Silent Longing

Chapter 7

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Author's pov

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The morning of the engagement felt like a storm Trisha couldn't escape. The house was a frenzy of people coming and going, decorations being adjusted, last-minute preparations being rushed through. The noise, the pressure, the endless stream of relatives—all of it felt suffocating.

In her room, Trisha sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the lavender lehenga draped across her chair. It was beautiful—Chandini had outdone herself—but the sight of it made Trisha's stomach churn. She hadn't eaten since the night before, and the idea of food now made her feel nauseous. She tried to take deep breaths, but the panic was growing stronger by the second.

Her phone buzzed on the bedside table, messages from Chandini, Sarayu, and Zara flooding in, all asking how she was feeling, whether she was ready. She didn't reply to any of them. Her hands were trembling too much. Her heart raced in her chest, her breath coming in shallow gasps as the weight of the day settled fully on her shoulders. This wasn't just an engagement; this was her entire life about to change. And the sheer magnitude of that realization was overwhelming.

Tears pricked her eyes as her mind spiraled. What if she wasn't ready? What if this was all a mistake? The pressure of everything—her parents' expectations, the looming future, the idea of becoming someone's wife—felt like it was crushing her. She buried her face in her hands, trying to calm herself, but the tears started falling, her breath coming out in shallow gasps as she tried to hold it all together.

Suddenly, the door to her room burst open, and Sandhya swept in, her face flushed from the chaos of the morning. "Trisha, what are you still doing here? The decorators are waiting, and there are guests already arriving!" she exclaimed, her tone sharp with stress.

Trisha looked up, eyes red-rimmed and filled with panic. "Mom, I don't know if I can do this," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I feel like—"

But before she could finish, Sandhya's eyes narrowed in irritation. "What do you mean you don't know if you can do this?" she snapped, her voice cutting through Trisha's thoughts. "Do you have any idea how many people get engaged every day? You think you're the first? Stop this overacting right now, Trisha. You're not a child anymore!"

Trisha flinched at the harshness in her mother's tone, trying to hold back the fresh wave of tears that threatened to fall. "But Mom, I just—" she began, her voice shaky, but Sandhya cut her off again.

"Enough!" Sandhya barked, pacing the room as she spoke. "Do you think I have time for this nonsense? There are guests downstairs! People are waiting, and you're sitting here crying like a child. Pull yourself together! This is your engagement, and you need to stop being so dramatic. Go wash your face, smile, and get dressed like you're supposed to."

Her mother's words felt like a slap, the sting of them cutting deep into Trisha's already fragile state. She wanted to explain how overwhelmed she felt, how everything was spinning out of control, but Sandhya's cold demeanor left no room for vulnerability. Her mother, ever practical, ever composed, had no patience for weakness, not today of all days.

Sandhya crossed her arms, her expression firm, as if waiting for Trisha to snap out of it. "I won't have this kind of behavior today, Trisha," she said, her voice still hard. "You are going to go out there and be the perfect daughter we've raised you to be. Smile, greet the guests, and make this day something to be proud of. No more crying."

With that, Sandhya turned and left the room, not waiting for Trisha to respond. The door clicked shut behind her, leaving Trisha sitting on the bed, alone and shaken. Her mother's harsh words rang in her ears, but the overwhelming sense of pressure didn't fade.