Sometimes Hate is Enough

Chapter 10

She stared at me for a few seconds before slowly nodding and starting to pace in the kitchen. I moved out of her way and leaned against the wall with my arms crossed over my chest.

"Your Amma is right. We shouldn't go there." Bua Ji spoke up after some time.

I opened my mouth to complain, but she stopped me with a hand on my arms and continued, "We didn't tell this to you and Payaliya, but your Amma and Babu Ji sold the house before coming here. They didn't want you both to go back there."

I felt my brows tugging as I straightened up and asked, "But why?"
 
"Because of that video of yours, people were talking really nonsense, and they couldn't stand to hear it, so they sold the house before coming. And that's why she doesn't want to go back." Bua Ji answered before patting on my arm, then again turned her attention back to the recipe.

They had to sell the house because of me... I again did this, didn't I?

I sighed before biting on my nails and started pacing around the kitchen. What will I say to Jiji? I promised her that we would go to Lucknow tonight. She looked so happy... I have to think of something. I'm sure there's something I can do. Something that's p...

I stopped dead while my eyes grew wide as an idea popped into my head. I felt a smile form on my lips as I stared at the place where the wall met the floor.

"Bua Ji!" I shouted with excitement before I turned around to face her.

Her ladle fell from her hand on the ground as she turned around, startled, had round eyes, parted lips, and shouted back. "What happened?"

I almost ran to her before taking her hands in mine and holding them in a death grip as I looked into her eyes.

"Let's go to Maa and Baba's house."

"No." She pulled her hands from mine. Her face suddenly turned serious. "We can't go there."

"Why?"

"It's your parents house." She said it like it explained everything.

I raised an eyebrow as I placed a hand on my hips and asked, blandly, "So?"

"So, how can we go there?" She answered while throwing her hands as if that's the most obvious reason.

"So?" I said it again. This time, more blandly.

She pressed her lips together as she stared at me for a second before saying, "It's your parents house. Your house. We... can't just go there and live."

She turned her back to me as she saw me nodding and started doing her work.

"Then I should also leave." I paused long enough for her to face me. "After all, I am not your family, right?"

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Her voice was angry as she placed her fisted hands on her hips and stared at me with furrowed brows. "You are my niece and my family as much as Payaliya is."

"Then why can't you go to that house if I'm really your family?"

"It's not the same thing, Sanka Devi. And this discussion is over." She glared at me for another second, then started to walk towards the living room.

"Fine, then." I nodded my head and followed behind her. "I'll just tell Amma, Babu Ji, and Jiji that you sent Naina to the Raizada house to get Shyam Ji's real face out. I'll go and tell Jiji that the house she grew up in was sold because of my actions, just like the wedding broke because of me. Then I'll leave, since you and I are not actually family."

She stopped and turned to look at me as I kept a safety distance from her in case she got really angry and wanted to hit me. This way, at least I'll have a second to run. Although I know what I said was really wrong and not right at all, I don't want Jiji to be upset because of me anymore. This is the least I could do. And what's the problem with going to that house? Am I not their daughter? Can't parents go to their daughter's house?

"You... are blackmailing me?" She asked as she stared at me, like she could literally see through me.

"Y-yes." I swallowed dryly as she kept staring at me. Hai, Devi Maiya, just save me today. I promise, I'll never do this again, and I... I will also go to Mandir every Tuesday.

Her face slowly softened as she took steps towards me while I watched her carefully so that I could run if I got even a little hint that she was going to hit me.

"Fine. When do we leave?" She said this as she stopped in front of me.

My eyes widened at that, and a smile broke on my face as I said, "Tonight. No, as soon as possible. But... you have to convince Amma."

She nodded while I beamed brightly and hugged her tightly until I heard her choking, then I ran to Jiji while jumping in excitement to give her the news.