📌Listen to Dynasty by MIIA

P U R V I

“Hop out of my bike, quick!I ain't got all night to stay in front of your home!” he huffed.

“Stop being a bitch, Aarav! I have no interest in stayinth forever on your bike!” retorting, I hopped out of his goddamn ‘baby’.

He scoffed before replying “You know, it takes one to know one, bye Miss Fiancé” with that he rode off leaving behind a small trail of smoky exhaust, even thought it was little it sure did irritate my airway linings and I coughed vigorously.

Bastard.

He'll never give a moment to appreciate him! Every time I try to think; he's a good human being maybe— he proves me wrong. Asshole.

Sighing, I entered my house.

Even though my parents knew I was with Aarav, still I couldn't help but feel guilty. No matter what, today was my engagement. I shouldn't have left with Aarav.

Yeah, what he said was true; I should not think about what others are thinking, well I'm not thinking about others, I'm thinking about Mom and Dad, they already had to listen a lot for me.

I don't want them to suffer for me anymore. I don't want to hurt them anymore.

While entering through the door I was greeted by our maid; Komal didi.

She offered me a smile before asking “Choti didi, apke liye kuch khana paros doon?”

[Shall I serve the food?]

“Nhi didi, bhook nahi hain abhi” I said, returning the smile.

[No, I'm not hungry right now]

I saw Maa sitting on the couch while arranging some boxes. Wait, they look familiar.

I walked towards her direction and stood a few distance away from the couch and looked at the boxes. Oh they are-

“Aagayi, aja beith idhar” She patted the space beside her on the couch.

[Come, sit here]

She smiled at me. My mother is beautiful; her face, her eyes, her smile— everything. Everything about Maa is so beautiful and I am truly blessed to inherit half of her genes.

Returning her smile, I sat beside her. She held both my hands in her soft palms as she spoke, “They love you a lot”

By ‘they’ I understood she was talking about the Malhotras’. I don't know about love but they are that kind of in-laws I never knew existed. The way Mrs. Malhotra took my hand and went to search for Aarav, offended by her son leaving me alone was not something I was expecting.

I nodded smiling at my mother who left my hands and turned her gaze towards the two boxes kept at the centre table. One was looking very familiar but the other-

“I kept the jewelrys given by the Malhotras’ in this box, here take this” Oh! Now I remember! This box was the same box Aarohi was holding when Mrs. Malhotra gave my parents their ancestral jewellery before the rituals.

“Okay” I took the box on my lap.

Maa smiled and opened another box “These anklets, necklace and bangles were left by your Nani, she told me how much you liked the anklets she used to wear” she spoke softly remembering Nani.

'Nani'. It's been seven years, since she left us. She was the only escape of both Bhai and me. I smiled remembering the times when we used to fight over who was going to get an oil massage by Nani first.

Good old days.

Maa continued, “She left these for you, Purvi” my smile flattened.

There's no way in hell I am going to take these memories of her. I don't deserve these. They are all precious memories of Nani.

“I am not asking you, Purvi and I can't keep something with me that doesn't belong to me, Maa left these for you not for me. She has also left something for Purab's wife” she said.

Don't take it, you don't deserve it!

I know.. I know I don't deserve it.

Closing the wooden box she settled the box on my lap over the other box “Have your dinner before sleeping okay? I'll tell Komal to heat the food” with that, she left.

It's useless to say ‘no’ to her knowing she won't budge so I'll just keep them with me. It's not like I have to wear them.

✯

“Hmm, I should take a bath now” while keeping the boxes inside the locker I went to grab the towel when my eyes fell on the ring on my finger.

“Do you deserve the love you're getting, Purvi?”

“No, I don't.”

“Good, never forget that. Never forget you're a murderer.”

“N-no I didn't kill anyone I am not a m-murderer!” I almost yelled looking at the woman standing in front of me, with an evil grin plastered on her face. She looks exactly like me but — she is evil.

She came towards me and lifted my hand and said “Do you deserve happiness, Purvi? After snatching someone else's happiness? After snatching someone's son, someone's grandchild?”

“It was not my fault! It wasn't! And I lost my child too! It was my child too-”

"That doesn't change the fact that you killed  your own child!"

“I DIDN'T I DIDN'T! GET LOST FROM HERE GET-” Suddenly she disappeared.

“Calm down calm down, it's just your imagination, it's just your imagination” I patted on my heart until the racing heartbeat came back to normal.

Wiping the sweat off my face I got up and went to take a bath.

✯

It feels so good after taking a bath. It keeps my mind calm. Changing into my regular pyjamas I dried my hair with the dryer when suddenly something clicked.

