Why did I, like this,
Want to hide away my precious self

Your team was hard at work in the design production class. You've done your complete line. Alia was so proud of you. Everyone knows how talented you are. Malia and Rajesh organised the models for your line. Alia has offered to be one of your models. You thought about at least four girls.

You had a problem cause most girls want to be in the graduation show. Alia did all the auditions for you. Almost 20 girls were eliminated, but you chose the ones who looked better in the clothing.

You chose different body shapes from S-XL one day, and you want your Eastern wear to be enjoyed by the plus-size woman.

After classes, you and Alia quickly went to the Big Bazaar supermarket at a nearby mall. Mukhi gave you a list of groceries that you must fill up on. You bought fresh bread and cereals for Amaira and Priyanka; Alia didn't have them; she put in different ice-creams and snacks for movie nights.

You push the trolley cart while Alia does the picking.

"Alia, Mukhi doesn't want her princess to eat too many sweets !" You whined.

"Children need to indulge once in a lifetime. She's a kid...live a little ...don't be such a Vella !" She brushes you off. Take six packets of chips and throw them in the cart.

We still need to buy fruits and vegetables. After half an hour more in the supermarket, you went to the checkout.

Alia sighs, " Not to burst your bubble, but those obnoxious paparazzi photographers are in the shop looking at us. Just smile, please." She turns to your surprised face.

"He is the one who has been following me since my break-up" Alia looked peeved. It's hard being a celebrity doing menial, everyday stuff.

You sigh exasperated," Wonder what lies the Mumbai Mirror will concoct this time or the Delhi Times...last time I had met my Soulmate in Bombay...jeez."

The patrakaarons guy looks discreetly around as if you didn't see him behind the aisle. He took numerous photos of the two of you.

When you walked out with a soda drink, he was in front of you.

"Miss Alia and Miss Samiya, you are looking so fine today...how's life...any interesting things happening in your life..."

You just smile and wave at him-Alia smiles fakely.

"Oye Ravi ...it's Ravi...well we are busy with exams as if you don't know...excuse us please...thank you...bye"

The patrakaarons follow you till you close the elevator in his face. Alia looked very upset. She is the most followed celebrity because of all the dating scandals, and everyone knows her status, which irked her greatly.

You warned her about binge dating...just because she's tarnished doesn't mean all men will disappear. Your life was too squeaky clean for the newshounds. They tried to dig up dirt and scandals, but zero. But Alia made tabloids sell like sweetcakes.

She hates living as a celebrity, and she wants to be an average 23-year-old gal.

You cheered her up and decided in the car what you were going to cook together.

You enter Gulmorhor Park Estates

Priya and Amaira were at the poolside, playing with a giant Barbie dollhouse with all its Barbie dolls. They were laughing and role-playing.

You and Alia saw them through the glass doors.

"Chaachee !!!" A scream echoed from the outside. You turned around and saw a little whirlwind.

Amaira saw you first. She jumped up excitedly and ran to you, jumping into your arms as you picked her up and twirled her around.

"Oye! Alia...Samiya...how was uni?"Priya smiled as she joined you and Alia.

"Hi, girl, how y'all doing?" Alia hugged Priya tightly. These two love each other because of their BTS craze.

"Are we eating takeout?"Priya asks excitedly.

"Um..we wanted to cook something for you?"

Amaira jumps up and down, grabbing your hand in excitement," Please, Chaachee! Get McDonald's....get McDonald's!"

You look at a smug Alia and pull a face, " Oh...Um ...!"

"Oh, common  Sami...don't be pakau," Priya said, standing with hands on her hips, " Amaira can have a little break. Mukhi is already a military mom... let's enjoy ourselves for the week."

Alia laughs loudly," Great come...Priya, let's order!"

You sigh. Why are you such a pushover when it comes to your siblings and Alia? When Alia and Priya moved quickly to the TV in the Lounge area, Amaira gave them the remote to put on some of her programs.

While Alia and Priya did all the ordering, you decided to pack away all the groceries. You placed the snacks in one cupboard, hoping that Priya would not engulf herself in all the sweets.

