The Audacious Hearts

Lost

I stood up shrugging the grass off myself. My eyes fell on the staff decorating the main gate for the party.

My reception party.

With that unfeeling creature.

Shaking my head, I made my way inside and sneaked into my room. As usual he wasn't here.  And I don't even care where he spends his nights. As far as he stays out of my sight it's good.

But has fate ever been my side?

The door of the closet slid open and he stepped out wearing a white kurta and same coloured trouser, struggling to fasten a golden watch around his wrist. His eyes fell on me and I turned my face disgusted on his gaze itself. The footsteps advanced towards me and, I instinctively stepped back until my back hit the door.

"Agr mere kareeb bhi aaye toh shor macha dungi." I warned, my voice trembling .  
(If you come any closer, I'll scream)

"And what will you say?" he challenged, taking a step forward. "My husband is touching me?"

" Husband or anyone else, no one cannot touch me without my consent." I declared firmly, and his feets stopped.

Something flickered in his eyes, and then he stepped back, a smile playing on his lips.

"You know, Ruhi, I admire one thing about you is—your stubbornness."

A bitter smile made its way up my lips. " When there's no option to give up, you learn to fight. To be stubborn. "

"But there must be a reason to fight?" he asked, his tone softening unexpectedly.

I blinked, taken aback by the sudden change in demeanor and he continued looking at me for the answers.

I chuckled " And here I thought you can get your answers out of me. What happened to crushing the attitude out of the tiny fragile helpeless girl like me?" His onyx orbs again hardened at my answer. " Let it be aryansh,  don't try to be someone you're not."

With that, I made my way in the closet and shut it close.

After wearing a light coloured anarkali, I folded my hairs along my fingers and secured them with a clutcher.  I spent the rest of my time in my room wearing off my problems with a good nap.

As I lay on the couch besides the balcony and closed my eyes. I couldn't help but feel the urge to rest my head on her lap and spill all the things my heart is afraid to admit to itself.

I miss the times when I used to share my problems with her and her being the magician she was, solving all of them with so much ease, I sometimes even contemplate them being a problem. I miss the times when her fingers would effortlessly weave through my hair, massaging my scalp with a tenderness that eased all my worries. And oh, how I missed the feeling of her knuckles brushing against my cheeks, offering solace and reassurance in times of need. Just like right now. The way her fingers brushed from the hairs off my eyes and moved to my cheeks feathering over my jaw.

I automatically shrink into the touch more seeking the comfort. As I lay there, I found myself instinctively reaching out, hoping to grasp onto the ghost of her touch. But my hand met nothing but empty air. My eyes flutter open and I sat up straight with a jerk. I looked around to find her, atleast a glimpse but turns out like the usual. None. The dark interior of the room immediately reminded of the dark world I am in.

Someone was definitely here.

Suddenly, a knock at the door snapped me out of my reverie. I stood up straight. "Come in"  Anya walked with three other ladies.

"They are here to get you ready for the reception, bhabhi. She is Mrs. Sunita Bhosle, the designer." I joined my hands in front of the old lady. "Namaste." She repeated the gesture. "She is Miss.Advika Rathore, the makeup artist. And she is Roop Jain, the hair stylist." She introduced me to them and I shaked hands with them.