The Other Woman Completed G

Chapter 9

Credit of the freaking gorgeous banner goes to sweetest person alive on IF Zephyr_57 aka one and only Sans.

7th September 2018

On 6 September 2018, the Supreme Court of India decriminalised homosexuality by declaring Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code unconstitutional.-Times of India
Colors. Thats what her eyes sought immediately. Everything was colorful. Coloured flags, coloured hopes and coloured dreams of the hundreds of the crowd that had been gathered there.
There was no room for black and white for them. Nothing seemed to bother, not the scorching heat of the sun, not the judgmental looks some gave them as they passed by. 72 years to independence but now were they finally free. Free to become themselves without having to worry about the consequences.
Avilasha smiled as she saw Jasleen making her way towards her from the crowd. Avilasha noticed that her cheeks were painted in rainbow colours as she hugged her.
"I am glad you came." Jasleen admitted with a big smile on her face.
"Me too." Avilasha replied returning the smile. She was hesitant at first but now amist these people with Jasleen on her side, she didn't regret the decision.
Jasleen led Avilasha to some her friends who had accompanied her. During the introductions Avilasha's eyes fell on a middle age woman who had similar striking features to Jasleen. Her guesses turned out correct when Jasleen introduced the woman as her mother.
"This is Avilasha my friend and this here is my mother, probably one of the few parents to be here."
Avilasha was taken back when Jasleen's mother hugged her, it took sometime but she instantly melted in the hug.
"Nice to meet you Avilasha! Jasleen can't stop talking about you." She felt a blush creep through her face at the new information while Jasleen just huffed in annoyance with her mother spilling her secrets out.
A round of conversation made Avilsha realise that Jasleen's mother really loved her and had accepted her fully. Her heart ached thinking how her mother never would. It had been long since she had last talked to her mother and to say it didn't go well would be an understatement.
..
Avilasha entered the dinning to find her family busy. Her father was reading his usual paper, her mother was busy reading gossips on her tabloid and her brother was trying to chuck down the orange juice.
They didn't notice her until she cleared her throat.
All eyes fell on her, a surprise look on their face.
"Avilasha? How come you're here? Is something wrong? Did you do something again?" Her mother broke the silence.
"Yes and no. I mean I have something to tell you." Avilasha said and then looked out of the window to see the car parked outside and her heart calmed a bit. Both of the Rana brothers were waiting out so she had a little confidence on herself with what she was going to share with her parents.
"I.. we.. me and Rehan.. we.." Avilasha took a deep breath. "We are getting a divorce."
Her parents looked at her with surprise before her father turned towards her.
"Why?"
"Is it because Rayan is back?" Her mother suggested. "Good lord, that shaitaan has got to your head hasn't he? You still love him and want to marry him don't you?"
"No." Avilasha replied immediately.
"Then whats wrong? I find nothing wrong with your marriage! Doesn't Rehan fulfill your needs?" Her father questioned.
"Yes he does but,"
"Then there are no buts. You are not going to divorce your husband without a valid reason! Instead of these ridiculious ideas why don't you spend your time figuring out how to keep your husband interested in you!" Avilasha wanted to puke hearing her mother's answer. She couldn't believe that her own mother couldn't see where her happiness lay.
"We do have a valid reason." Avilasha took a deep breath, it was now or never. "Thou me and Rehan are good friends, we love each other, we can never be in a happy marriage because A) he loves someone else. B) I can't become the wife or love him the way I should. Not just him, I can't love anyone else in that way as a matter of fact including Rayan."
"Where are you getting at?" Her father asked with irritation.
"I should have told you all this long ago but I didn't have courage, I still don't. I.. I don't like men. I like women." It felt as thou a burden had been lifted off her chest as she confessed her secret out.
It took time for her parents to process the information. Her brother spit his juice out as he laughed out loud until he realised she wasn't joking.
Her parents had the same disappointed look she was used to seeing as her mother spoke, "How could you do this to us Avilasha! After all we have done for, is this a way you pay us back? Didn't you think once how it would affect our life and our reputation!.."
And she went on, but Avilasha didn't care to listen. Thou it hurt she choose to ignore. She was fed of getting hurt.
..
Her parents hadn't talk to her after that day. Avilasha shook the thoughts away from her head trying to concentrate on the present day. It was a happy day for her and hundreds of others. The law had finally acknowledged them, their preferences, their happiness and one day everyone would in the same way.
Avilasha didn't know if she would be alive to see the day where no child would have to hide their choices from their own parents but she was happy to see this day. The crowd were dancing, celebrating fullest to the fact that they had finally received what they had been fighting for, a recognition from the world as a part of it.
She smiled as she read the texts of Rehan and Rayan congratulating her and somewhere along the line of how proud they were of her.
"Avilasha!" Her thoughts were interrupted and she looked up to find the person she least expected to see. Her brother.
"Bhai? What are you doing here?" Avilasha was more than surprised.
"I came cause well.." her brother nervously rubbed his neck. "To tell you that I am with you no matter what. I may not understand what you went through in the past but, I will have back to whatever you would have to face in the future."
Avilasha eyes filled as she hugged her brother tight. He was here and that was enough for her.
There would be a lot struggles in the coming days, there would be dark days but Avilasha knew she would pass them through.
"Smile princess, you look good." Jasleen commented as Avilasha gladly obliged.
Her smile never flattering the entire day or the days to come by. Looking at the woman beside her, she feared nothing, they would ovecome anything as long as they were with each other even if it meant rewriting the stars.

