Midnight same day
The whole gang decided to celebrate at Rey's house and Taani would obviously not join them. Instead she came back home and decided to be alone for the night.She went straight to her room and retired. She was dead tired. Somehow she managed to drag herself for a hot bath. It had its effect she felt relaxed but not at all sleepy. Her conversation with Rey kept on playing in her mind. She opened a drawer and brought out a thick journal.
(Taani's Journal)
As she opened it there was suddenly a big smile on her face. She had made sketches of her and Rey, Swayam and the gang. She had caricatured some of the moments spent with them.
It was like a memory treasure and it was beautiful. Strange no one knew Taani could sketch so well.
She then turned to an empty page and started making a journal entry…
"Flims ne kaha ki haar ke jitne wale Ko Baazigar kehte hai aur reality kehti hai ki use Taani Shekhawat kehte hai. Huh nahi koi mazak nahi hai ye. Mazaak to meri zindagi ban gayi hai. Har din mujhe dekhti hai or hasti hai. Ab to mujhe khud par bhi hasi hi aati hai.
Kitni bewakoof thi main socha ki pyaar ishq Mohabbat jaise fairy tales mere liye Bane hai. Stupid hoon main jo iss happily ever after ke flimy concept ko apni life a aim Bana Liya.
Reality check to ab mil Raha hai.
Aur ye reality meri dreamland se kitni alag hai. Sach kahu to kabhi kabhi man karta hai ki usi dreamland mein rahu ye reality mujhe nahi pasand. But phir dreams are always short-lived. Har raat ke Baad subah aa hi jati hai. Aur hamari aankhen khul hi jati hai. To ab shayad meri aankhon ki bhi kholne ka waqt aa hi gaya.
Sahi to keh rahe the Rey life ke struggles Ko jaanti ho kaha hoon mein. (remembering Rey's words)
Sabko lagta hai ki Bachpan se sab kuch mujhe plate par parosa Gaya hai. Kuch hadd tak sahi bhi hai bhai ne kabhi mujhe koi problem akele face hi nahi karne di. Par mujhe kya pata tha ki ek din unke bina saari problem face karni padhegi. Tayyar nahi hoon mein par choice kaha hai mere paas. Puri duniya aapne terms pe jeene ke liye tarasti hai aur mujhe Apne terms pe jeene ke liye mehnat karni padhegi. Sabke liye kitna aasan hai but mere liye bahut difficult. Krishna ji Ko bhi nahi pata ki mein aisi Kyun hoon. But I hope ki ab mein aur kisi Ko hurt na karu. I hope ki ab kuch waqt tak atleast thodi Shanti ho. I hope that I can handle the REALITY CHECK."
She slowly closed her journal and kept it in the drawer. Lying down on her bed she blankly stared at the window. The same window Rey used. A lone tear escaped her eye and she closed her eyes. The tiredness took over her and soon she fell asleep.
No matter how harsh the reality is one day you have to come out of your dreams. Taani was right…
Har raat ki subah hoti hai...
NOTE- I understand that this chapter might be a little boring but I thought this was necessary to bring out Taani's state of mind and her inner struggle. Yet I have tried to make it interesting through some sketches. Hope you all like it send in your feedbacks.