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|Sorrow was temporary just like the overwhelming phase of her ruined happiness because a soul like hers deserved the world|

by medicallymessedup

•recent past•

The past few days had been nothing but a tedious period of mental exhaustion for Ruchi.

It had been two weeks since Aakash's family finalized the alliance with the Batra's and fixed an early ceremony for an official announcement on a suitable day. And given that the fixture has been trumpeted, Ruchi's family had geared up and already begun planning and calling around arrangements for the big day.

The visits of her mean-spirited aunt, some intimate relatives and many neighborhood aunties have been going on full swing where some would congratulate her and the rest would empathize with her for getting a proposal from such a well-settled NRI munda and labeled how as one lucky girl she was; who was being associated with such prosperous in-laws even after knowing their family history including her birth mother's infidelity leading to her parent's explicit divorce that marked out a blind spot on Sunil Batra's image in society.

[Munda - An attribute for boys in punjabi.]

She was given advice to charm her to-be fiancé and impress her in-laws to keep them hooked in the alliance but there was no one to appreciate her will and virtue upon respecting the decision of her family because their mentality screamed that a unhelpful girl born with a smeared orlay was obliged to abide by the decisions taken by her family.

In these preceding days, Ruchi had accountably replied to the untimely calls and plenty of messages from Aakash. His enquiries were more about her family than her imposing that he too had taken a keen interest in her blood disputes. Yet he was an ideal example as everything that a girl at her place would gladly settle for someone sharing a history like hers but as always her heart and mind had been restless and focused on something else.

The ladies around even gossiped that Aakash was initially billed for her Aunt's daughter, Archie who was ideally the perfect match for the groom. They both were almost equal in the age criteria and even better in status also their personalities matched greatly. But, it was Aakash's family who, on his request, looked out for Ruchi's proposal instead of Archie's.

Meanwhile, her Bua Ji who threw a fit first, later out of her polite humanity hitched up for Ruchi's alliance with Aakash who was supposedly much superior to the girl.

She was a mere charity case who was not supposed to be given the right to choose because beggars can't be choosers.

If not for her BadePapa, BadiMa and Kartik Bhai's constant involvement and concern in her matters then she would have been gladly married to a rotten wooden log with her sullen Aunt's approval and a cold father's absolute resistance to utter a word that might soothe her winter blues while her mother had never been really into their family reel.

She did feel remorse for the kind of life she had lived so far but the little blessings in the form of people who truly cared about her made the bad days a lot easier and her existence a bit hopeful. Though she had always deemed to settle for the smallest of things she got, believing that there was someone who didn't even have the sparse luxury of calling out for their family. She had got one and she needed to fight for it every time brushing aside the injustices she had to endure each time.

Ruchi might have given her nod for this arrangement but something in her really felt wrong which she can't exactly point out being afraid of the consequences that would follow. The world didn't revolve around her but each time her family's expectations and reputation surely did and those were enough to hold her back.

She was supposed to be engaged and be content with being associated with a guy like her to-be fiancé who respected her family and even her but was she actually ready for such a huge commitment when her heart longed for something so forbidden and one-sided for someone lamentable like her.

Her relatives made fun of the Batra family because of her. Her very own maternal aunts never let her play or sit with their children just because she was her mother's daughter. Her cousins who knew this then started addressing her out as 'the discarded object'. They compelled her to perform their cheap chores during every family function if she wanted to be a part of them.

But what had she ever done to be discarded and humiliated?

How can her birth, a thing that wasn't in her hands lead to a doom so unkind?

No one questioned the perpetrators but sued her to bear the responsibilities which weren't hers in the first place.

While she took it all, silently crushing her wishes and aspirations to accept her fate like every other time.

But her decision to quit never sat well with the people who loved her.

One fine morning, her brother was dropping her to the college as her scooty had ditched her under the wire. Ruchi habitually harped on taking the bus but Kartik propelled her to drive with him because no matter how many times he or his father initiates a discussion to get her a new scooter she would deny stating her love for the antique model he used once.

She was too attached to some old things in her life for her own good.

He just like his parents had worriedly noticed the strange silence that had settled upon their Ruchi since the coalition with Aakash and it vitally affected him too.

She was his little birdie afterall.

She was the person he was closest to in the whole family.

