The Politician's Girl

7. Unveiling Some Secrets

-There was this broken silence in her pain-

Naina

There was a roaring sound, I was holding onto a man's hand; him seeming so huge and tall. We were standing on a stage, and there were people standing before us-cheering and hooting. The world was celebrating. I was holding a balloon string and looking so overjoyed.

'Jahangir Malik! Jahangir Malik!'

The people were gathered for the man standing next to me.  

I felt tiny, small like I was a little three-year-old girl again. 

Smiling, there was a sudden change in the atmosphere. 

A loud sound followed by a fold of people climbing up the stage. I lost grip on the man's hand.

'Naina!"

Waking up with a jolt, I felt cold sweat cover my forehead. With my hands fisting the quilt, I breathed in and out and tried to relax. I had dreamt the strangest dream. It felt more like a distant memory mixed with my day's experience. 

Jahangir Malik...that name ticked me. I had heard this name before. I had heard it somewhere. It could be a brain-induced name, but I felt like I had heard this exact name before. 

Which one of my grandpa's relatives was Jahangir? 

I couldn't remember it. 

The bright moonlight was falling straight into my room. There was an eerie echo of silence at this time. Everyone was sleeping. Breathing in, I felt the memory of my dream depressing me for some reason. It triggered my lonely pain. 

Getting out of my bed, I left my quilt crinkled, got out and wore my fluffy bedroom shoes. My heart, it was weirdly bleeding. I missed having a real family, I missed all those things that were normal for others. Sadly, even my marriage to Sameer was just going to be just playing a role for the sake of our families. The way he had spoken of me today showed he didn't have an ounce of respect for me. He knew I was adopted, was so confident about hating me.  

I wonder how many other families know about my truth?

Sighing, I folded my hands and walked towards my room's balcony. The low feeling, the suffocation of never being part of the loop and always feeling weak and timid...I was tired of it all. For once, I just wanted to be heard, to live for myself. 

The wind was blowing lightly outside. It was a full-moon night, and I...I wanted air. 

***

Stepping out into the garden, I breathed in and opened my arms wide to embrace the feelings. There was no one outside, not a peep of light offered by artificial sources of light. The timid me was in the mood for some fresh feelings and adventure. There had always been this looming depression of missing my real home and wondering about all that could happen, so I wanted to just be a carefree me for once. 

The moon was shining. The wind was so serene. With a forced laugh, I began skidding across the gardens and just randomly raising across the trimmed grass. The emotion of fear did skip in, but I tried to just focus on being so free and light. The garden grass was shinning under the white glow.  

At this time of the day, the 'Malik' haveli was looking so mysterious and eerie. 

The strength and aura of this place often scared me. I remember feeling so small when I had first come to this place, had constantly rubbed my eyes in agony. I wanted to go back home, but I couldn't. 

This was my new home.

The memory depressed me again, drank away my happiness. 

I have learned in life that there are moments when the days are bright, and there are days when we completely break down. There was so much pain always entrapped in my heart that I just felt like screaming out to the open air and just crying out to the empty air. But then, there was always this hope that one day...one day, I would make it to the end, that everything would turn out fine.