Ira lay sprawled across her bed, her fingers mindlessly scrolling through her phone's feed. The faint glow of the screen illuminated her bored expression, her dark eyelashes fluttering lazily.

Her mother, Vaidehi, stromed into the room, a worn spatula clutched in her hand, her bangles trembling with anger. Her synthetic saree rustled as she moved, the scent of cooking spices wafting off her clothes.

"Get inside your phone already! Day and night, eating and sleeping, every hour just phone, phone, phone!" Vaidehi's voice thundered, her eyebrows danced in frustration.

Ira dropped her phone instinctively, the screen flickering to the darkness. It slipped from her fingers, landing with a soft thud on the rumpled bedspread. Her eyes widened, a mix of guilt and fear sparkling within.

Vaidehi's gaze burnt with disappointment. "For the past four-five months, I have not seen this girl turning a single page! You are wasting your time! No focus, no ambition! What will you do after graduation?" Her words cut deep, Ira's shoulder slumping under the weight.

She felt a surge of resentment. Why couldn't people understand? She was tired of the constant pressure. Her thoughts swirled, a jumble of emotions: frustration, anxiety, and helplessness.

"You need to think beyond just passing college!" Vaidehi's anger boiled over. "Government jobs, further studies, something! You can't just drift through the life!"

Ira's eyes flashed, her jaw clenched. She felt trapped, suffocated by expectations. Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes, but she blinked them back.

Vaidehi's voice was laced with a commanding tone, her eyes flashing with determination. "I am still saying, get back to the medical path. People crack that exam even after they are 25. You are still 21. You have so much time." Her words hung in the air like an ultimatum.

Ira's face flushed, her blood boiling at her mother's persistence. Her eyes flashed with annoyance and anger, the sparkling them hinting at a brewing strom.

"If you're that much interested, why don't you apply for it?" Ira's retort was sharp, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "It's not like there is an age limit." Her lips curled, her eyebrows arching in defiance.

Vaidehi's face reddened with anger, her jaw set in a firm line. "Do not talk back, Ira! I am your mother! Learn to be respectful toward elders. And don't be ridiculous. It's about your future."

Ira's hands clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms. "I'll do what I want, not what you want." She declared, her voice firm and resolute.

"I've trusted you people once, and I won't be repeating the mistake again." Her words dripped with conviction, her eyes blazing with determination.

With a swift motion, she sprung up from the bed, her long hair swirling around her. She stromed out of the room with the phone in her hand, leaving Vaidehi stunned and worried.

💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫

Ira sat alone on the rooftop, surrounded by the darkness of night. The moon's ethereal glow was a beacon of hope, shining brightly in the darkness, yet unable to penetrate the shadows that shrouded her heart. Tears silently streamed down her face, her sniffling and wiped a futile attempt to stem the emotional tide.

"What do I do?" she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible over the night's silence. Her words trembled with desperation and self-doubt, each syllable a plea for answers.

"I really feel like dying every second." she confessed, her voice cracking. "Why did I even born?" The question hung in the air, a heartbreaking cry for meaning.

Her gaze fell, her eyes welling up with tears again. "I can't do anything. I'm not good at anything. I don't have any talent." Each statement was a razor-sharp cut to her self-worth.

Raising her eyes to the sky, Ira implored. "Is there anything more you want me to witness, Huh? Do you want me to be the strongest?" Her voice shook, her words laced with anguish. "Go on. But can you be easy sometimes, please?" The words were desperate plea bid for respite.

Her gaze drafted to her neighborhood, the moonlit casting a long shadow. Her thoughts settled on a specific house, a pang of envy stirring within.

"She must be lucky." Ira whispered, her voice tinged with bitterness. "Got freed from all the chaos, at just 12." Her eyes seemed to bore into the darkness, as if searching for answers.

Her lips curled into a dry, mirthless smile. "I wish I were in her place. Things would have been much easier." The words dripped with sarcasm, her tone heavy with resignation.

She chuckled dryly, recalling the time she spent with that stranger by the river bank that night. "Life is beautiful." she muttered, her voice laced with irony. "Life sucks man." The phrase hung in the air, a hollow laugh echoing through the night.

Her gaze lingered on the neighborhood, her thoughts swirling in the darkness. She rose from her seated position, her movements mechanical, and began pacing the rooftop.

"Why did I get stuck with this life?" She muttered, her voice hinting with frustration. "What did I do to deserve this?" The question repeated in her mind like a mantra.

She leaned against the rooftop wall, her gaze lifting upward to the moon and the stars twinkling like diamonds in the velvety blackness. The night's sky's soft, ethereal glow enveloped her, a gentle embrace that soothed her troubled mind. As she breathed deeply, cool air filled her lungs, and the tension in her shoulders began to ease, releasing the day's burden.

Her eyes half-closed drinking in the calm, peaceful night, her fingers tracing the wall's texture in a soothing gesture. The world, with its expectations and disappointments, faded into the background replaced by the peaceful hush of the night. For a moment, Ira forgot about Vaidehi's pressure, her own self-doubt, and the weight of her uncertain future.

In this fleeting sanctuary, she found peace. The moon's gentle glow and stars' reassuring twinkle lulled her into a state of serenity, tempering her underlying sadness and frustration. A wistful longing simmered beneath, a yearning for freedom and escape from life's pressure.

As she stood there, wrapped in the night's tranquility, her thoughts untangled. Her mind, once jumbled maze, began to clarify. The stars seemed to whisper reassurance, their soft sparkle reminder that even in darkness, beauty existed.