The one he had closely watched while growing up. He had played along with her, he carried her at his back when she threw a tantrum, he wrote her homework to save her from the ire of her teachers, he pampered her when she was at her lowest, put her to sleep when she had those monsters chase her in her dreams. He had seen her broken at once and modest the next second merely for the sake of people around her.

He had reluctantly let her befriend a certain recluse nemesis of his who meant and carried out every brazen thing that he despised plainly because she was one of the good causes behind his sister's true happiness.

Ruchi was and without any doubt will mean to him more than a real sibling he could ever have.

She was his little baby sister whom he doted upon in every way.

But now he couldn't help but observe his little sister drifting apart from everything around her.

She remained unapproachable and substantially lost in her own world.

She would plausibly smile but her persuasive gaiety was deciduous, restricted and imperative up to the validating shake of heads of their relatives and Sushma Bua Ji who wasn't very fond of Ruchi through and through.

She, like her brother, considered her a burden required to be disposed of in time because in their sick opinions Ruchi was the reason for the split between her younger brother and her supposed best friend. Stuck in their baseless theories they all have turned forgetful about her and the need to protect the little girl's heart may come whatever.

"Baby!" Kartik said her name but she was too occupied hollowly staring outside the window. He then called out for her louder this time to gain her attention.

The stupor Ruchi was transferred into was broken by his voice. She blinked her eyes and looked up at her brother vaguely while he roughly cleared his throat to not make her too conscious of her distanced behavior.

"Kha khoyi huyi hai tu, kiddo?" Kartik inquired looking back towards the road.

["Where are you lost, kiddo?"]

"Wo-h, Bhai ma-in ba-s.." She didn't have a real answer.

["It's-s nothing, brother. I wa-s j-ust"]

"It's alright. You leave all that and tell your brother what you are going to wear on the engagement?" He forged a little to no excitement, "Archie had asked us to get clothes of similar colors."

She didn't get the message. "Inn sab ki kya zarurat hai, Bhai?" Thus, she was unsure about her brother's sudden curiosity in cliché things, "Aap sab kuch bhi pehenoge to hamesha ki tarah acche hi lagoge."

["What's the need for all this, Bhai? Whatever you all wear, you will look as good as ever."]

"Are yaar, tu bata na!"

["Hey, you tell me!"]

Ruchi nervously fidgeted with her fingers unable to reply to him, "Aap BadiMa ya phir Archie se hi pooch lena-"

["You can ask BadiMa or Archie-]

"Kyu? Teri dress hai, tujhe nahi pata?"

[Why? It's your dress, don't you know?"]

Ruchi bit her lip being caught in the headlight, "Aisa n-ahi hai, Bhai. Bas mujhe abhi yaad nahi aa raha hai. I will let you know in the evening." In order to avoid him she restlessly tapped on her phone's screen.

["It's not like that, brother. I just am not able to remember it now. I'll let you know in the evening."]

Kartik's doubts were confirmed with her incoherent actions but still he couldn't put a particular word or finger to her unusual behavior. Ruchi had always been distinctive about things, she would never forget something unless something else with more importance and depth occupied her mind. And now what could be more important than the day which everyone has pre-planned. The glittery desires of having the one moment with their perfect one but right now her response had clearly stated about her zeal otherwise.

He parked the car near the campus lane and got out along Ruchi who seemed confused because he was supposed to drop her and leave.

The break to her endless ladder of speculations was pulled by Kartik who wordlessly walked. "Bhai, why have you come out? You will be late-" He ensconced on the community bench built along the sidewalk. He softly patted on the space beside him.

Ruchi knew that she still had time for her lectures to begin but her brother had his office and he never overstepped his punctuality.

"Kya baat hai, Bhai?" She too sat and tried to comprehend his actions.

["What is it, Bhai?"]

"Tu mujhe bata. Baat kya hai, kiddo?"

["You tell me. What's wrong, kiddo?"]

She was taken aback by the sudden query. She was left unprepared and tongue-tied upon being asked the similar question that she had been asking herself in past weeks.

What awful things have been happening to her? What was impossibly wrong with her? Wasn't she the one to be graphically sorted out? Didn't she have her spotless goals already set? Her insomniac dreams to make her father proud? Praying for a drop of unfelt parental affection as a plea to the Gods she knew? Her hardwork and staunch aspirations to become a fearless successful businesswoman and an ideal inspiration for others? Also, didn't she wish for some loyal love to complete her life? To fill the abyss in her life with a gentle breeze of care that would soothe down the prolonging agony of her heart? Then why? Why was she in a dilemma?

