DRISHTI'S POV
We were quietly having breakfast, the only sounds being the clinking of cutlery and the rustling of plates. The silence felt heavy, almost deliberate, until Dad broke it with a subdued yet steady voice.
"The family that brought the proposal... they cancelled the meeting," he said, his tone unwavering but laced with a faint undercurrent of disappointment.
Mom's spoon paused mid-air, her brows furrowing "How? What happened?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity .
"They said their son isn't ready for marriage yet," Dad replied calmly, taking a deliberate sip of water. His composed demeanor only barely masked the weight of his words, leaving an unspoken tension lingering in the air.
"So sad," Mom muttered, her voice dripping with sarcasm, a devilish glint in her eyes betraying her lack of interest. "They cancelled this even before meeting her."
Dad let out a weary sigh, his patience thinning. "This isn't our fault," he stated firmly, his tone final and unyielding.
"I think we should stop talking about this"
Without waiting for a response, he stood up, adjusted his shirt, and left for his office, leaving an air of unfinished tension behind.
Now,
It's just Mom and me at the table, silently finishing our breakfast.
The quiet feels heavier than before, every bite weighed down by unspoken thoughts.
"That family is lucky," Mom said, her voice sharp and cold. She paused, letting the words linger like a dagger in the air before continuing, "That you're not going to be their daughter-in-law."
Once, her words would have cut through me like a blade, but not anymore. I've learned not to let them hurt me.
I just listen, let the sting wash over me, and remind myself not to take her seriously.
After all, what else can I do? She's my father's wife -she's supposed to protect me, to be my shield against the world. But instead, she feels like a stranger. A hollow void where warmth and support should have been.
I tell myself over and over not to disrespect her. She's older, and wiser, no matter what. But her behavior... it's hard to reconcile. Hard to ignore.
"I think we're clear not to discuss this anymore," I said, my voice flat and devoid of emotion. I didn't expect a response, and as I glanced up, I noticed Mom had already left for her work without another word.
"Seriously? That guy canceled the meeting!" I muttered to myself, frustration bubbling up inside me.
I had taken a day off just for this, and even bought a dress, imagining how everything might go.
And now? Just like that, that guy decided to cancel?
"Yeh kya baat hoti hai yaar?" I groaned, throwing hands in the air and myself onto the couch in exasperation.
"But at least now," I thought to myself with a faint smile, "I can give my full attention to someone else without any guilt."
Dr. Shekhawat's face flickered in my mind-a calm confidence in his demeanor, the way he carried himself so effortlessly. But then reality hit me like a cold wave.
To be honest, I doubt he'd even notice me.
A man like him? He must have so many gorgeous women vying for his attention.
Women are far prettier, far more charming than I could ever hope to be.
"Still," I whispered wistfully, almost to myself,
"I wish he'd notice me... just once."
Soft music played in the background as I sat there, lost in my thoughts, talking quietly to myself.
"Every single time we meet, something embarrassing happens,"
I muttered, shaking my head.
"Either I end up falling on him, or I get awkwardly stuck in some situation with him. We've never had a single normal encounter!"
I absentmindedly started twirling a strand of my hair, my cheeks flushing at the memories.
He must be thinking, "Yeh ladki ko dhang se chalna bhi nahi aata."
The thought made me bury my face in my hands.
So embarrassing !!
Frustrated, I grabbed the sofa pillow and lightly started punching it against my forehead, sighing deeply.
"Krishna ji, don't you think we deserve at least one normal encounter?" I groaned, looking up as if waiting for some divine intervention.
Ughhh.
"Drishti beta!" Kaka's voice broke my train of thought.
"Yes?" I replied, trying to sound normal.
"What would you like for lunch?" He kindly asked, his tone as warm as ever.
"Jo aapko theek lage, bana dijiye, Kaka,"
( "Whatever you feel right, please make it, Kaka." )
I said with a small smile, before retreating to my room, still lost in my whirlwind of thoughts.
---ββββββ---
I have no one to talk to except Nisha, and she's busy too obviously it's hospital hours.
I can't call her now.
THIS IS SO BORING!
"Vo ladke ke wajah se itna bore ho raha hai hume!" I groaned, throwing myself onto the bed in frustration.
( "I'm getting so bored because of that guy!" )
"Pehle nahi bol sakta tha kya, usko shaadi nahi karni?" I muttered under my breath, the annoyance bubbling up again.
( "Couldn't he have said this earlier, that he doesn't want to get married?" )
"Yeh kya mazaak chal raha hai!?" I huffed dramatically. "Aur bina wajah ka holiday ho gya mera."
( "my holiday turned out to be pointless." )
After sulking for a while, I sat up and looked around.
"Should I clean my room?" I asked myself, trying to think of something , anything-to do.
