Prachi was sitting on a chair in her room, lost, completely… She was tired fighting with herself, her inner self… Her fingers switching on and off the table-lamp…
She closed her eyes, resting her head on the chair…
The first fight in the first meet… Hatred that turned into friendship… Friendship with care and support… Friendship that bloomed into love… Battles within… The confession… The hurdles… And finally… Finally… The splitting up…
Everything flashed in her mind…
Prachi opened her eyes…
“I love you Prachi…” His words started lingering in her ears…
Prachi closes her ears in frustration…
Prachi (in mind): Why? Why? What sin have I done God?? Why am I losing everyone whom I love??? Losing everyone who is close to me… My heart… I got separated from paapa, my whole family… I only had maa… After long 20 years, I finally met paapa, my long lost sister… Then Ranbir came to my life… How happy I was… But now… Why God?? Why?? Ranbir is going to be Rhea’s… She has asked me to leave the house and the whole family… That means, I am going to be alone again… This time… I will not even have my maa… They are Rhea’s maa paapa too… Why should I sacrifice always??? No.. no.. no Prachi… You cannot be selfish…
Prachi was battling within herself when she heard another voice…
“Prachi…”
She turned to see Rhea.. her “so-called” sister standing by the door…
“Yes”
“I want your help… Come to my room…”
Prachi followed her…
Rhea(pointing at the decorations): you see these Prachi? All these decorations… Isn’t it beautiful?
Prachi nods her head…
Rhea: I couldn’t hear you…
Prachi: Yes… It is beautiful…
Rhea: How come it will not be beautiful… Afterall, it is my wedding with MY LOVE…
Rhea turned to have a look at Prachi’s dull face… she(Rhea) was contented to find the exact look that she had expected on Prachi’s face…
On reaching her room, she started showing off her jewelries…
Prachi was getting totally irritated now and that was clearly evident in her face…
This didn’t go unnoticed by Rhea… She smirked seeing it…
Rhea: Aww Prachi… Why do you look sad? Ahh… Let me guess… Though we are twins, you are elder than me for a few minutes…and according to Indian traditions, normally, elder children get married first… I am getting married but you… You are still unmarried… Is it?
Prachi: no…
Rhea: or… Maybe… I am going to have the man whom you wished to have…
Prachi was trying hard not to lose her patience… Rhea is reminding her the matter she is trying to forget; adding salt to the wound that is still fresh…
“Relax… Relax…” Prachi mentally chanted…
Prachi: No…
Rhea: okay… Then… It will be because… This is your final day here… You will be leaving tomorrow… Going from my, my Ranbir’s, mom’s, dad’s and everybody’s life…
Prachi: NO…
Rhea smirks…
But she didn’t know that she has just waken up a sleeping tigress and the result is not going to be good…
Rhea: Then?
Prachi: I am feeling sleepy… I was working the whole day helping for the decoration of a useless bride who just knows about fashion and how to show-off…
Rhea was taken aback. She never expected a savage reply from Prachi.
She should have cried, not give back befitting replies…
Next, Rhea picks her bridal dress…
Rhea: You see this…
Prachi: I am not blind…
Rhea was taken aback, again… She never expected her to answer back… After all the sad things she had mentioned…
Rhea: How is it?
Prachi: The dress is really beautiful… But I don’t know how it will look once you wear it…
Rhea couldn’t believe that Prachi was talking to her with so much attitude…
Prachi: is your show off over? I have to leave…
Rhea: I know Prachi… you are terribly sad and you are trying to hide it… Afterall, I am getting married to the man whom you desired to marry…
Prachi(laughing sarcastically): I knew you lacked common sense… And it was right… It will be you who would be sad or depressed if I tell Ranbir that I still love him… So basically, the victory that you assume to have achieved is my generosity… And yes… You are not still married… There is time till tomorrow. Anything can happen.. What if I change my mind and say yes to Ranbir?
“PRACHI…” Shouts Rhea
“QUIET… ” Prachi shouts back with the same intensity…
“I don’t speak or react doesn’t mean that you can do anything and I will be silent for ever…”
Rhea was frightened to see Prachi’s this avataar…
“For the past few days, you have been showing me the sane lehenga, making me take your and Ranbir’s romantic pics… I know that you are a saddest and you are trying to find happiness seeing me sad… If you continue this, dear behena… It won’t take me a minute to pull you down from the tower of dreams upon which you are sitting now… ”
Rhea stood there dumbfounded..
“It might be Shivratri for you… But not for me.. so I am going to sleep.. bye..” Prachi walked away saying this.
Rhea stood there still for a minute not able to digest the Prachi she saw just now. Once she was out of her trance, she threw her things in frustration.
“How dare she talk to me like that?? How dare she?? No worries.. Prachi .. I will make sure you cry tomorrow seeing Ranbir with me..”
•••••••••••••••••••
The marriage day
“Are you sure that you want to see the wedding Prachi?” Shahana asked Prachi.
“Yes,” Prachi said, “I keep my promises and I have decided to go away from here.. somewhere far.. I want to forget every memories I had here.. This is my last day here.. I want to see this wedding.”
“Why are you giving up?” Shahana asked.
“I have to Shahana. Do you think that it is easy for me? Do you think that it is easy leave the family that I got after long 22 years? Do you think that it is easy for me to leave my love, mu Ranbir? Do you think that it is easy for me to leave you?” Prachi said, tears flowing from her eyes.
“No Prachi, I will come with you,” Shahana said and broke out.
They share an emotional hug.
“I cannot tell Ranbir that I love him. If I become selfish, my parents.. I don’t want them to be hurt. I am happy to bear pain for them,” Prachi said, composing herself.
Shahana nodded in agreement.
“Prachi…” They heard Pragya’s call.
Prachi: Come Shahana, maa is calling me.
They went away, without knowing that “they” had heard their entire conversation!!