Shrishti Reborn

Chapter 03. Shrishti is Back

'For my darling Princess.', Sanjay handed it over to her.

She huffed, 'Pappa! This is silly. I am a grown up. You should not be giving me children's plush toys.', she said the same thing she said the last time, yearning to hear the words he had said to her last time. Her father did not disappoint her. He patted her head before saying, 'This is a reminder to you. You may be an adult from today but for me, you are still a baby. This will remind you that your Pappa is always here, to help you, to support you, to cheer you. Your father's arms would always be open to receive you, welcome you and hold you tight and comfort you and shield you from the harsh world.'

Shrishti loved the gift just like last time and placed the bear in the middle of her bed, the place it occupied even in the last life.

'So my adult daughter, tell me! What do you want for your birthday?', her father asked as he led her to sit on the bed before taking a seat on the chair in front of her dressing table. Shrishti blinked confused. What should she ask? In her last life, she had asked for a car. She was hoping to pick the love of her life up from his house for college one day after he would accept her love. Also, she had dreams of doing all couple things with him like going on long drives, going on weekend trips and so many other things without having to ask her father for a car and a driver. She had so many fantasies related to him, Shrishti realised. All of them remained unfulfilled. And the car? That car led her to her death. She had died in that car. It became her coffin in a manner.

Suddenly, Shrishti felt as if she was in that car again. The car had fallen into the river from up above and it was sinking. She was stuck in her seat with her leg trapped and all Shrishti felt was panic as she watched the water rise inside the car.

'Shrishti!', Sanjay shook Shrishti and she jerked at his touch. He had come to sit beside her.

'Princess! What is wrong?'

'Nothing pappa. Just remembered the nightmare I had early morning.', she lied again.

'What was it about?'

'I don't remember, Pappa. Just remember the scary feelings, that's all.'

'Ok. Forget this. Tell me. What gift would you like for your first adult birthday?', Sanjay hugged his daughter from the side and kissed her head from the top.

Shrishti snuggled into his arms as she thought on what to answer.

This time, Shrishti did not want the car. Their family had enough cars and they had drivers too. She could be easily dropped and picked up from college. But what should she ask then? There is nothing to ask. She had everything she wanted. Her father never left her needing something. She was the one who threw it all away and ruined everything. But now? At this age? She had everything! But then....? An idea hit her and she pulled away from her dad and grinned at him.

'Pappa! Take one whole weekend off and lets go on a trip!'

'What? Why?', Sanjay looked at his daughter puzzled.

She grinned at him, 'Because what I want for this birthday is for my Pappa to spend time with me.'

'Oh?', he raised a brow, 'Who was just now telling her Pappa that she was a grown up now?'

'Oh. Who was the one who told his daughter that his Princess will always remain his baby forever?', she argued back before pouting.

Her father chuckled before hugging her, 'Fine. As you wish. We would spend time together. Just two of us. Ok?'

She nodded, 'Best Birthday gift ever!'

Her father kissed her forehead, ordered her to get a bath, get dressed and come over for breakfast before leaving the room. She let out a huge sigh. She was back. It was her past. She still could not believe it.

Shrishti went to the huge mirror in the house and stared at her face, cataloguing all the changes between her 25 year old face and the current one. Her long hair was not reaching her hip anymore. It was barely touching her waist. It was jet black and straight, similar to her mother's. Her skin color was the same as her mother's, dusky but now it lacked the exhaustion which was visible in her last life. The only feature unchanged was her small black eyes.

Once Shrishti had her fill, she turned towards the room and looked around, trying to catalogue everything. The room had changed as she had grown up and it looked a little different than what she was used to in her past life. As she looked around, making sure she learned what was kept where, her eyes fell on a beautiful card left on her writing table. She froze. After few seconds of staring at the card, she swallowed before reaching over and grabbing it. She took in a deep breath before opening it. A tear slipped down her cheek as she saw the blank space inside the card. Her past self had yet to write words on it, she realised. She left the card on the table and turned around before stopping.

Shrishti turned back and stared at the card. It was a Valentines Card that she had bought to give to her long time crush in few days. She took in a deep breath again, grabbed the card and ripped it apart. She felt as if her own heart had ripped open into pieces. The pain felt physical. She let out a loud cry and crumbled to the floor. She cried and sobbed as she let out the pain in her heart.

For the first time in her two lives, Shrishti let go of the hope of winning over her crush one day. She cried and cried till she was struggling to take a breath. She had thought that she had given up on him when he got married. Only now, she realised that the hope was still there. But today, with the card, she was letting go of that hope, she told herself. She looked at the pieces on the floor and grabbed all of them before throwing them into the bin. As she watch them flutter down the bin, she had only one thought in her mind, 'Goodbye Sharad.'