IT'S BEEN A MONTH
It's been a month since Abhishek Prem Mehra has been proven innocent from the fake Rape charges that Tanu Mehta, his ex-lover, had inflicted upon him. Because she had been thrown out of the house years ago because of her misdeeds against his wife, Pragya Abhishek Prem Mehra and his family. And to exact revenge from him and his family for her time to time humiliation in society, she had accused him of rape. The humiliations were, to be true, her own harvest that she used to saw to defame Pragya. And now, once and for all, her last attempt to get Abhishek as her husband, in favour of withdrawing the Rape case, had burned down to dust as Pragya along with the twin daughters, Prachi and Rhea, had once again pulled the curtains from her plan and had reclaimed their esteem by proving the case to be falsely framed. In the end Tanu Mehta had been arrested and sentenced to jail for enough time period that now she won't have time to take any other revenge even after completing her punishment.
It's been a month since both Abhi and Pragya had been living with their family. Even the Kohlis had joined them in their farmhouse after the fire incident in the Mehra mantion due to some kind of short circuit. Purab Khanna, Abhi's childhood best friend and husband and father of Aaliya and Aaryan Khanna, had also returned from his international business tour that usually covers most of his time during the entire year. Aaliya had finally accepted Pragya as her sister in law, after many-many years of planning and plotting to separate Abhigya. She had even apologized from everyone as she was the one to bring back Tanu in their lives after twenty years. And Pragya, being the kindhearted woman that she is, had accepted Aaliya with open arms.
Oh! What joy it is to be with your better half who you truly love with all of your heart, and your complete family after long twenty years. Abhi and Pragya wee even more delighted to see that their two daughters, who grew up separately and had initially hated each other, are now finally getting along and were happy in their respective lives. Or so they thought. As they were blissfully unaware of the ugly, evil side of their innocent looking younger daughter Rhea Mehra who had not only tried to ruin her elder twin Prachi's life but had finally stooped so low to bargain their parents' happiness in exchange of Prachi's first and true love figure Ranbir Kohli, her mere obsession.
It's been a month after the case, since Prachi had been breaking down and recollecting herself in the solitude of her room. Hiding her miserable condition from everyone, with the only exception of Shahana. Numerous times had Shahana pleaded her to break the deal and reveal the truth in front of everyone. Shahana had even herself decided to tell the truth for the sake of her sister's happiness, her resolve only to be crumbled when she remembered that she was tied by the promise she had made to Prachi i.e. to not to disclose anything about this deal in front of anyone without her consent.
The biggest thing that has been bothering Shahana was that how her Maasi, Prachi's mother, Pragya has not seen Prachi's pain, sorrow and miserable condition. Pragya, who used to know Prachi's heart's condition even before she herself knew what her heart desire, was now unable to read the hurt in her eyes, even when it was clearly there, eating her whole. But then again, she would have seen it if she had looked closely enough in her eyes. It was something that she had noticed the few times she had visited the Mehras. That Rhea was cunningly stealing all the attention and love from Prachi. Whenever she (Prachi) would try to speak or give her input in any family matter, Rhea would cut her off and redirected everything to herself again. At first she was surprised to see how no one would notice this but the knowing look on Ranbir and Aryan's face told that at least she was not the only one to understand this.
It took all she had to stop herself from pointing this out to everyone. But what could she do when Rhea was more supported by three of the people who despised Prachi. The three being their aunt Aaliya and Ranbir's mother Pallavi Kohli and his Dida. The former was understandable, but what had happened to Pallavi aunty and Dida's behavior towards Prachi was yet another riddle in Shahana's mind. Those two used to treat Prachi as their own daughter. Although she didn't knew the real reason but she was damn sure that whatever poison they now had in their mind was put there by the She Devil herself.
Here Prachi's condition was becoming worse to worst every single time she saw Ranbir and Rhea together. It just pricked her heart whenever she saw the love of her life with her own sister. And Rhea being the heartless monster she grew up as had made it her new goal in life to make sure to be extra sweet and touchy to Ranbir whenever Prachi was nearby in watching and hearing range. As if watching her love with someone else was not bad and torturing enough, the look of hurt, pure love and longingness in Ranbir's eyes whenever he looked at her with those big brown eyes of his was torture on another level. Whenever she looked at this new Ranbir who is absolutely different from the Ranbir she fell for, it did nothing but fill her heart with newly profound heights of self loathing. The Old Ranbir was so full of life, happy-go-lucky, kind, expressive, gentle, whose eyes sparkled with naughtiness and childlike innocence, whose bright smile filled even the gloomiest of her days with rays of hope and happiness. While this New Ranbir is nothing but an empty shell. His behavior has changed or rather lost, just to be replaced by straight business attitude. His eyes had lost their shine and his smile, well there is no smile anymore. Just a twitching of lips slightly upward that resembled a grimace more than any smile. The change that her fake betrayal caused in him was like her personal brand of punishment.
Shahana would feel like her heart was torn in two whenever she saw the pitiful condition of her sister and her friend. She herself would have done something or the other to reunite the two lovers had it not been the fact that Aaryan, one of her best friends has been avoiding her because of the warning his mother has given him. Yes, it had also been a month of Aaryan drifting apart from Shahana. Except the conversations through eyes whenever they made eye contacts or the normal greetings they gave while passing each other in halls or corridors or reading each other's facial expressions, they had had no contact in the past month. But even through the Expression and Eye reading she knew that Aaryan too felt the same way for his cousin and friend as good as brother.
So Yeah, its been a Hell of A Month.
