The alternative bride

CHAPTER 12- The blooming friendship

Her petite figure perfectly fitted in my arms as it was her real place. I wanted the time to freeze and bless me with the opportunity to hold her forever. She suddenly stepped back and I sensed her discomfort and did not ask her the reason behind her fear. She rushed to the washroom and I settled on my side of the bed and engrossed myself in my phone to check some emails wanting to distract myself. She came back from the washroom all dressed up for a goodnight sleep and looked at me with unknown emotions in her eyes. I guess she was relieved when she saw that I am not going to ask anything anytime soon. She adjusted her comforter laying on the bed and drifted to sleep. I thought about all that took place today....huh....it was such a long day. I switched off the light and went to sleep.

I woke up at 5 in the morning to find her side of the bed empty. Now where is she?...The feeling of Deja vu surrounded me but I know that she must be either taking her frustration out by jogging session or with her favourite person. From the day she has entered my life I don't know how but I have got to observe her so well that I can read her. The problem is that she goes jogging exactly at 5:30 and she is very particular about the timing. Where is she now?

I got up from my bed and went to the outhouse. As expected she was in Veena's room sitting with her head in her lap. I just came to check on her and was going to return back when I heard Veena shouting and halted in my steps and stood outside the room listening to their conversation. Breach of privacy was not my intention but to know what happened that she was shouting in the early morning.

"Why do you fight the world for me? You have already done a lot now, please stop taking stands for me every now and then. I am not a kid" Veena shouted. These soul sisters fight on weird topics. Mostly for each other.

Riya chuckled and said "Ya Right! You aren't a kid but you looked like one when you hugged me downstairs." I like her playful mood.

"It was just out of happiness," Veena said with fake anger. Then she turned serious and said

"What if your in-laws weren't that good and asked you to leave? You definitely won't go to your father. Where would we have gone at this point?"

Riya laughed and said "Don't worry, I am capable of arranging a better life for both of us"

"You are very capable, very strong but you used your capability to help your dad's company get out of losses and secretly invested money into it and when it comes to sharing profits you give them to Ajit and Mini in the form of gifts. You care less about investing in yourself" she answered back.

This girl is such a mystery. My mind mocked 'that you want to solve for the rest of your life'. I answered 'I agree'

"I don't need all this. You are thinking about what if? I stopped it long back as I knew I had to support myself as nobody would bother to stand up for me" Riya said.

"Why do you say so? Siddarth was definitely going to stand up for you, ''Veena asked and I nodded my head.

"Yes, he would support me as a friend but I can't trust anyone now because I don't like to repeat mistakes. Like nobody cared about me in Shekhawat villa, nobody would care in Roy Mansion. The place has just changed. My presence or absence really won't matter" Riya said with a frown. She is so wrong. My family loves her. Her absence doesn't let me even sleep peacefully even if I don't know her much.

"Remember that day at school when two 18 year old were trying to harass me at school" she said and I was shocked and my blood was boiling in anger. How much has this girl suffered?

"When will you forget that day?" Veena asked with a sad expression.

"Never, After all it was one of my best and worst days. That incident was the worst but I beat them black and blue with a bat. The day makes me feel weak and strong at the same time. A 12 year old petite, skinny figure realised her power and lost her carefree nature. I was awarded with darkness for my act of bravery dude. You know that day the principal summoned dad to school. He came and I ran towards him and hugged him tight. After all, deep down I was a little girl who had faced the cruel world in a matter of minutes. He pushed me away and asked rudely 'what mischief did you do that your principal called me?'" she said mimicking his tone. He is the worst example of a father and still he has the audacity to call her a 'worthless daughter'.