The room was engulfed in absolute darkness. The only light streaming in to the room was through the slit between the double doors from the well lit corridor further beyond. A slight drizzle had started outside, pouring small trickles of water in intricate patterns on the fogged glasses of the huge French windows. A dark figure was sitting on the parapet by the windows, overlooking the grounds flanking the West Wing of Sheesh Mahal. His face was deadpan but his head was throbbing with a dull ache that had come to reside permanently since the past ten days; since the day his whole world was mutilated beyond recognition.
He shifted his weight and lay on the parapet, shrivelling up in a foetal position, hugging a cushion to his chest. He looked up at the dark evening skies that were enveloped with ominous grey clouds, a sign of the impending storm that was on its way. But Arnav was calm; the acceptance having sunk into his heart that his innocence couldn't possibly ravaged anymore. Nothing could be more brutal than the way God took away his mother from him. A chill suddenly ran coursed through his limp body.
God. He thought derisively.
Was there any point to believe in that hypocritical entity anymore? Was there any point in folding his hands and standing behind his sister while offering the morning Aarti like he had been doing for everyday of his life since he could remember? Would there be any point if his mother, the only person on whose insistence Arnav participated in the rituals in the first place, wasn't there anymore? Was there any point to believe that whatever the Almighty did was for good always? How could the untimely demise of his mother be deemed for good? How could He have done something so dastardly and got away with it? Bitterness meshed with anger coursed through Arnav's heart like poison. No, God didn't exist for him anymore.
Still curled up on the cold marble tiles of the parapet, watching the rain pounding down harder than before, Arnav lay still. A soft knock on the door made him turn around at stare at the shadowy figure silhouetted against the door. He frowned; he had given specific instructions to everyone in the house not to disturb him. The person turned on the lights and suddenly the room was bathed in a light amber glow of the chandelier. He immediately shielded his eyes to prevent the sting and let them adjust to the abrupt light. By the time he withdrew his forearms, he was startled to see a ghostlike figure standing in front of him, slightly swaying against an invisible gust of air.
"Di?" He gripped Anjali gently by her arm and made her sit next to him on the parapet. She winced slightly and he then registered the coldness of the tiles. Cursing under his breath, Arnav got down from the parapet and gently guided Anjali to sit on his bed instead. He kneeled on the floor looking up at her.
"Di?" he repeated worriedly as he noticed the pale skinned version of his earlier exuberant sister. His heart constricted achingly. What had become of her? "Did you eat dinner?" he asked softly. After a long moment of silence, she shook her head no. He gulped the painful lump of throat that had surfaced despite his rigid determination. He steeled his nerves. "Di you have to eat. You'll fall sick otherwise," he whispered clutching her cold hands in his own.
Anjali looked at Arnav and croaked in a hollowed voice, "You haven't eaten either, Chotey," the fighting spirit from her voice lost somewhere in the realms of mourning. Arnav bowed his head resignedly. He hadn't eaten dinner since God knows how many days. He had ignored summons from his butler to come downstairs for dinner, he had returned platters of food untouched back to the kitchens much to the dismay of the cooks; he just didn't feel hungry anymore. How could he still be interested in something petty like food at a time like this?
But this was not about him, this was about his sister. The only person who was left in his life, the only family he had got. Would Maa have allowed Di to reduce to an apparition like this? No she wouldn't have. And neither will I, neither will I... Arnav swore to himself, a promise that was the starting point to a lifetime of shielding his sister. Suddenly he got up to his feet and tugged at Anjali's hand to follow him. "Come on Di. We are going downstairs for dinner right now."
Anjali uncertainly got to her feet too and the sibling duo slowly ambled out of the room. Walking down the staircase, she stared at her younger brother who looked like he had aged beyond his years overnight. From being the young carefree buoyant boy, he had become a broody man; his eyes that once emoted whatever he was going through, now were shuttered down with a permanent deadpan look. What had become of him? Why was he suddenly robbed of the innocence of his childhood? Oh God, please help my brother. Give him peace, free him from his suffering, Anjali prayed with the utmost conviction, an appeal that was the starting point to a lifetime of her unending devotion to God to bring peace and happiness to his brother.
And so, the siblings walked down the corridor holding each others' hands, being each others' anchors to brave the storm that was coming.
*
"Oii Khushi!" Lavanya muttered annoyed, shaking Khushi out of her daydreaming. "I've been asking you for over 10 minutes now when are we going for that Hugh Jackman movie! Where are you lost woman?"
Khushi straightened on her desk and immediately got busy rearranging the notebooks in front of her. She had indeed been lost all morning. Actually, make that a week. "Not lost La. I'm right here," Khushi replied back avoiding Lavanya's eyes. But she was no fool; she could read Khushi's body language like an expert by now. She suddenly cupped Khushi's chin and swung her face forcefully to face herself.
"Physically? Yes you are here. Mentally? I think you're in la-la-land," Lavanya said admonishingly. "Don't insult my intelligence Khushi. Tell me what is wrong? You've been behaving weirdly since the past few days now." Lavanya enquired, reading Khushi's dull downcast eyes. Khushi withdrew from Lavanya's grasp and bowed her head sighing loudly, her shoulders slumping in resignation.
"I haven't received a reply yet," Khushi finally admitted dejectedly. Lavanya raised her eyebrows.
"Reply to...? Oh!" she stopped, realising what Khushi was talking about and suddenly understanding why her best friend had been looking so down in the dumps off late. She had written the letter to her penpal over a week ago.
Lavanya pulled a chair next to her and held her hands in her own. "Khushi listen to me. Life isn't a fairytale okay? I know you were really looking forward to it. I know..." she murmured softly seeing how Khushi was almost on the verge of tears. "But you need to know this dear that you did the best that you could. You took the first step, you wrote to that person and shows you've got balls woman. Quite big ones at that," Khushi suddenly giggled at Lavanya's words.
"Ewww, La! That's gross!" Khushi squealed disgustedly but no longer sad.
"So, you took the first step and left the rest to destiny. Now if that other person is such a douchebag that he/she didn't bother replying, then understand this that it is his/her loss. Because you are a frikkin' awesome person and the bestest friend any one could ever ask for. Don't ever forget that, okay?" Lavanya's voice rang clear with such conviction that Khushi stared at her, forgetting all her woes. Then she lunged towards Lavanya and wrapped her arms tightly around her.
"Uhhh suff..o...cating... can't breathe, can't bre...athe.." Lavanya acted as if she was getting choked by Khushi's frail arms, making Khushi burst into laughter in days.
Idiot, Lavanya thought fondly as she watched Khushi laughing.
*
Writer's note: Hey guys! To all those who were expecting Arnav to write back instantly, uhm a little patience please? 😊
Thanks for all of your lovely comments! I'm glad you've liked this concept so much. PLease continue with your feedback and I promise the next update will be soon!
cheers! 😊
PS - If you need a PM the next time I update, please send me a PM with the subject "Following 101". Do not buddy me, I'll send you a buddy request from my PM account. Thanks!
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