Your sister loves a lot of healthy foods, so she's got two big silver fridges.

Alia called from the lounge area, "Sami, what do you want? Please note chicken nuggets; Amaira wants a full, happy meal with a cheeseburger. .."

You chuckle, " Um...ok, a plain Big Mac with a cream soda and medium chips!"

Priya, "Ok...dips on your chips if you can't finish them."

You smiled and just shook your head because Priya loves McDonald's chips.

"Amaira, come, you need to bathe!" You call her to attention.

Amaira started to whine, "Can I go after eating food! please...please!"

"Ok, your mama's 'mom' will call now... now-"you warn. Mukhi has a specific schedule for Amaira from bath time and bedtime. It's always challenging to get their little niece to do anything with them there.

Alia giggled, " This is what you are going to put up with if you still want kids on your bucket list!"

You pull your face, "Yeah, well, if I meet my Soulmate and if he likes me enough to date and marry me, I would love two kids, a girl, and a boy."

Alia jumps up, "Well, good luck with that. I'm quickly going to shower and refresh. Call me if our order is here."

"Ok," you just say, playing with Amaira's soft hair. You love your little niece.

The maid is back in her quarters because she works till five and then retreats to her room. Her husband is the garden caretaker.

A few minutes later, the food delivery came. Everyone was digging in. They were sitting around the dinner table. You check on Priyas' assignments to see if they're up to standard, and you ask her to bathe Amaira and put her to bed while you and Alia clean up the kitchen area.

Alia smiled while wiping the table," Aren't you glad you are almost done, and your business venture is set up.?'

"Oh gosh, Alia, in a few weeks, we are graduating. I'm so done with the design now, "You chuckle.

After your graduation, you are going to embark on your online business. You already have lots of contacts due to your networking as Miss India. You still have a lot of endorsement obligations as Miss India.

The invitations to business luncheons and forums are filled up in your diary. You have two hair product commercials, and you need to do all the new promotional ads for all 20 sponsors of the coming Miss India Pageant. So, after your graduation, your schedule will be complete.

Priya has two modelling shows and competitions. You hope she'll do well. She is so ready to enter Miss Teen International at the end of the year. She'll do well. She gets her training at one of the most prestige Miss India Academies.

You are so done now with beauty competitions or anything media-related. After the crowning of your successor, you'll be focused on your business and maybe finding your soulmate.

You look at your friend who looked a little solemn," I'm thinking of leaving India," she dropped an unexpected bomb.

'Why?" you look at her in surprise.

She looks at you with a blank face," Isn't it obvious? I am not happy in New Delhi, and I want to move to South Korea. I'm sick of being a zoo animal; my whole being right now is scrutinising every little thing I do or speculating about what I'm doing. I'm tired of being a celebrity".

You frown, "but I'm here...aren't you happy with me here?"

She chuckled, "You are one of the safe places I have. I love you. Samiya, I need something exciting but as an average person. Where nobody knows my face, my political family legacy, or my dating indiscretions."

You nod with understanding."That is the downside of fame...You do know that, but what are you going to do in South Korea?"

Alia clapped her hands together," Oh, I've been researching universities and work opportunities in South Korea. Either work at an entertainment company, a fashion house, or study full-time for my graduate studies."

You raised your eyes teasingly, "You sure not wanting to go for those BTS boys..hmm."

"Of course...I want to go to their concerts, their fan meets, and the exciting comeback shows. I want to be a fan, not a celebrity." She gushed with glee.

"I hear you, Alia, so why don't you do it? " You packed away all the crockery that Priya left in the dishwasher.

Alia smiled, "I am a little apprehensive all by myself...my Janani doesn't want me to go. She's scared I might be kidnapped for sex trafficking..."

Your eyes widen," Really...but you went to numerous locations for modelling shoots."

"Yeah, with a crew. Do it with me, Samiya," she pleaded.

"Urgh, Ali, I don't want to study anymore. Four years is enough. Thank you. I want to be busy with my online fashion store, find my soulmate, get married, and have my first baby...out of the media's eyes." You replied dreamily.