And the major step she was going to take was leading her to the kind of have-it-all life she envisaged. Then why was she hesitant and muddled about an already taken decision? It was carried out for her well-being, then why? Why was she modulating indifference and afflicting repulsion unlike her usually composed self?

"Mujhe pata hain ki agar main apni choti si behen ko wapas lana chahu, to chaah kar bhi nahi laa sakta, par main har roz apne aap se ek wada karta hu ki jo bhi cheez tujhe khush kar sakti hai main use tujhe lekar du." Kartik prompted, "Aur agar teri iss khamoshi ki wajah yeh rishta ya phir Aakash hai to tujhe yeh sab karne ki bilkul bhi zarurat nahi hai. Main khud sab se baat karunga aur tujhe usse shadi karne ki koi zarurat nahi hai-"

["I know that if I want to bring my little sister back, I can't even if I want to, but I make a promise to myself everyday that whatever makes you happy, I will bring it to you. And if the reason for your silence is this alliance or Aakash then you don't need to do all this at all. I'll talk to everyone myself and you don't have to marry him-"]

"Aakash is a good man, Bhai."

"Par uske ache hone ka matlab yeh to nahi ki tu usse shadi hi kar le. Aur jab tera mann hi nahi maan raha hain to iska koi matlab hi nahi hai." He tried to convince and understand her. "It's your time to build and grow in your life. Shaadi ke liye abhi poori zindagi padi hai."

["But him being good does not mean that you should marry him and when your mind is not agreeing then it has no meaning. This is a time to build and grow in your life. You've a whole life for marriage."

"Shadi kaha ho rahi hai, Bhai." Ruchi contemplated, "Sirf engagement hi to karni hai."

["I am not getting married, Bhai. It's just an engagement."]

"Engagement ka matlab to tu jaanti hi hai na? Shaadi might be on the waitlist for now but it is inevitable." He said. "It's commitment. A promise that has its own consequences." He stressed. "Aur agar tu iske liye taiyar hi nahi hai to apne aap ko kyu zor dene se kya mil raha hai tujhe-"

["You know the meaning of engagement, don't you? Marriage might be on the waitlist for now but it is inevitable. It's commitment. A promise that has its own consequences. And if you are not ready for it, then what are you getting by pushing yourself-"]

"Papa chahte hai. BadiMa chahti hai. Ab to shayad BadePapa ko bhi koi aitraaz nahi hai. Aap ko bhi Aakash thik lagne lage the-" Ruchi uttered, "Kya itna kafi nahi hai, Bhai?"

["Papa wants it. Badima wants it. Now maybe even Badepapa doesn't mind. You too were starting to like Aakash. Isn't that enough, brother?"]

"Aakash ke sath hum sabhi ne nahi par tujhe rehna hai. Humari pasand ya na pasand hone se koi fark nahi padta lekin tujhe yeh shadi karni hai ya nahi woh zaroori hai." He alluded to prove his point, "Aur tujhe har kisi ke hisaab se chalne ki zarurat nahi hai." He affirmed, ready to talk and convince their family to stop the alliance.

["Not all of us but you have to stay with Aakash. It doesn't matter whether we like or dislike him, but it is important if you want to do this marriage or not. And you don't have to follow everyone's footsteps."]

Her eyes watered along her chapped throat that scraped to work but she still held his arm preventing him and the outcomes of having this talk with him. "Rehne dijiye na, Bhai."

["Let it be, brother."]

"You need to stop doing things for us. Stop overlooking your wishes." Kartik vouched, "This life is yours, whatever decisions you take will be yours. We are your family but you don't owe anything to any of us."

"Aap log hi mere sab kuch ho, Bhai." Ruchi croaked out with difficulty, "Jab jinhe hona chahiye tha wo nahi the, tab aap the. BadePapa aur meri BadiMa hi to thi. Jab mere paas koi nahi tha tab aap log the." She had complaints, too many complaints from her life but she has spent the will to fight it anymore, "Aur jab BadiMa mujhse kuch chahti hai jo shayad mere hi liye sahi hai to phir usme galat kya hai? She loves us. Aapne bhi to unki baat maan li hai phir agar main bhi unka kaha sun lungi to isme burai kya hai? Isn't BadiMa my mother and not a mother has all rights on her daughter?"

