A beautiful morning where the little birds chirp happily while enjoying the weather unlike Ragini. She was sitting numbly in front of her mirror while her little sister was doing makeup for her. She sighed and looked at her reflection in the mirror. There was a woman draped in a beautiful saree with simple makeup which she appreciates. She sighed once again knowing already that this groom and his family will also reject her after filling their stomach with the sweets and snacks prepared by her parents like she was rejected by the other 12 families.

Just then Swara jerked her bringing Ragini to the reality.

"What happened, sis? Why are you looking you so...?"

"Numb"

Ragini finished Swara's sentence. Swara looked on for her answer but then she could read her sister's face like an open book. So she sighed and pulled Ragini into her arms.

"Don't worry about the past, sis. The ones who stepped out of this house hurting you were all stupid because they didn't know how much of a gem you are. If I was a boy and not your bro then I would have fallen on my knees and begged you to marry me."

Swara exclaimed making Ragini laugh.

"I love you so much my little bear!"

Ragini murmured hugging Swara tightly while Swara kissed her cheeks and broke the hug.

"And I love you the most, my super sis!"

They both laughed once again hearing their nicknames from their childhood.

"Ok bye, sis! I am going to Nithya's house. We have some important project work to be completed."

Swara said taking away Ragini's smile. Her face turned expressionless once again. Swara noticed it and tried to explain herself but then Ragini gave her a small painful smile and said,

"I know why you are going. Bye!"

Swara sighed and hugged her sister one last time and left the house. Her parents had asked her to go to her friend's house when Ragini was not around. They didn't want the groom family to notice Swara and ignore Ragini once again. So, Swara agreed to them and went to Nithya's house.

After a while, the groom and his family came. Ragini was asked to come by them. So she came out of her room and took everyone's blessings. Ragini was not so excited about what's going on. But to her shock and to her family's happiness, the groom's family liked Ragini and wanted to get her married to their son as soon as possible. Seeing their real excitement and happiness, Ragini felt nothing but guilty as they were not aware of her little sister. Her parents hide the details about Swara to get Ragini married. But Ragini didn't want to start a relationship with a lie so she was about to say it but her parents changed the topic and talked about their engagement.

Everyone was happy about this marriage but not Ragini. Finally, the engagement day comes. Swara once again went to Nithya's house to hide her identity from the groom's family. Though she wanted to stay and look at her sister's engagement, her parents literally begged her to go and promised her that they will tell the truth once Ragini was engaged to the groom.

It was about 1 hour after Ragini's engagement; the groom's family said that he was going to cancel this marriage for not telling the truth that Ragini had a sister. They had enquired about Ragini and her family nearby and after a deep search, they had found the truth. But because they liked Ragini, they waited for 1 hour for them to confess about this by themselves. But they didn't. So they called off the engagement.

Ragini's family was heart-broken because of the broken engagement except Ragini. Her parents didn't want to hide the truth and they are not those type of people who thinks their daughters as burden and wanted to dump somewhere in the name of marriage. They love their daughters equally. But they were also afraid of the society that they will give a black mark to their family if they didn't get their daughters married. They were scared of the society. In the desperation to maintain their respect in the society, they lied. And that ended up like a black mark for them.

Between their love for their daughters and society, the society won drowning them to the depression.

Ragini didn't care about what society thinks. All she wants was her world to be happy always, with or without her. Her family was her world and she couldn't see them so heart-broken for her broken engagement. She knows what will be the consequences of hiding a truth; but then she couldn't sit simply and drowning in sadness. So she decided to make a cake and cheer them. She baked a cake and went to the living room to find them sitting silently while lost in their own thoughts. She took a deep breath and made her presence to be known by them. Once she got the attention, she started to say,

"Mom, dad and Swara, I know you were all upset. I love you all so much. I want you all to be happy, always. I am not feeling bad or upset for what happened today. I am used to it. Please just let this move past us and let's be happy at this moment. I know that I am not such a beauty that anyone would fall in love at first sight. I am waiting for a person who would see my heart and love me for what I am inside and not for what I am outside. I am waiting for my prince charm. I will wait for him throughout my life. But please don't be sad on seeing me. Ok past is past. I am daily thanking God for giving me such a beautiful loving and caring family who could not see or tolerate my sobs and sadness. And at the same time, I also want my family to get away from their sobs and sadness. So come on let's cut and have this cake as soon as possible because I am so hungry."

By saying this she pouts at the end. Swara becomes emotional on seeing her sister so strong by heart but underestimating herself.

She ran towards and hugged her tightly. Their parents too joined their hug and apologized to Ragini for shaming her in front of the society. Ragini wiped their tears and said

"I love you ma, pa!"

^_^

Will Ragini be able to meet her prince charm?