JHANAK - Destined to be

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 7

SRISHA'S POV

I sat there, completely immersed in the spell of Deepak's voice as he sang on stage. Every note seemed to reach into my soul, weaving dreams of a future I had dared to imagine with him.

"Umm I don't think it will be appropriate since I haven't said to her myself that I like her", he said.

So he wants to confess privately. Well, as long as he's comfortable.

"Why not say the first letter", the host asked.

"I think I can do that."

OMG!! He's going to tell S. I looked at him with my heart racing like crazy and heat crawling in my body.

"Her name starts with J".

I turned to look at Jhanvi who was looking at him while blushing. I think he said that by mistake how could he...

Deepak's declaration echoed in my ears, shattering the fragile hope I had nurtured. My heart sank, disbelief and hurt washing over me in waves. It was supposed to be me, I thought numbly, he was supposed to choose me.

The space spun around me, and I stumbled out, needing air that wouldn't suffocate me with the weight of disappointment. I got up and rushed outside as fast I could.

Tears flowed through my eyes. He loved me then how could he say that he's in love with her? How can she take him from me? Stealing her best friend's love? What was Jhanvi even thinking?

I wandered outside the school trying to calm myself when my phone rang insistently. It was my uncle, his voice fraught with urgency and concern.

"Srisha, your mother... she's in the hospital," he managed to say, the words cutting through me like a jagged edge.

"What happened uncle?", I asked in horror.

"Just come fast Srisha. She.. She needs you", he said.

"Okay okay I'm coming"

I ended the call and headed towards the road waiting for an auto. While Devansh called me. I answered, my voice trembling with unshed tears. "Devansh, my mom... she's in the hospital," I choked out, struggling to make sense of the chaos that had descended upon my world.

Tears blurred my vision when I reached as I raced to her side, the image of her fragile form haunting me with guilt and fear.

Soon, Jhanvi, Deepak, and Devansh rolled up at the hospital. I couldn't look Deepak in the eye, knowing that the love I wanted wasn't for me.

"What happened to her?", Jhanvi asked.

"I don't know why did-", I broke down in tears.

"It's okay Srisha we are here with you everything will be fine. She'll wake up in no time" ,she consoled me.

"Yes Srisha we are always with you", Devansh and Deepak said together.

The door opened and the doctor came inside he urged us to keep calm and not overwhelm my mother and asked us to step outside.

Jhanvi and I were sitting outside while Deepak and Devansh went to get something to eat for us. It has been two hours, and we are still waiting for my mom to wake up.

Then, Jhanvi's phone buzzed—a video call from her mother. I couldn't help but overhear their conversation where her mom is asking her to show her how she looked in a saree. 

Suddenly my uncle who was coming towards me with coffee stood there with anger in his eyes. I went ahead to him to ask what happened.

"Do you know why your parents got divorced?", he asked.

I got confused. It's been a year since they got it. It was my dad's decision but my mom was strongly against it. She was in love with Dad but he wasn't. Even after the divorce, she couldn't forget him. She still longs for him every day and I could see that in her eyes.

"Why are you asking me that now uncle?", I asked.

He pointed out his finger towards Jhanvi. Why would he point his fingers towards her?

"Your dad was having an affair with that woman and he is going to marry her the next month. Srisha your mom couldn't accept the fact of his remarriage and she-", he said as tears rolled through his eyes as he walked to get another cup.

Anger and betrayal surged within me, fueled by the ache in my heart. We were a happy family if I look back. Mom and Dad were so in love with each other. Even I couldn't digest the fact that couples who were so in love for a while had nothing in between them.

So you're the reason for this too Jhanvi? No matter how I try not to hate you it is physically not possible for me to do so.

 When the call ended, I couldn't hold back the torrent of emotions. I slapped Jhanvi, the sound sharp and echoing in the stark hospital room. She looked at me confused and shocked.

"What the hell is wrong with you Srisha?", she asked.

"You're the reason my mother is lying here like this!" I accused, my voice trembling with pain and accusation.

Jhanvi recoiled, her eyes wide with shock and hurt.

"What did I even do? This is the first time I'm seeing your mother.", she said.

"You took Deepak from me," I continued, my voice breaking with every word, "and your mother took my dad away from my mom! Both of you are just the other woman!" The truth spilled out, bitter and raw, the air heavy with the weight of shattered dreams and betrayal.

Jhanvi stood there, stunned into silence, her own pain mirrored in her eyes. The hospital room seemed to close in around us, a stark reminder of how fragile love and trust could be in the face of life's unpredictable cruelty.

"You-You like Deepak?", she asked her voice stammering.

My heart pounded in my chest, my mind a whirlwind of confusion and rage. 

₊˚🖇️✩ ₊˚🎧⊹♡₊˚🖇️✩ ₊˚🎧⊹♡

998 words

Hope you are liking this story

Okay so I realised that the sequence what I was thinking of will probably make you all confused.

So here a simpler and straight version

Thank you for reading.