I glanced around and shrugged. "I think no, it's still in pretty good condition."
"So, what should I do then?" I murmured, wandering aimlessly to my closet.
I opened it, stared at the clothes, and started thinking... but nothing seemed exciting enough.
Got it !!
I exclaimed in excitement.
"I should definitely go shopping! It's been so long since I went shopping!" I squealed, my excitement growing more.
I quickly got ready, but not before deciding to have lunch first.
Shopping could wait, but food was a must.
"Kaka, is lunch ready?" I called out as I entered the kitchen, the delicious aroma already tempting my senses.
And there it was-Rajma chawal.
Or should I call it heaven on a plate!?
{A/n : Rajma chawal kisko nahi pasand bhai !!?}
I quickly grabbed a plate and served myself a generous helping of that delicious Rajma chawal. I couldn't wait to dig in.
The taste was just too good!
After finishing, I informed Kaka, "I'm going shopping," before grabbing my things and heading out the door.
I caught an auto and asked the driver to drop me at the nearby market.
He stopped near a small shop, I paid him, and made my way inside, eager to see what they had.
As I browsed through the racks, a beautiful kurti caught my eye, but when I felt the fabric, my excitement faded.
The material just wasn't right. Disappointed, I left the shop and continued my search.
After wandering around another shop, I finally bought myself a pair of baggy jeans.
Feeling a bit excited, I thought,
Why not get some accessories too?
As I started walking down the street, the wind kept blowing my hair into my face. I struggled to keep it out of the way with one hand while balancing my purse in the other.
Frustrated but determined, I kept going.
Then, out of nowhere, I accidentally bumped shoulders with someone. Startled, I turned to see who it was.
To my surprise it was doctor Shekhawat !
.
.
.
( Events of chapter 7 .. continued here )
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Just like that the day was spent well .
"So, thank you for today," I said, taking a small step back, my eyes cast downward. Just as I turned to leave, he called out.
"Wait... wait a minute!" he said, his voice was urgent as he rushed to catch my attention.
I stopped, turning around to see him holding something in his hand. My heartbeat quickened.
"Here," he said, offering me a delicate bracelet. His smile was soft, almost shy. "This is for you-like a friendship band."
I hesitated, my eyes flickering between him and the bracelet. The gesture felt so heartfelt, so unexpected, that I wasn't sure how to respond at first. "There's no need for it," I said softly, meeting his gaze. "We're friends now, and that's what matters the most."
He chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "I know, but please... consider it a little token. From me to you." He looked at me with those puppy-dog eyes, clearly doing his best to melt my resolve.
I couldn't help but laugh softly, my expression softening. "Okay, okay, you win. Do the honors, then."
I extended my hand toward him, my chest tightening with nervous excitement. His fingers trembled slightly as he carefully slipped the bracelet onto my wrist.
For a moment, it felt like time slowed down. This small, simple gesture felt monumental like a beautiful step forward into something new.
"Bye, take care," I said quietly, my voice warm as I waved at him.
As I walked away, my chest felt tight with happiness, my heart racing in a way I couldn't quite explain.
I reached home quickly, a bright smile plastered on my face, glowing with happiness.
because why not?
The boy I couldn't stop thinking about...
he's my friend now.
And he gifted me this beautiful bracelet.
I couldn't stop admiring it.
His choice was so good-how could he ever claim he didn't know anything about girls' accessories?
Such a liar! I chuckled to myself, gently tracing the intricate design of the bracelet.
As I stepped into the hall, the unusual calmness struck me.
It didn't feel like my house at all.
"Is Mrs. Mehta busy?" I murmured to myself.
"That's why there hasn't been any drama yet, huh?"
I decided to skip dinner for now, still feeling a little full from the chaat and Pani puri.
I headed straight to my room, still caught up in the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside me.
Butterflies danced in my stomach, and my eyes kept wandering to the bracelet on my wrist.
It's from him.
Opening my room door, I switched on the light and set my things which I bought from the market on the empty chair in the corner.
A sigh escaped my lips. "I'm tired. A nice shower will feel so good right now," I thought, grabbing my towel and clothes from the closet and choosing a comfy pair of payjama's for me.
As I entered the warm water worked wonders, relaxing my body and soothing my mind.
By the time I stepped out of the bathroom, I felt refreshed, my worries washed away.
But then, my gaze landed on the mirror of my dressing table while I was drying my hair.
My heart stopped.
My eyes widened, my breath hitching in my throat.
My pulse raced as fear clawed its way into my chest.
There, scrawled across the mirror in what looked like red ink, were the chilling words :
"YOU......................"
*****************
The bracelet gifted is something simple.
Thank you for reading till the end of the chapter β€οΈ.
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