After what felt like hours of trailing in and out of shops, Mrunali's feet ached in her simple chappals. Meera, Anjali and Neha seemed indefatigable, pausing frequently to examine their reflections or strike poses for each other's photos.
As her sister and cousins compared outfits and debated dinner plans, Mrunali gazed out the nearest exit, daydreaming of her cosy room and mystery novels awaiting at home. She stifled a yawn, shifting her weight from one sore foot to the other, when something at the jewellery kiosk caught her eye.
Her breath caught as she took in the elegant simplicity of the design - a slender gold band set with a single pearl. Mrunali drifted closer, forgetting her tired feet as she admired the ring's understated grace and beauty.
"Ah, I see you have spotted my best piece!" the elderly shopkeeper emerged from the back room, smiling benignly at Mrunali. "Exquisite, no? And at such a reasonable price!"
Mrunali carefully lifted the ring from its velvet case, holding it up to admire how the pearl caught the light. "It's gorgeous!" she breathed. For the first time that day, she wished her hands-free so she could try it on. Just then, a sneering laugh shattered the moment.
"Careful with that, uncle! I'd hate to see such fine jewellery get stretched out of shape!" Mrunali's head whipped around to find the same insolent college boy from earlier leering at her, flanked by his snickering friends. Her joy evaporated, replaced by all too familiar shame and resentment.
Biting back an angry retort, she silently returned the ring to its place, blinking back humiliated tears. The boys swaggered off, chuckling amongst themselves while the shopkeeper looked on, bewildered by the entire exchange.
Mrunali cleared her throat, regaining her composure. "Thank you for showing this to me, uncle. It's lovely but too impractical for someone like me," she forced herself to say. With a courteous nod, she limped away in search of her sister and cousins, the image of that perfect, graceful ring still imprinted in her mind...and forever out of her reach.
YOU ARE READING
Uncaged
Mystery / Thriller"Uncaged" follows the tumultuous journey of Mrunali, an 18-year-old girl battling deep insecurities and societal pressures. She starts as an underconfident teenager constantly belittled by her peers, but through a series of harrowing experiences, Mr...
