I run outside of our house. Away from the party; My party.
A day hasn't passed yet and already I feel unwanted. Alone.
The heavy rain smudges my make up, which probably looks like a mess now. I probably... no certainly looks like a mess. My dress is now drenched from the rain, and looks nothing like it was when I first brought it.
But all I can do is revisit that scene. Everyone ganging up on me, and I was alone. Alone defending my sister.
She has sacrificed her future career for me. And what had I done to return the favour back to her? I couldn't even defend her. To let all my thoughts pour out to them; about the truth.
They will never know what my sister means to me. She has done everything for me, and I owe her. Nupur and Maya will never know thee meaning of being true sisters. They are both alike; selfish and greedy.
I keep walking. Until I'm far away from my home. Away from the party; the horrible people. And now I wonder; where will I go? All my friends were at the party.
Then a thought strikes me. The meadow. It's the place where I go to calm myself down. To buy me some time to think about situations.
And at this moment, the meadow is the perfect place to go. To think things over...
(3rd POV)
An hour passes since her sister tells her she's going to the toilets. Maanvi where are you? Jeevika thinks, trying to locate her behna.
She excuses herself from a conversation. The toilets, nope. Her bedroom, nope. Living. Dining. Kitchen. Maanvi was no where to be seen. Starting to her worried, Jeevika approaches Viren.
"Have you seen my behna? I can't seem to find her anywhere," Jeevika asked him, hoping he would have seen her around.
"No I haven't but she must be around here somewhere. Let's ask Virat, maybe he knows," Viren suggests.
The two then head towards Virat; who seems to be talking about something to a big group.
"Virat, can I have a word with you?" Viren asks.
"What now? I'm in the middle of something," He replies back.
"It's important," Jeevika tells him. He nods, and then follows them. Their girlfriends look at Jeevika suspiciously.
"Okay what is it?" Virat asks.
"We can't find Maanvi anywhere. I'm worried about her," Jeevika replies back.
"Oh Dedh Futiya got into a fight with my baby. Then she run out into the rain after I said a little joke," Virat laughed. Only that Viren and Jeevika didn't find it funny.
"Tell us exactly what happened," Viren says to him, shooting him a serious look.
After Virat spills the beans, Jeevika has to explain to him about the situation and why Maanvi got upset. She tells him that he shouldn't have joked, because she knew Maanvi felt hurt. Jeevika also explained how Maanvi always wanted to become a fashion designer, and how she couldn't eave her parents alone.
"So now do you understand? We couldn't both leave out parents alone. Someone had to be there to look after them, and I decided that my career didn't matter that much. It was always Maanvi's dream to become a fashion designer," Jeevika explains.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know. I'll make it upto her. I promise," Virat apolgises.
"I think we should go and find her. She will surely catch a cold in the rain," Jeevika says.
"Okay, let's take our cars," Viren agrees.
"Sure, lets go," Virat replies.
Just as they head outside, they get stopped by Nupur and Maya.
"Where are you going sweety?" Nupur asks Viren.
"I'll be back soon jaan. We're just going to go look for Maanvi," He replies back. She gives him the Don'tYouLeaveMe face, but he ignores it and goes outside.
Viren and Jeevika share a car, and Virat takes his own. Jeevika suggests that they should look someplace near about, she could have gone into one of the neighbors houses.
After not finding her, they head towards the nearest mall.
"So you wanted to become a doctor?" Viren asks Jeevika.
"Yes, but I guess I stil have time. Only I would be disadvantaged with the studies I would have got from England," Jeevika tells him.
Suddeny, the car stops in the middle of the road.
"Damn," Viren says, getting out of the car.
"What happened?" Jeevika asks.
"We're out of petrol, and seems like Virat is too," He replies back. Jeevika then comes out of the car, and the three look around.
They were in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by trees.
"I think we should go and look around. Maybe Maanvi went there to shelter from the rain," Viren says. Jeevika nod in agreement.
The rain has stopped now, but everything was still wet, and there were puddle in various places.
(Maanvi POV)
I sit under my favourite willow tree. All my happy memories return. Me, a 3 year old, playing with my 5 year old sister. My maa used to take us here daily. Everything has changed but the meadow; the meadow remains just as it was 19 years before.
And I wish so badly that I never went to London. Never met Virat and Viren. Then there would be no encounter in the airport, or the party. And I wouldn't be here right now, instead I would have been home, asleep.
The rain has stopped now, and a beautiful cresent moon appears in the night sky. I close my eyes, breathing in the peaceful moment; which calms me down.
(3rd POV)
The three decide to split up; Viren and Jeevika heads in one direction, whilst Virat in another.
"Are you sure we're heading in the right way? I think its the 7th time we've passed this tree!" Jeevika exclaims, getting annoyed that they had to head into the forest in the first place.
"No I'm sure we haven't even passed the tree. If only I could get signal on my phone," Viren says in frustration.
"Here, let me try," Jeevika asks, taking his mobile phone. "Nope," She says, after trying in various places.
"Okay, I give in. We're lost!" Viren exclaims.
"Now what?" Jeevika asks.
"Let's try and find our way back," Viren replies back.
"Right," Jeevika nods, hoping they will find their way back to the cars.
Meanwhile, Virat has been walking through the forest and has just spotted a clearing. He slowly investigates the area; the weeping willow trees, the slow current of water tickling down like a waterdall, the fresh wet green grass.
"Oye!" something exclaims. He looks to his right; the voice came from the largest willow tree.
"Oh my GOD!" Virat exclaims. "I never knew a willow tree could talk!"
"Of course it can't" The voice from the tree replies back to him. He tries to see who was there, but it was too dark. He moves up to the tree, and moving the weeping branches with his hands. He then sees a girl with a horrifying ghostly face; all her make up smudged and her dress ruined.
"Maanvi?" Virat says, shocked.
TO BE CONTINUED..
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