In this moment, she felt a glimmer of hope, a renewed sense of purpose flickering to life. Though her path remained uncertain, she sensed that she wasn't alone. The universe, in all its vastness, held secrets and surprises waiting to be uncovered.

Ira was lost in her thoughts when her phone buzzed with a notification shattering her reverie. She glanced at the screen, her brow furrowed in confusion.

OTP

Unknown number

"What's up, babe!?"
"Long time no see."

🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

Anusuiya's fingers moved with frantic urgency, clinking fine china and crystal against the mahogany table's polished surface. Her dark eyes, once bright with warmth, now flashed like hot coals, radiating anger and desperation.

The maids, sensing the tension, exchanged nervous glances and quietly withdrew, leaving Anusuiya alone in her restlessness. The air was heavy with unspoken words, the silence punctuated only by the heavy breathing of the people present in the space.

Aanand entered, his footsteps muted on the plush carpet. His eyes, firm and resolute, sought Anusuiya's, but she avoided his gaze.

"Anusuiya?" His deep voice was laced with authority.

Anusuiya's response was lightning-sharp, her voice low and deadly. "What!?" The single word hung in the air like a challenge.

Aanand's expression remained steadfast. "What happened?" He took a step closer, his gaze remained fixed upon her tense figure.

Anusuiya's hand trembled as she placed the final plate, the delicate china threatening to shatter under her tense fingers. She turned to face him, her expression a mask of outrage and hurt.

"You know exactly what happened!" Her voice cracked, the faint tremble betraying her emotions. "My son returned home after almost three weeks, and now he has been locked in his room since morning, refusing to eat or talk to anyone. Because of you!"

Aanand's jaw clenched, his eyes flashing with determination. "I did what was necessary, Anusuiya. He needs to learn responsibility and earn his place."

Her eyes blazed. "Responsibility? You called crushing his spirit responsibility? You are breaking him!"

Aanand's eyes snapped shut in frustration. He rubbed his temples to get rid of the headache brewing. Taking a deep breath, he attempted to sound calm, but his voice betrayed a hint of irritation.

"Anusuiya, he will come out when hunger gets the better of him. Do not worry too much about him. He is just throwing another tantrum." His words were laced with a mix of reassurance and annoyance.

Anusuiya's face fell, her eyes welling up a new. "Tantrum?" Her voice trembled. "You think our son, a grown man, is throwing a tantrum? You are not listening. He is hurting, and you are not taking it seriously!"

Aanand's gaze met her, and for a moment, he saw the depth of her concern, the fear for their son's well-being. His expression softened, but only for an instant.

"Call maiyaan," he said, his tone still firm but slightly gentler. "We will have dinner. And where is Vardhamana?" His question shifted the focus, but Anusuiya's gaze lingered, her unspoken words hanging in the air.

"Maiyaan is not home. And Vardhamana hasn't returned from college yet." Her voice was dry, devoid of any emotions.

His movements froze, eyes narrowing as he turned to face her. "What?" His tone was incredulous, gaze piercing. "It's already 9 p.m. and he is still not home?"

Anusuiya avoided his gaze, her face twisted in annoyance, the earlier argument still festering.

Aanand's expression darkened, his words dripping with accusation. "See the results of your overpampering? Your coddling is turning our sons into reckless, irresponsible adults!" His voice rose, the tension between them crackling like electricity.

"When did I get the time to coddle my Rudr-" Just as Rukmini was about to retaliate, a weary voice cut through the charged atmosphere.

"I'm home."

Vardhamana trudged into the house, his movements languid, like a sloth navigating through a dense fog. Each step was measured as if he was conserving energy. His eyes, once bright and sparkling, now seemed dull and lifeless, reflecting a deep-seated sadness.

He lazily kicked off his shoes, letting them fall hazardly near the shoe reck, rather them placing them neatly inside. The gesture was a tastement to his exhaustion, physical and emotional. His backpack slid off his shoulder, drooping to the floor with a soft thud.

His gaze, devoid of enthusiasm, drifted towards his parents, acknowledging their presence without really seeing them. "I'm home, Mom," he murmured again, his voice barely above a whisper lacking its usual warmth.

Anusuiya's tense shoulder relaxed, her eyes closing in relief as she exhaled deeply. She rushed towards the entrance, her face etched with concern.

"Vardhamana, beta! What made you so late?" She caressed his face to make sure he was alright.

Aanand's expression, however, remained stern, his eyes focused as he watched his son enter.

"Sorry, Mom. I didn't mean to worry you. I had a late-night study group." Vardhamana explained, avoiding his father's piercing gaze.

Aanand's eyes narrowed, his voice firm. "Study group? At 9 p.m.?"

Vardhamana turned to his mother, sidestepping his father's intense stare. His voice was above only a whisper, weighed down by exhaustion. "Bhaiya came?"

Anusuiya's expression softened, her eyes filled with empathy. But before she could respond, Aanand's voice cut in, sharp as knife.

"Yes. Your precious Bhaiya returned and has locked himself in his room since morning." His voice dripped with sarcasm and disapproval, but there was a hint of concern for his child.

Vardhamana closed his eyes, annoyance etched on his face, and took a deep breath. Without a word, he turned and trudged towards Rudraksh's room, the weight of his family's tension setting upon him.

"I'll talk to him,"he murmured, his voice low but determined.

Anusuiya's eyes followed her younger son, concern and gratitude mingling in her gaze. Aanand's expression remained stern, but his gaze also followed Vardhamana.

A/N: Hello, lovely readers!

1. How's the story unfolding for you so far?

2. What do you think will happen next?
3. Will Rudraksh listen to Vardhamana, or will he ignore him?
4. And, most intriguingly, who is behind that mysterious message to Ira?

Thanks for reading!