Insanity||18+

𝟏. 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐡

𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐡

The alarm blared, a loud and jarring sound that shattered my peaceful slumber. Groaning, I reached out blindly, my hand fumbling to silence the infernal noise. As my fingers finally found the snooze button, I opened my eyes to the sight of my reflection in the floor-length mirror beside my bed.

There I was, Rooh Shekhawat, staring back at myself with sleep-mussed hair and bleary eyes. I took a moment to appraise my reflection, noting the untamed mane of curls and the smudged eyeliner that had survived the night.

"Hey, Rooh," I muttered to myself, a wry smile creeping onto my lips. "Looking as fabulous as ever."

Allow me to introduce myself properly. Hi, I'm Rooh Shekhawat, daughter of Shivam Shekhawat, owner of one of the biggest architectural firms in the country. Sounds glamorous, right? Well, let me tell you, it's not all it's cracked up to be. I didn't choose this life.

People did. Expectations, responsibilities, the whole shebang—thrust upon me like an ill-fitting coat.

Don't get me wrong. I love my family, but sometimes it feels like I'm living someone else's dream. Like I'm a character in a story I didn't write. But today, like every other day, I put on my bravest face and face the world head-on.

I dragged myself out of bed and padded over to the mirror for a closer look. My dark eyes, still half-lidded with sleep, stared back at me. "You got this, girl," I whispered, attempting to inject some enthusiasm into my morning routine.

"You've faced worse. Like that time you had to give a speech at Dad's award ceremony. Or that disastrous dinner party with the Patel family."

I splashed cold water on my face, the shock of it snapping me further into wakefulness. The daughter of a famous architect should be composed and graceful, but I was always more of a whirlwind—a mix of chaos and charisma, if I do say so myself. People tend to like me, though.

Maybe it's my unfiltered honesty or my knack for finding humor in just about anything. Maybe it's my relentless curiosity or my tendency to laugh at my own jokes.

Today's agenda: survive another day in the high-stakes world of the Shekhawat family. First up, breakfast. I bounded down the stairs, the smell of freshly brewed coffee wafting through the air. My younger brother, Ayaan, was already at the table, nose buried in a book. Typical. He looked up and grinned as I entered the kitchen.

"Morning, Rooh. Rough night?" he teased, eyeing my disheveled appearance.

"Just another glamorous night in the life of Rooh Shekhawat," I replied with a mock sigh, grabbing a piece of toast. "What about you, bookworm? Solved the mysteries of the universe yet?"

"Working on it," he said with a chuckle. "Dad's already left for the office. Big meeting today."

"Of course he has," I muttered, sinking into a chair. "And here I am, trying to figure my today's task at hospital!"

Ayaan put his book down and looked at me thoughtfully. "You know, Rooh, you don't have to follow in Dad's footsteps. You can carve out your own path."

I knew he was right, but it was easier said than done. The expectations were heavy, like an invisible weight on my shoulders. But today, I decided, I would try to lighten that load, even if just a little.

As I sat at the breakfast table, savoring a piece of toast, Mom walked in with a cheerful smile. "Good morning, beta. Did you forget that today is Jaykant Rao Bindal's elder son Ishaan's pre-wedding event?"

I nearly choked on my toast. "Ha, aaj toh bhaiya ki pre-wedding ka... How could I forget?" I stumbled for a moment, then regained my composure and added, "Main nahi jaa rahi us kutte ke ghar."

Mom raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Kiske bare mein baat kar rahi ho?"

Just then, Arjun Bindal, the MLA's son and my best friend, appeared in the doorway. "Is kutte ki kaaki," he said with a grin, hitting me lightly with his shoulder. "Main kutta, tu chudail."

I made a face at him. "Chudail? Really, Arjun?"

He just laughed and sat down to eat breakfast. "So, what's the plan for today, chudail?"

I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help the smile tugging at my lips. "No plans with you, kutte."

Mom shook her head, laughing at our banter. "You two never change."

As Arjun and I continued to tease each other, the kitchen filled with the familiar warmth and chatter that made home feel like home.

Arjun took a bite of his toast and turned to me. "Oh, by the way, Mom asked if you could come early to help with the preparations."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Main khud chale jaungii. I don't need an escort."

Arjun rolled his eyes. "Chal na, itna kya narazgi? Kal le lunga tujhe hospital se. Bhool gaya tha pick up karna, maaf kar de."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Aisi maafi manga kar acha lagta hai."

He made a face at my mock anger, and I playfully smacked his arm. "Alright, alright, chudail," he said, still grinning.

Unable to stay mad at him, I cutely hugged him. He laughed and hugged me back, his warmth and familiarity reassuring.

"Ab chal," he said, ruffling my hair.

I grabbed my bag, and we headed out together, bantering all the way to his house for today's function. As we walked, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of excitement. Despite the drama and expectations, moments like these made it all worthwhile.

══ ≪ °❈° ≫ ══

तेरे बिना अधूरी है मेरी हर ख़ुशी,
साथ तेरा हो तो मैं कुछ भी सह लूँ।
तेरी हँसी से रौशन है मेरी दुनिया,
तेरे बिना मेरी धड़कन भी थम जाये।

First chapter update of my new book . Do tell me what do you think about this in the comment section. Vote and comment. Tune in to find out everything.

Until then,
Love you cupcakes <3