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Triggering scenes in the chapter
Mishika's pov
I adjusted this see through dupatta for the umpteenth time but still it did no good in hiding the peeping cleavage through this fancy blouse.
(scarf)
My lips hurt from continuously smiling. But my stomach is twitching with a gut feeling. I'm getting no good vibes and just want to fade out of this unwanted place.
The morning was however less chaotic than it was supposed to be. It was baffling when Lara di instead of blasting upon me went in all guilty mode. She held my mother's hand and apologised for not taking care of me.
Was I dreaming or was she replaced by a doppelganger ?
And I almost got diabetes when she went so far to ask me to tag along for a salon and makeover session. "Afterall being my closest cousin you should look beautiful in my wedding." I don't remember when we were even 'close' enough to reach the term 'closest'. And secondly she, in her own way, mocked me that I can't doll up as her. Maa and I both ignored her witty remark since we didn't want any new mess to happen.
Maa, before Lara di dragged me with herself, briefly hinted to me that my bade papa and badi maa have been informed about their future son-in-law being spotted stepping out of their niece's room late at night. I, for the whole day dreaded about the cold ice to burst upon me but nothing sort of happened. And instead of relieving me, it is making me feel more sick.
I smiled at Lara di's grandmother who just waved at me. She is so sweet. How I wish her right genes would have transferred rightly so that my badi maa and Lara di could have been a little sweet.
She held my face and kissed my forehead, making me smile. Her wrinkles highlighted as she noticed my visible cleavage and she made a face with distaste. However she gave me a smile sensing my discomfort.
Our generation and her generation have a long rift to bridge afterall.
"Mishika beta, Lalita tumhe kab se dhund rahi hai. Jao aur use aur apne Jija ji ko haldi lagao." I rolled my lips to suppress my laughter as I noticed Lara di's face turning pale on the mention of her actual name.
(Mishika dear, Lalita has been looking for you. Go and apply turmeric on her and your brother-in-law.)
Lara di was clad beautifully in a pastel yellow lehenga with green blouse. She had her hand stretched for the henna artist who effortlessly designed the patterns on her palms and wrists. Taking a little haldi I moved close to Lara di and gently applied it on her cheeks. She gave me an extra sweet smile that made me feel extra uneasy.
What's up with her and her extra sweet smiles today ?
But I don't want to ponder about any of this. By tonight this marriage will be done and I'll leave with my parents. Just till tonight.
Now the task is to maintain my composure while dealing with my Nightmare. I stepped near Aarav whose eyes were now pinning me. He took no effort in taking his eyes off that was making me crawl in my skin.
Why are his eyes so dark ? Darker than the obscurity of the night sky and unfathomable like a black hole that is lurking to consume me all.
My trembling hands touched his cheeks applying turmeric on his stubble graced cheeks. The skin-to-skin contact made my body shudder even more. Meanwhile I avoid looking in his eyes with everything whereas his predatory eyes seem to roam everywhere they could reach.
My self consciousness kicked in and my hands, which I've precisely kept on my chest to not let the devil to eye at my cleavage, automatically curled on the dupatta. My mind wandered back to the time when I woke up this morning. And what was on my body couldn't have been called a proper dress. I was practically half naked.
It was so humiliating. And what felt more humiliating that it was the devil who had me in his grasp in my most vulnerable state. I quickly stepped away from him as my nerves pumped up with furry. I clearly remember that I never touched alcohol in the party and yet my hormones were doing salsa last night.
I was feeling so ashamed and couldn't even look straight in my mother's eyes. And no way my badi maa wouldn't have taunted my father about this. But my sweet parents only asked me if I was okay. For any brown kid, it would be an utter blessing to have parents as mine.
But why does it always have to be him being there whenever and wherever any scam happens with me ? The sole reason for every mishap of my life. Afterall my humility, my dignity has always been a coquettish game play for him for the satisfaction of his wicked mind.