["You all are my everything, Bhai. When those who should have been there were not, then you were there. It was only my BadePapa and BadiMa. You guys were there when I had no one. And when BadiMa wants something from me which is probably right for me, then what is wrong with that? She loves us. You have also accepted her words, then if I also listen to her, then what is wrong with it? Isn't she my mother and not a mother has all rights on her daughter?"]

"Par iska matlab yeh to nahi ki tu apne aap ko ye saaza de. Jab ki tu-"

["But this does not mean that you should punish yourself. When you-"]

"Main to kya, Bhai?" Ruchi implored rustily. "Main thik hoo." She whispered, barely lifting up the air with the warmth of her unguarded optimism, "As long as you all stay with me, I'll be fine."

["What about me, brother?" I'm fine, brother. As long as you all stay with me, I'll be fine."]

"Tera kuch nahi ho sakta!!" Kartik cited in disintegration. He was more angry at himself than her for shaping her selflessness in this world filled with cheaters. It wasn't her fault but him and his parents fault who taught her about right and wrong but never told her to improvise.

["You're impossible!!"]

Ruchi hugged him to hide the helpless tears behind her eyes along the disagreement on her lips from her brother. It was just not about her but the lives who were associated with her. They had greater expectations from her and how she could probably fail their upbringing and especially her father who was finally happy because of her.

"Such a crybaby! I wanted a strong soldier in my army and I got one in my baby sister too. Where did this crybaby come from?" Kartik jokes.

"Ab aap bhi aise nahi bolo na, Bhai!"

["Don't talk like that, Bhai!"]

He aided her to clean her teary face and flicked her nose, "Baby! Don't weep that often na, I'm already the brother of a crybaby!"

"Bhai!!" She pouted in insolence, "I'm your only sister."

"Exactly!" He expressed sympathy, "I have a little crybaby on my back even after all these years." Ruchi tried to fleece her brother with her harmless anger but failed terribly as he continued laughing at her disgruntled vista.

"I didn't know the baby boy was such a meanie, bestie!" A familiar notched up voice immediately turned Kartik's mood sullen. "Bhagwaan! Is sukeban ki shakal kyu dikha di subah subah! My day is officially ruined now."

["God! Why did you show the face of this Sukeban early in the morning! My day is officially ruined now."]

[Sukeban - is a Japanese term meaning 'delinquent girl'.]

But unlike him, his sister beamed at her nuisance-of-a-best friend widely while she was correcting her. "Hey, Sam! You cannot call my Bhai that!"

"Yeah! I won't. I don't like to but what can I do? I just saw that Baby so don't defend him now." Samiksha reamed. "He's definitely mean to you-" She trailed slickly, "and everyone else around."

"To you, yes I am." Kartik unsocially watched the source of his resurgent migraine, "Don't you have any other work besides poking your wretched nose wherever it is not needed." He sanctioned.

She came closer, "Shaadi kar le phir tere piche teri biwi padegi agar hai koi iss duniya mein jo Baby ke is sadiyal bhai ko jhelne ke liye taiyaar hoga!" Samiksha swished tauntingly in his ears, "Else he'll have to die a virgin."

["Get married and then your wife will follow you if there is anyone in this world who will be ready to tolerate this rude brother of Baby! Else he'll have to die a virgin."]

Kartik fumed with a flush appearing in his face and neck. Thankfully, his ingenuous sister was untouched by her voice or else he would've to run away on his heels. He was sure that this hoodlum took birth to torment him in this life. But how can one act so insufferably blunt?

He couldn't help but look betrayed when his impeccant sister spilled everything in front of his nemesis. "Aise mat bol. Bhai ne bhi shaadi ke liye haa bol di hai. Meri hone wali bhabhi jaldi hi ghar aane wali hai."

["Don't say that. Brother has also said yes for marriage. My future sister-in-law is going to come home soon."]

Samiksha's cat-like eyes outshined his miserable face and she restarted, "Oh! Who's the unlucky girl?" She frisked. "Let me know, Baby. I needed to pay my heartfelt apologies because she's going to kill her happiness by marrying an epitome in the body of this rule-book."

"You-" Kartik rabbited on, "What the hell do you think of yourself? My wife won't need anything from you but yes the man who locks horns with you definitely needs my sympathy." He mouthed sourly, "It's not easy to willingly jump into the well of death."