" Come with me, please. You said yourself an online store. We have our own money. We can rent an apartment. Bring India to South Korea. You know what? Let's enrol in Korean Language and Culture studies. We stay for a year, learning the culture and language. Stalk kpop and K drama celebrities...be free."

She looks very excited at the thought, but you look at her with a bit of uncertainty. You don't know. You are very family-oriented.

You look at her face which shines with delight. Maybe it will be fun to have a change of scenery: new people, sights, and sounds.

You sigh, " You know what...ok, let's do it. I trust you won't let us crash and burn...but you will get us all the application information, and the right uni. I don't want to stay in dorms, so get us an apartment near the malls. An apartment with an extra room for my business, and you will help me set up my business with your fashion merchandise degree...agreed!!!"

"Omg...Omg... thank you ...thank you SamiyaI love you so much...we will be free to be young adults...we can go out without being incognito...no worries of papz. Fangirl and shop and eat a lot!" She looks so genuinely happy.

"I'm going to work tonight on our applications. Just get all your documents ready. You've already got your final portfolio; we use that. I'm going to email our professors for recommendation letters. We going to have so much fun...you'll see. You were going to thank me!" She just left you in the kitchen and sprint up to the guestrooms.

You shook your head, fondly. You'll do it for her, and she sacrificed a whole year for you. She was putting a halt on her studies to help you settle as Miss Teen India International.

After you tidy up the lounge area, you heard your phone ring. Omg...the "save me" ringtone. You need to change your ringtone now! Otherwise, Jungkooks' voice will fill your head daily.

You grab your phone from the kitchen table and press the answer button. It's Mukhi.

"Oye Mukhi, how's the vacation so far?" you cheerily say.

"Hi, Samiya...it's awesome...I've never felt so relaxed with Oliver by my side...how's Maira?" She sounds so relaxed.

"She good and a little handful, but I can deal with her. She and Priya bathed, and I think she'd be sleeping right now," you told her about her little princess.

"Great...could you manage to do some shopping for groceries. I don't have enough snacks at home, so stock up for you guys, alright? I'll call you in the week. Be good...tell Priya not to feed my baby a lot of junk food. Tomorrow is Friday. Her hair appointment is on Saturday at @10. Don't forget, ok." She reminded you rushed.

"I won't. We already stocked up, and you know Alias' sweet tooth. Enjoy your trip and enjoy romancing Oliver..." you teased her.

You talked a few minutes more and went up to your room to refresh. Priya and Amaira are still awake. She's reading a bedtime story for Amaira. You went in and kissed the four-year-old goodnight.

"Don't go to sleep too late, Priya, remember Mukhi set a bedtime for Amaira, and it's not 8 pm." You warn her. Priya doesn't listen to Mukhi, her mohibahia.

In your room, you can feel the wariness in your body. This week was hectic, but you were so delighted to complete the whole line.

You quickly open up your bag and pack your clothing away in the tiny walk-in cupboard. You put your phone on charge and went to the main bathroom to have a wonderful, relaxing bath time. Your older mohibahia got a Jacuzzi bath, and she knows.

After you bathe, you comb out your wild curls and make a ponytail. You look at yourself in the mirror. You are so blessed to have clear skin. You were gifted with the best skincare treatments at India's most exclusive salons, as Miss India.

Suddenly you felt the uncomfortable iciness creep into your fingers. You looked alarmed at your hands. Your fingers have been "invirso bind" due to your celebrity status.

It felt like frostbite until it burns. You shriek and clutch your hands together, entwining your fingers, but the burning doesn't stop.

"Omg...Omg...it hurts so much...?"
The tears are streaming from your face. The pain and numbness in your fingers carry on for more than 5 minutes. It doesn't matter how hard or vigorously you've rubbed your fingers. The burning doesn't subside.

You had to accept the truth...it's time for your soulmate to emerge out of the abyss of anonymity.

A/n: O my word! It has been a long time. How are you superstar readers doing? I hope you are healthy and blessed.

Thank you for still loving Epiphany. For all the reads, votes, and comments. For adding it to your readers' list.