ᴇx-ʙᴏʏʀꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ, ɴᴇxᴛ ʜᴜꜱʙᴀɴᴅ

Chapter 45

Nishtha

"Beta, we're going to reach in 10 minutes. Have you all left?" Aai asked me on call.
I applied my minimal makeup to complement my blue salwar suit with white patiala pants, with my duppata resting on my shoulder, falling elegantly on my ride side, "Yes Aai, we're leaving soon. Don't worry."
"I'm not worried, I'm just asking." She said.
"Okay chalo, see you." I said and cut the call.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I gave myself the final check and then headed out, after grabbing my purse and phone. I saw him waiting downstairs in simple jeans and a shirt.
He looked so good.
Stop it.
I cleared my throat to grab his attention. When he looked at me, I continued, "We can go."
I saw him eye me top to bottom and I felt a strange feeling of self consciousness. I stood halted in my steps, "A...am I not looking good?"
He shook his head, "No, you look fine.... But."
"But?"
"Something is missing."
"What?" I said, looking in the mirror.
"Wait." He said and walked away, leaving me wondering. I went closer to the mirror to check what am I missing.
It all seemed fine, then what's wrong?
Then, through the mirror, I could see him approaching me, so I turned to him. He took out a small box and opened it.
Sindoor.
"Oh... yeah I... I forgot." I said and was about to take a pinch of it when he moved it away from me. Then, he turned me so I'm facing the mirror and came close to me, then, he took a pinch of it in his hands and adorned it on the middle partition of my hair.
"Now you're ready." He whispered.
I felt goosebumps and I looked down instantly.
"T..thanks." I said and moved away.
"Let's go." He said.

We made our way to the car and I sat in silence as the music filled the car. We always had the same music taste so I wasn't upset about the song choices playing - my mind was focused elsewhere. I didn't want to talk to him, so I just closed my eyes and pretended I was asleep. But I wasn't. I was worried about having a family dinner. I was worried to enter that house.

Ever since Yuvaan had thrown me out 4 years ago, I've been terrified to go back in. Each and every wall of that house had heard my screams and my cried, and going back there was not only embarrassing, but also a slap on my own self respect.
I hated going here.
The one thing I liked - going here increased my little hate for Yuvaan. I found it so hard to hate him, heck! I still have feelings for him, but when I see the main door of this house, the same door from which I was thrown outside to stand in the rain.... The feelings get replaced with hate.
More than hate, it's disrespect.

You can live with someone you don't love, but you can't live with someone you don't respect.
I didn't respect Yuvaan anymore.
As much as I tried to.

"We're here." He said, as he tapped my arm. I opened my eyes as I caught off guard from my thoughts and faced the main door.
The same main door.
Ever since we got married, I've only been here once, before we shifted to the penthouse.
Thank God we did.
Seeing this house triggers all those memories and I felt a gush of anger, hatred and fear arise in me. I hated seeing this house.

I didn't say anything and quickly got down and adjusted my suit, put my duppata properly on my right side, with it falling elegantly without touching the ground.

Looking at the house, it looked the same. I knew the guards recognized me, because they gave me a sad smile. This isn't new. They witnessed me sitting and crying on the main door. They weren't even allowed to book me a cab back home. Only I know how I got through that night.
I sighed and tried to control the falling tears.
I saw Yuvaan approaching me and I looked away and wiped the tears off and then started walking ahead. He caught up to me.
"Are you fine?" He asked me.