What if we rewrite the stars?
Say you were made to be mine
Nothing could keep us apart
You'd be the one I was meant to find
It's up to you, and it's up to me
No one can say what we get to be

...
Tracing the cover of her book a smile embraced her cheeks. Shahida couldn't help the fluttering feeeling every time she looked at the book. She looked around the now empty hall which an hour ago was filled with people for her book launch and her smile disappeared. Everyone was there today, everyone who cared for her and supported her except for him! The one who mattered the most.
She sighed letting her disappointment sink in. It had just been a month and half she had last seen him and to admit that she missed him would be an understatement. Over the time she had finished her novel and since luck was on her side she was able to publish it as soon as possible. However as much as she tried to be happy, her happiness seemed compromised. It felt nothing without him and she hated herself for feeling so.
Lost in her thoughts she didn't notice the figure approaching her so when the person cleared his throat to grab her attention Shahida nearly jumped out of her seat.
Shahida looked up to the person her eyes were thirsty to see.
"Rehan?" She whispered scared that he was just a figment of her imagination. Before she could utter her next word she was carried away from her seat into his arms. She wanted to live there forever, smelling him, feeling him however she ended breaking the embrace punching him with all her force in his arms.
"Easy there tiger." Rehan chuckled at her pout.
"Where were you?"
"Outside. Fighting with your so called bodyguard to get in. I am telling you one of these days he will get wasted from my hands."Rehan made a face.
Shahida was surprised to know Farhan had tried to keep Rehan away. Then again she didn't blame him, he had seen how much Rehan had affected her. For Farhan, Rehan was a bad addiction of Shahida, he didn't understand the intensity of their love for each other.
"Why are you here?" Shahida asked. "As much as happy I am to see you here I still want time to figure things out. We can not jump into anything."
Rehan nodded his head understanding her dilemma but he was adamant too, "I am not here to force our relation on you. I was actually here to attend the book launch of my favourite author. I am her biggest fan alive, do you think I can grab one of the copy of her first novel."
Shahida shook her head at his flattering. "Are you here just for that?"
"No, I was also wondering if she was fed of drinking all the filtered coffee and would like to go out for a cup of tea with me?" Rehan asked. Shahida narrowed her eyes trying to ignore his puppy eyes.
She grabbed the novel lying on the table, her first copy and scribbled before handing it out to Rehan. He grinned at her as he took the book only to frown when she started to walk away from without answering.
The cold slap of rejection hit him hard but Rehan accepted it. Flopping down on the floor, he traced her book with his fingers when his eyes fell on the scribbles on the last page. Quickly turning the page he found a neatly written down message,
To my biggest fan

Your Chanda
Ps you get the best tea in town in my home but the cost includes millions of questions from my amma and death glares from my abba.
Rehan laughed out. A real one, a one he hadn't laughed in a long time. Deciding that he could afford the price of visiting Shahida again, his smile widened and he began reading her novel.
As the pages turned, realisation dawned upon him. With each word, the familiarity was uncanny. This was not just story, this was her story. This was their story.
Rehan closed the book with a heavy heart. This was her struggle, her inner conflict between love and morals. This was her story as the other woman.

His heart broke but his mind was determined. They had their tests but not anymore. He couldn't change the past as much as he wanted to wipe out all together but he would do everything in his hands to give them a future. Their love deserved a second chance and he would do it all to get it from her. Nothing would come between them now. Not even the stars.

How do we rewrite the stars?
Say you were made to be mine?
Nothing can keep us apart
'Cause you are the one I was meant to find
And why don't we rewrite the stars?
Changing the world to be ours

Word count : 2000

Total words : 17000

4th Milestone complete.