Seasons- Golden Hours

🌻New Me🌻

Eshani

If you don't react it would not bother you. If you close your eyes, It won't hurt you. Normally in our Psychology classes, we learn about facing our demons and actually working things out for us but my life is not a Psychology class and avoiding things work for me.

I clutch on my sundress noticing the text on my phone. Eshani let's go out today! It's from Adhira she made plans for us after we met at her birthday, we just completed our bachelors recently.

I walk in front of my Mom and Dad. Mom was cooking in the kitchen and Dad was reading his newspaper. Of course I told them a thousand times about today's plan.

"You're going somewhere?" Mom ask from the kitchen and dad got his newspaper down. Both of them walked towards me, my spine stiffened.

"Yes I thought to try this new sundress that Adhira gifted me." It comes till a little down than the knees. I fidget with my skirt taking a deep breath. "Is it fine mumma?"

"Beta you are so intelligent yourself then why are you asking me." I try to study her features, she is clearly mad. My father leaves the room for his daily pooja. "She is having a boyfriend now, isn't she?"

"I wouldn't go." I speak lowly.

"I never refuse you for anything but see this dress doesn't flatter you at all. The color makes your skin look so dull. Wear that red top, it would look better." She walks back to the kitchen.

"I- I will change it right away mumma." I rush upstairs and look at myself in the mirror. The dress perfectly hug my body in a decent way, the cream color with orange flowers calm me down. I strip it down before wearing my red top.

I come out from the room and from the terrace our neighbor throws a paper ball that almost hits my breasts but I catch it. "Agli baar parda mat kariyega." I gulp and rush downwards in one breath, burning the paper at once.

I take a deep breath. If you don't react it wouldn't bother you.

I take my diary out from the hiding spot and write.

"One day I will run far far away from this place. I would never come back here and live with a prince instead. A prince that rides a horse who would fight for me but keep me safe in his kingdom forever." I filled the page again writing so many things, the weight lifted from my chest.

With a smile on my face I sat behind dad's bike and he took me to Adhira. Adhira was waiting for me in a park, she said she wouldn't be there for long. The white light from the screen was glaring onto her and I could read her face right away but she cheered up at the sight of me, greeted papa and snatched me away in a moment.

And I swear it feels like someone opened my chains.

"So! Did you get in?" Her eyes shine and I could tell she was asking for my masters admission. I did my bachelor's from nearby only and I gave the national qualifier exam for psychology with only one hope. I swear by my father's words:

Either you get selected in the number 1 university of India, then and only then would we consider you travelling there.

"I am still waiting for the shortlisting." I look at the sky to breathe. Adhira is a natural genius. No one could tell when she studies and devour each and every topic. She is the topper no one hates but I have always been average. Would an average kid really qualify this tough exam?

"I am pretty sure we would make it!" She looks with stars in her eyes holding my hand. "And we will live together then." She adds. I smile at her silently. It's not like I am an introvert but in this city, I have to keep it low. When I am alone with Adhira we discuss everything that we can't do in public.

"What is the first thing you would do in your masters?" She beams a smile at me when I ask her and let her wander in her own little world.

"Design dresses, wear gorgeous clothes, going on dates with him." She winks at me. "What about you?"

"I will chop my hair on priority and get a nose piercing." I laugh and stare at the sky changing colors.

"It would look so hot!" She shakes me and I shake her back, screaming. I hear a honk from the other side. It's already half an hour. "Adhira." I turn before leaving, her doe eyes lift up at me "Would you hate me if I completely change myself?"

"I don't know about that but I would only love you more." She pass me a perverted flying kiss and I hug her before leaving.

**Home**

I was sitting in the room fidgeting, rocking my body backwards and forwards and the notification popped up.

To Eshani Sheoran,

Congratulations! You are shortlisted for The Andreas University, Pune. We cordially invite you to reach and submit your documents.
Unleash your potential and passion for Psychology with the Andreas University.

My heart beats in my chest like a train. I read it once, twice- to my heart's content. I have never been this happy! My wish came true. Tears sprinkle down my eyes but I cover my face with a pillow to shout with a low voice. I shout again and again and text in our group about it.

I take a deep breath and hold my phone with shaky hand. I walk towards papa and mumma containing my smile inside.

"Papa I got admission in the best University for Psychology in India." Papa and Mumma give each other a look and ask me to leave the room for sometime. They ask me to put the phone on the table.

I walk inside the room when they call me.

"How would you manage it there?" Papa asks and I have practiced a thousand times for those thousand questions already. How would you live? Where would you live? What about the food and what about the traffics.

This is my ride or die moment. Either I choose life for these two years or die every single day here in this madness. What about the open sky? What about making my own decisions?

I can't even tell them the boy living in front harass me everyday with those perverted letters. They wouldn't say anything to him but stop my further studies forever.

I want to go out or I will go Psycho here. I answer his every question hiding my desperation and making it sound ambitious. It is of course a good idea to send me. I secured more than 90% in the exam so they would cover everything from travel to living to 80% scholarship.

They both sigh and then finally papa says. "Fine. I have promised you to secure the top university and you did. I would let you go there."

"You are our only daughter. Our pride and everything lies on you." My mom says.

"We are letting you study so you get married to a good house. You know how to cook and clean and you have always been so mature." Mom adds with teary eyes. "After masters we will get you married." She nods towards papa.

"So don't go all the way for PhD or jobs." He fumbled a bit watching my face. "We are already proud that you even qualified this exam." I smile with the backhanded compliment of theirs. I could see the fear on their faces with the idea of letting me go.

I haven't even left the colony my myself.

They gave my phone back and I nodded while walking back to the room. Their concern don't bother me as soon as I open my messages, Adhira, Mahika and, Vaidehi all got selected in same or nearby Universities.

Each one of them told me how proud they are of me for clearing the exam. I studied night and day for this and finally.

New place, New characters, New situations... New me.

Consider this as a bonus! Couldn't hide my curiosity of sharing Eshani Sheoran and believe me you would love her!

The love you showered in Spring is welcomed in Summer also!

Welcome to the new realm where a Psychology trainee would crash with a messed up Royalty.

So... Curious about Agastya Rajvanshi?😉