No. This can't happen. she looks at her wedding card splayed infront of her and her parents busy on calls inviting relatives and acquaintances while she was struggling emotionally how to accept this harsh reality.. all her dreams, all her talents, all her aspirations everything is now crushed, burnt and remoulded into a wedding card as if fate has gave her a final hard slap.
Aradhya Sharma weds Vikrant Singhal.. 23 March.. his older brother texts her - congrats.. I'll be there at wedding. one more bad news. Aradhya's brother.. Rajveer Sharma.. few years older than her , she never wanted to see him. For what he did years ago with her.. he was a major part of ruining her childhood. she clutched the phone tighter into her hand until a sweet voice interrupted her thoughts
Congrats Didu !! Shreya said smilingly excited about her older sister's wedding.. Shreya was 8 years younger than Aradhya
Shreya yapped about what dress she'll wear on Aradhya's wedding, nails, hairstyle, decoration.. Shreya was a spoiled kid.. she got all the love, attention, care, direction from elders Aradhya never got. Aradhya loved her sister but a part of her also wanted to experience that father's love, that mother's gentle touch.. but whenever she looks back at her life thinking about any loving memory with her parents, all she heard was screams, all she saw was bruises, scars.. deep cuts and undeniable pain, Shreya patted aradhya shoulder to bring her back to reality
Didu , what are you thinking? she looked concerned
Uh.. nothing, I'm just tired. I'll talk later sweetheart. she got up from couch looked at her father and mother who were still busy in planning everything but her inner voice told her - they never asked you about your decision, they just want to remove your presence from this house. Like before in childhood. She goes to her room, locks her door with a soft click, she dresses in her nightwear, it's long and covering.. her mother words echoed in her mind - Short revealing clothes are for strippers and whores..
Only if she knew.. that they were made for comfort. she sighs and opens her long hair combing it, same hair which she wants to be held softly, she wanted someone who could touch it, run fingers through it and tell her how soft they are unlike reality where all her hair was only used for dragging her on floor, groping it... who did that? her own parents.
Please god. if you exist, please don't let this happen she was not ready for an arrange marriage arranged for her by her parents, the parents who did nothing but abused her physically, tortured and manipulated her mentally, left her broken and shattered, a perfect piece. perfect at academics, perfect at being the elder daughter, perfect at everything she does as they want her to be. and she wasn't ready to be perfect again for someone her parents chose for her, for someone she didn't knew.
Vikrant Singhal , Are you really the one i want? she says to herself, is he her dream man? is he the one who'll let her be who she is.. one who sees her flaws, one who accepts her ugly past, one who loves her unconditionally even after knowing all her trauma and still being by her side.
Let's see if anyone missed me or not.. she checks her texts, her three best friends Maya, Vishakha and Siya all chatting in group chat talking about their whole day
Hey! Aradhya texted
Hello Maya replied
hii, hey.. Vishakha and Siya replied
Did anyone miss me? Aradhya texted with a small smile because they knew her friends were only her comfort place after her whole roller coaster of things happened.
Oh girl ! you don't know how much i missed you Maya replied
maya was sweet, gentle, kind and bubbly.. girl's girl.. always so kind and sweet yet she knew where to talk rough that cuts the person.
No , i didn't. Vishakha replies were always sarcastic and totally opposite, she was sass, rude, cold, supportive yet she was the type of girl who could kill if someone insulted or hurted her friends. By friends i meant Maya, Siya, Aradhya.
Enough cold replies for today Vish, otherwise we'll freeze to death. Siya replied, she was protective, kind , mature and funny.. she had a good sense of humor
My Wedding is on 23 march which is, after 10 days.. your parents would already have got the invitation from my parents, you guys are invited.. Groom's name is Vikrant Singhal. Aradhya dropped the text bomb and after that the group chat flooded with so many questions of her three bestfriends. Most of them were why, when, how, are you happy.. she wasn't ready for all those questions and it's already midnight, she sent a simple text.
Girls, i just wanted to share this burden.. we can catch up later and talk about this.. Good night. love y'all. bye.
all girls reassured her and sended good night texts and then she placed the phone on nightstand and stared at ceiling until she drifted off to sleep..