"Sakshi maine breakfast ready kr dia thanda ho jaaye thoda toh pack kr dio. Mai itne Dhruv ko taiyar karti hu."
(Sakshi i made the breakfast pack it when it gets normal. I will wake Dhruv up.)
Rashi said to her sister and went to their room to wake her brother up. They slept in the same room. Dhruv needed both his sisters with him. She sat by his side and caressed his head lovingly.
"Guddu. Uth jaa babu. School ke late ho jaayega."
(Guddu. Wake up baby. You will get late for school.)
Dhruv yawned and stretched himself. He opened his eyes and gave a big smile to her.
"Chalo get up. Fresh ho, brush kro aur nahakar bahar aao. Mai breakfast lga rhi hu."
(Come on get up. Get fresh, brush your teeth and get bathed. I am getting your breakfast.)
They had made it his habit since the beginning to not go to school without having breakfast.
Rashi then went to her maid, Baby who was doing some work.
"Baby mummi papa uthne wale honge. Aur amma babaji agar kuch mange toh dekh lio. Hum thodi der mai nikal rhe hai."
(Baby mummi papa would be getting up anytime. And if grandparents ask for something then look after it. We are leaving in some time.)
"Thik hai didi."
(Ok didi.)
She had been their maid from the past 7 years and was very trustworthy. She was given a proper room, food, clothes and the respect she deserved from the start. They had never ill-treated her.
Dhruv came out taking a bath and Sakshi dressed him. All three of them had their breakfast together and left. She first dropped Dhruv at his school, then Sakshi to her office and then left for her work.
This was their routine since the last five years. Earlier she used to drop Sakshi to her college and now her office. Rashi had finished her studies five years back and had started teaching as a junior economics lecturer at Delhi University.
She had a very loving relationship with her family. She loved her family to death and the love was reciprocated.
She had a cordial relationship with her students. She was a very fun and loving teacher and she kept her classes playful and enthusiastic. Her students knew that they could approach her if they wanted anything. No matter related to school or not. She was a teacher cum friend to them.
In short, Rashi was a perfect teacher, friend, daughter and sister. But everything is not always as perfect as it seems, right?
No one knew that this always smiling and jovial girl was hiding so much pain behind her smile. No one except a few.
She came back home by 6pm and greeted her father. Her father was a successful self-made businessman. He had a dairy business. Her mother was a homemaker. Their family was very reputed in the area. She went to her room and saw Dhruv colouring in his drawing book. She got freshened up and helped him in his homework.
They were sitting in their grandparents room when her grandfather called her name.
"Jee?"
(Yes?)
"Tere liye ek rishta aaya hai. Anjana ke jaan pehchaan ke log hai. Ghar parivaar sab bhut badiya hai. Parso aa rhe hai wo. Tujhe koi aitraaz hai isse?"
(We have got an alliance for you. They are amond Anjana's knowns. Family is very good. They are coming they after tomorrow. Do you have any problem?)
He asked softly. Rashi was shocked for a moment but then calmed herself. Obviously this was coming. She would turn 26 this year.
"Jee nhi. Mujhe kyu problem hogi. Aapko sahi laga na. Bas phir."
(No. I don't have any problem. You found it okay. Then its fine.)
"Arre nhi mera matlab tha agar tujhe koi pasand ho toh bta de. Hum udhar baat kr lenge."
(Arre i meant if you like someone then tell us. We would talk there.)
"Nhi babaji. Koi nhi hai."
(No grandpa. There's no one.)
She replied with a smile.
"Thik hai beta. Par achhe se santushti krke haan krio. Koi jaldi ya zabardasti nhi hai. Agar na pasand aaye toh bejijiak mujhe bta dio. Thik hai?"
(Ok child. But be fully satisfied ok. There's no hurry or pressure. If you don't like him tell me freely. Ok?)
"Jee."
(Ok.)
After Dhruv slept Rashi went to the living room to do her work. Sakshi was in their room doing her work. Rashi messaged her cousin, Pranati and asked her if she was free and could talk.