"Phir to wo bechara insaan tera bada bhaiya hi hoga, Baby!" She sneered, causing them to morph blanched expressions, Ruchi in shock and Kartik in horror. "Aakhir yahi ek namoona hai jo bina wajah mere piche ustad banke ghumta phirta rehta hai. He's a real sourpuss!!"

["Then that poor man must be your elder brother, Baby! After all, he is the only specimen who keeps following me like my master without any reason. He's a real sourpuss!!"]

"Sammy!!" Ruchi's mouth was left hanging open.

"What did you call me?"

"Sourpuss!! Fusspot!! Fuddy-duddy!!" She pronounced coolly on top of her lungs repeatedly much to her cousin's dismay and Ruchi knew it was going to wage a war that had no end to it.

"Fine! Then you are a gossipmonger, blatherskite, motor-mouth and a legit Buttinsky!!" He pressed down his anger or else he would've done something by going way out of his character to this provoking witch.

Samiksha still had no effect as she laughed at his face and faced Vivek who too had stepped out of the car sensing the commotion, "Wow! My heart is filled today. I've rattled His Highness." She taunted, "You passed from this campus, right? Kya engineering ke alawa koi gul nahi khilaye?"

["Didn't you do anything scandalous except engineering?"]

"I came here to study, sick lady."

"Really?" She challenged. "You didn't even have a crush?"

"Sammy, kya kar rahi hai? Chup ho jana-" Ruchi meddled.

["Sammy, what are you doing? Keep quiet-"]

"Bas kar de behan." Her twin added.

["That's enough, sister."]

"No!" Kartik grew unresponsive.

"Esa bhi kya pad raha tha ki tujhe ek bandi patane ka time nahi mila?" She fired up again but Kartik had slightly calmed down by now realizing that this fuljhadi liked to test his patience for some ungodly reason.

["What were you even studying that you didn't get time to woo a girlfriend?"]

[Fuljhadi - Sparkler]

"Is she really your sister? Or-" Kartik demanded from Vivek. "Did you and the Khanna family opt out for some pet adoption? DFA test kara lena tha, pata to lag jata ki rabies ki vaccinations lagi hai ise ya nahi!! Halke mein mat le, Bhai. Jaanlewa bimari hai."

["You should've gotten the DFA test done once, it would have been known whether she had been vaccinated for rabies or not!! Don't take it lightly, bro. It's a deadly disease."]

"Kya matlab?" Now it was Samiksha's turn to be dumbfounded.

["What do you mean?"]

"Yaad se kara lena tha, Vivek. Abhi tak roadside wale side-effects dikh rahe hain isme." Vivek grinded hard, his twin could murder him else because he was unable to suppress his grin just like Ruchi who was amused.

["You should've gotten it done, Vivek. Till now the roadside side-effects are visible in her."]

"Kartik Batra, teri himmat kaise hui-?"

["Kartik Batra, how dare you-?"

"Jese tumhari hui, Samiksha Khanna-"

["Just like you dared, Samiksha Khanna-"]

"Don't call me that!" She reprimanded furiously this time, "It's Sammy here. Everyone calls me just Sammy here."

"Right, just SAMIKSHA. I'll just say SAMIKSHA. Okay? No Sam-IKSHA" He accented childishly, being annoyed by both himself and her.

Kartik wondered, what will he ever get by behaving like her? He was a grown-ass man and far from the undisciplined girl who fondly goes around messing up with his life.

Samiksha gritted her canines harder and her eyes glowered at him, "You asshat stinky engineer! Sorry bol!! Meri na yaha pe repo hai! Boys are scared to talk to me and please don't get me started on the envious girls here-"

["You asshat stinky engineer! Apologize!! I've a reputation here! Boys are scared to talk to me and please don't get me started on the girls here-"]

"That's an over-exaggeration." Her once upon a time best friend commented.

"I'll block you, Baby. Dare you speak another word on his side-"

"Trust me, my sister doesn't need you either." Kartik said with his fingers. "She will still have four friends and her brother of course." He posed haughtily.

"He has rang for the devil from the heavens above behind him." Vivek whistled in pleasure.

One thing his twin was possessive about was her and she too had figured out that nothing but the almighty will be needed to bring an end to their world war.

"Let's be on standby, Vivi." Ruchi apprised thoughtfully while sitting back on the bench leisurely. "We'll have to call the cops soon."

Lots of Love,

ANKITA