't see her in the next second, she would come up here and things would get worse for her. Jhanak didn't want any more trouble if she could help it.

But it didn't mean that trouble didn't want her. 

She had barely left the room where two figures walked in and looked around before resting their gaze on the books on the bed. Rumi and Mimi exchanged glances, the latter bringing out a pair of scissors from her pocket, a malicious light in her eyes.

Her younger twin with glasses chewed her bottom lip.

"Mimi, what if we get in trouble for this?"

"Trouble? You think anyone cares about her?" She asked this and made for the bed, picking up the self-help book Jhanak had been reading just a few minutes ago.

Rumi rolled her eyes. How dumb could her elder sister be?

"I mean dadda! Dadda cares about her!"

Mimi laughed as she set to work, ripping the front cover off the book ridge. It made a vicious sound.

"Dadda doesn't care about her anymore, stupid."

"But he will once he finds out all that we have done..."

"Please stop, Rumi." she waved her hand, bored at her twin's pensive look, "He will never find out. That Jhanak will never open her mouth to tell him. Till now, she didn't tell him that she donated blood or that we took her gifts and sent her out, so what's the fuss?"

"Yeah, I guess so..."

"I don't know whether she is just acting stupid or really stupid. All I know is that I just hate her. I hate her for just spoiling our peace."

Peace of mind. Self. Rumi thought that's what her sister left out of her sentence. No, she knew because the feeling was mutual. As she watched Mimi cut up the pages of the book, the pieces falling like confetti on Jhanak's bed, a wicked sense of satisfaction glinted in the eyes behind sunglasses.

Jhanak, don't blame me. Blame your bad fate.

When that girl had first come here, she had planned to be nice, at least act nicer than the rest. If there was anyone who had perfected hypocrisy aside from her elder brother, Ani, it was her. The rest of the family couldn't hide their thoughts - but she and Ani could.

She had to hide behind glasses and look quiet, however. Ani fucking ran the world like an open playground.

It had been a thing of fascination to Rumi, watching her elder brother as she grew up. Unlike her, who was aware of her pretense, Ani wasn't. He thoroughly believed his lies, boosted by voices who told him that he was too pure, too kind, and innocent for this world. Rumi could see where others couldn't.

It wasn't that Ani was malicious. Rather, it was that he was strategic. Ani had never had to help others in ways that brought trouble to him. If anything, it was always honor and more honor, and Rumi had gone from being intrigued to being amused at her brother's subconscious game of chess. 

But it all fell to pieces when Jhanak came in.

Expressions, actions, and words that Ani would have never crossed lines for because he held his name and image so tightly, he did it over and over for this girl. Yes, he maintained that it was because of humanity - but did anyone in this house look stupid? It was only a matter of time before the inevitable happened. He was going to hopelessly fall for her - if he already hadn't.

Rumi prayed to God not. She knew everyone whispered that prayer in the moments they thought they were alone. If Ani fell for Jhanak and realized it, no one could imagine what sort of a monster he would be for her.

And Jhanak...Jhanak was an existence that made Rumi both hate and fear. And because she was so observant, she could feel that same mix emanating from almost everyone in this house, including Arshi. 

Perhaps, Arshi was the most scared of Jhanak out of them all. 

It wasn't enough to have a sob story that made her a walking headline for Pity Street, the girl was beautiful. There was no makeup, no fancy outfit - but she had such expressive eyes on a face so endearing. Furthermore, she was level-headed, strong even in adversity, and reeked of someone aiming for greater. And with that monstrous talent for dance...Rumi could see why everyone had conspired even without talking to nip her in the bud.

There was dadda before. But as Mimi said, there was no dadda now.

Rumi rushed to her sister's side to rip up more pages.

Jhanak, don't blame me. Blame your bad fate.