ALMOST THERE

CHAPTER 24: I feel... beautiful

Waqt Ki Baatein - Dream Note
💗✨🌷💅🏻

As I walked through the door that afternoon, the weight of the day clung to me like a heavy mist. The events of Teacher’s Day were replaying in my mind—starting from the incredulous wink, Abhi creating a scene to Tejal and I cherishing our last moments together, it all played in my head like a film roll.

The way his and my gazes locked in a haze. I hated how much space he took up in my head, how easily he wove himself into my thoughts without permission. But somehow, I wasn’t angry about it.

I wasn’t mad about any of it.

There was this weird, fluttery feeling sitting low in my chest—something I hadn’t felt in a long time. Not that I’d ever admit it to anyone, least of all to myself. But today had felt... good. Like really, inexplicably good. Despite the usual chaos, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt this kind of lightness.

But the moment I walked down the hall and heard the murmur of voices from the living room, that lightness threatened to disappear. I grunted internally.

Great, guests.

The last thing I needed was to be paraded in front of some distant relatives, expected to smile and entertain them with my presence like I was some exhibit at a zoo.

And then there was the absolute worst part—kids.

Noisy, sticky, bratty kids.

I could already picture it: a small gremlin running around the living room, snot dripping from its nose, probably tearing up my books or knocking something over.

I slipped into my room before anyone could catch sight of me, shutting the door quietly behind me. If I could stay in here for the rest of the evening, maybe I’d survive.

Tossing my bag aside, I grabbed a towel and headed for the shower. The cold water felt like heaven against my skin, washing away the remnants of the day—the sweat, the dust, the tension.

I took my time for once, letting the steam rise around me like a protective barrier, shutting out everything else.

When I got out, I did something I hadn’t done in... ages. I stood in front of the mirror and actually looked at myself. Really looked. Normally, I’d rush through getting ready, throwing on whatever was comfortable, but today was different.

Today, I felt different.

I took my time brushing my hair, smoothing out the tangles until it fell in soft waves around my shoulders.

Then I pressed the dropped of the vitamin C letting the drops cascade on my skin, taking extra care with it, dabbing at the faint smudges under my eyes. I wasn’t sure why I was doing it. It wasn’t like I had anywhere to go.

But for the first time in a long time, I wanted to feel... beautiful. Like maybe the girl staring back at me wasn’t so bad after all.

And I knew exactly why.

It was because of him. Because someone had looked at me like I mattered. Like I was worth noticing.

That little wink, the way his eyes had lingered on mine during the song, the way he had shown up earlier, standing so close, protecting me without a word... It had done something to me. Something that left me feeling good.

Confident.

I wasn’t used to this. I wasn’t used to feeling this.

My haze of thoughts broke as the sound of the door opening dragged me back to the present. I pushed a section of hair behind my ear to see mom standing in the doorway, a plot laden with food held in her hand.

Her pale skin was tinged in red around her cheeks and nose, beads of sweat lining her T-zone.

My insides folded at the sight of her. Her so very tired, exhausted yet willing-to-serve-everyone-right being.

If I hadn't cursed the unwanted guests enough already, I was surely doing that now.

In my head, ofcourse.

How so unwomanly of me to curse out loud.

All of the good treatment, like stuffing their mouths with incomparably delicious food they know they can't cook themselves the way my mother does. Like smiling away to every comment that invaded our personal space.

For example, "Beti toh badi ho gayi, ab toh damaad dhundna padega."

(Ehehe, aunty ji, aap apne paidal dimag ko takleef na dein. Damaad main khud hi dhund lungi.💀)

All of that nonchalance just for my mother to be treated like shit.

Over and over again.

Guess you now know why I despise guests.

It took me a moment to register that mom hadn't moved from her place. She hadn't strolled in and place the plate on the desk with an intentional this or told me the tan on my forehead had gotten worse.

Instead, she just stood there, her dark eyes scanning me with a look in them I couldn't quite point a finger at.

"You look good," she finally said, her eyes glistening with warmth for a split second before it wasn't. "What happened at school?"

Whatever affection had been there in her previous statement, faded as soon as she uttered the next. I felt the hair on the back of my neck rise.

"What was supposed to happen?" I say, attempting to sound as if the chill in her voice didn't make me want to bury myself in a heap of blankets.

Like it always did.

"You tell me," And there it was. The intentional this as she dropped the plate on the desk but for some reason the sound of it pricked harder than usual. "You're all decked up. Something must be the occasion."

A corner of her lip lifted up with looked to be a half smile, but I knew what that meant.

I was in for a bombardment of interrogation.