"Mishika" I blinked my eyes when my badi maa's figure appeared in front of me.
"Actually badi maa, I urgently need to pee but can't find the washroom." I blurted out, which is quite mannerless for her. But I don't want to be slaughtered by her. Anything is okay as long as it keeps me away from my badi maa, who very much resembles the vamps of Indian soaps.
She cringed at my words but I let it pass. This venue hall is like a stupid maze and I can't find the restroom. "Go through there and take the first right. The corner door is the bride's vanity room. Use that." Muttering a quick thankyou I sprinted away trying to memorise the direction she told me.
My hands were covered with henna so I used my hips and gave a tuck to the door opening it wide enough for me to enter. These antics can be pulled when no one is watching plus the door isn't locked fully. Win win situation.
There were many decorated gift boxes and other stuff kept in a corner. However the scene wasn't pleasing as it looked like someone had disposed of them there. Who does that with their own marriage possessions ?
Trying to kill the time I wandered in the massive room. I don't want to go back and sulk there. My feet involuntarily turned as I heard the thump of footsteps. I heard the loud shrill of alarm that went on buzzing in my head at the sight of Mr. Nightmare stepping in my direction.
What is he doing here ?
"Why are you here ?"
Amusement flickers on his face and he walks even closer for my liking.
"Do I look answerable to you?"
My fist clenched. Yes mister you are answerable to me. For everything that happened to me last night. For everything yeet you ever did to me.
"What did you do to me last night ?" I heaved. I could feel the anger bubbling inside me already.
"You were the one giving a free strip show. I was just enjoying it." he mused and the sem of his lips tugged.
How can he behave so normally ? Does he even have a heart between his ribs or is it just a piece of dark coal ? Monster. Asmodeus.
"How dare you ? You manhandled me. You monster, you forced me." My emotions were all over the place. I couldn't think straight. All I could feel is my hate intensifying for him with every passing second.
I jumped when an animalistic growl erupted through his chest.
My mind went blank when he dementedly lunged at me. Air knocked out of my lungs when his mouth hatched upon mine almost like a punishment. I writhed in his arms, my arms thrashed smudging and spoiling my henna on his kurta. His nails were gnawing into my bare waist and my windpipe felt clogged by his iron grip.
Tears cascaded down my eyes and I felt bile rising in my throat at the disgusting taste of his tongue in my mouth. My attempts to come out of his grip was futile in his monstrous clutch. Dots started to appear in my vision and my head felt light. Although he jerked me away before I could pass out.
"Now sweet little Mishika has a better definition of 'being forced' to differentiate." his voice was full of malice when he spat those words on my face.
I was still heaving to process whatever happened when the door burst open and to my extreme good luck Lara di stood there with badi maa and bade papa trailing closely. My body trembled thinking of the possibility when they sprinted inside the room with eyes squinted with blaze.
I don't expect my sweet so-called related family to show even a drop of trust for me in this situation.
"What is it ? Mishika, why are you here ?" Even in a devastated state of mind I was sane enough to notice the glint in my badi maa's eyes.
"You said_" I trailed
"I told you to take a left for Lara's vanity, not the right to my son-in-law's." My eyes popped out in incredulity. She told me to turn right. Why is she lying now ?
We were interrupted by Aarav roaring "Get out" without giving a second thought that he was talking to his in-laws. Bade papa opened his mouth to argue but Aarav was quick enough to shut him out by his thunderous voice "Don't make me repeat. Get the fuck out."
Considering it as an opportunity I quickly left. My tears were ready to set out but I refused them to. Meanwhile my shaking legs fastened towards the hotel room.
Once in the room, I dashed inside the washroom locking the door behind. A dry sob choked out my throat at the sight of my reflection which drew me into nausea. My throat has the red-purplish marks of his fingers. Scratches of nails with dried blood lie on my waist. I look pathetic. I feel pathetic.