~*~
Prachi was standing in front of her dressing table, she didn't liked makeup even a bit, and she hated those who caked their face with makeup even more. But here she was, putting concealer under her eyes, trying to hide the horrendous dark circles that were the result and the proof of the numerous sleepless nights she spent bawling her eyes out in the last month. After she was sure that no one can point out the dark marks in one glance she tried to practice her fake smile once more trying to make it as realistic as she can act. Suddenly she was startled by the ringtone of her mobile, glancing one last time at her complexion she put her matching drape around neck, finally looking at the caller ID to see that it was none other than Shahana, calling to check on her, yet again.
She answered the call sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Hello, Yes Shahana, why did you call so early in the morning? And how are you even awake at this hour?" Asked Prachi. She was one of the few reasons she wasn't dead yet, or far worse insane.
"Oho! Will you even let me speak? I just woke up. And I called to inform you that I am coming over to your house in an hour. You do remember that we have to go shopping today, right? We have to shop for so much. Its gonna be amazing." Replied Shahana in her usual One Breadth Full Story way. Prachi smiled slightly, Shahana was doing all she could to keep her occupied in something. To take her mind off of the mess in her life, even if only for some minutes before the absence of a certain person nagged her heart.
"Yeah, I remember that YOU have to shop so many things. I am ready, You just come here and then we will leave. And I was thinking that I might as well spend the night there at Sarita Aunty's house. What do you say?" Prachi asked in a hopeful tone. Whatever takes her mind off of the suffering and keep her away from the sorrows of her heart, she will grasp it as soon as she can.
"That would be Awesome. And Sarita Aunty has even made your favorite Raajma- chawal." Replied Shahana, excitedly.
"Okay then, see you soon." Saying this Prachi disconnected the call smiling slightly.
Though she did not pay any regards to Shahana's last statement. She had lost most of her appetite after she had witnessed Rhea forcefeeding Ranbir with her hand in the kitchen two weeks ago, while the latter tried his best not to look disgusted. In any other condition she would have laughed loudly at his condition teasing him mercilessly, but now it was just another wooden stake through her heart knowing that she was the reason behind his boundless discomfort.
She took her bag, pulled out a book she was currently using to show why she sit away from everyone, just in case, sling the bag on her shoulder and took a deep relaxing breadth before leaving her room. She came downstairs and slowly started following the sound of laughter to find the entire Mehra and Kohli family having breakfast at the dining table. Everyone were laughing at something someone had said. Everyone but one. He just had a small smile on his face.
A fake smile. Prachi thought to herself. Can no one see that it is fake? She continued in her mind, then mentally scolded herself as she registered that she was the reason due to which he no longer smiled. Another round of laughter was heared.
Everyone is happy. He would have been happy too only if I had never entered his life. She thought again.
"Arey Prachi, come sweetheart, have breakfast." Pragya spotted her and called her with a warm smile, to which her lips curled in a soft smile as she looked at her mother lovingly. While Pallavi and Rhea frowned at her coming figure.
Well only for Maa's sake, I don't like to lie to Maa and I know that she will be worried if I left empty stomach, I might have a little something, maybe a toast and some juice. I can handle this much for Maa.
"Abhi, after Rhea's birthday, why don't we call the Pandit ji to find a suitable auspicious time for Rhea and Ranbir's Marriage?" asked Pallavi with clear over excitement. As Prachi was about to pull back the chair next to Aaryan.
Nope, No breakfast.
"Umm, Maa Shahana is coming. I am going out with her, and I'm going to Sarita aunty's afterward and stay there for tonight." Stated Prachi trying to keep her voice stable by gripping the backrest of Aaryan's chair tightly.
"But have some breakfast first, you didn't even had din--"
"No, I am not hungry yet, I'll eat there, Shahana told me that Sarita aunty made Rajmaa chawaal." Prachi cut her in between. Uplifting her lips in the most believable smile she could muster while her mind was screaming at her to just run away as fast as her feet could carry her.
"But--" she started again only to be cut again by Rhea saying "It's okay Mom, she said she will eat there." Then faced Abhi asking "Dad what do you think about Pallavi Aunty's suggestion?" Well at least she is useful for something.
Prachi just smiled slightly at Pragya and turned to leave, trying her best to ignore the brown eyes that had been staring at her since she came down, and wait for Shahana in the garden while reading her new excuse to not to talk to anyone.
She was still feeling two pair of eyes staring at the back of her head. One she knew were filled with hurt and second with hate as per why the first person was still looking at her.
She was about to cross the pillars that separated the dining hall from living room when her feet swayed to the side and she felt her arm painfully hitting the cold stone and she found herself leaning against the cold stone textured pillar. "Prachi..." she heard a faint voice called her name questioningly, followed by a chair being dragged at the tiled floor as other's talking seized. Though it was faint, she could recognize that voice from a million. She was about to take a step away from the cold pillar but Black spots started covering her vision as she lost every control from her limbs and found her body giving up to gravity. She heard several gasps and "Prachi" 's, but they seemed so distanced as if she was under water, before she felt her body hit the floor. She drifted in and out of unconsciousness as she felt a hand under her head and another lightly but rapidly patting her cheek. Then she felt that person to lift her body up, in their arms. That being the only memory before she let the darkness engulf her mind completely.
A/N:- Hey guys, here is the first chapter of the story. I hope you liked it. if you did please make sure to vote and comment. It would mean a lot to me. If you come across any mistake feel free to point it out. Inline comments are most welcome. Do make sure to share your thoughts.
P.S. - OMbG! They are going to take a leap or they are rumored to take a leap. :( It is also news that Ranbir and Rhea will get married, and Prachi will move on... Are they nuts? Do share your thoughts on this. Will it be good if the leap happened? And if it did happen what will our little Pranbirian hearts do?
Lots of Love,
Simran