Windowsill [Ishman]

He is back

"Ishan!" Samay knocks on his door,

A call to go downstairs to attend the stupid party, that glorifies their rich yet depressed lives, a facade in front of the world and media, that people often don't see through,

"25th anniversary" Ishan scoffs to himself,
25 years of malfeasance, treachery and corruption, an abomination in the name of business,

And this party in it's name is just to romanticise how easily, money can manipulate and buy innocent individuals either make them a conduit or the victim in their viscous games,
And to celebrate how easily they got away with it,

A party to hide the fact that even

Gold melts,

"Coming!" Ishan yells back as he surfs through his drawers in search for the concealer, he has to find in any condition to hide his bruises,

"Fuck" he sighs in frustration as he finds that even the last concealer container is empty,

He hangs his head low unable to look himself in the mirror, the truth is every time from the past week he has seen himself in the mirror, he has just seen his bruises through it and never himself, he loathes his appearance right now more than anytime earlier, and that is the reason why he can't even look into the mirror,

He shuts his eyes tightly before raising his head, and eventually he opens his them, he is met with a version of himself even he doesn't recognise, or maybe he does,

A version that died some 5 years ago,

But here it is as alive as ever in front of his eyes,

Cheeks hollowed, eyes with dark circles encircling them, lips chapped and pupils as dead as well, and a slight bruise on his cheek, a cherry on the top,

He looks away and fixes his hair before giving much thought to it, he wears his white coat jacket while exiting his room, there is not much he can do to his appearance, he can pretend to smile and he thinks that is tiresome enough, and people must see what actually goes behind the walls of Kishan household,

And just when he walks down the stairs of his house, he sees them, malicious snakes acting like they all love each other but everybody knows that they all are secretely praying for other's downfall,

He rolls his eyes before stepping down the last step and immediately he gets pulled in a hug by his mother,

"Oh, my child, look at you! So handsome" she says while ruffling his hair, Ishan tries to step back but she yanks him forward "See, meet her, your aunt, Radhika, She owns the biggest beauty brand in India" She says as she introduces Ishan to some middle aged looking woman,

"Nice to meet you" Ishan fakes a smile before putting his hand forward, offering a handshake, but she pulls him in a hug instead,

"Oh dear, I last met you when you were in a cradle, look how much you have grown" 

"Oh really, I am sorry I forgot, I was actually busy pissing and popping the shit out of myself" Ishan instantly replies without thinking much, in annoyance,

"Ishan! Langauge" His mother gives him a warning glare, before sending him off to the other way "He loves to joke around, I am sorry! Why don't you join your friends over there, Ishan"

"Right, bye" He says as he makes his way to the direction his mother pointed at, and there stands pretentious assholes Ishan used to shit and eat with from kindergarten to high school the people Ishan has nothing to do with from ages, Ishan deeply sighs before going over to the lot,

He reckons that's how he will have to spend his evening since Rishabh is not here anymore,

"Ishan? Hi!" A girl squeaks as Ishan comes in the frame,