THE RAJHANS SISTERS

THE SAPTAPADI

Ten months earlier...

Niharika's gentle tap on the door broke the tense silence that hung between Nishi and Rajat. Startled, they both looked at each other, their eyes filled with a mixture of panic and uncertainty.

"Nishi, hurry up, Nitya needs to apply haldi," Niharika's voice echoed from outside.

"OMG! Rajat, how did you come inside like this? Mom is outside..." Nishi whispered urgently, her grip tightening on Rajat's hand.

"So what?" Rajat replied, his tone defiant, his eyes locked with hers.

"Mom will come inside..." Nishi's voice trembled with apprehension.

"Mom...I'll be right there, I'm coming," she called out, quickly composing herself, and Niharika left the room.

"So what...if Mom comes inside..." Rajat's voice was calm, unwavering.

"Rajat, but I'm here only for..." he began, but Nishi interrupted him.

"Just for what, Rajat? Just for what...have you ever done anything worthwhile? You're here only to add to my problems...look, I don't want to be rude to you, so you leave now before someone sees you..." she pleaded, her frustration palpable.

"Enough! Nishi, I can never understand you...just listen to me once...I've come to explain something to you, whether you understand it or not is up to you..." Rajat's words were tinged with urgency, his grip tightening on her hand.

"Just say what you have to quickly...I have a lot of work anyway..." Nishi muttered, her gaze averted.

Rajat drew her closer, his touch gentle yet firm. "I know everything, I know what's important for you...I've come to explain that to you...I don't know why suddenly you and your sister have developed this hobby...but it's a request... I may not be anyone to Aniket or Nitya, but I am their friend, and as a friend, I'm telling you...Nishi, please accept your sister and Aniket's marriage...Nitya is an adult, she knows what she should do, and you two sisters, especially you, leave them alone...respect their decision to get married...don't make stupid plans like you did yesterday and become a laughing stock..." his voice softened, his eyes pleading with her to understand.

Before leaving, he added, "The sooner you accept it, the easier it will be for you...Acceptance makes things easier."

"I have already accepted it, Rajat," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper, as Rajat left without saying anything else, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

In another room, Aarushi held her head in frustration, sinking down onto a chair beside Abhishek.

"Yaar, what's all this? Whatever Nishi and I do, it always ends up going wrong," she complained, her voice tinged with exasperation.

"Because you guys do very foolish things, Aarushi...what was all that yesterday? That girl...bringing her to the mehendi ceremony and then she started claiming that Aniket had betrayed her...what a spectacle it was...it didn't take Aniket a minute to prove her wrong...and then the mehendi artist disappeared..." Abhishek shook his head in disbelief, his frustration evident.

Aarushi frowned, feeling the weight of her actions. "So what do we do, Abhi? We can't just stand by and watch Nitya's life get ruined...Aniket is her..." Her voice trailed off as she struggled to find the right words.

Before she could continue, the door creaked open, and Nitya stood in the doorway, her presence commanding attention.

"Nitya, we..." Aarushi began, but Nitya held up her hand, silencing her.