*Seashells*

"Kiara, give me the things you want to pack. I'll arrange them in the bag." Rishaan said as he skilfully kept his clothes into the suitcase, to minimise bags and made space for other clothes. Diya, alone downstairs, helped herself with another suitcase and kept her belongings almost recklessly, disagreeing to accompany Rishaan with the Goa trip. Diya packed the most boring and tasteless dresses, as she cursed her fate to have made her to go for the trip out of compulsion. Kiara was watching all this. She immediately went upstairs and informed Rishaan of Diya being uncomfortable with something. Rishaan knew what bothered her. He stood in front of her room, but did not utter a single word. He watched Diya's cute face as she tied her hair into a loose, messy bun and continued with her work, her eyes that spoke a thousand words, through their endless emotions and expressions, her lips coated with a beautiful peach tinted lipstick that had been cursing Rishaan since the day of their marriage. It had been a week since their wedding and Diya had not found a single peaceful place in the house as colossal as a fort. Her soul had not found a single person to talk to and get rid of the unwonted agony she was suffering from. Her heart could not find a single moment to relax and stop beating so fast. She wished she could go back to her mother's place, but she could not. She was bound to a looming relationship of marriage, which was supposed to be divine. While Rishaan stared at her with all the love for her in his heart, she turned to the door and furnished nothing but a cold glance.

"What do you want?" she asked with disdain.

"I just came to tell you that I was going to the market. Do you want anything for yourself." he asked veiling his emotions.

"No! I can manage it myself. Leave me alone." she said bluntly.

"Diya..." he called her name, rather expecting her to look at him at least once.

"Now what?" she roared.

"I love you." he announced in his low yet loving voice.

Diya ignored his words and turned to the other side, as she reminisced her past memories with Rishaan. Love was all in her heart but not on her lips. Their love marriage had turned into bondage for her, the one full of responsibilities, and the one full of tears. She was a perfect example of an unsuccessful wedding.

Rishaan left the place and went on to ask Kiara. Kiara was lost in her thoughts, holding her teddy bear and looking outside the window, capturing the scenic beauty of the pearl like shimmering rain drops, drumming on the window pane, making a heavenly divine sight. The drops made the grass in the lawn dance to the rhythm of the rain, every trickle touched its surface and so did Rishaan, as he saw Kiara enjoying the nature. A cold breeze blew on his face, and he repossessed his senses. He went closer to Kiara, held her face in his arms and kissed her on the forehead. Kiara smiled through his hands and got up to resume with the packing. While Kiara finished her packing Diya stood ranting at the entrance waiting for the two of them to come.

Rishaan helped Kiara with the baggage as she got down the stairs. Kiara smiled at Diya and tried to initiate the talk. Diya left the place and dumped her luggage into the car. Kiara stood ravaged on Diya's stony behaviour, but somewhere she knew, that she was indeed the reason for Diya and Rishaan's ruined marriage. As she thought of this, two pearl-shaped tears rolled down her cheeks, lacing her pink lips with them. The trail of smeared kajal could still be seen on her shiny cheeks. Rishaan took her into his arms, embraced her, wiped her tears and opened the door of the back seat. Diya had already occupied the place; she could not even stand the thought of sitting with Rishaan on the front seat. Kiara slowly pushed aside the handbag and sat with Diya, she gestured to Rishaan to drive, and that she was okay with Diya.

Rishaan was constantly looking at the rear view mirror to have a look at Diya, who had her eyes outside the window, the lights of the busy city glimmered in the dark night, the random fireworks in the raven sky and the laser lights indicated weekend parties, the cold wind blew Diya's hair away from her face, frizzing them. Kiara kept switching her sight from Rishaan to Diya and then again from Diya to Rishaan.