Unsuitable Proposal

Chapter 23: Runaway Bride

"You want me to run away?!" I repeated, making sure I heard Zainab right. She had gone crazy.

Reena too looked at her wide-eyed and shook her head.

"If you don't want to spend rest of your life being an in-house maid and a babysitter for a fully-grown man, then yes, I suggest you get out of here." Zainab stood up and towered over me. "You can't be possibly willing to marry Antarang after everything you've heard."

"But-but everything's prepared. Wedding is today-"

"Yeah, wedding is today! Only way to get out of it is for you to run away."

"My father will have my head."

"Hence, you need to run away," she repeated, grabbing my shoulders. "Either you sit with Antarang at the mandap today and live rest of your giving up your career, or you can run away right now and for the first time take charge of your life. Aren't you tired of other people controlling you? First your father and now Antarang. Seriously, you need to get out of this cycle!"

"But Antarang promised me he'll never-"

"Well, he lied Kashvi. You heard it with your own ears."

I bit my lip to stop a whimper.

"Zainab di is right," said Reena, "you're never going to be free unless you get away."

I shook my head. "What will people say? A runaway bride will bring shame to both families. It's wrong."

"It's high time you stopped thinking about others Kashvi. They never thought about you. Your father didn't care about you or your ambitions, maybe you should stop caring about his ridiculous demands too," Zainab retorted.

"Tau will be replaced by Ji-Antarang," Reena added, "it's like going from one jail to another."

Zainab let go of me and slumped down to her previous position beside me. She exhaled a long breath. "I get it you're scared. But you wouldn't be fair to yourself Kashvi if you take vows with him after knowing what you do now."

I nodded. She was right. "He should've been honest with me."

"If you're going to do this then we should hurry. In couple of hours everyone will be up," Reena reminded.

"Let's go." I looked at the leather box still in my hand. "I'm done being others' plaything."

*******

For the second time tonight I sneaked out of my room. It was still dark. I had a duffle bag in my hand and replaced my shawl with a hoodie.

Zainab and Reena had helped me pack all necessary stuff. Now I was heading for the railway station. I had no idea which train I'd get on or where I'd stop. All I knew was to get away from here as far as possible.

I completed my notice period at Vision right before coming to resort for the wedding. I wasn't starting in HotWired for next couple of weeks, and they were yet to inform me where I'd be getting posted. It was a good thing. No one knew where I'd go.

Initially I had planned to work and complete my training at HotWired's assigned branch and then file for transfer a month or two later to move with Antarang and his family. It wasn't going to be a hassle as most of my work would be online, writing or going through codes. Given I wanted to get out of my hometown, still I had compromised on that desire to be with Antarang. I was even happy with it, as long as I had a job and my career.

Unfortunately, now I knew things were never going to be this easy like I had imagined.

"You called a cab to the station, right?" Zainab asked me as we were walking to the main gate.

"Yeah, it's going to be here in three minutes," I told her after checking my phone.

"Remember before catching train, you have to find the ATM and-"

"And get as much as cash possible from my savings account. Buy the train ticket to unknown destination, throw away my sim card, and get on the train," I parroted.

"You do know, if police wants they can still track you. There are lots of ways," Reena said.

"Yeah, but we just want to hold them off till she's out of the city. Lawfully, they can't bring her back if she doesn't want to. She's an adult," Zainab explained.

"Besides, I doubt Papa would want anything to do with me after what I am doing." My heart felt heavy as I said that. Disagreements aside, he was still my father. I loved him. And I knew he loved me too. Though I had a feeling it was going to change after tonight.

"What about Ji-Antarang?" Reena asked.

I didn't reply. My insides clenched thinking about him. Half of me wanted to turn around, run to his room and demand to make it all right. It pained me to leave him like this. Every minute I had to remind myself that I was running away only to avoid more hurt.

"Well, he'd learn to run his mouth a little less and start saying words that he actually means," Zainab scoffed.

We reached the main gate and a cab was already waiting for me on the road.

"Take care. Once things settle let us know how you're doing." Reena hugged me. I tightened my arms around her. Who knew when we were going to meet again?

Next Zainab embraced me too. "Don't worry, you're doing this for yourself," she recited and I nodded. I was doing this for myself. "Be safe. Don't take anything from strangers."

I chuckled and hugged her tighter. I'd miss her. I'd miss them all.

Again waterworks started as I climbed inside the cab and waved them goodbye. I was full on sobbing once the car started moving and I saw their figures getting smaller in side mirror. The cab driver threw me curious glances from rearview, but thankfully didn't say anything.

This was it.

I had left Antarang.

And it hurt so damn much...

*******

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