The Girl With the Red Scarf | ✔️ [DriKshit]

The Past Unfolds

DRISHTI'S POV

The room was cast in shadows, the only source of light being that of the moon, filtering in through the drawn curtains. There was a light breeze that circulated around the room, rustling the curtains, flipping the pages of the book that lay open on my study table. I sat on my neatly made bed, shivering slightly in my light Chiffon saree, not because it was cold outside, but because of the ice that clawed at my heart, threatening to tear it apart. As I stared blankly at the cold marble floor of my room, my mind drifted back to this evening.

                                 ~

After lunch, I took a shower, partly because I had to look presentable and partly because I had not showered for two days. The wounds in my back and wrists ached, but I tried not to focus on them as I stripped out of my clothes and stood beneath the shower, the cold water slipping down my body. These days, I have been thinking of Rakshit a lot, at home, at school, under the shower - I even dream of him while I sleep. I wasn't at all happy that Maasi was getting me married. Honestly, after Akash left, I didn't even care who I got married to, or, at least I thought so that it didn't matter. But now, when Maasi was determined to get me married to this friend of her cousin's son, all of it suddenly mattered. I didn't want to marry Aarav (or was it something else?), I didn't even know who he was, what he did. But I cannot reject this, no, I cannot dissapoint Maasi more than I have already done. But no matter how much I tried to focus, my mind kept wandering back to Rakshit - the way he smiled at me, the way his hair fell on his forehead, the way his mere presence was enough to lift my mood.

I got out of the shower and slipped into the Chiffon saree that Maasi had selected for me, according to her, the red colour of the saree brought out my fair complexion and accentuated my figure. Maasi even selected a simple array of jewellery for me, which Divya helped me put on.

~ "Di, I can't believe this, none of this is even your fault Di, why are you marrying some stranger?"

~ "Divya, look, I have to marry this guy, whoever this is. For Maasi, for you."

~ "And what about you Di? She didn't even ask you if you liked someone, if there was someone in your heart -"

~ "Divya, we have already dissapointed her, not once, not twice, countless number of times. After mom - mom and dad passed away, she was the one who looked after us all. She is the one who worked hard day and night so that we can finish our education, so that we could eat three times a day and wear decent clothes. A little respect and obedience is the least we owe her! Divi - I cannot, I cannot dissapoint her again. My entire life, I had thought about my happiness - marrying Akash, settling, I never thought about her Divi. It is high time that someone thought about Maasi and I will do it. If my marrying Aarav settles it all, then I will marry Aarav."

Divya looked dumbstruck, her eyes wide.

~ "Di, but thinking about Maasi does not necessarily mean you have to marry some unknown guy. I bet I can find a guy better than this Aarav, who will suit the tastes of Maasi. And this is a pledge di."

Divya walked out of the room, I didn't call her back. I knew how determined Maasi was, I would have to marry this Aarav no matter what.

A little after four o'clock, I went into the kitchen to make tea and realized that both Divya and Romi were out, which means, it was just me and Maasi in the house. I heard the faint sound of Maasi's humming in the sitting room, arranging sofas and decorating vases with flowers.

I put water in the sauce pan, and turned on the stove, waiting for the water to boil. I heard the humming stop and light footsteps appeared outside the kitchen door. With a click and a turn, the door opened and Maasi peaked in, her expression unreadable.