❞𝐕𝐈𝐕𝐀𝐀𝐇 [𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐧] ✔

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫.

"tera milna hai use
rab ka ishara maanu"

JANHAVI

As Ishan ji and I stepped out of the boutique, I couldn't shake off the unease that had settled in the pit of my stomach. The weight of the expensive dress hanging in the shopping bag felt like a burden on my shoulders, a reminder of the stark contrast between my world and Ishan's.

"We should eat something outside, Janhavi ji," Ishan ji suggested, breaking the silence that hung between us.

I nodded in agreement, eager to distract myself from the overwhelming emotions swirling inside me. Little did I know what awaited me at the restaurant Ishan ji had in mind.

The restaurant was exquisite, with dimly lit interiors and a sophisticated ambiance. As we were escorted to our table, I couldn't help but notice the elegance surrounding us.

But it was not just the ambiance that made me feel out of place; it was the people themselves. Everywhere I looked, I saw women dressed in sleek, revealing dresses, carrying themselves with an effortless grace that seemed alien to me.

Back in Bihar, it was common to see girls dressed like me, in traditional attire that reflected our cultural roots. But here, in this world of glamour and sophistication, I felt like a belonging from another era, old-fashioned and out of touch.

I remembered my teenage.

•••••

flashback

"Maa main padhne jaa rahi hu" I informed getting out from the room.

Dadi ji who was sitting in the hall stopped me on my way. "Yeh kya pehenliya hai tune? Laaj sharm hai ki nahi??? Pura taang dikhraha hai? Poonam! Poonam!!"

I noticed my attire, it was kind of a anarkali dress and was far below my knee.

"Dadi ji isme kharab kya hai? Pura toh dhaka hi hai?" I asked politely enough.

"Ae! Zaban lada Rahi hai??? Poonam main bula Rahi hu tumhe sunai nahi deta kya??? Jaisa maa waisi hi beti hogi na?"

This time I couldn't hold it back. "Aap isme maa ko kyu kheech rahi hain? Main change kar le rahi hu!"

My mom had rushed into the hall.

Dadi ji got up from her seat and slapped me hard.

I looked at her with teary red eyes.

"Poonam aaj se iska bahar padhne Jana band! Agar ye gayi toh main apni nas kaat lungi"

My mother had no other way than agree to her. She nodded and I was escorted back to my room.......

•••••

"Janhavi ji, kya hua?" Ishan ji's voice broke through my thoughts, concern etched in his features as he noticed my discomfort.

I forced a smile, trying to mask the turmoil raging inside me. "Kuch nahi Ishan ji, bas thoda sa headache ho raha hai."

But the truth was far from it. I felt like an outsider in this world, like I didn't belong here among these people who seemed to effortlessly embody everything I was not.