SS: Ishq Wala Love|Chapter 6, Page 28 - Page 21

"Love may come in a box, but true love comes right to your door step"

Chapter 6

"Jay!" I say, trying to get her attention as I try to keep up with her. "It's not what you think it is!"

"Sure it's not," A mix of cry, laughter and sorrow comes out from her mouth.

"Jay, please let me explain to you at least!"

"No! I've heard it all!" She replied back before shutting her bedroom door with a loud bang.

"Jay, please open the door. I can explain!" I say, knocking wilding at her door.

"No. Save your excuse for someone those gullible enough."

I stop knocking as I hear someone sobbing behind the door.

"I've already had to wait a whole year. For the whole family to agree on this marriage, and then for them to decide on the dates," She carries on crying. "And now you've made everything worse." Her voice fills with hatred and pain.

"Jainandini," I address her with a firm tone. "Please open the door."

"No, I won't"

"Jay..."

The door opens but there was no one behind it.

"Jay?" I ask to nothingness. Then a sob broke out again and I saw her lying on her bed. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know... I didn't know that you were there. I tried to stop her, I really did. But DS wouldn't listen. I'm so sorry, I feel so bad."

"That's because your their favourite. They don't care about anyone but you," She says, her sobs now muffled in her pillow.

"Jay, you know that's not true," I say shocked at what she had said, and awkwardly walk up to her. I sit down on the side of her bed, and awkwardly bring my hand towards her to stroke her hair. She whacks my hand away, leaving my skin red.

"I know its the truth. You don't know what they always talk about. They always let you do anything you want. All they care is about you, you... and YOU!" She screams at the end and throws a pillow towards me. I let it pass me as I stay still; shocked.

"Jay..." My voice breaks. She turns to look at me. Her eyes red after crying; wide with anger. She bite her lips harshly; and soon it starts to bleed slowly.

"Just get the hell out of my room!" She screams at the top of her voice.

I walk out of the room slowly; feeling her eyes on the back of me. Pausing at the door, I turn a little.

"I'm sorry... Jay," I whisper before walking away from her room. After a couple of seconds, I hear her door shut with a loud bang. I cringe and then carry on advancing towards my room when something stops me.

I look towards the door with the lock on. Taking a step forward, I stop. I can't do it now, whatever was behind it must be important. Instead I turn around and walk back to my room.

**

(Next Day)

"Dadisaab," I clear my voice trying to get DS's attention. We were sitting on the breakfast table, awaiting for Jay to come. This has become traditional now; everyone must attend breakfast, lunch and dinner. All the meals were to be eaten together. She turns to look at me, dismissing the servant.

"Yes Manyata," She softly replies back. I feel a twist of guilt and then I can't decide if I should tell her or not...

"Ermm... Jay kind of.." I stammer.

"I know," She says, still in that melting grandmotherly voice of hers.

"This isn't right.." I carry on, forcing the words out.

"Manyata, what about you? Will you be happy?" She asks me.

"Of course I'll be happy," I say, with a strange tone. She stares at me, raising her eyebrows before settling back like I never asked her anything. After a couple of seconds later, Jainandini appears with a smile on her face.

"Good morning DS," She chirps.

"Good morning Jay," DS replies back. Jay pulls back a seat, and allows herself to sit down.

"So Mum and Dad are coming tomorrow?" She casually asks, like she was only having a conversation with her and DS only.

"Yes Jay, their arriving tomorrow in the afternoon," She replies back again with a positive tone.

"Haven't seen them in ages," She carries on with the simple chit chat. I quietly carry on eating my breakfast; pretending not to be there. So this was how it was before I came here to stay.

"Yes dear," DS says, whilst eating breakfast.

"DS... I was wondering, may I go out today?" Jay asks her.

"Jay, your parents are coming tomorrow..."

"I know DS," She says.

"I don't think you should go today."

"But their coming tomorrow in the afternoon."

"Jay," She raises her tone. That silences Jay, and we all carry on eating in silence.

"Excuse me, I'm going to my room now," She excuses herself. She quickly walks away, and I turn to look at DS.

"Dadisaab, do you really think this is a good idea? She seems to be pretty much angry at me," I say.

"It will pass Manyata," She reassures me. "I know what I am doing."

I sigh as I excuse myself from the table and head towards my room. I pause before leaving.

"DS," I ask.

"Yes Manyata?"

She decides to ask about what Jay had told her yesterday; about being the 'favourite'; but then she decided not to. "Oh nothing, sorry."

