KISMAT - A MishBir SS

part 4

Mishti tugged at her hair absentmindedly. A week. It had been one whole week. 7 days since her life had completely turned upside down. First, she and Kunal had called off their courtship, actually, Meenakshi aunty had called off the courtship that day in the hospital -

"MISHTI. HOW DARE YOU?!"  

Mishti whirled around to see Meenakshi aunty glaring at her. Behind her she could see Kunal staring at her - she quickly searched his face for grief - she didn't want to hurt anyone. There was none present, and she instantly felt relieved. 

"I already told you once, Mishti" Meenakshi aunty said stepping inside the room, "my son is not some car that you can test drive. This courtship is over"

"Oye hello. Dukhyari madam" 

Kuhu's taunt jerked her away from her thoughts, shaking her head, Mishti looked at kuhu in the mirror. The other girl was standing behind her wearing an irritated expression.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" She asked, planting her hands on her hips, her wild curls floating around as she shook her head, "I have been asking you to move but you seem completely lost". 

That wouldn't be wrong. She was lost. 

Mishti frowned as she placed her comb back on the dresser and stood up, making way for kuhu. 

"I am already late. Kunal is going to be mad. Hashtag sadu boss"

Mishti glanced at kuhu out the corner of her eye, the girl had a hint of smile as she shook her head, a tinge of red creeping up her cheeks. Mishti's eyes instantly perked up, "ku-hu" she drawled, wrapping an arm around kuhu's shoulder, "is that a blush I see. What's going on between you two?" 

Kuhu quickly rearranged her features and brushed mishti's hand away, "nonsense. He just got out of a relationship" that wiped the smile right off Mishti's face. She turned around, somehow not able to look Kuhu in the eye, "there was no relationship" she muttered, walking to her bed and sitting down on the edge, "in fact, now I know that neither of us were really interested"

Kuhu came around to face her, her eyes glowering with anger, "really?" She huffed, glaring at her, "why didn't you just say no? Hashtag no is an option"

If only it was that easy

Mishti shook her head, "it's not that easy, Kuhu. It's not" she repeated again, seeing the ' oh please '  expression on the other girl's face. " I had to think about our family. Badi ma, bade Papa - and I didn't have any reason to say no"

"Oh please" Kuhu spat, voicing her thoughts this time, " you don't fall in love because there was no reason to say no." She said, exasperated, "when you know, you just know"

When you know you just know. Was it that easy? 

If it was, then - Mishti gulped - then, what she had known for the last week - did she have the guts to act on it? The real question was was she ready to accept it?

"No"

She didn't realise she was speaking out loud, until kuhu said, "what no?"

She shook her head, dragging her thoughts away from her tangled emotions, "I mean, when a guy says a no, no one questions him, it's taken at face value. But when a girl says no, she is asked why" Mishti shrugged "that's just how the society is" she said looking up at kuhu.