She immediately dialed her number and the call connected after the first ring.
(Bold will be Rashi and Italic bold will be Pranati.)
"Hii bro. Kaisi h?"
(How are you?)
"Badiya. Tu bta?"
(Good. You tell?)
"Mai bhi badiya. Achha sun na."
(I am also good. Listen.)
"Hmm. Bol. Kya hua? All okay?"
(Hmm. Tell. What happened? All okay?)
"Babaji ne koi ladka dekha hai bro. Parso aa rhe hai wo ghar. Mujhe samajh nhi aa rha ki kya kru?"
(Grandpa had seen a boy for me. They are coming day after tomorrow. I don't know what to do?)
"Listen. Usse mil. Agar achha lage toh get to know him and then decide and agar na lage toh mana kr dio. Koi zabardasti thodi na hai."
(Listen. Meet him. If you like him then get to know him and then decide and if you don't then say no. There's no pressure.)
"Hnn par..."
(Yes but...)
"Achha ek kaam karte hai. Mai aa jaaungi uss din. Phir milke baat krte hai. Okk? Okk??"
(Ok lets do one thing. I will come that day. Then we will talk. Okk? Okk??)
"Hnn okkay. Tu aaja. Jaldi hi aa jaaio."
(Yes okkay. You come. Come early.)
They talked for about an hour and then called it a night and went to sleep. Rashi couldn't help but think about everything. She was nervous about it. Her intuition was very strong, whenever something wrong was about to happen she would start feeling weird but this time there was no weird feeling only nervousness about the meeting.
She messaged her best friend Arshiya about the same and also told two other people who were very close to her. One was her chachu and the other was her cousin brother's wife whom she knew since the time the two were dating.
All three of them had advised the same thing but obviously they just couldn't come to her house unlike Pranati. And she needed to talk to someone.
She slept thinking about all this.
The day came by fast and Rashi had taken an off from her college. It was 2 pm and they would be here by 4pm. But she was waiting for someone else. The door of her room opened slightly and a head peeked in. When the person was sure that it was the right room, she made a dramatic entry.
"Hiiee."
She said excitedly and hugged Rashi tightly. Rashi reciprocated the hug.
"Bro yaar mujhe bhut darr lag rha hai kuch smjh nhi aa rha kya kru? Palms sweat kr rhe h mere."
(Bro i am very scared i dont know what to do? My palms are sweating.)
"Relax meri jaan. Baith yaha. Itna nervous mat ho. Aaj sirf milna hai shaadi nhi krni. Aur mai hu na. Agar tujhe ek percent bhi lga that you don't like him. Toh mana kr dena. Okk?"
(Relax my love. Sit here. Don't be so nervous. You just have to meet him today not marry him. And i am here. If you think that like him then say no. Okk?)
Rashi nodded still not sure.
"But i am scared. Phir se kisi se attach nhi hona yaar-"
(But i am scared. I don't want to get attached again-)
"Rashi. Stop thinking about all that. Har koi ek jaisa nhi hota. Ek baat mai tujhe hamesha bolti hu. Ki jisse jaana hai na wo tere lakh koshish krne pr bhi nhi rukega. Aur jisse rehna hai, tu kuch nhi bhi kre tab bhi nhi jaayega."
(Rashi. Stop thinking about all that. Not everyone is like that. One thing i say everytime. That if someone wants to leave they would even after you thousand efforts. And if someone wants to stay, even if you won't give any efforts they would.)
"Hnn yrr but-"
(Yes but-)
"Koi but wut nhi. Those people don't deserve your love or time. They never did. Agar tu unke liye thodi si bhi mayne rkhti toh jaate nhi wo. Ab jyada mat soch chal ready ho jaa."
(No but. Those people don't deserve your love or time. They never did. If you were even a little bit important to them they wouldn't have left. Now don't think much and get ready.)
Pranati said and started to find a good dress for her, cracking jokes in between and took her mind off it.
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