The chilly water poured upon me making my trembling body shudder more. I slid against the wall on the floor not giving a damn about the stupid designer dress or anything else. My hand came forward as I rubbed it on my lips again and again, I rinsed my mouth again and again. "Please. I hate the taste."
My skin started to turn red because of frantically rubbing my body to remove his touch. "Just go away. Go." A loud wail vented through my lips and my chest felt constricted.
"Why am I so weak ? Am I too easy to break ? Why everytime I always fail to fight for myself ?" I sobbed loudly. I hate it. I hate myself for being so fragile.
**F L A S H B A C K B E G I N S**
The cool breeze made Mishka's ponytail dance with it but she was too engrossed in her book she was reading. She bit her lips holding her smile as she found a scene very cute and romantic. Her mind wandered if she ever had a love story like that.
The seventeen year old Mishika was dressed in a black check skirt and a white shirt. She has always been the introvert and antisocial girl and kept herself away from the crowd to make her presence oblivious. But she didn't know that this made her presence more obvious.
It has been a week since she took admission here. She was excited to come here since Ishaan was here too. They both had the same subjects that made her more relieved. Though right now he was in his additional subject classes.
Her head whipped up when suddenly the book in her hand was snatched away from her. She abruptly stood up feeling intrigued by being surrounded by a group of girls and boys.
"Please give it back." came her soft voice that didn't hide the nervousness in it.
They laughed exchanging mocking glances among each other. "What if we don't ?" they laughed as the boy holding the book threw it in the air making Mishika's heartbeats go wild. Though she secretly sighed when he caught the book on time.
Even after she requested for a few more times and yet they continued to trouble her. An annoyed breath flared out of her nose and her eyes squinted simultaneously. She jumped trying to snatch her book back. Seeing her desperate yet futile attempts they laughed more.
They threw a few mocking comments at her, making her body shake with furry and helplessness. She was good with her height of 5'5" but she felt alone and guardless in front of the whole group.
"Return the book back." a cold voice rumbled, dragging their attention. Mishika tried to peek to see her saviour when she heard the group muttering a quick sorry in chorus. And for her relief the group within a few snap of seconds scattered away.
And that was the moment her honey brown eyes for the first time met with those deep charcoal eyes. "Thankyou" her voice was very soft and inaudible that she couldn't make out if he even heard it or not. Her eyes automatically casted to the ground and her face instantly heated up under his unwavering gaze.
He was dressed in a dark grey hoodie which was very odd for the college's dress code. He stepped forward, handing over the book back to her. Only he knew that it was just his excuse to gaze at her blush coated face more closely that was glowing under the sunlight.
She took the book and lifted her face up and smiled at him. And damn that smile. That single smile stirred something within him. Their eyes locked together yet again.
And what she didn't think was that it wasn't going to be the last time those deep charcoal eyes would stare into her honey brown ones.
**F L A S H B A C K E N D S**
My track on time was lost until I heard a knock with the worried voice of my mother. I tried to speak when the knocks intensified but my sore throat wasn't helping. I pushed myself out of the shower, turning off the faucet. These showers have always witnessed my most vulnerable state.
I knocked twice on the door, easing my mother's worry a little. "Maa, can you please pass me something to wear ?" As much I wanted to hide, my hoarse voice was telling my story. "I'm drenched." I further adduced, recalling last night's incident.
A minute later Maa again approached at the other side of the door with a knock. I peeled open the door and stretched my hands taking the clothes from her. I don't want her to see me like this.
Quickly discarding the lehenga, I wore the embroidered sharara set Maa gave me. I wrapped the dupatta around my neck to hide the ugly finger prints.
Pushing the door open I stepped out of the bathroom. What I wasn't expecting to meet with his eyes that appeared blazing red while staring at my swollen red gloomy eyes. And my breath hitched.
Word Count-2508
I hate the emotional turmoil my poor Mishika is going through.. but can't help it ಠ﹏ಠ
With every chapter, I would like to know your thoughts about Aarav ರ_ರ
Signing off
~T.R