"Manyata, you can tell me if something is bothering you," DS says supportively. I turn around to look at her. Her face looked so gentle. Not only was it her face, but also her body. She looked so weak with a forced smile on her lips. How she handled the pressure and responsibilities, I don't know. But she had been amazing at it, everyone had respected her and they still do.

"No, nothing's bothering me," I lie, pausing for another second before walking away.

I hum in the eerie silence, pleading its creepy shadows to go away as I walk through the deserted corridors. It's funny how these very own corridors held secrets of its own which no one knows of.

I look at each painting I pass; each telling their own story. They all seemed to be about history. Women in traditional sarees keeping to themselves as their husbands ruled over the people. Painting after painting; they started to look more decent and brightly coloured.

People were starting to become more civilized; there was less war paintings. People mingled around more happily, socializing with who ever and when ever. Everything about the paintings seemed to shout out 'happy'.

There were several paintings like this until there appeared to be large families. They looked like they were family portraits, everyone looking at the painter as though they were having a bad day. They only one smiling was the main guy in the center. I passed each painting, looking at the families faces. And soon the size of the family became smaller and small. From 10 children to five.

Then a certain painting attracts my attention. In this painting were 3 beautiful girls sitting around to what seems like their father. His smile isn't as grand as the others; you could tell by the eyes that he wasn't happy. The 3 girls looked miserable too in the painting. There wasn't a mother in this portrait like in the others who looked lovingly at her children. Instead there was loads of sadness in the whole atmosphere.

The last painting was much happier than the other one. There was a woman sitting in the center this time with three children surrounding her. Two were boys and one was a girl. The eldest beamed at his mother who was lovingly stroking his cheeks, whilst the other son sat in the corner with a saddened face. The girl was happy and sat next to her mother with a smile. Looking closer to the boy in the corner, I study his face. Recognising the features but not entirely sure on who it was.

The little boy had sharp piercing eyes which were filled with hatred as he looked up to the elder boy. His hair fell on his face; covering his forehead. His arms were crossed over his chest and he was sat on the floor whilst the others were on chairs. The eyes of the boy seemed really familiar. I try to think who it could have been.

[Flashback]

Her aunty held the baby in her arms; slowly rocking her from one side to another. Little Manyata sat in the corner watching with envy. 'Why did the little baby get all the attention?' the little girl thought to herself.

Her weak mother sat herself up with the aid of her father.

"Who does she look like?" Komal asked Mehnka, her question targeting her now 2 month old baby. Little Manyata ran towards her aunty, trying to get her attention.

"Aunty ji aunty ji, who do I look like?" She said tugging at her aunty's saree continuously. Mehnka sat down with the baby in her arms and looked at Manyata.

"You look just like your mother Manyata," She said kindly, making Manyata smile. Mehnka then looked towards the baby.

"And as for Jainandini..." She said, pausing to think. "Her eyes are definitely like her fathers." She laughed.

[End of Flashback]

So that was who it had reminded me of. It was dad; when he was younger. I study the painting more carefully. The woman in the center must have been Dadisaab; this meant that the girl sitting next to her was Aunty Mehnka. But who was the elder boy? Dad only had one other sibling and that was Aunty Mehnka. So who was this boy that Dadisaab was looking at lovingly. And why was Dad in the corner?

I mentally make a note about asking DS about it, and then I turn only to face the annoying glinting light at the end of the corridor.

I walk towards the glinting light which keeps attracting me in the other end of the corridor. Walking faster and faster, I soon reach the door. It's covered in cobwebs and dust had formed in it. I blow, and the dust flies away, and my breath destroys the cobwebs. Small insects run away after realising what was happening.

I look at the handle which had a padlock in it. Whatever was in the other side of the room must have been important. Not being smart, I still try to open the door; yet it remains locked.

Luckily, I had hair slides with me. I took one out of my hair and tried to unlock the door when a noise stopped me dead in my tracks.

My heart pondered as I hear a door opening and then there was a shout. "Someone get the bliming door!" Shouted Jay from her room. I quickly walk away from the door and answer back to her.

"Jay, I'll get it," I tell her, walking even quicker to the door like I was running away from the crime scene. Behind me, I hear some following but I decide to ignore it and answer the door.

"Hey," says the same guy from the plane. My mouth opens in shock.

"Tum?!" I exclaim. I hear Jay let out a sigh of relief.

"Finally your here baby, I've missed you," She said, running towards him.