Where the hell is my lehenga?? Didn't he say he'll deliver it to my home! The hell did he do to my lehenga??

Wait. I should ask Maa about it. If he had delivered it here then she must know.

Keeping the dryer on my dressing table I sauntered towards Maa Papa's room, but halted by someone's sudden yelling. I noticed it was coming from downstairs.

That sounds so familiar though- Wait! My heart beat rose at the thought of the possibility of knowing whom the voice belonged to. No way.

There's no way he would come back—right? He won't– he didn't come back in these years no way he would come now. You are just overthinking Purvi!

I sighed.

But who's here at this time? Though it's not really that late, we don't expect anyone at this time. Who came this late that too yelling? No manners!

I made my way downstairs. I saw Papa calmly looking at the intruder, while the intruder’s back was facing me. I was about to speak when the intruder spoke again.

“I WON'T LET YOU PEOPLE RUIN MY SISTER’S LIFE AGAIN! MY SISTER WON'T MARRY ANYONE”

No…

Why is he here now? Why is he back now? I could feel my eyes filling up. I looked down, hastily blinking away the forming tears.

I don't want to see him. Without making any sound I tried to turn away and leave but to my bad luck Maa called my name
“P-purvi?”

Hesitantly looking up my eyes met with him, Purab Ahuja, my brother. The sharp gaze instantly softened, before I could discern he briskly came towards me and pulled me into a hug.

No matter how much I loathe him. I can't deny the longing for these warm bear hugs. I missed this. I missed my brother.

I bit my lower lips holding back the tearing which was threatening to fall. Neither  was I pushing him back nor was I hugging him back.

No matter what. No matter how much I missed my brother. It doesn't change the fact that–

Suddenly I could feel a drop of water fall on my head before I could think about anything he pulled back from the hug. I noticed the subtle transformation– dark circles are slightly visible, his visage has become thin, not too thin–he is not as healthy as before regardless of the well built muscles.

What has he been doing? The Purab Malhotra who was scared of getting dark circles slept early all his life has succumbed to them now?

My eyes fell on his orb which was shiny– I know that drop of water was not water but his tears which he failed to hold back. But why? Why is he getting all poignant now? Wasn't he the one who left me alone?

“Why are you here now?” I tried to utter those without breaking my voice.

I saw his jaw clenched before answering me “I’m here to make things right” I couldn't help but scoff at his words. Make things right? What things is he going to make right?

“Is that anything related to me?” I asked, cause yeah I heard him mentioning me when I came downstairs.

“Yes, it's about Papa fixing your marriage with some bastard! You don't need to marry anyone Choti, you don't have to just because Papa asked you to okay? In fact you should come with me to London, you don't have to worry about a thing” He assured me.

His assurance is the last thing that I want now. And go to London? How easy it's for him to say that!

“I'm okay with the marriage and I'm already engaged so kindly do not create any scene here! And you do not have to worry about me at all” saying that I was about to depart when he suddenly spoke “If you want to marry that man, then I need to meet him”

The audacity this–

“And what rights do you think you have to meet my fiancé?” I snapped. I could see him clenching and unclenching his jaws.

“I am your brother and I have every damn right to know who fuck you are marrying!” He almost yelled at me and it was the first time he raised his voice at me.

Him yelling and shouting was common but he never raised his voice at me. At this point I think he forgot Maa Papa are also here.

But my concern now is why is he concerned for me now?

I couldn't help but let out a wry chuckle before replying “The same brother who left her sister alone at the hospital bed when she was on the verge of dying” I could never forget that moment when I needed him so much but he just left.

His body turned rigid, the fuming gaze turned stoic and looked at me with his emotionless face. I know, I know he has no fucking explanations. He always turns silent whenever I bring that incident up. I don't want to bring up that horrific incident too but I needed to know where my brother was when I needed him the most.

I turned my back, before saying “Humein aapse koi nata nahi, meri zindagi mein dakhal dene ka koi haq nahi hai aapko”

[I have nothing to do with you, you have no right to interfere in my life.]

✯

I closed the door behind me as a tear escaped my eyes. I wiped the tear with my finger. “What a great way to end my engagement day, ha?” I said to myself before making myself comfortable on my bed.

My eyes fell on my phone “I didn't check my phone the whole day!” I took the phone from the nightstand but frowned as soon as I opened it and checked the message that was sent 5 hours ago.

Unknown number: How dare you get engaged to someone else?!

I narrowed my eyes at the text. How does this person know about my engagement? As it was strictly private.

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